Tris

Today is a special day.

Today all the sixteen year olds in the city will choose to stay in their faction, or transfer to a new faction.

Today is Choosing Day.

The initiates have just chosen their factions. Those who chose Dauntless are on their way to the compound already. It feels like just yesterday I myself cut into my hand and held it over those sizzling coals, giving myself to the Dauntless. I passed Dauntless initiation, ranking first out of both Dauntless Borns and Dauntless Transfers. I was a transfer from Abnegation. I moved into Tobias's apartment, and we have been going strong since. I love him, and I know he loves me.

I hear a pound on the door that could only come from a Dauntless.

"Four, Tris, the first jumper will be jumping in ten minutes! We should get to the net!"

"Coming, Christina!" I yell back at her.

Soon after my initiation, the Dauntless chose new leaders: Christina, Will, Tobias, and me. We are a close group; we have all known each other for a year now.

"Tobias, let's go!" I call. He comes out of the kitchen with an apple and a peach. He holds them behind his back and says, 'choose.'

I laugh. "What is this, a reenactment of the aptitude test?"

He smiles. "Just choose."

I giggle. "Tobias, you know I want the peach. I don't like apples!"

"Fine then." He holds the apple in his mouth and with one arm, picks me up and slings me over his shoulder as I squeal.

"Put me down! Tobias!" I laugh.

"We should get going, hon! Oh, and here's your peach."

He hand me the peach over his shoulder and I groan. "Tobias, put me down!"

He opens the door and walks out, almost bumping into Christina.

"Are you really going to carry Tris all the way to the net?"

I look over my shoulder. "What, are you calling me fat?"

Christina laughs and remarks sarcastically, "Yes, Tris, I'm calling you fat. Now Four, put Tris down and lets go! Will's already there!"

Tobias puts me down, kissing my cheek before my feet touch the ground. I punch Christina's shoulder jokingly, and grab Tobias's hand.

It's about a five minute walk to the net. Tobias, Chris and I take our places at the net seconds before the first jumper lands. It's a transfer; a Candor boy, with piercing dark eyes and messy brown hair. I was the first jumper, last year. I hold my hand out like everyone else, and he grabs mine. I help him off the net.

"What's your name?"

"Peter."

"First jumper, Peter!" I call, and look back up at him. He's more than a foot taller than me, about the same height as Tobias, but I'm not intimidated.

"Welcome to Dauntless."

Peter nods and stares at me, a little too long. My hair is out today: I usually do it, but I forgot this morning. It flows around my shoulders. I'm wearing a black tank top, black booty shorts, and sneakers, like I usually do.

Tobias appears beside me and puts his hand on my waist. "You can wait over there for the other initiates." He jerks his head to the wall across from the net.

Peter's eyes flick to Tobias's hand on my waist. He looks at me and then walks away.

I know why Tobias came over, so I turn to him and quickly change the subject. "What were you thinking, last year when you helped me off the net?" I look up at him and smile, my hands wrapping around him.

He looks down at me and smiles back. "One word – Damn."

I laugh and hit his arm playfully. I walk back to the net to wait for the next jumper. I look back at Tobias, though, and he's looking at Peter again.