CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
TRIS POV
I am starting my last year of school today. In less than a year I will have my Choosing Ceremony. I expect that the year will drag not just for me but for all of us who are in their final year. I am walking to my faction history class and it would have to be the most boring subject that I have. Every year it is exactly the same. They teach us exactly the same thing every year. I don't understand why we have to keep learning this stuff.
I walk into the room and sit in the first seat I can find.
"Good afternoon class. My name is Mr Rogers and this is faction history," he says with a little too much excitement in his voice.
I hear the whole room grown at the same time.
"Yes, yes I know. You have been taught the same subject matter for years now. Well this year I have decided to try something different."
With this my head shoots up to actually look at the teacher, I see a lot of other students have as well.
"Now when I call your name I want you to move to the group that you have been assigned too, once everyone is in their assigned group I will explain what we will be doing."
I sit and wait for my name to be called. It seems that each group contains a person from each faction. This is very strange, usually the teachers don't like us to do anything with others outside our own faction.
"Beatrice Prior, group five," Mr Rogers says.
I look up and see that I am the last person to be assigned to a group. I walk over and stand with the rest of the people in my group. I didn't notice when I arrived but all the tables are in a different position than they usually are. They are moved so that we can sit around the tables. I also see that there is a large number on each table.
"Now I would like you all to move to the table with the number you were assigned on it. Once you are seated I can explain what is happening," he says. As we all move to where we are supposed to go. Once we are all seated and the murmuring has stopped he starts to talk again. "Now what we are going to be doing is having group work this year. You will be given scenarios to work through and depending on what faction you are from you are going to probably be looking at the situation very differently. With this I want you to be able to give a summary at the end of each assignment telling me what you learnt from having to work with different faction ideas."
"Yes Mr Pedrad."
"Lynn and I are both from Dauntless?"
"Well for some groups there aren't enough from each faction to go around. So Uriah I would ask that for this class you pretend you are from Amity. I will give you a copy of their manifesto and you can work from that," Mr Rogers says.
"Oh man, how did I get stuck being Amity?" Uriah asks.
I can't help but to laugh a little and I notice that Lynn is also laughing.
"Okay for the rest of this class I would like you to introduce yourself to the rest of your group and tell them something you both like and dislike about your faction. Uriah here is the Amity manifesto I'm sure you can be imaginative."
I think this might just have become my favourite class.
"Okay then, I'm going to start. My names Christina and . . ."
"Why should you start?" asks Uriah.
"Well you start then Mr Amity," says Christina.
Lynn cracks up laughing and that has everyone but Uriah laughing too.
"What's so funny?"
"Mr Amity, it is hilarious," Lynn says in between more laughing.
Uriah sighs and says, "continue Christina."
"So what do I like about my faction, well that would be that they taught me how to tell when someone is lying. And I don't like that for initiation you have to take truth serum and tell them all your secrets."
"That's horrible," I say.
"I agree," says Lynn. "Imagine having to spill your guts like that."
"Next?" Christina asks.
"Hi I'm Will. Erudite obviously," he says.
"Obviously," says Lynn with a roll of her eyes. I think I'm going to like Lynn.
"Well I like that we get to study whatever we like and I dislike that we have to study all the time," Will says.
"Isn't that the same thing? How can you like and dislike the same thing?" Christina asks.
"Well no it's not the same thing. I like to study different things I just don't like to study all the time," he says.
"Oh," says Christina. "Lynn."
"I'm Lynn. I like that I get to fight and I dislike pretty much everything else."
"Way to make friends Lynn," Uriah says.
"Shut up Mr Amity. Why don't you tell us about what you like about your faction," Lynn says.
I can't help but want to laugh every time Lynn calls Uriah Mr Amity. I know I have only just met him but it really seems to suit him.
"Well," Uriah starts in a high pitched girly voice. "I like that I can pick the fruit straight from the trees and eat it. I don't like that they put peace serum in the bread to make us all happy."
"They do what?" Christina asks in astonishment.
"What's with the girly voice? Do I need to call you Mrs Amity?" Lynn says.
With that I can't help but laugh. Everyone at the table has turned and is staring at me. I can't help but blush, I don't think I have ever had this much attention on me before.
"What?" I ask.
"I don't think I've ever heard someone from Abnegation laugh before," says Will. Everyone else is shaking their heads no.
"Oh, well maybe I'm not very Abnegation then," I say.
"So tell us what you like or don't like about Abnegation," Uriah says, thankfully back to his normal voice.
"I dislike the amount of rules we have to follow and I like my family," I say. "And my name is Beatrice."
"Liking your family isn't really something you like about your faction thought. Or is it that you don't really like your faction?" Lynn says.
I just shrug. Not really sure on how to answer her question. Do I not like anything about my faction? Mmm I haven't really thought about it before. I don't know that I have a simple answer to that.
"So what faction would you like to transfer to if you weren't choosing Abnegation?" Lynn asks me.
