Transparent: A Divergent FanFiction (Book One) ©

Chapter 19

                “Do you think she’s okay? She didn’t look good before huh? Do you think they’ll let us see her?” Grace asked, for what felt like the thousandth time.

                “I don’t know,” I answered; still unable to make myself lie to comfort her. I avoided looking at her face; her bruises bothered me more than I wanted to let on. Billy had wreaked havoc on her face, but I supposed it was a better alternative to Pam’s current situation.

                “What do you think they’ll do about her nose?” Dan mused. “It looked like she had a wad of hamburger meat on her face. Think they’ll be able to reconstruct it?”

                “I don’t know,” I said again. I was already worried, and their questions were only fueling the fire.

                “You saw her last Sage, did she look any better? Do you think she’ll even want to see us?” Carla added.

                I sighed, and then turned to raise my brow at her. I didn’t mean to be rude, but they’d been peppering me with questions all throughout lunch, and even now on our way to the clinic, they hadn’t let up.

                “Let me guess, you don’t know,” she said, reading my expression.

                I ignored the hint of sarcasm in her voice and instead sped up my pace. I knew the way to the dauntless-hospital, so I was leading them since they’d yet to see the place. We turned another corner and when I spotted the medical sign, I pointed and shifted my walk into a light jog.

                 Todd had been wrong when he’d announced that Pam was dead, but that didn’t mean she was out of danger completely. The blow Banks had delivered had been powerful enough to collapse all the cartilage in her nose; leaving her airway blocked and deformed. Once Amar had found her weak pulse, he and I had fashioned a sort of stretcher out of one of the mats in the training room, and then rushed her to the clinic.

                She hadn’t moved, spoken, or made any real sign that indicated life, but Amar had assured us that she would be fine. The nurses, tattooed and pierced up, had taken her in and immediately rolled her gurney into the urgent care sector of the clinic. I’d sat beside Todd in one of the waiting chairs, my hands stained with her blood, and waited for any news.

                I’d only left when one of the nurses had informed us of her health status, and when Todd had given me a shaky nod.

                “You didn’t have to stay the whole time you know. She’s not anything to you, friend or family, so you could’ve left.” Todd had said bluntly; like me, he had yet to control his candor tendencies.

                “I know,” I’d said, unable to find words to explain my actions. “I just wanted to make sure you both were okay.”

                Todd had analyzed me; his eyes scrutinizing my features for signs of duplicity, and after a moment sighed and grinned wryly at me. Now, as we made our way into the waiting room, I shared another reassuring smile with him.

                Grace, kind as ever, handed Todd the tray of food she’d brought him. It was a friendly gesture, but I worried about what it signified; she was acting far too much like the amity to blend in.

                “Thanks,” Todd said, gratefully taking the tray from her.

                “It’s nothing. How is she?” Grace asked.