Dangerous Love

Chapter 2: Everything Will Change

We sit at the longest table in the corner of the dome where all the supposed important people sit along with their family members. My father is quick to get into a conversation with Max that the whole table soon starts to tune in on. I quickly zone out and pick at my bread which I'm just not really feeling.

"Every family of four," Max growls.
"Five I think it should be five," my dad says getting a little worked up which is quit uncommon for my father.
"I know you have a family of four but that's the only way I will agree with the treaty," Max hisses stubbornly.

My dad shakes his head,"The treaty is flat out unfair!"
"What happened to that Amity peacefulness?" Max taunts.
"This will happen whether you like it or not!" Max growls and abruptly stands, leaving the table and soon the dome.

"What is he talking about?" I ask my dad quickly.
"Quiet!" he lightly scolds. I turn to Ryle who must've been listening cause she has tears in her eyes and hasn't even touched her meal and I begin to wonder how I've become so oblivious to my surroundings.

Then I look up to Eric who's eyes are cold and angry, honestly I haven't seen them any other way and I can't help but wonder what his smile looks like, if he ever does smile. Then his eyes move to mine in a split second and I feel my heart stop at the intense look he gives me. I give him a confused look which mirror my emotions, I watch as his eyes become emotionless and he blinks down at me, slowly standing and following in Max's footsteps.

Soon everyone follows, and then it's just the Amity representatives and family members left. My father gets up and my family follows in a tense silence that puts me on edge. I pull Ryle a little bit back so I can talk to her without being interrupted by my parents.

"What's going on? Why are they arguing about a family of four or five?" I ask my voice low and edgy.
"You really weren't listening at all were you?" she asks tears finally spilling over and mouth turned into a twisted frown.
"No?"

She sighs and hugs me and cries into my shoulder, soon her cries turn into soft hiccups and I'm left with a tear stained shoulder.
"Hey what's going on?" I ask now scared and curiosity taking over my body, I know I need to be strong for my sister because if she knows I'm scared then all hell breaks loose.
"The oldest child has to go to dauntless," her voice barely audible. At first I thought I heard her wrong, why would dauntless want Amity soldiers?

"Wait what!?" I hear my voice say before I can process it.
"Max wants it to be every family of four so then the family would have one kid left but dad argues that every family should have two kids," she says with more tears piling down her soft delicate face.

"Why does dauntless want our people?" I ask angrily.
"I don't know please Autumn just don't go! Please!" she hugs me tighter and I quickly realize I won't get any answers from her.

I scoop her up in my arms and carry her home gently, knowing it would take ages to get her to walk home in the state she's in. When we get to the front door I clean her up and we walk in to find Eric talking to my dad with a solemn face. Then I remember Eric is sleeping at our house for God knows how long.

Marching up the stairs with my sister clinging to my arm, I hop in her bed right next to her. It turns out Eric will be sleeping in the same room as Ryle and me, as well as in my bed due to there being no more bed's in our house, and I'll be sleeping in Ryle's bed which is on the other side of the small room. Despite being a representatives family we have quit a small house, plus Amity is known for their abundance of kids, the average amount of kids an Amity family has is about 7.

My sister's arm clings to mine as she presses her body against the wall leaving me on the end of the bed. Eric walks in the room looking tired, which is understandable after today's events and I find my heart racing at the sight of him and the idea of him staying in my bed.