"Dauntless," I say.
"Wow you didn't even have to think about that," says Lynn.
I am walking home with Caleb, Susan and her brother Robert when Susan asks, "What did you think of faction history class Beatrice?"
"I really enjoyed it Susan. I think it is the first time I have actually liked that class," I say. "What did you think of it?"
"I thought the idea was good. But I think I am going to find it hard to enjoy the class."
"What did they do differently? Faction history is always so boring," Caleb says.
Susan and I fill him in on what we are doing this year.
"I wish I was in your faction history class. Mine was exactly the same as every other year," Caleb says.
"Well I think it depends who you have in your group. I have this Candor boy who is not very friendly at all. He kept wanting to know where we hide the food. It didn't matter how many times I tried to explain that we don't have anywhere to hide food he just wouldn't let up," Susan says.
"I have all really nice people in my group. I am looking forward to the next class," I say.
TOBIAS POV – YEAR TWO IN DAUNTLESS
I am sitting at dinner with Zeke and Shauna when Uriah, Lynn and Marlene come over and join us.
"So how was your first day back at school?" Shauna asks them.
"It was great, I think I'm going to like this year," Uriah says.
"What?" Zeke says. "You hate school."
"Not anymore," Uriah says.
"What happened?" Zeke asks.
"He's in love," Lynn says.
"Shut up Lynn," Uriah says.
"Whatever you say Mr Amity," Lynn says.
"Stop calling me that," Uriah whines.
"Can someone explain what is going on here?" I ask.
"Well today the teacher decided that faction history was to boring and put us all into groups with kids form other factions. Because Uriah and I were in the same group he made Uriah pretend to be from Amity. Thus he is now called Mr Amity."
"So who is he in love with?" Shauna asks.
"Beatrice, a girl from Abnegation," Lynn says.
What did she just say? I push my plate away from me all of a sudden not feeling very hungry. I don't think I want to hear any more of this conversation. The only person who notices my reaction is Lynn.
"Guys I've got to be somewhere. I'll see you later," I say and get up from the table, feeling rather nauseous.
I walk out of the dining hall and I am leaning my back on the wall letting the cool rock face calm me down. This is ridiculous, why am I acting this way. Uriah has spent fifty minutes with her. I have no reason to be jealous. Except for the fact that he will get to spend time with her at a school every day and I am here.
"Four."
I look up to see Lynn standing in front of me. "What do you want Lynn?" I ask.
"So Beatrice is the reason no one can get you to go on a date?"
I glare at her hoping that she will just fade away. But this is Lynn we are talking about, she doesn't back down. So I just nod my head.
"You know you have nothing to worry about don't you? I mean we are talking about Uriah. He doesn't realise it but he is in love with Marlene."
"Yeah I guess. I think it's more that you both get to spend time with her every day at school. I miss her, a lot."
"Well I could always give her a message from you. Think about it, what could it hurt. She probably misses you too," Lynn says.
It feels awkward standing here talking to Lynn. I don't think we have ever had a conversation before and she isn't known for being the friendliest of people. But then neither am I.
"Thanks Lynn, I'll think about it. Can you not mention this to anyone? Not even Tris."
"Tris?"
"That's what I call her. I couldn't say Beatrice when I was little so I started calling her Tris," I say. Remembering all the beatings I got from Marcus for saying it.
"It suits her," Lynn says. "Well I'll see you later Four."
"Bye Lynn. Thank you," I say.
I walk back to my apartment and I am trying to decide whether I should give Lynn a message to Tris or not. I really don't know if I want Lynn to be giving Tris messages. I don't think Tris would feel comfortable with Lynn knowing our business. But I could write her a note though. Lynn isn't the type to read it and I know she isn't going to be running to Shauna and telling her what is going on.
I decide to skip my morning workout this morning and instead hope that I can catch Lynn having breakfast before she goes to school. I decided to write a note to Tris although it isn't much. I sat there for hours trying to decide exactly what I wanted to say.
I was lucky enough to have seen her when I went home to visit the family on Visiting Day. I thought it would be easier for me to go back to Abnegation for the day than for them to visit me here in Dauntless. Plus, I really wanted to visit Natasha and my new brother Nathaniel and sister Jessica. I feel sorry for Natasha, she had to put up with my father and then he was sent to prison and now she is trying to raise two babies by herself. She is getting a lot of help from Abnegation, which makes me feel good. It's nice to know that there are more good people in Abnegation.
I find Lynn sitting at a table by herself, so before I get myself any food I quickly go over so I can give her my note before anyone else sees.
"Lynn can you give this to Tris for me?" I hand Lynn an envelope with Tris's name on it.
Just as she is about to put it in her pocket Zeke and Shauna come over and see it.
"Whose Tris?" Zeke asks, nodding at the envelope. I can feel myself start to panic. Lynn quickly shoves it in her pocket so no one else can see it.
