Chapter Text
Abnegation transfers were rare in Amity. My mother had been one of the few who had decided to leave Abnegation. She had exchanged all the gray and selflessness for colorful loving people. I had grown up with few rules, running through fields barefoot and climbing every tree in sight. Amity had a reputation for being too open with affection and love. My long brown waves hung free behind me, growing with me until I decided to trim them. My skin had tanned with exposure to the sun. Amity were almost as physically strong as the Dauntless, farming the food for the entirety of Chicago didn’t leave us much of a choice.
My family consisted of my Amity father, my former Abnegation mother, and my father’s parents. My grandmother had been Erudite, my grandfather had been Dauntless, always distrustful of the peace that the city lived with. He had raised my father to fight the way the Dauntless did, and insisted that my father teach me as well. I had excelled at hand to hand combat, fighting my father in empty fields any chance we got. I had learned how to throw knives with ease, but had never had the chance to handle a gun. I was fast on my feet, lighter than my father and a concerning lust for blood when I lost myself in the fight. Over the years I had been disciplined more than once at school and at home for fighting other kids. I had a strong sense of justice, something that I had gotten from one of my family members who had been Candor. My mother had taught me how to be selfless, sharing her upbringing with me in the moments that it would benefit me the most.
By the time the Choosing Ceremony rolled around I had grown into a beautiful young woman and my mother wouldn’t let me forget it. She had trimmed my messy brown waves and styled some long face framing bangs. My bright green eyes matched her own, the freckles across my face a gift from my grandmother and her curse of being barely over five feet. The only things I got from my father were full pink lips and his brown hair.
My mother had laid out a deep red dress, a belt around the waist and some easy to run in boots. Around my wrist she had tied a bracelet, each braided string a different color for each member of my family. Blue for grandma, gray for mom, yellow for dad, and red for grandpa. There was a black string tied in as well, for the uncle that had left for Dauntless the year before my mother and father had chosen Amity. Grandpa had refused to talk about him my entire life, I had only found out when dad had been teaching me to fight and grandpa had remarked how much my form had reflected his first born.
The testing had been wild, and I had been pleased to be one of the last to go, able to leave right after. I had been handed a glass of what I had wanted to assume was water but I knew better.
“Drink this.” I was instructed.
I downed the liquid without a second thought. I blinked and I was standing in the empty cafeteria, before me on a table stood a hunk of cheese and a long knife.
“Choose.” a voice prompted me.
“Why?” I asked the disembodied voice.
“Choose.”
I hesitated.
“Choose!” The voice screamed.
“No!” I yelled back.
I had never been good at being told what to do without an explanation as to why I was being told to.
The cheese and knife disappeared. Behind me the sound of a door opening caused me to turn, before me was a dog. It growled at me, its hackles raised and teeth bared. I wasn’t afraid, I had never been afraid of dogs. I stood my ground, letting the dog approach me as I stood totally still. I took a deep breath when the dog moved away from me, but a little girl's voice caught its attention instead. With no warning the dog raced towards the little girl. I threw myself at the dog. I hit the ground hard but the world around me had gone silent.
I rubbed my shoulder as I opened my eyes again, the testing room stood before me and I knew the test wasn’t over yet. I opened the door to find a crowded bus, no seats were available and I moved out of the way towards the back of the bus. The man sitting nearest me was reading a paper. The headline read ‘Brutal Murderer Apprehended.’ I watched as the man’s burnt hands moved towards the headline and tapped it.
“Do you know this man?” He asked.
My gaze drifted down to the picture below and although I knew I had never seen the man before in my life something triggered a feeling of recognition.
“I’m sorry I can’t get a good look at the picture.” I said slowly, trying to keep my composure.
The man stood suddenly thrusting the paper in my face.
“Do you know this man? Do you?” He screamed.
“Why do you care?” I demanded.
“You could save me!” He shouted.
“I can’t help you!” I whispered.
The floor opened at my feet and swallowed me whole.
I jolted up in the chair, chest heaving. I was in the testing room again. Electrodes attached to my head.
The woman administering the test began silently removing the electrodes from both our heads moving extra slow. I watched her in the mirrors as she put everything away.
“The results were wrong, weren’t they?” I asked.
Her eyes met my eyes in the mirror.
