I look at the mirror in the bathroom. In it, I see a blond girl who has too big dull blue-grey eyes and a long nose. My hair is a little split at the ends, I need a hair cut. I left the room. I went downstairs and sat at the table. My dad had prepared the breakfast before leaving to work this morning but I wasn't hungry. I played with the food instead of eating it. My mum entered the room.
"Are you nervous ?" she said. I was going to a new school today, in a new country because of my mum's job.
"Yeah, a bit..."
"I'm sure you'll make a lot of friends, and you'll have Caleb" Caleb's my older brother by ten months, we're in the same year at school.
"I'll try..." I wasn't very good at socialising. My brother entered the room.
"Come on Beatrice, we're going to be late, the bus will be here in about five minutes" he said
We left the house and waited for the bus. I sat down. Caleb, being as selfless as always, gave his seat to an elderly man. I would have... if Caleb hadn't given his seat. At least, I think so. We arrived at the school. It was weird to see a school without anyone wearing a uniform, I'll have to get used to it. I entered the building and bumped into a tall mocha skinned girl.
"I'm sorry !"I said
"Not to worry" she looked at me with a puzzled look "Are you the new girl ?"
"Yes I am, why"
"Well, I know, like everyone in the school, and I've never seen you, I'm Christina"
"Be..."I started and stopped, I didn't want to say my real name. It was too heavy and formal. It didn't match my personality. And, as they say, new start, new name.
"I'm Tris"
"Well Tris, do you want me to accompany you to your homeroom ?"
"Thanks, I've got it with Ms Wu"
"Me too, cool"
We went to the class and arrived just before the teacher. Christina blushed when a blond boy indicated the seat next to him for her to sit down on. I sat down next to a girl with a shaved head and a ring in her eyebrows
"Hello class, I'll make the attendance, you'll present yourself and then you'll do whatever you, want okay, Marlene Alegria"
A girl with a flirtatious smile stands up, she seems a bit childish.
"I'm Marlene, I'm fifteen, turning sixteen in January, I love painting and I do judo, my best friends are Lynn and Uriah"
The girl next to me smirks.
Marlene sits down, Ms Wu continues to call people. Nothing interesting happens until a girl named Myra is interrupted by a knocking on the door. A boy about my age enters, he's quite tall, looks kind of tough and had beautiful perhaps mysterious dark blue eyes, a spare upper lip and full bottom lip. I see Lynn frown next to me.
"You're late" says Ms Wu in a reproachful look.
The boy ignores her and sits in the seat behind me. When Myra is finished Ms Wu calls a new name.
"Four, please introduce yourself"
The boy who arrived late stood up.
"I'm Four"
He sat down. Ms Wu seemed like she would like to say something but closed her mouth, giving up. It was quite funny. I could see a dark-skinned boy trying and failing not to laugh. Lynn turned and glared at Four, she was quite scary. He ignored her.
About ten minutes after, Ms Wu called my name.
"Beatrice Prior"
"I'm Beatrice Prior, but I prefer to be called Tris, I'm new here and I come from England. I play the piano and I love maths and sport."
"Thank you"
After the last names were called she authorised us to do anything we want. Four directly put earphones on, listening to music. I did a list in my head of people who seemed nice, Christina, Marlene, Uriah, the boy who tried not laughing earlier, Al and Will, the blond boy I guessed Christina had a crush on. The bell rang and I left the classroom, just behind Lynn and Four. They were talking, I didn't wand to eavesdrop but I couldn't help it.
"...late, why didn't you ask Shauna to take you to school"
"I like to walk"
"You know you can't walk to school without being late !"
He didn't answer.
"Hey Tris" Someone called from behind me, Christina. "I think you have your next class with me, how cool is that ! Did you find your locker yet ? Do you want to eat with my friends at lunch ?"She rambled on and on until we arrived at our classroom.
I was nearly sleeping when the class ended, the teacher, whatever his name was, was very boring. He reminded me of how I imagined Professor Binns in 'Harry Potter'.
The next class was a big deal more interesting. Double Biology. I was partnered with Four, he doesn't talk much, like not at all. Each time I tried to start a conversation, he would ignore me.
"You are going to try to continue the 'serum' I prepared for you, start" Said Professor Mathews, she was a like human computer, devoid of emotions
I picked the instructions up and read the title out loud.
"'Simulation serum'" I said, the title was a bit scary.
We followed the instructions and were the first to finish. Four and I were sitting in an awkward silence. Finally, Professor Mathews said that the time was up and we had to test the liquid.
"Tris and Four, which one of you is going to test the serum"
Before I could even react, Four mumbled something, took the liquid and drank it. He put down the glass. It wasn't until about five minutes that something happened. Four became distant, looking ahead like he wasn't seeing the class. He was biting his bottom lip and had tears forming in his eyes. He started to shake. I didn't know what he was seeing but it was terrifying
"Stop it" I cried at Professor Mathews, I didn't know Four and he had seemed quite rude but I couldn't see someone like that.
My call must have woken him up from his trance. He looked around, bearing his surroundings and started to glare at Professor Mathews and looked like he wanted to punch her, Mathews didn't seem fazed. He turned his gaze at the class, daring them to say something and then to me. His gaze softened a little bit. He walked out of the room. I wanted to follow but Professor Mathews stopped me.
"Go and sit down, now !"she said
I heard snickers behind me. Peter and Molly. They had the same homeroom as me and they didn't seem nice back then. Now, not at all.
"The mighty Four, crying for his mommy"said Peter, Molly laughed
"One, he wasn't crying, Two, shut up" I said
Peter didn't know what to say so he opened and closed his mouth several times, the perfect imitation of the fish.
The bell rang and I went to the cafeteria.
I know the story is a bit overused, but I had to do it. I don't know how American schools work and all is based on research. English isn't my first language. I made Four the same age as Tris.
