Tobias and Tris: A Childhood Together

~12~

TrisPOV

"Come on! Let's go!" I yell at my brother as he struggles to put his shoes on under my pure pressure.
"I'm doing my best, if you weren't yelling at me I'd go faster."
I glare at him.
He flinches and looks away,"What's the big deal anyway? So your boyfriend—"
"Shhh!" I mutter angrily.
He finally finishes tying his shoes.
"Let's go, dork." I roll my eyes as he tries to shoot me an intimidating glare, he just looks like an idiot.
"You're acting weird, you're not normally this pushy." He mumbles.
"Oh, am I? Well, I'm sorry. The boy I've fallen in love with is making a huge decision to stay or go, so I apologize if I'm a little on edge." I snap.
He winces at the harshness in my voice and I soften a little bit.
"Look, sorry. I'm just worried, that's all." I pat his back.
He sighs,"It's fine."
I slap him in the back,"Just don't act like a baby." I let a little playfulness into my voice but literally, he almost jumped ten feet into the air when I started yelling, like come on brother.
He lets a out a nervous laugh,"Let's just go."

TobiasPOV

I sit in a line of nervous, jittery kids. We're all playing with hair, drumming our fingers against our legs, shooting glances into the crowd of people, looking at each other for help, and so on.
I fiddle with the worn out strands of my bracelet as I search the crowd of blue, yellow/orange, black, white/black, and grey for Tris. I see people I recognize and people I don't. Some give me encouraging smiles or quizzical stares or straight out glares. Not one of those faces is Tris's.
It has already started and I know it won't be long before my name is called. I still don't know what to do.
Stay in Abnegation with Tris where I still have to put up with my abusive father, go to Amity for shelter and kindness, or go to Dauntless for training and strength.
Amity is almost instantly a no. I see them with their smiles and happy faces, I could never fit in there, I'm too broken for that.
Now it's between leaving or staying with Tris. I love her, I really do, but enough to put up with my father? To endure his abusive ways throughout even my adulthood? To be stuck with him and the memories that haunt me?
Will I even last in Dauntless if I'm only going for a safe haven? For an escape? Am I strong enough or brave enough to rise above my fear?
I shake my head, making a quick, possibly hasty, decision.
"Eaton, Tobias Eaton."
I stand in a trance like way, numbly walking to Marcus who holds out a small knife.
With still hands I take the knife. Time seems to slow down as I run it across my palm. One second goes by painfully slow. Before dropping my blood into a bowl that will choose my fate, I look behind me at the crowd.
Instantly I see her face, we make eye contact and she nods slowly, encouraging me to choose my own path.
Solidifying my determination, I turn back to the bowls and with one fluid motion lift my hand above the bowl, that will hopefully lead me in the right direction, and let my blood drip onto sizzling coals.
"DAUNTLESS!"