Aberrant

Eighteen: Dex

It feel strange being back in Amity. Everything here, from the cars that are parked in various drives to the numerous wood pigeons hunched in the trees, is familiar. Yet, in less than a week, it feels like everything has changed for me-I have friends, a new set of rules and clothes and a new way of life. Amar is leading us through paths that I've stepped on for years, and I feel so disorientated that it's like I'm waking up from a really odd dream. 

It's early-to-mid-morning as make our way towards the gate, and I turn my head-towards the east-towards my old home, to look at the last few rays of the sunrise. If I squint, I can make out my house in the distance, as well as the tree I used to climb. Sometimes, when I felt like it, I would climb that tree as high as I could to watch the sunrise. River would come too, of course, though he wouldn't climb as high. I smile faintly as I remember how the two of us used to be inseparable. It's unsettling to think that he isn't here at Amity now. 

A brown truck, emblazoned with the Amity symbol on the side, stops by us, and workers begin to get out to collect apples from the trees that are nearby. We're about ten feet away from it when there's a shout, and turning, I see my sister running towards us. 

"Dex!" she shouts happily. 

"Mazie!" I yell back, actually smiling for once to see one of my family member's and I run into her arms, enveloping her into a hug. Completely forgetting, of course, to stay in my place beside Plato in the Dauntless ranks. Her long brown hair tickles my nose and the smell of freshly baked bread, as well as that strawberry shampoo she always wears, wafts over me. 

She pulls away from me beaming, and puts her hands on my shoulders, "I've missed you so much!" she says, "Well, how have you been?"

"Surprisingly ok, actually, considering this is Dauntless," I smile. Mazie smiles back but then her brown eyes shift to someone beside me. Looking to my left, I see that Plato too, has broken formation, and has come to join me. 

"Are you going to introduce us?" he asks me, softly. 

"Oh. Right. Manners," I say. Something I've never been good at, "Mazie, this is Plato. Plato, Mazie. My sister." As if that wasn't obvious enough. 

"But you can call me Maze," squeals Mazie, "Everyone else does!" And she hugs him with such force that I'm worried he'll fall over. He looks startled at first but awkwardly moves his arms around her. After about ten seconds of Plato being squeezed so hard that he can't breathe, they break apart, Plato looking slightly red. 

He coughs awkwardly, "Right. We'd better get a move on Dex. Thankfully we stopped because Amar wanted to talk to the Amity representative but he's probably going to notice we've broken formation fairly soon. And you might not want to be seen around an Amity."

I frown, "Why not?"

Plato shifts from one foot to the other, "Well the others might tease you."

"What, you mean Brooke, Isaac and Edgar?" I put an arm around Mazie, who seems surprised but giggles happily, "I don't care what they think of me. This is my sister, and I can talk to whoever I want."

"I'm not saying you can't Dex," Plato says, raising his hands slightly, "I'm just saying that we should probably get into formation."

Mazie pouts, "But I haven't told her what Amity Initiation has been like."

"We could get into trouble." Plato reminds me, his eyes on Mazie's. 

Mazie pales, "Trouble?  You better go, Dex. I don't want you to get told off."

I roll my eyes, "Since when have I cared about getting into trouble?"

"Never apparently," grumbles Plato.