When Factions Collide
Chapter 50: Tobias
I didn't think I could bear to watch anymore but an hour a day. Although, I must say, seeing Wren's reaction to her getting the shovel made it worth giving to her. There was no other excitement that day. No, the excitement came the next day.
We were all sitting in the Pit again, our usual hangout spot, and turned on the projector to see an update. What I expected to see was them trekking to find food, or maybe just sitting and enjoying the water. What we ended up seeing was an attack on the eight by the Cornucopia. It was five on eight, and they still won. Of course they did, they had three Dauntless with them. I was surprised to see that Adam was in the group, but I figured they would kill him off eventually. But the attack was brutal. I didn't know she could throw knives. I also forgot how much offensive technique I actually taught to Theo, but he broke the kid's neck when he tried to come back and attack. I admit, I cringed a little when I saw it. I've seen worse in my life, sure, but seeing one of your friends kill someone else on the television is not the best image to have. It's not who he was as a person, though, which helped ease the fear a little.
"Four," someone called my name. I turned to see who it was. It was Bri. She was going to get cake.
"Yeah, sure." I got up with her.
"I just wanted to tell you, Nate and I broke up."
"What?" They seemed so fine yesterday.
"Apparently he doesn't think I have a good reason to be snooping through Peter's files."
"That's crazy." I said. Now she really had a right, she needed to find her past.
She exhaled loudly. "I know. But I just wanted to tell you."
"Well, I'm certainly sorry to hear that. Can I help with anything?"
"No, I think it's okay to be alone. In fact, I kind of enjoy it. Freeing. I don't have to deal with people."
I laughed. "Right. Well, if you need anything, let me know."
"Will do." we sat back down and I turned off the projector. Funny, Nate was still sitting with us. Then again, so was Mels, and she and Isaac weren't together. This didn't bode well for Theo or Wren, but I also figured if they could survive the games together, they could do just about anything.
The compound was almost boring without the two people who brought the group together, so I decided to torture myself a little more and go for a trip down memory lane. The first stop was the rope net which caught Tris. I climbed in it, looking above through the hole into the blue summer sky. God how I missed her. I really didn't have a reason to stay here anymore, if it weren't for the fact that I had a good job, I had good friends, and I didn't want to live with my mother or the other Divergents.
Once I climbed out, I went to the training room, where we first really met. Or at least, I touched her, trying to help her fight. She was so small, but God was she strong. Strong in heart, strong in her fight, strong while she died, so I heard. She did not die in vain, and I know it would have killed her to see me doing this, moping around. But everyone else was bringing her up. I couldn't help it.
I moved on to the chasm, where I first kissed her. I stood on the rock, thinking of her hand in mine and how it felt, that rush after my fear landscape, that rush when I felt her lips on mine. So much had changed then. I didn't want to leave, I was happy here, reliving the memories, the warmth.
I don't know how I ended up outside, sitting on the steps to the entrance of the compound, but when I did, I heard footsteps come and sit by me. Christina had decided to come and visit.
"You miss her, don't you?" she sat down next to me.
"I always do."
"What brought this on? Was it that girl?"
"Wren? Maybe."
"She's no look alike."
"No, no one could ever compare to Tris in looks. She was fierce."
She chuckled. "Yeah she was. But the attitude,"
"The attitude is so similar. And she looks up to her. Heroism."
"I don't know if Tris would have liked that."
"She would have hated it."
"Probably, yeah. But Four,"
"Hm?"
"Don't live like you're dead. If she's holding you back, don't let her, because you know that's the exact opposite that she would have wanted."
"Christina, come to the Capitol with me."
"What?"
"Let's go. Today. We should go to the Capitol?"
"Just you and me?"
"Yeah. Plus, I can introduce you to a friend of mine."
"Four, this is like so sudden, what brought this on?"
"I want to be there. I just want to get away all of a sudden. I want to live a little bit."
"And you're taking me...why?"
"Because aside from Peter, who I don't want to take, you're the only one who I still talk to who knows what I went through." I looked at her.
"Yeah, sure, I'll go." she nodded. "I'll have to tell my family, but I'll go. I've kind of always wanted to see the Capitol."
"Yeah, it's an interesting place. But don't consider it a date." I said seriously.
"Wouldn't dream of it. I know where your loyalties lie. What are you gonna tell your friends though?"
"Peter will be fine, and Bri has an eye on him. Isaac is a leader, and Dauntless won't miss me too much for a few days."
"Alright, when are we leaving?"
"Next train comes tonight around nine."
"I'll be ready then. Meet at the Hub?"
"Sure, Hub at eight. Thank you Christina, for helping me. It means a lot."
"I know. It helps me too. It's weird. Some days I feel fine. But others, I feel like breaking down. That's why I can't come back here. I just can't deal with it."
"I understand. See you tonight."
"See you tonight, Four." and we parted ways.