“The test is designed to eliminate each faction until only one is left, the one you belong to. However your test didn’t do that. I couldn’t make any inferences based on your refusal to choose in the beginning of the test, when you threw yourself at the dog it triggered a Dauntless result as well and an Abnegation one. So I had you go through the bus simulation, but that too was confusing, you refused to admit the truth to the man which means you aren’t Candor but the shame you felt triggered the Candor response as well as an abnegation one I thought I could rule out Erudite safely but something else you did or felt triggered that one as well.”
She sighed.
“The test showed an affinity for all of the factions. There’s a name for people who test into more than one faction but this is a result you can never share with anyone ever, even after the tests.” She looked me over and then took a deep breath. “It’s called Divergent.”
I nodded my head slowly.
“You don’t seem worried.” She scrunched her face up in confusion.
“I was raised to be all of the best things a faction could offer. I’m not surprised.”
“Do you have an idea of where you want to go?”
I nodded.
“Where?”
“Dauntless.”
“It won't be safe for you there.”
“It’s not safe for me anywhere else. I can lie and hide the other parts of me.”
“Then I’ll manually enter Dauntless.”
I had left the room and made my way home. My mother had pulled me close, holding me for as long as I would let her. I had watched the sunset from the top of the tallest tree that I could climb.
The red dress moved with the swaying of my body as I stood with the other sixteen year olds. I waited for my last name to be called. I watched as the names were called, as kids returned to their faction of origin until James Tucker from Dauntless let his blood fall onto the glass of Candor. The sound of muted mumbles fills the space from the Dauntless. I watched in shock as an Abnegation boy continued the trend, letting his blood fall into the Erudite water instead of the gray Abnegation stones. Marcus had to yell as outrage filled the room. The girl after him, his sister it looked like, let drops of her blood fall on the carpet between the Dauntless and Abnegation bowls before the sizzle of liquid on flame sounded as she chose Dauntless. The room erupted into chaos but quieted quickly as we continued. I was one of the last, twisting my new bracelet on my wrist until it was my turn. I wasted no time letting my blood fall onto the flames of Dauntless. I moved to the awaiting group as they cheered loudly. I stood next to the Abnegation girl, she was shorter than me but both of us were towered over by several of the other transfers. When the sea of black started to shuffle towards the door I left the speck of gray behind. I was fast and I had no issue keeping up with the Dauntless. I tucked the edge of my dress into the belt around my waist to allow better movement. To run if I needed to.
I followed the Dauntless as we thundered down the stairs, the whooping shouts and laughter ringing through the stairwell. I moved through the bodies quickly, people jostling each other as the girl in the red dress passed them. The Dauntless kept their hair tied up or short, my long hair was getting in my face as a breeze rushed up to meet us from the ground floor. I slowed to a jog to pull a hair tie from my wrist and pull half my hair up to keep it out of my face. I raced the other initiates to the posts that held the train tracks and joined them in the climb up. I could hear the train horn and I watched in awe as it started to fly past with the doors wide open, ready and waiting for us. I watched as the Dauntless began to throw themselves onto the cars, and joined a group of Dauntless born grasping the handle and pulling myself into the open door.
There was a pause as the other people in the car took me in.
“Well would you look at that.” someone muttered.
“What?” I asked, tilting my head to the side.
“We don’t get a lot of Amity transfers.” Someone in the back said.
“The whole anti violence thing right? Well surprise.” I smiled at them.
“Well I’m glad it’s one of the pretty ones.” A dark skinned boy grinned at me. His hair was cropped, smile wide and friendly, and handsome.
“Uriah!” One of the girls next to him elbowed him hard in the side.
“What! I’m just saying! She is gorgeous.”
“I’m sorry about this idiot.” The taller of the two dark haired girls held out her hand to me. “I’m Marlene and this is the third member of our trio Lynn.” She gestured to the shorter girl.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Monroe.”
“That’s definitely an Amity name if I ever heard one.” Uriah grinned again.
“Let her enjoy her first train ride, it’s almost over anyway.” Lynn elbowed him again.
I shifted back towards the door and took in the way the city sped past under our feet. I had loved being high in the sky back in Amity. Climbing the trees to get the best fruit from the very top. The wind pulled at my hair, whipping it around as a giddy laugh left my lips. I watched as black clad members began to jump to a rooftop across from the train tracks.