"Me, dumbass," says Lynn.
"What?" says Zeke.
"It's the secret name Four calls me when we are alone," Lynn says and both Lynn and I start laughing.
"Is there something you two want to tell us?" asks Shauna.
"No," we both say at the same time and laugh again.
I quickly get up and go and grab some food. When I get back I hear Lynn saying, "Yeah right Shauna. It's the name he calls me when we are having crazy sex up in his apartment."
"Four, are you dating my little sister?" Shauna asks.
"What? What have you been telling them? As if Lynn would want to be with me," I say. Not really knowing what is going on.
Lynn is laughing hysterically.
"So who is Tris then?" Zeke asks.
Lynn looks at me and I just nod. I don't feel like we are going to get out of this one and Lynn may as well tell them so the questions can be over with.
"Tris is Beatrice," Lynn says.
"Beatrice?" Zeke looks really confused. He must have really been listening to his brother at dinner last night.
"Beatrice, the girl that Uriah was talking about at dinner last night," Shauna says. "Weren't you paying attention?"
"To Uriah? No," says Zeke. "So how has Beatrice become Tris overnight? And Four how do you know her?"
"She's the reason he wouldn't go on any of those stupid dates with you Zeke," Lynn says.
"So there really is a girl. Wow I just thought you were acting really . . . Stiff," Zeke says.
"So Uriah is in love with Four's girlfriend?" Shauna says.
"Four has a girlfriend," says Uriah as he reaches the table, obviously not hearing the first part of what was said.
"Yeah, well it seems you my little brother have picked the wrong girl to fall in love with. See Four has a thing for Tris," Zeke says.
"Who's Tris?" Uriah asks.
Oh god. I just grown and put my head on the table. It is too early in the morning for all of this.
Lynn has started laughing again. I am so glad she is able to laugh at my pain of embarrassment here.
"Well Mr Amity," Lynn says.
"Stop calling me that," Uriah says.
"Aren't you going to be late for school?" I ask. Hoping they will all go so I can get some peace. Why did I write the letter?
"No Four. Nobody expects Dauntless to be on time for school," Uriah says.
"Well maybe I will start making it a priority," I say.
"Shesh you have been a leader for five minutes and you are going to start picking on the dependants as your first priority," Uriah says.
I just shake my head. "I've got work to do. I'll see you all later," I say. "Thanks Lynn."
TRIS POV
"Tris."
There is only one person that calls me that and that wasn't his voice that I heard. It wasn't even male. I turn around to see Lynn running towards me.
"Hey," I say. "Who told you about that name?"
"Four," she says. "He also asked me to give you this." She pulls an envelope out of her pocket and gives it to me.
"Thanks," I say.
"So you should come and sit with Uriah, Marlene and I at lunch."
"Marlene?"
"She is my best friend. You may as well come and sit with us, I mean you're going to be Dauntless soon anyway."
"Okay," I say. "Are we allowed to sit together at lunch?"
"Who cares. They are making us do that group thing in class, so why can't we eat lunch together?"
"Alright, I'll see you at lunch then."
I walk into the lunch room and I am looking for Lynn. I see Uriah first, he is standing on a table and waving me over. I just shake my head, only Dauntless borns would be standing on tables.
"Hi," I say.
"Hi Tris," Uriah says.
"So everyone knows," I say looking at Lynn.
"Don't worry about it, we just think that Tris is way more Dauntless than Beatrice is, so we are going to call you Tris," Uriah says. "Oh and Tris this is Marlene."
"Hi Marlene, it's nice to meet you," I say.
"Hi Tris. It is really good to meet you too. I have been excited all day, I have been wondering what the girl that had Four's heart would look like," she says. She is way too happy but seems really nice.
"Whose heart do you have?" Christina says as she sits at the table. I didn't know that she had been invited to sit here but I like that we are becoming friends out of class.
"Four's," says Uriah.
"Like in the number?" Christina says.
"Yeah, it's a Dauntless thing. Don't worry about it," says Lynn.
"So what you are telling me that our quiet little friend here from Abnegation has captured the heart of a Dauntless guy," says Christina.
"Not just any Dauntless guy. Four is like the ultimate warrior and a leader," says Uriah.
"Sounds like you're in love with him Uriah," says Lynn.
"Shut up Lynn," Uriah says.
"Whatever Mr Amity."
"And how did you do this? Christina asks me. I really don't think Tobias would want everyone knowing where he is from or who he is related to.
"It's nothing Christina," I say. "Is that a new nail polish you have on?"
"Yeah, do you like it? I went shopping after school yesterday with my mum and she bought it for me."
"It really suits you," I say. If there is one thing I have learnt being in Abnegation, it is how to deflect the attention away from myself. And Christina does like to have the attention on herself so it is easy to change the subject with her.
Thank you to Paula08 for the idea of bringing the gang together before they got to Dauntless. I hope you what I came up with.