Author's Note

Hey, friends!

Enjoy!

Jumping Through the Stars

Chapter Fifteen

Tris's P.O.V.

I wonder how Four's doing right now.

We have Phys. Ed. next period, and when I saw him this morning, despite his reassurances, he's clearly nervous.

Pay attention! You have a test tomorrow! I scolded myself, and focused back in on the teacher.

"Now, why is this important?" The substitute teacher looked around the room, where no one was volunteering. "So, none of you know? Really? We just went over this! Anna, thank you, hon, it's nice to have someone who pays attention in here! I am trying to help you ungrateful kids!" She substitute winked. "I'm just kidding, now go ahead, Anna."

"Who's Anna?" the kid behind me poked my shoulder and asked. I shrugged.

"I think she meant Aliyah. Must've gotten mixed up."

I zoned out, glancing toward the clock on the wall every couple minutes, and nodding my head every once in a while so the teacher thought I was listing and didn't decide to go all Cold Call or something.

"Class dismissed!" I grabbed my crutches from where they were balanced again the wall next to me and adjusted the brace the doctor had given me to hold my leg in place. I braced myself up on the crutches and stood facing the desk, where I tucked my notes into my bag. I took off out the door.

"Wait! Beatrice, is it?" I hissed the air out through me teeth and turned back into the room. I really needed to be there for Four right now.

"Yes? And yeah, but I go by Tris."

"I was just curious; what happened to your leg? Are you all right?" She adjusted herself behind her desk and smiled at me. I propped myself up on my crutches so they supported my whole weight and I could move my hands around without holding on to them.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Well, that's good. What happened?"

A bit nosy, are we?

"I was in an accident."

That sums it up pretty well.

"Oh, really?" She looked like she was still curious, but when she saw the clock, she said, "Well, I suppose I should let you go. Do you need a late pass, just in case?" I still have two minutes to stop at my locker and get down the hall.

"Um, no, thanks, I think I'll be fine. Thank you, though." I smiled and headed out the door, stopping by my locker to drop my things off. Then, I slammed my locker closed and headed to my ninth period class. I'm so glad it was switched from Art to Gym. In the beginning of the year, it'd been set as Art for this semester, but after my accident, they thought the physical activity would be better to do for the full forty minutes during the day instead of taking a half-hour after-school Phys. Ed. class, like you have to do if you don't take it during the day.

"We just wasn't your muscles moving, so you'll have a better chance at being able to move your leg again. It'll be like a physical therapist because you'll be taken to the side to do some extra activities!" my principal had grinned. "This is a wonderful opportunity to stay healthy and speed through the road to recovery!"

Technically, it just means that get to sit to the side for half of class with the school's physical therapist while she exercises my right leg and continuously tells me that she's 'one-hundred percent, positively, completely sure' I'll be able to move my leg by the end of my sophomore year. I've got about seven months left.

As the substitute Gym teacher heard my crutched click-clack click-clack across the floor, she turned and glared at me.

"You're late! What's your name?"

I rolled my eyes and muttered a reply as I searched for Four. Is this woman his mother? Or is there a different substitute today?

I finally spotted him at the back of the class, huddled together with Zeke and Will.

When the woman yelled, "What? Speak louder!" I saw Zeke look up and elbow Four, who turned to look at me.

"Tris Prior," I said, coming closer. "You must be the sub. Mrs. Eaton, right?" I saw her check off my name on her attendance sheet and stiffen.

"I go by Miss Johnson, if you must know. Who are you, anyway?" She glared at me, and I knew I'd said the wrong thing, especially it being that I've never met her before.

"I - um, sorry. That's just what the principal told me when she told me about who was coming to fill in for Mrs. Pedrad." The fib sounded convincing enough. Zeke and Uriah had told me their mom was the Gym teacher when I told them I was switching classes and that I'd be with them, Will, Christina, and Four. Apparently, she was currently taking a trip she'd won from a contest, and she wouldn't be back from France for two weeks. That means Miss Johnson will be teaching here for two weeks, and she obviously does not like me so far.

"Hmph," Miss Johnson - who was clearly Four's mom, now that I'd gotten a closer look and could see all the similarities - grumbled. "You're late, and don't think it won't be marked down on your attendance sheet." She turned to the rest of the class, and I headed back toward my friends, refraining from rolling my eyes as I went.

"Hey," Four whispered as I neared them. I smiled.

"Hi, guys." I steered my next words completely toward Four. "You're mom already hates me."

"She . . ." He grimaced. "She's always told me that she doesn't believe in hate. But, I would say that she strongly dislikes you right now. Maybe that'll change."

"Maybe," I repeated. "What did she do when she saw your name on the attendance list?"

"Well, first she did a double-check, then her eyes widened, but she acted the same as she did with everyone else."

"Really?" I didn't know if that was a good thing or not. I mean, yeah, sure, she didn't make a huge deal out of it in the middle of the gym, but at the same time . . . I think I would've wanted more of a reaction, a little more realization and care.

Four nodded. "Yeah." I'd known him well enough by now that I could tell when his expression went blank, to check his eyes. They were pained. I braced myself against my left crutch and balanced on my left foot while I wrapped my right arm around him in a side hug. He leaned into me a bit, but if I hadn't been paying attention, I don't think I would have even noticed.