I grinned.
“You ready?” Marlene asked as she pulled me back to get a running start.
“Always.” I grinned at her.
We jumped together, I tucked my body so that I would roll to a stop instead of skidding as I felt the rocks of the rooftop under my feet. I was back on my feet without a scrape as the others began to gather in groups. More and more bodies joined us as other initiates hit the rooftop, many of them falling on the gravel or struggling to pull themselves into the roof.
Standing by the edge, on the side next to where we had landed, were two men. One was older with dark skin and gray hair around his temples. The other was a taller blonde with cold eyes, piercings adorned his face above his left eyebrow and his ears. On his neck were tattoos that followed a geometric pattern but disappeared into his shirt. His eyes found me, the single red dress in a group of black. I let my eyes roam his face, his piercing blue eyes doing the same. I smiled softly as I watched awe pass over his face before it slammed back down into a cold mask. I raised an eyebrow at him in a challenge. I was very good at reading people’s body language but he ignored me in favor of watching the last initiate's arrival. The train passed by the rooftop, a sob broke through the quiet murmurs and I watched as the Abnegation girl checked the edge, the look on her face told me everything, someone hadn’t made it onto the roof.
“Oh scandalous, a Stiff’s flashing skin.” A tall dark haired boy with beautiful green eyes and a nice smile called as the girl stopped checking the scrap on her elbow.
“Listen up! My name is Max! I am one of the leaders of your new faction!” The older dark skinned man shouted. “Several stories below us is the members entrance to our compound. If you can’t muster the will to jump off, you don’t belong here. Our initiates have the privilege of going first.” He gestured to the edge behind him.
The tension in the group was palpable.
“You want us to jump off a ledge?” The question came from an Erudite girl with mousy brown hair and large lips, taller than me but barely.
“Yes.” Came Max’s amused answer.
“Is there water at the bottom or something?”
“Who knows?” He raised his eyebrows.
I couldn’t stop the smile that lifted the corner of my mouth. He was toying with us. The Dauntless members on the roof split to make a path for the initiates. No one wanted to go first, but my body was already dragging me to the blue eyed man standing on the edge. The Abnegation girl followed me. Someone snickered behind us, but I raised my hand to the blue eyed man, asking for assistance to climb up. My left foot was already placed on the edge. He raised an eyebrow at me but took my hand nonetheless, letting me use his strong arm to push myself the rest of the way up without flashing everyone. I looked over the ledge into the big empty square that the buildings around us formed as the wind whipped around us.
“Whenever you’re ready.” The man who was still holding my hand said.
“I was born ready.” I smiled at him.
His cold mask fell again as I let go of his hand and fell backwards off the roof. The wind howled as the ground grew closer but there was no fear in me. When the hole rushed up to meet me I was met with darkness but still no fear. Then I hit something hard that gave way and sort of cradled me, something filled with holes. A net. A few hands reached out to me and I grabbed the largest one, the closest. It was attached to a man who helped pull me across. When I reached the edge of the net it was pulled down enough for me to clumsily manage to get my feet on the ground and brace myself on the large handed man's chest. It was then that I got a good look at him, kissable lips, deep set dark blue eyes with a lighter patch near the iris in one of them surrounded by thick dark eyelashes. Beyond him was a wide open Carven filled with Dauntless members.
“What’s your name?” His voice was like warm honey despite his tone being cold.
“Monroe.”
“Think hard about it, you can change it but once I announce it that will be your name.”
I paused.
“Roe.”
“First Jumper, Roe.” He announced and the Dauntless members went wild around me as I descended the platform.
“Welcome to Dauntless.” He said as he let my hand slip from his.
I stood quietly as the others jumped, no name besides my own were announced. I had been the first and that made all the difference in Dauntless. The initiates gathered around me, the Abnegation girl had stuck her hand out to me when she had landed and introduced herself as Tris. I had shaken her hand but when I touched her something in the back of my mind told me to let go quickly. I smiled in her face as she had brought over a Candor girl with short brown hair and skin that was close to Uriah’s and introduced her as Christina. Uriah, Lynn, and Marlene had swarmed around me when they had landed, grinning and calling me one of them. I laughed along with them as Uriah hugged me close. Tris stood off to the side with Christina watching us, her eyes flashed with jealousy but she tried hard to cover it up.
