The first time she meets him she is five. She has just walked into her new classroom 15 minutes late and every seat is taken, except for one. So, naturally, she sits there. It helps that her desk partner is a fellow Dauntless. It doesn't help that he's ignoring her.
The first time she talks to him is when they have been in the same class for two weeks. That's an awfully long time, not to talk to someone and you'd think that their first proper words would be a long and fulfilling conversation, but they're not.
"What did miss say?"
"We can't write in blue pencil"
And that's it.
The first time they smile at each other must be about half a year into their 5th year. They are playing Doubles Tennis and somehow ended up as partners. Being Marlene and Uriah, they win the match with ease. Smiling is their way of congratulating each other. Coincidently, this match is also the first time they say each other's names, whilst hitting the ball to and fro.
The first time they classify themselves as friends differs for each of them, but they both occur sometime during year 7. The first year of secondary school. For Marlene it is when she receives an invitation to Uriah's birthday party, and for Uriah it is when Marlene turns up to said party with a gift. Not just any gift; A whole dauntless chocolate cake and a new t-shirt bearing the words 'Dauntless Bitch'. Personally, he would never have suspected Marlene to have got this for him, but he loves it none the less. If anything, it makes him love it more.
The first time they hug is because of that top. He's wearing it to Marlene's inter-faction Netball match. She wins. They're dauntless, and this is sport, so of course her team wins but Uriah can't help but hope that the two goals she scores and partly because of that shirt. He hopes that even more when she comes bounding over to hug him, and Lynn, Zeke and everyone else. She hugs them all but he still tries to feel like it's just for him. Later, when he's on his own, he stifles those feelings and tries to forget. He may be 14 but girls are still gross.
The first time they realise that they have feelings for each other is when Uriah decides to shoot a blank at a muffin on top of Marlene's head. At that moment, that exhilarating, joy filled moment in front of all their friends, they both realise. They are in too deep.
The first time they admit their crushes is during a tense conversation not long after the attack. It is also the moment he admits to his divergence. He doesn't know what to expect, but her blurting out that she likes him in a lovey-dovey way is not what he expected. It takes him at least five minutes to process what she said by which time her face has fallen and she looks crushed. It should take all his courage to say those words back, but he's dauntless. He has more courage than he knows what to do with. Only after the long, almost awkward hug do they begin to talk about Uriah's divergence.
The first time they kiss is just after the first time they've held hands, during a meal with their friends. Prompted by Lynn's words, she kisses him. It's not an amazing kiss (he knows it's her first) but it's theirs, and that means the world to him. It's enough to make up for Lynn's stroppy behaviour.
They want to have more firsts, but they don't rush each other. They have time. They know that.
Or, at least, they think they do.