Tobias and Tris: A Childhood Together

~11~

I open my eyes to the white room, Tori next to me, already taking the electrodes off my temples.
It take me a second to realize the sweat on her face and the slight panic in her eyes.
"Come on, you've got to go."
I shake my head,"What were my test results?"
She looks me dead in the eye,"They were inconclusive."
"Wait, what? How's that possible?"
"It's very possible."
She tugs my arm, pulling me off the chair.
"Now you've got to go and I will put Abnegation in by hand."
I plant my feet on the ground, refusing to move,"But what were they?"
She sighs,"Abnegation, Amity, and Dauntless."
"D—Dauntless?"
"Yes, now go!"
She pushes me towards the door.
"It's called Divergent, when you score for three factions. Do not tell anyone, your life depends on it."
And with that she closes the door.
      Totally shocked, it takes me a minute to remember that I'm supposed to leave.
      I put my hands in my pockets and start the walk home.
      It take about 20 minutes to get back to the cracked, broken roads of Abnegation.
      Soon I'm at my front door. I reach for the nob, then hesitate.
      Marcus won't be home for another hour or two. Maybe, that'll be enough time to visit Tris, to confide in her.
With some enthusiasm, I jog round the back to her house, not wanting to waste anymore time.
I decide the tree is the best way to get to her, at least if she's in her room. I start the climb, suddenly very aware of the fact that I'm not under the cover of darkness.
I know that it would've been easier if I had just knocked on the door, but I don't want to risk the chance of Marcus knowing I came here. He doesn't like Tris much.
      I lean over to try and peek through the window but the glare of the sun makes it nearly impossible. Giving up, I rap my knuckles on the glass.
      In about two seconds the window flies open but it's not Tris's face that appears.
      "Uh Mrs. Prior?"
      She smiles kindly at me,"Hello, Tobias. What would bring you to my daughter's window on this fine day?"
      I hear the hint of amusement in her voice,"Well, um—uh."
      She waves me in,"Come on in, dear. You wait here while I go get Beatrice."
      I look at her, confused,"What?"
      She smiles slyly at me,"You don't really believe that I don't know about you two, do you? I can't say I was shocked, it was quite obvious."
      "You knew? How long?"
      "Well, Beatrice only told me a few months ago but I figured it out years before."
      I'm shocked into silence.
      She turns swiftly and walks out of the room.
      In about a minute Tris walks in, closing the door quietly behind her.
      "What's so important? You could've easily knocked on the door." She has her hands on her hips.
      "Yeah, I know. I just didn't want to risk Marcus finding out."
      She sighs and goes to sit on the bed, motioning for me to join her,"What's going on?"
      "Well . . ."
      I tell her everything. My test results, how Tori called me 'Divergent', the urgency to not tell anybody. I talk in a hushed voice, not wanting anyone to overhear.
      She nods,"Why did you tell me?"
      I'm slightly confused by her words,"Because I trust you. And it was eating me up inside so it's a relief to get it off my chest."
      She shakes her head,"But, Tobias, she said not to."
      "But—"
      "Tobias, it could've been important!" She stands, her voice rising.
      "Tris—"
      "No! What if this information put not just you but me in danger? This could've put my family in danger! We don't know." She glares at me.
She stands in front of me, hands clenched at her side.
I say nothing, knowing it will only make it worse.
But after five minutes I decide to speak,"Look, I'm sorry. It just hadn't crossed my mind."
She sighs, relaxing a little,"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have exploded."
I pull her into a hug. We stand like that for a little while.
I check my watch and groan,"Hey, I've gotta go."
She squeezes me one more time then lets go.
I walk to the window,"See you tomorrow."
She smiles,"See you then."