Love Can Survive Anything /discontinued/

Part 25: Tris

Tris-

My ankles throb as I walk up the stairs. I finished shopping for decorations ages ago, but I was assigned to head over to Abnegation.

They're having a meeting and Dauntless needs a Representative. Eric could not come because he's intoxicated, passed out in his room. No one could rouse him. Not even a bucket of cold water. So, I'm being forced to go.

I jump up onto the train and it drives past. I slide down so my feet dangle off the dge and watch the city pass in a blur of chilly winds and soft snow flakes.

[*]

I swing my knees back, locking them for the landing, as I jump off the speeding train. It's slower in the city, but still drives by quickly.

My ankles, that still throb, take the blunt force of the jump, causing me to stumble, but not fall. I steady myself, leaning on my knee caps as I recover.

I walk forward, sighing as I do so. I really do not want to listen to the Abnegation's issues or whatever. Or Amity's plants. Or Erudite's serums. Or Candor's honesty.

It is too stressful.

I stumble up the stairs and into the lobby where I'm directed into a large room with five chairs, four of which are occupied.

"Welcome!" Johanna Reeves, Amity's representative says as I walk in. "You must be the Dauntless Representative? Come! Sit!" She gestures to the only open seat, next to her.

I glance at the face's of the people in the room. Other than Johanna, I recognize Jack Kang, Candor's rep, Jeanine Matthews, Erudite's Rep, but the Abnegation representative is unknown to me.

He has dark hair, similar to Tobias', pale skin, and seaweed green eyes. His arms are lined with sinewy muscle as he flexes.

.So much for an Abnegation, I think. His clothes are snug as he runs his fingers through his hair, which is long for an Abnegation. He is everything an Abnegation isn't supposed to be.

Handsome, stunning, muscular, and he stands out. Not easily blendable.

"Okay!" Johanna starts. "Let's begin with names. I'm Johanna Reeves, the Amity Representative." She smiles broadly as her hair flops into her eyes, covering her scar.

"I'm Tris Prior...Dauntless Rep." I wave shorty and motion for Jack to continue.

"Jack Kang...Candor Rep." His tone isn't as much clipped as it is honest.

He obviously couldn't care less about this meeting.

"Jeanine Matthews." Her voice even sounds intelligent. "Leader of Erudite."

The Erudite have a way of speaking down to anyone that is not Erudite. It's hard to detect, but it's there. That tone of arrogance, of self-righteousness.

"And I," Even his voice is loud, rumbling like thunder in a storm, but rough like a ripped piece of paper. "Am Cole Gray. Abnegation's new Representative."

He pushes back from his chair, his stature towering over even the tall Mr. Kang. His gait is smooth and slow, like a tiger, sure of his movements. All grace, all muscle, all confidence, all man.

"I called this meeting to meet you all, I hope it wasn't of any inconvience." He glances at Jeanine, who's glaring at the wooden table.

Jeanine must've complained about the meeting and the announcement time. I mean, really, there should have been a bigger void of time, but I wasn't really doing anything. So I don't mind.

"You could've just called instead of dragging all of us out here." Jack mutters angrily.

"I second that." Jeanine says loudly, not hiding anything.

"I third!" Johanna.

"Tris-" Cole starts. "What were you up to today? Did I interrupt you?" The edges of his lips pull up in a ghost of a smile.

"No," My voice is strong. Unyielding. "I wasn't doing anything."

"Okay!" His voice booms through the raccous room.

Jeanine, Jack, and Johanna were discussing what they were doing before Cole 'yanked them from their studies' as Jeanine put it.

"Our first official meeting will be in two weeks." Cole smirks. "So all of you have enough time to clear your scheduals."

"As if you care." Jeanine scoffs.

"Oh, now, now, Jeanine. Watch your tone." His voice is condescending, unline any Abnegation I've previously met. "I'll see you all then...Tris, I'd like to speak with you a moment. The rest of you, please," His tone is condescending again. "Show yourselves out."

The three other representatives show themselves out, closing the door behind them, muttering things along the lines of 'what a waste of time' and 'I could've been working!'.

AUTHORS:

It's been too long, darlings.

Really it has.

This one's long!

Over 700 words!

Enjoy--

-Jess