I am seated at one of the tables in the cafeteria with a few of my new initiates. Tris is sitting beside me, poking her hamburger with her finger.

"You don't know what a hamburger is, do you?" I ask, not wanting to sound rude, even though I've given her that impression.

"Nope. We don't eat beef in Abnegation. Just plain old vegetables." She sounds annoyed. I start to wonder if that was one of the reasons why she left.

"Yeah, Stiffs eat plain food." I say matter-of-factly. I begin to realize that what I just said sounded rude.

"Why would you know? Were you a transfer too?" Her words strike me like lightning.

A stiff wouldn't ask that question.

I don't want to lie, but I don't think I should be sharing my business on the first day of initiation.

I decide that I will tell her, but not here, not now.

Later.

"You're asking too many questions. What are you, Christina's sister?" I know that Crhistina will be offended by this, and that it why I said it.

"She doesn't even look like me!" Christina retorts defensively.

"She sounds like you." I say before I push back my chair and leave the dining hall.

That was enough Candor for one day.

+++

I stroll into the control room unaware that Eric is standing over my computer. And then I remember.

I left the surveillance footage of Max's office on before the initiates arrived.

And Eric is staring right at it.

"Oh, hello, Four. I didn't see you come in." He is grinning like crazy, and I know why.

"Eric, what is so fascinating about my computer that makes you want to stand over it?" I know that I am in big trouble, yet and still I don't want to seem like I know why he's staring at my screen.

"Well, you see, Four, I was simply taking a stroll through the compound when I happened to see Max's office on display on your computer. Care to explain?"

What are you gonna do?! You're busted! You have to think of something!

"Gus has been in here most of the day. I haven't. He was probably looking at the footage and got side-tracked." I know it is not the best answer, but I need something to buy me some time.

"Gus had a day off today. He wouldn't have been in here."

Why didn't I remember that?!

BUSTED!

"I put the surveillance on loop so when I left to welcome the Initiates, it wouldn't seem like I wasn't doing my job." I pray that that is a logical reason he will believe.

"If you put it on loop, why has it been on Max's office for the last half-an-hour?" I frown. My head suddenly feels like nails are pricking it and I rack my hands through it, making it messier than it already is.

There is no way I am getting out of this.