The moment I regain consciousness, my head is ringing and the room I'm in is so bright that when I open my eyes, I'm forced to close them almost immediately. Groaning, I decide to wink instead so that both my eyes won't have to suffer. Keeping my left eye shut, I force my right one open and give the room I'm in a good glare. 

It's a room I recognise almost immediately. A room with a few beds that acts like a school hospital. I'm usually in here on a weekly basis. 

I blink and try to sit up. It seems to help the ringing but the white-washed walls surrounding me are not helping my eyes. As the ringing subsides, however, my ears pick up a sound I haven't heard before-maniacal laughter. 

I turn my head in the direction of the sound, grimacing at how stiff my neck feels. As my eyes focus, I can make out the figure of a boy that appears to be my brother. He's sitting on a bed near mine hugging his pillow and giggling hysterically. 

I frown. River doesn't usually act like this, not even in dreams. 

"Riv," I try, "What-"

"Hello," a new voice on my other side says, and my fists ball automatically to face this unexpected person. I don't like being caught unawares. I relax somewhat however when I see that it's just an Abnegation man, "You're up I see," he says smiling, "We've administered the peace serum to you. How are you feeling?"

Ah yes. The peace serum. They always give it to me every single time I get into a fight. What they haven't seemed to have worked out though, is that it has no effect on me whatsoever. River noticed after I'd been given it a few times and he advised me to act like I was sedated, even though I really wasn't. 

Usually, he would come and collect me after school and he would put his arm around me as I would pretend to hobble out of the room. It was only when we were clear of the school, however, that the two of us would break into a run and race to the school bus stop. 

I smile but then my smile turns back into it's usual frown as I look at the state my brother is in now. 

"I feel very calm," I literally spit out the lie, "But what have you done to me bro-" I catch the startled look on the Abnegation man's face and remember that I'm supposed to be in a peaceful mood. I take a deep breath, force myself to be calm, and quickly amend my question, "I mean," I say, giving the man a full beam smile which seems to scare him even more, "Why is my brother laughing?"

"Oh," the man flushes, "Well, he's a bit on the small side and we may have given an overdose,"

"You did what ?" I growl, the words coming out before I can stop them. I quickly cough to cover what I've said-another trick taught by River.  

"Sorry?" the man tilts his head as if he misheard me, "I didn't catch that."

I take a deep breath. Forcing myself to stay calm is not easy for me, "I said 'what does it mean if he's had an overdose?'"

The man gives me a confused look as if to tell that that's definitely not what he heard the first time, but then his Abnegation nature wins over and he begins to explain, "Well, a side effect of overdose is euphoria," the man notices my blank stare and explains, "So he feels really happy at the moment,"

"For how long?" I ask, forcing myself to smile as sweetly as I can so I don't grind my teeth in anger. It probably makes me look feral. 

"Uh...for the next few hours," the man admits, "Sorry."

"Great," I snarl. I pull back the covers and get out of the bed, hoping that maybe I can snap River out of this somehow. 

"Wait," the man stops me, "That's not a good idea. You probably feel a bit dizzy from the serum,"

I exaggerate my movements to make myself seem really uncoordinated," Yeah...," I lie unconvincingly, "I do actually."

Much to my aggravation, the man takes my arms and leads me back to bed," I wouldn't worry," he says smiling brightly, "your sister will be arriving any moment to take you home."

A few minutes later, my older sister Heather enters, gives the Abnegation man a winning smile and whisks me and River away to her car. 

It's only when we're on the road back to Amity that she scowls. 

"You just had to get another fight, didn't you Dex?" she says, brushing her long strawberry-blonde hair out of her eyes with her left hand, whilst driving with her right. 

"Let me guess," I say loudly, trying to be heard over River, who is still laughing non-stop in the back of the car, "I interrupted an important date between you and Damien."

"Yes you did actually," retorts Heather, "It's my one day off at work this week and it's our two month anniversary today."

"Wow," I gasp, placing my hands over my heart and feign shock," Two whole months! How important!" I glare at her and revert back to normal Dex, "Like I didn't notice! You've been banging on about it for this past week!"

"Shut up Dex," Heather snaps irritably. 

"You're not acting very Amity today," I comment. 

"Says the girl who got into a fight at school," retorts Heather.

"I've got an excuse. You haven't because you've actually passed Amity Initiation,"

Heather smiles slightly, "Fair enough." She wraps an arm around whilst keeping her other hand on the wheel, "What would I do without you Dex?"

I grin, "I shudder to think."

Heather parks the car, and we lead a still laughing River into the house. Because we're in Amity, none of the doors are locked because no one expects to be stolen from. 

We head straight into the kitchen. Dad is seated beside our wooden table, feeding our younger sister Harmony. Next to him, is Damien, Heather's boyfriend. 

"We're back," I announce. 

Damien looks up from talking to Dad, and wheels his wheelchair to where Heather is. 

"I'm officially mad at you April Meadows," he says, though the smile on his face and the glint in his mischievous blue eyes tell me otherwise. 

"What?" I tease," For interrupting your precious little date?"

