Are you asking me to undress, Tris?' A nervous laugh gurgles from my throat. 'Only ... partially

Oh, are we at the insult part of the breakup?" she says. "Because I got in a lot of practice after what happened with Will. I have several choice things to say about her nose.

Fighting for survival in a shattered world... the truth is her only hope.

Peter leans forward and looks into my eyes. "The serum will go into effect in one minute," he says. "Be brave, Tris." My heart begins to race. Why would Peter tell me to be brave? Why would he offer any kind words at all?

He moves his thumb in a slow circle over the back of my hand. It is meant to comfort me, but it frustrates me instead. I need to talk to him. I need to look at him.

It's not cruelty, maybe, but a desire to understand that motivates them.

Before she got here everything had stalled inside me, and every morning I was just moving toward nighttime.