CHAPTER 19 - TRIS
"Hey." Tobias walks up to me. He carries a sandwich in one hand and the keys to his truck in the other. I gladly accept the sandwich from him and take a bite into it.
"So, is this something we need to talk about privately?" he asks. I nod my head without speaking. Tobias understands immediately and opens the door for me to step through.
The air outside is breezy and cold. It feels just how Fall should feel. I keep eating the sandwich as we walk to his old red truck he drove me to school in this morning. It was given to him by Evelyn when he received his license two years ago as a Sophmore. The year that we met. I am quite surprised he hasn't tried to drive it into a rock after Evelyn's death.
Tobias jumps into the driver's side and I pull myself into the passenger side. He turns the truck on so that warm air blows out of the vents. I finish the sandwich and hold my hands in front of the vents to warm up my frozen fingers.
"So what is it?" Tobias asks. He reaches for one of my hands and curls my fingers into his palm. The warmth of his hand seeps into my skin, making it tingle. I sigh and explain the meeting with Caleb's adoring professor and how she wants to use me for an experiment.
"You? Why you?" Tobias asks after a moment of silence. I shrug.
"She said it's because they want to see why I'm not smart like Caleb is. Stupid-" I kick the dashboard in front of me - "stuck up -" I kick the dashboard again - "heartless idiots!" Tobias grabs my knee with one hand to keep me from kicking dashboard again.
"Why don't they use another student's brother or sister?"
"I don't know. Maybe because they're blind. Like Caleb." I sink further into the passenger's seat. Tobias squeezes my hand.
"It's weird. It's like they want you. But for something else. Something bad." He stares at our joined fingers. "And you were smart to tell her you refused the offer."
I sigh and close my eyes, leaning my head against Tobias' shoulder. At least he understands what I'm saying. I wonder how my parents will react though.