A lil teaser of what the revisions are like...happy holidays everyone!

Warm air smelling of bread greeted Beatrice as she walked into her house after school. The soft rustle of pots and pans in her kitchen drew her attention towards her mother who looked up at the sound of the door opening.

"Beatrice, honey, could you help me with dinner? The Eatons are visiting us for dinner tonight."

A slight smile graced Beatrice's lips as she nodded slightly and ducked her head. It was easier to smile and nod than to question. Questions were looked down upon. She walked upstairs and dropped her bag onto her desk, putting off organizing it for later that night. Clutter was selfish, and Beatrice couldn't afford to be selfish. She was too old to be making trouble. Her room was nearly spotless, save for a few papers scattered around the floor and her untucked sheets. Who cared about those things anyway? She surely didn't, and it wasn't like anyone else was in her room to care. So what if she woke up late and didn't have time to put everything away after using it? Pushing her palms against her hairline, Beatrice sighed. Moments like these were chances to center herself and reorient her chaotic brain towards the only thing that mattered.

Being selfless.

"Hello. How was your day?" She asked the expected question as soon as she walked downstairs, walking towards her mother in the kitchen.

"It was fine, thank you. How was yours, Beatrice?"

Notice how the attention was directly taken off of her. Selfless. No matter how hard she tried, Beatrice couldn't become inherently selfless. It wasn't her instinct. She had so much going on in her mind that didn't involve serving others. So many ideas and questions and curiosities. All suffocated with others' necessities. Would she ever escape? Was she brave enough to escape?

Breathe. Reorientate. Start cooking the peas.

"School was good, thank you." Short, but informative. Respecting the question, but not focusing too much on herself. Her mother nodded before going back to cooking the chicken.

The door opened softly, meaning their guests had most likely just arrived. Beatrice strained the peas before setting them aside and offered to set the table. Her mom nodded. After picking up the proper amount of forks, knives, and napkins, she started to walk towards the table with her eyes cast downward. It was the best way to keep herself from getting distracted.

A shoulder bumped into hers, startling Beatrice and sending napkins flurried to the floor. Looking up, Beatrice realized she had bumped into someone. A young man. Marcus Eaton's son. Tobias?

He looked just as startled as she felt, both from the sudden contact and the abrupt push.

"S-sorry! I'm so sorry I didn't mean to bump into you, I was just coming to see if I could assist you with anything." He said, voice timid. "O-Of course that isn't an excuse. I really am sorry-how can I help?" His eyes were tinged with something. His shoulders caved inwards, making him appear smaller than he actually was. Beatrice put on a smile, not wanting to worry him more than he already appeared to be.

"It's all ok! It was really my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going. Here, could you help me pick up the napkins? Then I'll get new ones while you can set out the silverware?" He nodded, setting to his task as Beatrice fell into hers.

One thing the Abnegation were great at was silently working together in unison. Another thing Beatrice despised. What was the fun of working without getting to talk? She finishes at the same time as Tobias, right when her mother walked out with the first plate of food. Her father, Marcus, and Caleb all enter from the living room and help assist by bringing out another tray of food from the kitchen. Then, as if decided by silent agreement, they all sat down at the same time. As per ritual, the couples sit together and so do the kids. Just far apart enough to preserve personal space while maintaining a certain aspect of closeness that all Abnegation felt.

They grabbed each other's hands to form a sort of circle and murmur some sort of prayer that Beatrice had memorized long ago and paid no attention to now. She focused rather on Tobias' hand and how it was slightly shaking, the callouses from days and days of community service, and how warm it felt in hers. When the prayer finished, Tobias dropped her hand as soon as possible. A stinging sensation prickled her chest.

Wait, why does that sting? You barely know the boy!

Recenter.

She instead tried to focus on the conversation going on between my father and Marcus concerning something about the 'ridiculous' reports made by Erudite. The ones that accuse Marcus of beating Tobias, which exist only because Tobias doesn't go to school and doesn't do many community projects. Her father had mentioned it at dinner many times in the past week. Marcus turned towards her abruptly, speaking just as she put another fork full of food in her mouth.

"How is school going, Beatrice?" He asked politely. The truth? It was horrible. She spent the same amount of time being pushed around and being yelled at than she spent learning. She couldn't say that though. That was selfish and absurd. She couldn't embarrass her family like that. Finishing her food and swallowing, Beatrice smiled.

"It's going well. I have exams soon, but I'm sure they will go smoothly." Quick, bring the topic back to him and off of her. Be Abnegation. "I'm really sorry about those Erudite reports. They have no right terrorizing you." She went back to a bite of chicken, hoping that would be the end of the conversation.