The man who had helped me off the net and another Dauntless member led us down a narrow tunnel. The walls were stone paired with sloped ceilings giving the illusion of being deep underground. The tunnel was lit but there were long intervals between the lights. In the dark Everyone seemed to keep bumping into each other. I had run my fingers along the wall and stayed off to the side, allowing myself space so that I wasn’t walking into anyone. My steps were small and calculated. We came to an abrupt halt, Tris walked into the Erudite boy in front of her, I let out a small laugh as everyone else did the same. Uriah barely managed to avoid walking into my shoulder.
“This is where we divide. Dauntless born initiates are with me, I assume you don't need a tour of the place.” The Dauntless member called.
Uriah, Lynn, and Marlene waved goodbye as they turned down a different path. When they left the group seemed much smaller and I took a moment to count us. There were ten transfers, most of whom were Erudite and Candor. Tris was the only Abnegation and I was the lone Amity. Once he was sure the Dauntless born were gone, the man addressed us.
“Most of the time I work in the control room, but for the next few weeks, I’m your instructor. My name is Four.”
“Four like the number?” Christina snorted out.
“Yes. Is there a problem?” He gave her a hard look.
“No.”
“Good, we’re about to head into the Pit which you will someday learn to love. It-” the sound of Christina snickering cut him off.
“The Pit? Clever name.”
While she was busy laughing the rest of us watched as Four got close to her, lowered his head to hers getting very close and stared at her hard.
“What’s your name?” His voice was quiet but something about it had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.
“Christina.”
“Well Christina, if I wanted to put up with Candor smart mouths I would have joined their faction. The first lesson you will learn from me is to keep your mouth shut. Got it?” He hissed.
She nodded.
He moved away from her and as he moved down the tunnel away from us we all followed him in silence. Four was putting on a show for us. I could see the way he watched me as I moved through the group and around the space, he was curious. We followed him through double doors and into the Pit. It was an underground cavern that stretched so wide it was impossible to see the other side from where we stood. Built into the walls were stores going all the way up, there were no guardrails to keep people from falling off one of the built in walkways. Above us glass tiles let in sunlight and blue lanterns dangled in randomly spaced intervals to offer light at night. All around us were people moving in a sea of black and red, loud and expressive and something about it felt so welcoming.
“If you’ll follow me I’ll show you the Chasm.” Four had to raise his voice to grab our attention over the rest of the noise.
With the new light I managed to see the edges of a tattoo on the back of his neck as he led us to the right side of the Pit, into darkness. We shuffled forward carefully and were just able to make out the iron barrier in front of us as the sound of rushing water dominated our senses.
It was a waterfall.
“The Chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between idiocy and bravery. A daredevil jump off this ledge will end your life. It has happened before and it will happen again. You’ve been warned.” Four shouted.
I lingered at the edge of the guardrail, to have a little part of home here was comforting. I followed the last person out to a large hole in the wall of the Pit, beyond it was a dining hall that was well lit. As we entered, the Dauntless inside began to stand stomping their feet, clapping their hands, banging cups, anything to make noise. A grin broke out on my face at the welcome we were getting. It felt nice to be welcomed, wanted.
Four left us to our own devices. Tris grabbed my hand and tugged me after her and Christina. We sat at a mostly empty table where I ended up across from Four while Tris and Christina sat next to him. In front of us were hamburgers, I took one and placed it on my plate leaving it untouched. Instead I began to look around the room, trying to see if Uriah was around. A kick under the table drew my attention back to where Four was staring at me.
“It’s beef. Put this on it.” He passed a small bowl of something red to Tris.
Tris followed his orders. He was talking to her but staring at me.
“You’ve never had a hamburger before?” Christina gasped.
“No, is that what it’s called?” Tris asked.
“Stiffs eat plain foods.” Four offered as an explanation but something about the way he spit out the word made me wonder if he had once been one.
“Why?” Christina asked.
“Extravagance is considered self indulgent.” Tris explained.
“Therefore it’s unnecessary.” I parroted the words my mother had told me.
“No wonder you left.” Christina grinned at Tris, who was looking at me funny.
“Yea it was just because of the food.” Tris rolled her eyes.
