I sat down at the table with a few of my friends. Tomorrow the new initiates would be here, and that's all anybody talked about. No one knew exactly how many initiates there would be, but we all bet on which faction would have the first jumper. No one bet on Abnegation, not that I was surprised, but most of the bets were on Dauntless. I placed my bet on Candor, and went straight to bed.
I woke up at six in the morning the day the new initiates would be here. Everyone was scrambling to finish their jobs as we could here the trains in the distance. I stood by the net to help the initiates off.
When the trains were close enough, we all heard screams of joy screams of fear. We heard thumps and one or two splats of would be initiates. My heart was racing. This would be my second group of training initiates, the first group being okay.
Everyone waited in silence for the first jumper, to see whose bet would win. Within a few seconds, grey robes flapped above our heads and we all simultaneously groaned. When the jumper landed, I reached my hand out. The jumper grabbed my hand and pulled themselves across the net and almost hit the floor before I caught them. "Them" was a girl. I pulled her upright and steadied her while I looked into her eyes for only a second before she looked away. It didn't take long for me to memorize her features, round eyes, narrow face, thin nose. She wasn't beautiful, I could say that.
"Thank you," she mumbled.
"Can't believe it," Lauren, my fellow initiate trainer, says while smirking at the girl. "A Stiff, the first to jump? Unheard of."
"There's a reason why she left them, Lauren," I said and turn to the girl. "What's your name?"
"Um. . ." she hesitates.
"Think about it," I say, with a small smile. "You don't get to pick again."
"Tris," she says.
"Tris," Lauren repeats. "Make the announcement, Four."
I look over my shoulder and shout, "First jumper- Tris!"
The crowd cheers and begin to take turns jumping. I place my hand on Tris' back.
"Welcome to Dauntless."
Lauren and I lead all the initiates to the narrow tunnel. I can't take my mind off Tris. I remembered her when she said her new name. She was the daughter of one of my father's co-workers. I used to watch her and her brother go to school. I had a crush on her, but that had been long forgotten. Until now.
"This is where we divide," Lauren says. "The Dauntless-born initiates are with me. I assume you don't need a tour of this place." She leads all the Dauntless into the shadows. I am relived that I have Tris in my training group.
"Most of the time I work in the control room, but for the next few weeks, I am your instructor," I say. "My name is Four."
A dark skinned girl yells out, "Four? Like the number?" She stands beside Tris. I assume they had become friends.
"Yes," I say. "Is there a problem?"
"No."
"Good, we're about to go into the Pit, which you will someday learn to love. It-"
The girl snickers. "The Pit? Clever name."
As long as I tried to keep my temper around Tris, my anger got to the best of me. I walked up to the girl and leaned my face in close to hers. My eyes narrow, and I stare at her for a second.
"What's your name?" I ask quietly.
"Christina," she squeaks.
"Well Christina, if I wanted to put up with Candor smart mouths, I would have joined their faction," I hiss. "The first lesson you will learn from me is to keep your mouth shut. Got that?" She nods, and I turn around, not the slightest bit guilty.
I finish the tour of the Dauntless compound, and then it is time for lunch. All the initiates sit together and I take a seat beside Tris. We are eating hamburgers, but Tris just stares at it, a confused expression on her face. I nudge her.
"It's beef," I tell her, and pass the ketchup over. "Put this on it."
"You've never had a hamburger before?" Christina asked, eyes wide.
"No," Tris says. "Is that what it's called?"
"Stiffs eat plain food," I say, nodding at Christina.
"Why?"
"Extravagance is considered self indulgent and unnecessary," I shrug.
She smirks. "No wonder you left," she tells Tris.
Tris rolls her eyes. "Yeah. It was just because of the food." I feel my mouth twitch after she says that.
Shortly after, Eric walks in. We have a short conversation. Then Eric leaves.
"Are you two. . . friends ?" Tris asks me.
"We were in the same initiate class. He transferred from Erudite."
"Were you a transfer, too?"
"I thought I would only have to deal with the Candor asking too many questions. Now I've got Stiffs, too?" I instantly regret my harshness around her, but think she should be held from the truth. At least for now.
"It must be because you're so approachable," she says to me, monotone. "You know, like a bed of nails." I'm impressed with her quick comebacks, but hide it. Instead, a look her in the eye. I decide to let her off the hook.
"Careful, Tris," I say before walking away. Christina says something to Tris and they laugh, but I'm far from caring.