Tobias muttered something under his breath that she couldn't make out as Marcus nodded to her in acknowledgment. Hours later after dinner and cleaning, the Eatons go to leave. She couldn't help but focus on the feeling she got every time Tobias was close. Something fuzzy inside, but painfully sharp. Something to pierce the numbness. All she knew was that she liked it and wanted to know more about the quiet boy who helped her pick up napkins.

(A few hours prior)

"Tobias, why don't you go see if Mrs. Prior needs any help?" Marcus asked. Although said politely, Tobias knew that it was really a command. He nodded obediently and headed towards the kitchen. Before he got the chance to see Mrs. Prior, he felt a soft thud against his shoulder. Pain flared up his shoulder from a bruise. Realizing he bumped into who appeared to be the Prior's daughter, Tobias mentally cursed at himself for not being more aware. Not only would it be worse for him that night, but he inconvenienced this poor girl who looked as if she would combust at the thought of being in his way.

They set the table together, just as he had done with his mom before she died. Silent, but in synch. Tobias kept glancing up from the table to notice her. Her hair, her eyes, her soft freckles. Something beautiful in his world of pain and ugly.

He was extra aware of her during dinner, hoping to catch her speak as much as possible. Like him though, she remained silent for most of the meal. Until his father asked her about school. "It's going well. I have exams soon, but I'm sure they will go smoothly." What was school like at this age? What was he missing out on? He still learned the basics at home, but there was something about learning the dynamics between factions that couldn't be replicated outside of school. He missed the escape from home, of course, but he also missed observing people and places. "I'm really sorry about those Erudite reports. They have no right terrorizing you."

"Yes, they do." The words slipped out of his mouth before he could think it through. Marcus slightly raised his eyebrow while nodding at Beatrice. Tobias flinched, a weight settling in his stomach heavier than words could describe. The night was not going to go well. He tried to savor the last moments of safety as they finished dinner and cleaned up. He and Beatrice cleaned the dishes, occasionally brushing fingertips as they passed plates to one another.

I can't possibly like this girl that I just met?

He let the thought simmer in his brain. It was easier to grapple with than the nervous anxiety of what awaited him once he left. This pain was interesting and new. He didn't mind it yet. Exploring it distracted him for the rest of the night, up until he left the warm house that smelt of bread.

After dinner with the Eatons, Beatrice's week continued as normal.

Wake up, breakfast, school, home, make dinner, eat, talk in the living room, sleep, then repeat. The typical life of the Abnegation.

That was, up until Friday came around

School had been normal, the occasional arrogant Candor shove mixed with being ignored by the rest of the school. She held some polite conversation with Sarah but otherwise kept to herself to avoid more unwanted attention. She was walking home from school, taking the longer route because it had fewer homeless people. She couldn't be seen ignoring them, but she had no food or money to give. Anything she did have was taken by Erudite's at lunch. Or in the hallways.

Air flew from her lungs as suddenly she found herself on the ground. Her shoulder stung from the impact of someone who had been running bumping into her. Dusting off her skirt, apologies flew from Beatrice's mouth before she even had the chance to look up.

"There is nothing to be sorry about. I should have watched where I was going...again." Tobias?

She looked up and saw his tinged eyes. A small smile grew on her face as she hoisted herself up to look him in the eyes. His eyes looked really nice. Pretty. She was used to the bland grey that was her family's grey eyes. His dark blue were a welcome change. Tobias's hair was plastered to his face with sweat,

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean to bump into you...again." Beatrice couldn't help herself. She felt heat rise to her cheeks. Tobias shook his head, a ghost of a smirk on his lips. Silence lingered between them. "Where were you headed? Can I help you with anything?" Typical Abnegation response. She hated it, but he was still an Eaton. She couldn't let her guard down completely.

"Er, nowhere. I was just walking around since my dad is at work. I'm sorry to get in your way again." He said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. His eyes cast downwards, and Beatrice found herself missing their blue.

More like jogging. But who am I to judge.

"I was just coming from school, but no one is at my house so I am left with nothing to do. Would you care to join me?" The words slipped from her mouth before she could stop them. Why would she ask a boy she just met to visit her house, unprompted? They both could get in trouble.

"I'm not sure that would be the best idea."

"I completely understand-I'm so sorry it was stupid of me to ask I'm sorry to put you in that position please don't tell your dad I'm so sorry."

"Hey now, you don't have to worry about me telling my dad. Promise. I just don't want either of us getting into trouble."

"I understand." The corner of her mouth lifted a bit. "No one is going to be home for another hour, though. My mother will be home late because of service work and Caleb is volunteering at school." There she was, talking too much once again.

"And your dad?"

"He's always home late."

"So is mine." Tobias sighed. "I don't want to be a bother."

"You wouldn't. You would be helping me, technically. By keeping me company." He raised his eyebrows at her1 but nodded after a moment of contemplating.

"Okay then. I have to leave for home a little before four though, to make sure I'm home to make dinner for my father."