Four let the corner of his mouth twitch as if he was going to smile after the confusion on his face had passed. His smile stopped when the doors swung open and everything became muted. I watched as the same man with the cold eyes stood in the center of the room, his gaze sweeping over the room until he found who he was looking for and he began making his way towards us.
“Who’s that?” Christina asked.
“His name is Eric, he’s a Dauntless leader.” Four answered.
“Seriously? but he’s so young!”
“Age doesn’t matter around here.”
Christina looked ready to ask another question but stopped when Eric dropped into the seat next to me, across from Four. He kept his gaze on Four only giving a slight glance towards Tris and Christina.
“Well, aren’t you going to introduce me?” He asked Four.
“This is Tris, Christina, and Roe.”
“A Stiff and a Hippie.” He smirked at Tris before meeting my eyes.
He was trying to bait us into defending our old faction, to show weakness. I tilted my head and matched the cold stare he was giving me.
“I was the first jumper.” I smiled sweetly at him.
“You were, we’ll see if you’re really that fearless.” He smirked at me, turning his body to face me more.
“Don’t worry handsome, you don’t scare me.” I kept the smile on my face.
“I should.” Eric growled at me.
Four cleared his throat, forcing Eric to shift his attention back to his original target.
“What have you been up to lately, Four?” He asked, drumming his fingers on the table.
“Nothing really.”
“Max tells me he keeps trying to meet with you and you don’t show up. He requested that I find out what’s going on.”
“Tell him I’m satisfied with the position I currently hold.” Four gave Eric a hard look.
“So he wants to give you a job.”
“So it would seem.”
“And you’re not interested.”
“I haven’t been interested for two years.”
“Well let’s hope he gets the point then.” Eric said as he clapped Four on the shoulder intentionally hard across the table and got up.
He turned to face me.
“I hope you’re as tough as you think you are gorgeous, I’d love to have you around.” he smirked as Four’s eyes darkened.
“Are you two friends?” Tris asked after Eric was out of earshot.
“We were in the same initiate class. He transferred from Erudite.” Four answered.
It made sense, Eric seemed like someone who knew more than he let on. Someone who had the bigger picture in mind.
“Were you a transfer too?”
“I thought I would only have trouble with the Candor asking too many questions. Now I’ve got the Stiff too?” He said coldly.
“It must be because you’re so approachable. Like a bed of nails.” Tris quipped.
“Careful Tris.” Four warned. He turned to me. “Roe, stay away from Eric.”
Someone calling his name dragged his attention away from us and away from the table. Once he was gone Christina caught our attention with her raised brows.
“What?” Tris asked.
“I’m developing a theory.”
“Which is?” I asked.
“That you both have a death wish.” She grinned at us.
When dinner ended Eric took over Four’s job of showing us around. He led us down a series of hallways, ignoring any questions directed his way about where we were going. Finally Eric stopped in front of a wooden door and folded his arms as he waited for everyone to catch up.
“For those of you that don’t know my name is Eric. I’m one of the five Dauntless leaders. We take initiation very seriously around here so I volunteered to oversee most of your training. Ground rules, training is at eight o’clock every morning. Training takes place from eight to six everyday with a break for lunch. After six you’re free to do whatever you want, between each stage of initiation you will also get time off. You are only permitted to leave the compound when accompanied by a Dauntless member. Behind this door,” He gestured to the wooden door. “Is where you will be sleeping for the next few weeks. You may notice that there are eleven beds and only ten of you. We anticipated a higher number of you would make it this far.”
“But we started with fourteen.” Christina stated.
I caught Tris fliching, Christina needed to learn when to keep her mouth shut.
“There is always at least one transfer that doesn’t make it into the compound.” Eric answered as he picked at his cuticles in disinterest. “Anyway, in the first stage of initiation we keep the transfers and Dauntless born separate, that does not mean that you are evaluated separately. At the end of initiation your rankings will be determined in comparison to the Dauntless born. They’re better than you already so I expect-”
“Rankings?” The Erudite girl asked. “Why are we ranked?”
Eric’s smile was wicked, in a way that would most definitely be described as cruel if it wasn’t for the fact that he was annoyingly attractive.
