Emergent

CH7-'You're quite the comedian'

I slowly pick up my pencil and tap at my desk whilst I brainstorm ideas.

I sketch the outline of the abnegation symbol which is two people shaking hands. I shade it in carefully so it is almost identical to the actual thing. That is one thing I'm good at that I know of, drawing. I also sketch a table and behind it sit our council. I have split the cover in half.

The top half of the cover is a drawing of the city we live in. The faction headquarters, the school, zip lines, work buildings, the faction-less area, etc.

The bottom half of the cover is covered with things that represent abnegation. The council, our houses, a mirror with a cross covering it which shows our rejection to vanity, etc.

In the middle, separating the two halves, is the abnegation symbol. I shade in everything that needs to be shaded. I do not use colours as abnegation is not a bright faction, it is dull and grey. So I decide to stick with the theme.

As the end of the lesson approaches, I carefully make a pattern around the edge of the boarder to make my cover look more interesting.

The bell rings.

"Times up, students" Mrs Andrews shouts.

I almost hold my hands over my ears she is that loud.

"No more now, place your journals infront of you and do not touch, nor move!" She says clearly.

She retrieves everyone's journals, including mine.

"Okay, you may pack away and go to break" she huffs.

I put my pen and pencil into my bag, along with my faction studies book.

"Well that was dreadful" Caleb laughs.

"I thought it was kinda fun" I admit.

"Yeah sure, Beatrice, sure" he teases.

"Tris" I correct him.

"Whatever, I might have to just start calling you sister" he laughs and I smile.

I walk out of the classroom and follow Caleb down the hallway.

"I've got to do something, I'll see you at home, later on, okay?" He smiles.

"Okay" I say with suspiciously squinted eyes.

Again? He's got to do something? What exactly is this something?

I wander around outside by the school grounds. I find a bench to sit on. I absorb the view as much as possible. The beautiful blossom trees, the green grass, the sparkling sun and everything I can see.

I feel someone approach me so I run to see if there is anyone there.

"Hello Tris" says Four.

"Four" I acknowledge.

"What are you doing?" He asks and looks in the direction I am looking in, to try and see what is so fascinating.

"Oh you know, milking cows as per usual" I say sarcastically and Four smirks with humour.

"Your quite the comedian" he smirks.

"I do try" I laugh and he returns it.

"What are you doing here anyway, shouldn't you be doing something more reckless? Like climbing buildings or jumping off trains?" I ask.

"Did all that this morning" he laughs.

"Wait, seriously?" I gasp.

"Yeah, you see that train?" He says pointing to the moving train that goes along the train tracks every hour.

I nod.

"We jump on and off it every morning and night" he informs me.

"Wow that's..." I stutter.

"Brave?" He says and I nod with a small smile.

"How do you do it?" I ask.

"It takes a bit of practise but you get used to it, eventually" he explains.

"Sounds eventful" I laugh.

"I never realised how beautiful it was out here" he says whilst looking up at the blossom trees.

"Well sometimes you've got to just stop and look what's infront of you" I quote.

"Who has the time to do that?" he smirks.

"Abnegation" I sigh.

"Well not dauntless" Four says.

"Are you busy a lot, you know, at dauntless?" I ask.

"Not really, just the odd climb of a sky scraper and the daily jump off a train, so nothing too extreme" he smirks.

"You sure are witty" I say.

"I may sound witty but there's a lot more to me than just being witty" he says seriously as he gets up and walks away.

Before I know it, he is gone. I sit in confusion, trying to figure out what he meant by that but I haven't got time. The bell rings and I have to head to 3rd period which is food economics.

***

The bus journey home is silent, like yesterday's. The dauntless are no where to be seen on the bus so I take a seat in the corner where no one is near me.

I get off at my stop and head home, my feet dragging on the cobbles that are scattered on the grounds of abnegation.

I unlock my house door and see that my mother is home.

"Hello honey" my mother greets.

"Hey" I smile back.

My father walks out of the bedroom which shocks me as I thought he would be at work.

He looks concerned, along with my mother.

"What's going on?" I ask anxiously.

My father holds his head in his hands as my mother passes me the newspaper.

The headline is 'Abnegation Council Leader Made Factionless After Sly Remarks'.

My jaw drops. Half shock, half horror. How awful could the things they said have been? Was it that bad or is this a slight over reaction?

"What about the others?" I ask.

"They are fine, they are back in abnegation" My mothers sighs.

"So which leader was it that was made..factionless?" I say.

"David Price" Says my father.

David was one of the top council leaders. He was in charge of finance and keeping the peace between abnegation.

"He was a good man. He didn't deserve this" My father huffs.

I walk over to him and give him a hug. My heart weeps for David's family and for mine. My father was very close with David so this was a big deal for him too.

"I'm so sorry, dad" I say and I feel his smile against my shoulder.

That was the first time I had called my father, 'dad'. I never liked the words dad or mum but I'm beginning to grow on them.