Four Gets Flipped

Setting: This is day three of ring training. Four stands in the center of the sparring ring, surrounded by the transfer initiates.

I walk slowly around the ring. "One of the most important lessons you will learn is never underestimate your opponent." My eyes scan the small audience surrounding me until they stop on the paper thin blond from Abnegation. "Tris, enter the ring."

Her gaze jumps nervously up to meet mine and then down to the center of the ring. She swallows hard and steps forward, licking her lips.

I hate to use her as an example. I don't want her to feel I'm singling her out, but with her scrawny arms and non-existent waist, she is the best initiate for the demonstration.

I approach her in two strides and she looks like she may cry at any second. I want to tell her everything will be ok, but I can't appear soft in front of the other initiates.

"Lift your arms straight out to the sides," I demand of her and obediently she follows my instruction. She stands there, motionless, waiting for my next command, arms stretched out from her sides. I circle around behind her, studying her form. I reach out one hand and wrap its fingers around her upper arm. My fingertips touch easily, demonstrating how skinny her biceps are.

"Do you have any muscle at all?"

My question is meant to make a point to the others, but to her, it must sound like an insult. She doesn't answer, to my relief, so I continue my demonstration. Her arms are still stretched out, and I step in close behind her. Her arms are shaking slightly, but I can't tell if it's from fear or the strain of holding them up so long. This must feel like torture to her. I open my hands wide over my head, so the group can see them, before encircling her waist with my long fingers. I can almost get my fingertips to meet again and I half expect her to crumble under my slight touch.

"I'm sure you would all agree, Tris would be no match for me in hand to hand combat." I bring my hands back up to her upper arms and push them down slightly, signaling her to lower her arms before letting my own arms fall to my sides. Once I'm no longer touching her, I hear her release the breath she must have been holding.

"Now, watch how easily I can overpower her." Once again, I bring my body in close to hers, my chin over her shoulder, as I whisper in her ear. "I won't hurt you."

She shivers, causing a heat I wasn't expecting to rise up from my core. In the blink of an eye, I bring my powerful arm around her body and pull her into my chest.

She gasps. Her back against my chest. Her right shoulder pinned by my arm, as it is now wrapped across her chest and secured by my fingers hooked around her left shoulder.

I hear Peter snicker from the sideline and I regret choosing her for this demonstration, but it's too late to stop now. My leg swiftly sweeps both of hers out from under her and she falls to the floor with a thud.

I hear her groan as she pushes herself up onto her knees. My hand is extended to assist her to her feet, but she ignores it and stands under her own power, glaring at me angrily. Once back on her feet, she keeps her distance, but I gesture to her with my curled finger to come close again.

She straightens her back to stand taller and takes a step closer, never breaking eye contact, even when I address the group again.

"That took almost no effort on my part." I joke and get a chuckle from everyone but Tris. "Does anyone know how that could have gone differently?" I ask as I take my place behind her to repeat the situation. There is mumbling all around us, but no one speaks up. Again, I pull her delicate frame into my body. I feel her tense as I swiftly secure her body under my arm.

My mouth is close to her ear again as I whisper, "This time, I want you to…"

But before I can give her further direction, her hands are on my arm, trying to pull it away. I want to laugh, but that may discourage her.

Then, to my surprise, she reaches her right arm back and wraps it over and behind my neck as she takes a step backward with her right leg, pushing her hip into my groin.

Crap! I know what she is going to do, but I'm defenseless now to stop her. She bends at the waist quickly and her hold behind my neck tightens as I feel my feet lift off the floor. In one smooth gesture, she flips me over her shoulder and drops me to the floor, flat on my back.

I groan at the brief sting that follows hitting the floor. I don't get up right away. I'm still trying to process what happened. I look up at her and she's glowing. Or is it just the light over her head? Either way, she's wearing the widest grin I've ever seen from an initiate in the ring with me.

"How about that?" Her voice taunts me as she offers me a hand. A hand I can't accept no matter how badly I want to touch her right now.

Everyone is laughing, and I feel the blood rush to my face. I'm not entirely sure how to react. How do you get angry when someone does exactly what you want them to do, before you even have a chance to give them instructions? Not only that, but she executed it perfectly.

I push myself off the floor, trying my hardest not to smile, all the while feeling embarrassed, proud and a little turned on.

The laughter dies down as I finish my lesson. "As I was saying… Never underestimate your opponent. Everyone take five."

The circle of initiates breaks into smaller groups, most of them heading for water bottles on a nearby table. Tris is immediately surrounded by her group of friends, which consist of Christina, Will and Al. They stand in a circle laughing together and I can't help but watch from across the room. Her eyes meet mine briefly, and though I expect her smile to disappear when she looks at me, it stays lightening up her face. I give her an approving nod before she returns her attention back to her friends.