Reawakening

Chapter Two

Tris

I sneak out of school after my test. I managed to hide my divergence for the test, so Tori didn't send me home.

The big metal bean grows in my vision as I near it, and soon I see Uriah.  I break into a run and he grins as I crash into him, throwing my arms around him.  "Thank God you remember, too," I say.

"I know," he says, "I couldn't do this on my own."

"So we're going to try to save everyone, right?" I ask.  "Obviously my parents, Will, Marlene, Lynn, Tori.."

"Maybe even Al," he shrugs.  "Hell, maybe, we can stop the whole war."  His face darkens.  "But... I don't think we should reveal that video.  We know what's on it and what is really out there.  I don't think it's worth it.  The only thing that would be is Amar and George, but that's not enough.  Four doesn't need to know that he's 'damaged', because he's not, and it made him all... mopey.  I mean, I know dark and broody is kinda his thing, but that really wasn't too pleasant for anyone."  I chuckle. It certainly was not pleasant. Least of all, for Tobias. Scratch that: least of all for Uriah, considering that it contributed to his death.  "You know what happens to us there, and that Tori gets shot on our way, and that all it did was let us know that all of this is a lie when it's not."

"What do you mean, it's not?" I ask.  Of course it is.  It's all some made up bullshit from the Bureau. Just a stupid experiment to try and fix a problem that isn't actually a problem.  Then again, it seems better than what's out there.

"It doesn't really matter how we got the factions.  It's still how we were raised and how we all understand society works.  People will divide around one thing or another no matter what.  We won't improve anyone's life by telling them; we just need to get rid of people like Jeanine Matthews."

He's right.  When did Uriah get so deep, anyway?  I suppose everyone has some kind of belief system, and this is ours.  It's how the world makes sense to us.  We can still improve it, but within what's already here.  We just have to keep the war from getting bad so that they won't release the memory serum virus.  And we can always re-evaluate this decision later.

"Okay," I say.  "So tomorrow we both choose Dauntless again and... I don't know, I think we should probably try to keep things the same as much as we can, right?  One difference can change the entire cause and effect chain.  Do that over something dumb and we could end up with hardly any advantage at all."  

Uriah nods.  "It's going to be hard," he says.  "I think especially for you."  I know what he means.  Tobias won't even know me.  I want to hold him, to kiss him, so badly, and I know I'll have to wait weeks.  While around him every day.  It will be torture.

"Do you really think we could hurt anything if we got together with Four and Marlene... a little sooner...?  God, I don't think I can wait that long, can you?!"

"We'll see how things go.  Just be careful."  Uriah pushes off the bean sculpture he was leaning against, picking up his backpack.  "We should get going home I think.  But I'll see you tomorrow!  We should meet... after lights out?  11:30?"

"By the chasm?" I ask.  He nods.  "Okay.  Tomorrow.  See you at the ceremony!"  I smile and give him one more quick hug before I jog toward my bus stop.  

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It is a struggle to act like an Abnegation after spending the past few months as a Dauntless.  Even just hearing them say my name, I want to correct them and demand that they call me 'Tris' instead.  Still, everything has gone smoothly tonight until we are in the middle of dinner and my mother asks my father about his day.