Tobias
I am awoken by my blaring alarm. I turn on my side and smack the 'OFF' button with my palm. I don't want to get out of bed, but then I think of Tris. Remembering that I have second period with her propels me out of bed. My feet land on the hardwood floor and I practically run out into the hall, and straight into my father.
"Slow down, Tobias," he says. He doesn't hit me anymore like when I was a kid, but that doesn't mean that I stopped fearing him. I feel myself begin to cower, but stand up straight. He can't hurt me anymore, I am stronger than him.
"Sorry," I mutter and walk around him and into the bathroom behind him. I close the door behind me. I relieve myself and then brush my teeth. When I finish I go back out into the hall and cross to my room.
I put on a simple pair of dark jeans and a gray t-shirt, slip my wallet and cell phone in my back pocket, and leave my room.
I go down the stairs and grab my keys off the hook and my backpack from the floor next to the closet in the foyer. I am slipping on my jacket when I hear my father.
"Aren't you going to say goodbye to your father?" my father's voice asks from behind me.
"Bye," I say flatly without turning to see him, and then I walk out the front door.
I unlock the door and climb into my truck, throwing my backpack in the passenger seat and shoving the keys in the ignition.
I drive the fifteen minutes to school and park in the corner of the lot. I immediately scan the parking lot for the silver sedan I saw Tris get into yesterday. I see it parked a few rows down from me. I jump when somebody taps on my window.
"Hey, man! What are you doing in there?" Zeke yells from the other side of the closed window, peering in with his face pressed up to the glass. I turn the keys, killing the truck's engine and grab my backpack from the passenger seat. Zeke moves out of the way and I get out of my truck, shutting the door behind me.
"Hey, want to do something after school today?" he asks as I shove my keys in my pocket and we make our way to the door.
"Sorry, man, I can't."
"Why? You got plans or something?" he asks, laughing to himself.
"Yeah, I do," I say flatly. He stops walking and stares at me.
"Wait, seriously?" he asks with a bewildered expression on his face. Though most people would be, I am not offended. Usually if I am not hanging out with him, I am not hanging out with anybody.
"Yeah," I say, walking again.
"With who?" he asks, struggling to keep up with my quickened pace.
"With Tris."
"The new girl?" he asks loudly. I just nod, acting like it's nothing. Really though, it's everything.
"Wow, T. Well done!" he says, clapping me on the back. I shake him off and he just laughs.
Zeke and I enter school and walk down the hall to government class. We take the seats that were assigned to us yesterday. I sit in the back of the room near Shauna and Christina, and Zeke sits in the very front row. Mrs. Kerr always puts Zeke in the front row because she knows that he is very talkative. We've all had her before because she taught the required 'United States Law and Order' class last year.
Students begin quickly filling the room, a few approaching Mrs. Kerr and asking to be reminded of where they sit. A few minutes later, Mrs. Kerr stands at the head of the room in front of the board.
"Good morning, everybody! As I told you yesterday, in this class we will be simulating different types of government. Each term we will study a different form of government. This term, we will be studying a republic, which means we need a president. Do I have any volunteers?" Mrs. Kerr announces. Zeke's hand shoots straight into the air, earning him a couple of laughs from the other students. A few other kids raise their hands too. "Well, since this is a republic, we will take a vote. Everybody, take out a piece of scratch paper." Then she goes to the board and writes the names of the students, who raised their hands to be president on the board.
Class goes on this way until all of our 'government' positions are filled. Zeke ends up being voted president. Christina is secretary of state. Zeke unofficially pronounces Shauna as his first lady, causing her face to redden. I didn't run, so I don't have a job.
The class passes by quickly. I gather all my books and things and put them in my backpack. I get to see Tris next hour, and knowing that makes my heart beat faster. Something about that girl just does something to me. I can't quite explain it. I have never paid much attention to girls before, but her big gray-blue eyes demand attention, and I am happy to oblige.
The bell rings and I end up being one of the first people out of the classroom and into the hall. I am quite tall, so it is easy to scan over the top of other students for her. I'm not sure what class she is coming from so I don't know if I will even see her. I don't, but I eventually find myself in front of the Social Studies classroom.
I enter the room and scan it immediately. I feel disappointed when I realize she isn't here yet. I take a seat in the same desk I sat at yesterday. Mrs. Tepper sits at her desk waiting for students to fill the room. A moment later, the most beautiful girl walks in and takes the seat next to me.