Back To You // Peter Hayes

rubatosis

the awareness of one's own heartbeat

"I forgot to ask, how did your test go yesterday?" Jeanine asked as we were getting ready for the choosing ceremony,

"Perfectly apparently." I told her, adjusting my hair in the mirror,

"So, what was your result?" she asked,

"No prying, Jeanine, you of all people should know I'm not allowed to tell you that." I smirked,

"Oh I know, I just wanted to be sure you knew the rules," I knew she was lying, I'd seen her work files, she was hunting down divergents. The ones who fitted into too many factions. It's all anyone talked about at Erudite these days, well, that and Marcus Eaton. "I expect you'll be leaving us?" she half-questioned,

"Yeah, you and I both know I'm not cut out for Erudite." I laughed

"Then I'll say my goodbyes now." she smiled and awkwardly brought me in for a hug, placing her arms at the top of my back. Jeanine and I had never been extremely close, we were more like roommates than mother and daughter, but I didn't mind it. I wasn't too keen on trusting her like that anyway, not after what Caleb told me what she was doing, spreading rumours through the factions to take down other leaders. But none the less, I was grateful for all she had done for me.

At the ceremony, I was walking with Jeanine as the room began to fill up with all the kids my age in Chicago, I spotted Caleb towering over the crowds. He and his family approached Jeanine and I, his father was one of the leaders of Abnegation, Andrew Prior, a tall, dark haired middle-age man with sunken in eyes and a deep voice,

"Morning, Jeanine." he said,

"Good morning, Andrew." she nodded her head towards him, "How is Marcus holding up?"

"As well as can be expected." he was tense, you could tell he really didn't like Jeanine,

"Mm. We need to find out who's behind those rumors." she muttered

"I think we all know who it is." the woman next to Andrew smiled, causing me to laugh a little, it was almost obvious who she was accusing,

"If it's someone from Erudite, I promise I'll find out who." Jeanine replied back with the same fake, insincere smile, "These are your children? I don't think I knew they were choosing today." she turned to Caleb and a tall, blonde girl beside him, "What's your name?" she looked at Caleb

"I'm...I'm Caleb." he stumbled over his words, transferring his weight from one foot to another as he talked, "It's a pleasure to meet you." shakily holding out his hand, Jeanine shook it firmly,

"Jeanine Matthews." she smiled, "I think you know my daughter, Bonnie?"

I sent a side-eye glare at her for calling me that, "Yeah, Caleb and I were in the same science class, remember?" I told her, plastering a fake smile across my face as I turned to the abnegation family

"And you are?" she ignored my comment and turned to the girl beside Caleb,

She stood in an awkward silence, almost glaring at Jeanine, Caleb spoke up for her, "This is Beatrice."

"Mm. You both have a big decision to make today. I'm sure your parents will support whatever choice you make."

"I thought it wasn't supposed to be a choice. The test should tell us what to do." Beatrice finally spoke up,

"You're still free to choose."

"But you don't really want that."

"Beatrice." Caleb warned her, I like this girl, she's got guts for talking back to Jeanine,