“Your ranking serves two purposes. The first is to determine the order in which you will select jobs after initiation. There are only a few desirable positions left. The second is that only the top ten are made into members.” My stomach dropped, I knew that people got dropped if they couldn’t pass initiation but competing against each other seemed cruel.
“Shit.” I muttered.
“There are eleven Dauntless born and ten of you. Five initiates will be cut by the end of stage one. The remainder will be cut after the final test.”
I could see the wheels turning in everyone’s mind, seven of us would not make it at the end of the day. Tris’s odds were not good, she was small and from Abnegation, I was Amity and also short. I was going to be a harder opponent given my strength but that was all they knew that I had on my side.
“What do we do if we’re cut?” The pretty eyed Candor boy asked.
“You leave the compound and live factionless.” Eric said with indifference.
The mousy Erudite girl began to sob, she was not cut out for Dauntless and it was becoming increasingly obvious.
“But that’s not fair. If we had known-” Eric cut off the broad shouldered Candor girl.
“Are you saying that if you had known at the ceremony that you would have chosen differently? Because if that’s the case you should get out now. If you’re really one of us it won’t matter to you if you might fail. If it does then you are a coward.” He pushed open the wooden door. “You chose us. Now we have to choose you.”
Eric left us to change into the clothes that have been provided for us, everyone did but Tris. She quickly climbed into bed in her Abnegation clothes. Part of me pitied her, she was not like the rest of us. She had been raised to keep her body hidden.
Once the lights went out it was quiet besides the sound of breathing. Every now and again I could hear someone toss and turn in an attempt to get comfortable. The space was new, and it was dark without windows to let the moon light seep through but I forced my mind to quiet down and rest.
I was up with the sun, or what I assumed would have been the sun, a habit that I would struggle to get rid of. I quickly pulled pants over the underwear I had slept in. I shifted quietly into one of the bathroom stalls and changed into a clean pair before I pulled my waves into a ponytail. I retraced my steps from last night to find the cafeteria in search of some breakfast. I was surprised to find it mostly empty.
Eric and Four were sitting on opposite sides of the space but both raised an eyebrow at my arrival. I grabbed a muffin and some water before sitting down to eat. Slowly more people began to trickle in and I waited until the rest of my group joined the table I had claimed. When everyone was finished we were led from the room, by Four, to a training room filled with targets. I wasn’t surprised that they would have us hit the ground running but it was obvious that some of the others were struggling with the idea.
“The first thing you will learn today is how to shoot a gun. The second is how to fight.”
Four pressed a gun into Tris’s hands and then into my own.
“Thankfully if you’re here you already know how to get on and off a moving train, so I don’t need to teach you that.”
“Initiation is divided into three stages, we will measure your progress and rank you according to your performance in each stage. The stages are not weighted equally in determining your final rank so it is possible but incredibly hard to dramatically improve your rank over time.” Four lectured us.
“We believe that preparation eradicates cowardice which we define as the failure to act in the midst of fear. Therefore each stage of initiation is intended to prepare you in a different way. The first stage is mostly physical, the second emotional, and the third mentally.”
“But what-” A yawn cut off the green eyed Candor’s words “What does firing a gun have to do with bravery?”
Four wasted no time as he flipped the gun in his hand and rested the barrel against the boy's forehead. We could all hear a bullet click into the chamber. The boy froze.
“Wake. Up. You’re holding a loaded gun idiot, act like it.” Four snapped.
Once he had lowered the gun I watched a hard look cross the boy's face, like he was trying to keep his mouth closed.
“To answer your question, you are far less likely to soil yourself and cry for your mother if you’re prepared to defend yourself.” Four stopped at the end of the row and turned on his heel. “This is information you might need later in stage one so watch me.”
He faced the targets, which was nothing more than a square of plywood with three red circles painted on them, and fired. His aim was good, his bullet went through the middle circle. I wasted no time facing my own target and firing, I aimed for the outer circles first, letting my body get used to the weight of a gun and the kick back. I had never handled a gun before but grandpa had taught me how to stand and did his best to mimic the recoil that different sized guns had.
Four made the rounds to observe us, taking interest in how badly Tris was doing and how well others were doing. I paid him no mind until he stopped by me, he shifted to stand behind me and pressed his chest to my back. He kicked my legs a little wider apart and rested his hand on my stomach. He was correcting my stance, I shifted with his adjustments and aimed again. I hit the target dead center in rapid succession.