Heather flushes, but Damien jabs at me with his finger, "Yes, actually." Heather kisses him and I pretend to gag, "Come on Heaths. Let's finish what we were doing." Heather blushes even more. Damien looks back at Dad as she wheels Damien out of the house, "Hey Max, tell Ash I said hi." 

Dad nods, "Will do."

"Where is Father by the way?" I ask, as I get an ice pack out the fridge. 

"Working on the fields," Dad replies, "He got promoted yesterday, remember?" I shrug, my mind blank, and apply the ice pack to my face. Dad sighs, "I should've known you'd be back early. Can't go two weeks without getting into another fight can you?" He tuts and ruffles my hair, "Poor Maz is going to come home after school all on her own again."

I shrug, "Mazie's got her friends," I sit down on a chair and pull myself into the table with my free hand. 

Dad turns his attention to my brother who's still laughing by the door, "And what happened to him?"

"Overdose of peace serum," I explain. 

River gives my dad and me a scarily wide smile, before bounding up the stairs two at a time. We hear the door open to his room. There's a few seconds of silence before the sound of him playing a jaunty folk song on the violin drifts down the stairs. 

Dad raises an eyebrow, "He sounds happy."

The music comes to an end. Then it repeats all over again. I switch the pack of ice to my other hand and continue to hold it over my eye. He glances at me, "I'm not going to lecture you, Dex, but why do you get into fights?"

I shrug, "I can't help it. People just annoy me. Besides, Isaac was threatening River. I might as well put the skills I learnt with the punching bag to good use." Father made a punching bag for me last year out of hay, as Amity are forbidden from buying any sort of weapon.

"You do realise that we made you that so you could let out some of your anger? Not as an excuse to do even more fighting." Dad sighs.

"Yeah, I know," I smile, and I dig some homework out of my bag with my free hand. Dad smiles back-he's never angry for very long. 

"I'm guessing the serum didn't affect you this time either?" He asks. 

I shake my head, "No. I guess I'm different from other people."

He squeezes my hand, his face inscrutable, "I guess you are." He returns to feeding Harmony. 

When River decides to play the same piece for the third time, Dad looks up with the baby spoon is his hand and asks, "How long did they say this would go on for?"

"A few hours," I reply. My dad's groan clashes heavily with the notes that are resounding from River's violin. 

River is playing the tenth re-edition of the folk piece when there's a knock on our door. I look up from my work, "I knew she'd come eventually," I say, "she always does."

Dad nods in agreement, "It has to be her. None of the others will be back yet and Heather will be at Damien's place." He quickly grabs my homework and shoves it in my bag, "You're affected by the peace serum, remember?"

I nod, and pretend to look drowsy as he opens the door. And there she is. Johanna Reyes. The Amity speaker and representative. 

"Johanna," Dad says smiling, "How lovely to see you." And the two of them embrace, the standard Amity greeting, "Do come in,"

Johanna accepts the offer and Dad pulls out a chair for her to sit down. She sits down, laying down her black satchel she is carrying beside her. 

"Please excuse my son," Dad says, "He's in a state of euphoria due to an overdose of the peace serum."

"Ah," Johanna smiles, "Yes, these things tend to happen." She turns her attention on me, her brown eyes surveying me carefully, "How are you feeling April?" she asks me gently. Dad quickly shoots me a warning look. 

"Fine thank you," I say as placidly as I can. There's a brief pause and Dad discreetly nudges his head in Johanna's direction. I quickly add, "And you?"

"Very well thank you," Johanna responds smiling, "I understand that you got into a fight today?"

"Yes," I say, attempting not to grind my teeth. Why ask something she already knows? 

"As you know April, violence is not the answer," Johanna says, "We try to resolve things peacefully here in Amity."

"Yeah, I know," I reply, unable to keep all of the annoyance out of my voice. My dad's eyes widen slightly. 

"Do you regret what you did to the Erudite boy?" Johanna presses. 

At the mention of Isaac, my anger flares. "He had it coming," the words come out of my mouth before I can stop them. 

Johanna's eyes widen, "I sorry, I must have misheard you. What did you say?"

Dad coughs uncomfortably, "She asked you if you wanted something to drink," he lies quickly, "Can I get you anything Johanna? A glass of water? A fizzy drink, perhaps?"

Distracted, Johanna shakes her head, and then returns her attention to me. 

"Do you regret attacking the Erudite boy?" she asks me again. Behind her, Dad deliberately nods his head. 

"Uh...yes?" I say, "I mean, yes, I regret it." 

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," I force out the lie before my mouth can stop me. 

Johanna nods, "Then that will be all," she rises from her chair, "Thank you for having me."

"It was my pleasure," Dad smiles as he leads her to the door. Once she's gone, he turns to me, blows out his cheeks and let's out a huge sigh of relief. I grin. 

Then there's another knock on the door and my grin vanishes, while Dad stands frozen. He quickly recovers himself and silently indicates that I should look drowsy. 

I nod and assume the look of someone who looks half asleep as he answers the door. It's Johanna again. Dad look startled for a moment, but then they quickly go through the Amity motions-a hug and then the escort into the house. He looks at her inquiringly. 

"Forgot my bag," she explains. She quickly retrieves the black satchel she'd left by her chair and leaves. For good this time.