Pained

Chapter 1

Tobias' Point Of View

Tomorrow's the aptitude test. I can't accept that. Not yet. I walk towards the Abnegation table with my food. A few people stare, some are whispering about me; just another day as Tobias Eaton. Then, a glimpse of black hair breaks my train of thought. As I get closer, I can feel a smile crawling up on me, as I get closer to her.

I sit in front of her and she looks up. Her green eyes staring back at me. For one second, I see what every man who has ever laid eyes on her has seen. A true beauty. I then shove those thoughts out of my mind. We sit there and eat in silence, as we do everyday. We walk home that day. Together. We were allowed such indulgences, because we were engaged. "So, you have officially not said a word to me all day. Is that a way to treat your future wife, Mr. Tobias Eaton?"

I smile. "Well, Miss Catherine Bennet. I never thought we had that sort of relationship, but you do have my apologies." I said bowing to her, which makes her laugh.

"You realise Mother and Marcus are already planning our future as we speak." I smile. She couldn't hide the tone of disgust in her voice. She knew everything. My secret. I hadn't told anyone, but her. I knew her secret. The only one who did.

She was different. Unlike all the other Abnegation. I should be happy that we were going to get married. She would make a fine wife. She was also breathtakingly beautiful. Yet I still felt odd imagining her as my wife. We always had a big sister-little brother relationship, although I was older.

"Well, we are neighbors." I felt a pang of guilt in my heart. Every other man would be ecstatic to have her as his wife. Why couldn't I feel that way? As we get closer, I brush those thoughts aside. She didn't want to be my wife either. As we walk into my house, we can hear Marcus and Abigail, her mother, talking. During dinner, I tuned out as Marcus and Abigail talked wedding procedures. It was just another reminder that we were to get married the week after the choosing ceremony. After Dinner, Marcus walked Abigail out. I was standing at the side with Catherine. "Are you scared?" She asked me.

"About the Choosing Ceremony? No. Are you?" I asked her giving Marcus my back, so I can study her. She faked a weak smile, and shook her head. She was lying. She was scared. Just as I was walking her out, I gave her a quick tug of her arm. It was our way of saying, "I'll always be here." She mouthed, "thank you," then she turned and left. I realised that she must be terrified about tomorrow. I knew my result would be Abnegation, because Marcus trained me. She didn't.

The next day, I stare at the neighborhood with my mind somewhere else. I had to take a minute for myself before walking in, and telling Marcus my result was Abnegation. Then I hear footsteps. Catherine. She looks up at me as if someone had just woken her up from a nightmare. Her colour flushed out of her. She was paler than she usually was. As I'm about to get up and make her tell me her result, she turns and hurries into her house.