“Someone taught you how to hold a gun.” He breathed in my ear “Don’t pretend to be weak. This is survival of the fittest and the brave, don’t hide what you’re good at.”
He moved away from me. I kept hitting the target dead center until Four called for us to stop for lunch. I followed Christina as she invited Al, the tall lumbering boy who slept next to Tris, to join us. Tris’s dislike of Al was obvious to me in the way she blatantly ignored him. She was judgmental and it rubbed me the wrong way. I had tuned out of their conversation, more entertained by the way the room moved around us with people. The Erudite boy that placed his tray down in front of me forced my attention back to the three other initiates.
“Do you mind if I sit here?” He asked, I vaguely remembered his name, Will.
“You don’t want to sit with your Erudite buddies?” Christina asked.
“They aren’t my buddies, just because we came from the same faction doesn’t make us friends. Besides, Edward and Myra are dating.” He said as he took a seat across from me.
Tris flinched away from their shared kiss and immediately showed her true colors.
“Do they have to be so public about it?” She asked.
I rolled my eyes. Abnegation was known for being prudish.
“He only kissed her, it’s not like they’re getting naked.” Al said.
“Kissing is meant to be done in private.” She insisted.
I snorted while the others gave her knowing looks.
“What?!” She exclaimed.
“Your Abnegation is showing.” Christina teased. “I’m not surprised that Roe didn’t bat an eye though. You know how Amity is.”
“Don’t start with me. I was raised to be careful with my affections. I’ve only kissed one guy before.” I wagged my finger in Christina’s face.
“I guess I’ll have to get over it.” Tris mumbled.
“Or you can stay frigid.” Will teased.
“Don’t be mean to her.” Christina rolled her eyes at him. “Frigidity is in her nature, just like being a know it all is in yours.”
“I’m not frigid!” Tris shouted.
“It’s endearing, look you’re all red.” Will pointed out.
Tris was in fact flush from embarrassment as we all began to laugh, at first hers was forced but finally she joined us in a real laugh for the first time since I met her. When lunch was over Four led us to a new room. It was huge with punching bags hanging along three foot intervals on one side while in the middle sat a large painted circle. On the wall to the left hung a chalkboard, with our names in alphabetical order. We followed after Four as he led us to the punching bags, each of us stood behind one as he stood in the middle.
“As I said this morning, You will learn to fight in order to prepare yourself to act, so that your body will be ready to react to threats and challenges. You will need to learn how to do that if you intend to survive Dauntless.” He paused and his eyes met mine for a moment. “Today we will go over technique, tomorrow you will start fighting each other. I recommend you pay attention. Those who don’t learn fast get hurt.”
He showed off some punches and kicks, giving names to moves I had seen my grandpa use against my dad. I paid him no mind as I hit the bag hard enough for it to swing. When I paused to catch my breath I realized that I was the only one who had made the bag swing effectively, everyone else was struggling and those that had managed to make it move were riding on pure strength and no real technique. The others were completely worn out and I took the time to stretch my body the way grandpa had forced me to do before he let me go. Everyone else was slow to trickle out the group that had adopted me waiting by the door as I jogged to catch up.
“I want to get a tattoo.” Al announced once we had entered the Pit.
“A tattoo of what?” Will asked.
“I don’t know, I just want to feel like I’ve left my old faction. Stop crying about it.” There was a pause. “I know you’ve heard me.”
“Yea, learn to quiet down will ya?” Christina teased him before turning to face Tris and I. “I think you’re right though, we’re half in and half out right now. If we want all the way in we should look the part.”
“No, I will not cut my hair or dye it a strange color or pierce my face.” Tris said in response to Christina’s look.
“I’m not against changing it up a bit. Definitely need new clothes.” I smiled.
“Well us girls will get new clothes and meet the boys at the tattoo parlor.” Christina decided and we all went our separate ways.
Christina dragged us into the first store she saw and began immediately throwing clothes at Tris to try on.nI browsed the clothes, pulling out a few tank tops and tight black pants, both jean material and other types. Everything that fit and hugged my curves right I piled up to take with me. I pulled on a pair of tight black jeans, some lightly loved boots, and a cropped black top under a leather jacket that I couldn’t keep my hands off. When I stepped out Christina was standing in front of a mirror with Tris.
