Divergent High: College Life

ｔｈｉｒｔｙ

I've been in Hillsboro for the last few days, with my new...family, I guess you could say. Emma is still warming up to me, but Casey and Hanna have been all over me. Emma's 14, so it might take awhile for her to adjust to having me as another sister. A 21 year old sister. For nine year-old Casey and six year-old Hanna, they've already adjusted.

Mom's husband, Jack, has been really nice and welcoming towards me, and I'm very thankful for that.

Today we're going to the Washington Square Mall to shop before I have to go back to Chicago tomorrow. It's been fantastic here, but I feel like I need to go home. Not only do I miss Tobias, but I also miss Mom and Dad, and I feel that I need to tell them I'm sorry.

My phone buzzes in my pocket while I'm watching The Little Mermaid with my sisters on the couch, so I pull my phone out and stand up, starting to walk away.

"I'll be right back," I tell them, but they're so engrossed in the movie that they don't here me. I answer the call, putting the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" I hear Tobias say as I enter the bathroom, closing the door behind me.

"Hi," I reply and lean on the wall.

"I miss you like crazy," he says, getting right to the point.

"I know, baby, I miss you too. I'll be back tomorrow though, I promise."

"You do?"

"I do."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you so much. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

"Bye."

"Bye," he says and I hang up. I run my hands through my hair and open the door.

"Who were you talking to?" Mom asks as I walk into the kitchen and lean on my elbow on the counter.

"Tobias," I answer. I told her his real name because he's so important to me that if I tell my biological mother about him I'm not going to hide his name.
✗  ✗  ✗  ✗  ✗
We've been at the mall for a few hours now, and we're finally going to the last store, the American Girl Doll store. Casey and Hanna have been begging to go here for hours. I follow Casey, while Mom and Emma follow Hanna around the store.

Eventually Emma walks out of the store and Mom motions for me to follow her. Emma sits down on a bench, and I sit next to her.

"Hi," I say and give her a small smile.

"Hey," she replies unenthusiastically and not looking up from her phone.

"Emma, what do I need to do to make you like me?"

"Nothing. It's just... I'm used to being the oldest kid in the house, and being able to boss everyone around and whatever, but with you around now, it's a different dynamic. My sisters are happier, Mom and Dad seem happier, and I don't know why they weren't like that before," she confesses.

"I'm probably not going to be around much, you know. I have school, and a life in Chicago too. But I don't want you to unhappy when I am around. Okay?"