Four. A little under an hour. Alone. With a boy. Not her smartest moment, but somehow it happened. Beatrice smiled and started walking once again to her house.

"So, how is school?" He asked, voice wavering with unsureness.

"It's going really well." She tried to make her tone as lighthearted as possible. Even if he wouldn't report on her to his father, she still didn't want to burden him with any of her troubles. Is that what being selfless felt like? But with everyone? The lie holds through and Tobias nods in acknowledgment. "How is homeschooling?" She was eager to get the attention off of her and back to him. She wanted to learn about him as much as possible. Why? She didn't know. But the feeling was back and she enjoyed it.

"It's alright. I prefer it to going to school." The tightness in his jaw gave away any mirage of truth in his statement. He was obviously lying, but it would be rude to call it out. She didn't want to scare him either. Instead, she settled on a provoking question.

"Why?"

"I enjoy the freedom and the other kids can't bully me if I'm at home. Plus, I can help my father and keep him company." The lie easily escapes, almost as if it were the truth. If only it were. Tobias wished he could convince himself as easily as he could convince others. They reached the Prior's house and Beatrice led him to the couch in the living room. It looked exactly like his did at home, as well as the other hundreds of houses that lined the Abnegation streets. Personalization was selfish.

What was he doing? If Marcus found out what he was doing right now or where he was, there was no doubt Tobias wouldn't be able to move for a week and would be locked in his closet for just as long. But somehow, the risk is worth it. He loved the feeling of being free to talk and experience anything outside of his house. Although tinged with anxiety and fear, the ability to be by himself and exist without Marcus looming over his shoulder was just what he needed to stay sane. Plus, he could further feed his curiosity about Beatrice and the feelings she ignited inside of him. It was distracting, to say the least, and he needed any distractions he could find.

"If you could choose any faction besides Abnegation, which one would you choose?" Beatrice randomly asks. They had been sitting in nearly awkward silence for a few moments. Conversation was bland in Abnegation, questions were discouraged. Tobias looked at her in surprise. Maybe there was more than a perfect Abnegation child inside of her after all. He softly smiled, letting himself think about his dream of leaving. He had thought of this question more times than he could count during the long, painful nights in his cramped dark closet or on his bed, trying to block out the pain searing through my back. Not to look too eager, he took his time answering.

"I would have to choose Dauntless. How about you?" He didn't want to come off too eager, but he was curious. She wouldn't ask the question if she hadn't thought of an answer. He still couldn't risk her telling her father. In the odd case that this was all a setup. Beatrice thought for a moment, her face scrunched up with her eyes squinted. Tobias couldn't help but find it endearing.

"I would choose either Dauntless or Erudite." She replied. Her eyes drifted to the side of the room as they paused for a moment. "But I'm Abnegation now, and will stay that way." The last sentence was said quickly as if she couldn't get the words out fast enough. They both were tiptoeing around each other. For such a selfless faction, trust seemed to come in short supply. Her lie was obvious, further confirmed when Tobias noticed she bit the inside of her cheek. I can tell she is lying.

They went on to talk about an assortment of random things. The most personal they seemed to get was agreeing on how much they hated the paste-tasting Abnegation food. He learned she preferred history over math, and that she liked trees. Tobias remembered to glance at the clock and flinched when he saw that it was a little past four.

"What's the matter?" Beatrice asked, noticing his startled face. "Oh no, it's past four. I'm so so sorry."

"It's nothing. I just forgot I had some, er, homework to do. And my father" He winced at the title. Marcus didn't deserve it. "Likes it done before he gets home, which should be any minute. I should get going." Beatrice grimaced and Tobias felt a pang in his chest. This was nice. Freeing. He hated to leave.

"I'm so sorry for keeping you. I hope you don't get in trouble because of me. I didn't-" He cut her off.

"It's not your fault. I should have checked the time sooner, but I had a great time today. Can we meet again sometime soon?" Mentally, he felt the clock ticking. But he had to make sure they could meet again. That he could feel this sense of freedom again. He had to figure out the distraction, anyways. What was this feeling she caused him?

"Sure. Tomorrow?" She offered.

"Tomorrow." Tobias let himself share a small smile, which made hers grow even bigger. She was smiling with her eyes, and he couldn't help but admire how they seemed brighter. Nodding to himself he glanced around the house and walked out, hoping that she was willing to follow through with their promise of tomorrow.

Hey guys! I have been wanting to write a 'Met in Abnegation' story for ages now, but since I am currently writing two other stories I didn't want to bite off more than I could chew. But Christmas break just started for me, so I decided I would start it, and see how it goes. I hope you enjoy! (A/N 12/2015)

Fingers crossed third person is much more enjoyable to read than first person. Who knows. Not I :P Thank you for reading!

DFTBA,

thebooktrooper