Tris POV:

Mr. Max and I sit down to two desks that have been squished together. He doesn't know me well, since I was only in his class once last year.

"Okay, so you tell me a little about yourself and I'll tell you a little about me," he says.

I nod and Mr. Max slurps a Pepsi Max.

"Well, you can call me Tris. My brother Caleb's the good child, but I'm more athletic and getting into bad situations."

Mr. Max nods, "Call me Mr. Max. I used to work with your father and Dr. Matthews, the principle. I do the boxing club here at school and teach Algebra."

I nod.

"What happened to your cheek?"

"Got in a fight."

"With Peter Blake?"

I nod.

"Figured that. Listen, you may not want to talk about it and your father said only math, but I can at least show you how to throw a punch."

I shrug, "That'd be cool."

He smiles and I follow him over to a giant kickboxing bag that was in the back of the classroom. How did I miss this coming in?

Mr. Max, without thinking, beats the bag. It swings from side to side. I leap bag, expecting it to come off of its hinges.

Mr. Max chuckles and nudges for me to punch it. I try, but end up looking like an idiot. Mr. Max smiles.

"That's okay. It's your first time. Since you don't have much muscle, but are pretty fast, you're better off using your elbows and knees."

I nod.

"So what were those idiots doing to you?"

"Um, I was walking home and Eric, Al, Peter, and Drew jumped out of nowhere and beat me up. I have no idea why."

Mr. Max smiles sadly and says for us to get back to algebra before we flood the school of tears.

"Okay, so algebra is based off of x and y. Usually to find one of their values, you need to substitute a number..."

I get back home around 4 o'clock and put my backpack down.

"Beatrice?"

I turn around in the foyer to see my mother.

"How was your day at school?"

"Um, fine. And yours?"

"Great, thanks for asking. Did you miss your crutches or need some support for walking?"

"Uh, no," I dearly love my mother, but the least I need is for her to worry about me.

"Beatrice, is that the truth?"

I nod my head and scurry upstairs.

Before I get to my room, Caleb stops me.

"Beatrice-"

"Now what?"

"Beatrice, dad wanted me to ask how your tutoring was."

"So ask?"

"How was your tutoring with Mr. Fesler?"

"You mean Mr. Max?"

Caleb looks confused, then nods.

I actually enjoyed my time, but Caleb wouldn't believe that if I told him, so I say, "You would have liked it a lot more than me, Caleb."

Then I twist my doorknob. Caleb puts his hand around my wrist to stop me, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that math is super boring and so is Mr. Max. Happy?"

Caleb sighs and I slam the door on him, suddenly annoyed.

I flop down on my bed and pull out my phone.

Three new texts from Four, it reads.

Yo Tris homecoming's in 13 days. r u going 2 the football game?

What's our math hwork?

Did u hear that Zeke and Shauna r going 2gether?

I smirk and reply: Yeah i'll b at the game. math is pp. 24 #12-23 odds. didn't u know that Zeke has had the hots 4 Shauna 4 a while now?

Then I read some of my English book and stand up to stretch. I see a motorcycle pull up to the curb. I look out my window to see who it is, and see Four get out and run up to my window. I yank it open.

"Four! What are you doing?!"

"So I can't see my beautiful girlfriend?"

I roll my eyes and slam the window shut. I run downstairs, then outside. Four and I hug.

"Follow me," I tell him. I pull his arm and we jog into the little backyard that we have.

I climb a tree and sit on the backyard roof. Four does the same.

"A little dangerous, isn't this?" he says.

"That's true. A little dauntless," I reply.

Four smiles. We sit there in silence for a few minutes.

"So...how's your band?"

Four shrugs, "The name's the best part of it."

"I figured," I respond smiling.

Then we hear a car pulling up in the driveway.

Four and I scoot down the roof, towards the tree.

"I'll go see who it is," we both say at the same time, then smile at each other and laugh for a second.

So we hop down from the tree and tip-toe up to the driveway. We see my dad take his briefcase and walk up to the door, then fumbling with the lock. His crisp gray suit doesn't even crinkle as he walks. Amazing. Four and I stand there for a minute.

"Want to go for a joyride?" he blurts out.

I shrug and Four takes my hand. We hop on the motorcycle, not caring about helmets. Then he starts it up and I put my arms around his waist. I feel Four smile. Then we go flying.

A half-hour later, Four drops me back at the house. I kiss him good-bye and open the door. There I see Susan and Caleb sitting on the couch together. They have always been modest, but Susan is almost on Caleb's lap. I roll my eyes and walk past them, hearing a little conversation:

"Do you understand it now?"

"...Hm? Oh, yes Caleb. Thank you. For teaching me."

"Anything. Were you focusing on me or the math?"

"Everything. Your eyes are truly mesmerizing."

"Thank you. Shall we move on to the next chapter?"

I roll my eyes again. Those two flirt terrible. Then I think, But they do flirt. What do I do? Not that...

Then I see my mom defrosting some chicken. I should go help her. So I do. I heat up some peas and put the burner on. Then my dad walks in and toasts some bread. We finish and set the food on the table. My mom calls Caleb and he and Susan enter (hand in hand).

"Caleb, come sit down. Susan, would you like to dine with us? It sounds like you and Caleb are not done with your math yet," my mom says calmly.

Caleb sits down, and nods at Susan. She smiles. I clear my throat.

"Yes, thank you, Mrs. Prior," Susan says, then sits next to Caleb. I sit down too, and can tell that those two are holding hands.

We say grace, and my parents talk, but I zone out. Caleb and Susan keep sneaking glances at each other, and I cough again. Caleb looks at me, and Susan blushes.

"Would you pass the chicken please?" I ask my mom.

She hands it over.

"Thank you."

"Of course. How was your day Beatrice?"

"Fine," I say, taking a bite of food.

"How was tutoring?" my dad suddenly says.

"Fine."

"And Max?"

"Fine."

"Anyways, Caleb and Susan, you are excused. Beatrice, would you be a dear and take care of the dishes?" my mom says.

I fake a smile and say, "Sure mom," then groan and cuss Caleb in my head.