“See? You’re striking.” Christina told Tris as she stared at herself in the mirror, her eyes lined with black. “You like it?”
“I look like a different person.” Tris nodded.
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” Christina asked as she approached me with a black pencil.
I took it from her and lined my green eyes, loving the way they popped.
“A good thing.” She turned to face us. “Sorry I’ve just never been allowed to stare at my reflection for this long.”
“Really?” Christina asked. “Abnegation is a strange faction I have to tell you.”
“Let’s go watch Al get tattooed.” Tris was quick to redirect the conversation.
We raced down the narrow path to the tattoo shop, bags of clothes swinging in our hands. When we got there Al was already sitting in a chair while a man with more ink than skin drew a spider on his arm. Christina wasted no time settling into the empty spot next to Will, joining him flipping through books of pictures. Tris and I wandered the store, taking in the art on the walls around us. A picture of a hawk caused Tris to stop and I along with her.
“It’s a raven, pretty right?” a voice behind us caught our attention.
We turned to find the woman who had done my test standing behind us.
“Well hello again, never thought I’d see you both again. Beatrice and Monroe right? I’m Tori.”
“Actually it’s Tris and Roe now.” Tris corrected her. “Do you work here?”
“I do. I just took a break to administer the tests. Most of the time I’m here. Roe, you were the first jumper right?”
“Yep, that’s me!” I smiled at her.
“Well done.”
“Thanks.”
“Listen, I wanted to talk to you about something.” Tris said.
“I’m not sure that would be wise. I helped you as much as I could, and now you will have to go it alone” Tori whispered.
“Want a tattoo?” Tori asked.
Tris picked up the picture of the raven.
“Yes, three of these flying birds.” She said as she pointed to her collar bone.
When Tris was done I laid in Tori’s chair exposed from my hip to my rib cage. She inked a design of flowers, vines, and leaves into my skin, starting on my thigh below my butt cheek and ending under my breast. She had covered everything else with well placed blankets which I was grateful for when Eric stepped into the shop, his gaze hungry as he took in my exposed skin. He smirked at me as he took a seat to watch Tori work. Tori hadn’t noticed him behind her and so I kept my mouth shut. I refused to let him know his gaze was affecting me, I didn’t stiffen under Tori’s hand and I didn’t fidget. Eric left before I was done, but I wasn’t surprised to find him standing in the tunnel that led back to the dorm.
“Quite a piece you got there gorgeous.” He smirked at me.
“Well I plan on placing in the top five. Call it an early celebration.”
I tried to scoot past him but he threw out an arm to stop me. I tipped my head back to meet his hard gaze.
“You should have Tori pull the privacy curtain next time.”
“Why?”
“Anyone could have walked in and seen you like that.”
“Why do you care?”
He leaned in next to my ear, the mint on his breath filling my nose as his breath fanned across my skin.
“Because that view should be for me alone.”
I raised an eyebrow at him.
“You don’t own me.” I whispered as I moved to meet his eyes, my lips brushing his lightly.
“Oh but I will.” He whispered against my lips before kissing me hard.
I gasped at the sudden contact. He took advantage, pushing me against the wall while he deepened the kiss. I grasped his shirt and bunched it up in my hands as I pulled him closer. He might have been a stranger but the way his lips moved against mine and his hands explored my body made it easy to forget that this man had known me for all of one day. I smirked to myself at the idea that I had made that much of an impression on him. Finally he pulled away, both of us panting but neither moving too far. Our chests were still pressed together.
“This has to be a secret.” His voice was softer as if he was ready for me to freak out.
“Casual. Got it.” I let go of his shirt.
“No, you’re an initiate, I’m a leader. I don’t have favorites. I don’t do soft spots.”
“You barely know me. I’m not expecting anything from you. Don’t worry.” I smiled.
I could see the irritation on his face, he wanted me to take him more seriously. He wanted me to want him more than I did.
“I have to get to bed before curfew. Night handsome.” I waved my figures at him as I finally moved down the tunnel towards my bed.
I slipped into my bed right before curfew, thankful that Eric hadn’t made me late. I closed my eyes, the thought of his frustration making my dreams all the more sweet.