I am reluctant to say the least, but I will be Dauntless and it's clear from the crowd that this is where every Dauntless in my age group is spending their time. Lauren's changed into something just as tight as our first date, but even shorter and her boots come up to her knees. Nothing since day one has felt second nature, so I tell myself to just give in, to be apart of this faction one-hundred percent. So I follow her in and let the sound grind out my thoughts. She puts a drink in my hands and is nice enough not to drag me out right a way. She eyes the floor of rything bodies and I know I can't stall much longer. We're catching the gaze of onlookers and Lauren looks a little proud to be with me. A second drink and a few more of those jealous looks, and I'm ready to give in.

She calls into my ear, "You're good on your feet, just move to the music and follow me." She smells like spirits and apples. I follow her out and she immediately puts my hands on her hips. She sways back and forth and I'm stiffly internalizing the push of her hands on my hips down into my toes and before long I think I'm starting to get the hang of this. I look around and see others moving more fluidly or timed exactly with their partners. But I also see girls with full grins bouncing and grinding on each other, no man in site, on a girls night out.

Lauren, thankfully, hasn't abandoned me yet and turns and rubs up against me in a way that feels like sin. I like the way her hip bone feels under the tight knit of her dress and how she presses into me. I like the energy and the heat. I like feeling the floor move and the air vibrate. I love how each song disappears into the next and that quiet moments are few and far between. I really like it when she calls into my ear, "Is there anything you're not good at?"

We stop to quench our thirst and then rush back out to enjoy more of each other. It's well into the night before they start closing down and pushing us out into the pit. I didn't realize how drenched I was until the cold of the open air sent shivers up my body. And I drape my arm around Lauren to keep her warm. She walks with me back to my apartment and in through the door. We crash loudly still laughing and chatting into the living room.

"Didn't realize you'd have company." Zeke shouts his apologies, standing up to leave.

"No, no." Lauren assures him, "You don't have to leave, I'm not staying." she glances at me with a smile, "I just wanted to grab my sweater, from earlier." she snags it from the back of the couch and I follow her back into the hallway.

"Thanks for making me go tonight, it was fun." I admit, my hands still on her hips.

"It's always fun to go with a good dancer." She pats my chest, then leans in and touches her lips carefully to mine. It's like she doesn't want to break me. "I'll see you later, okay?" I watch her stride down the hallway.

"So, what's up?" I ask, turning into face Zeke, who's already sunk down on the couch.

"Shauna." He grumbles.

"What about her?"

"I told her I wanted to like, make us official, and she said she still wants to see other people." he's looking down at his hands and I can tell he's more upset than his tone allows. "So I don't know, I thought you might actually understand."

"Yeah, I think I do." I smile sympathetically, "How about some tea?" I click the burner on and set the kettle, because there's one thing that transcends factions, and that's the power of tea. "Do you mind if I change?"

"Go ahead." He agrees then snickers when I disappear into the bathroom to do so. "I've seen you naked like a million times, you know."

"Shut up." I laugh a little, because he's right and it makes me feel ridiculous in my compulsion to modesty. "Drink your tea." I pour water over some packets and hand him a mug. "So, you want to get serious with Shauna?"

"I don't know, I guess so. I mean, I told her." He shakes his head, "Now she'll think I'm clingy."

"Maybe she'll come around." I don't actually believe that, Dauntless don't usually settle down until they're in their mid-twenties, "You probably just surprised her. I mean, you really love to date."

"Yeah, I use to." He admits, "But since my dad, I don't know it makes life seem short. And if you know what you want, why wait?"

"What if you don't know what you want?" I don't mean to steal the focus, but I could use the advice probably as much as he can.

He's quiet and evaluates, "Then you should be seeing more than one girl, you don't want to send the wrong message." He warns. "Guess we're in opposite situations, eh?"

"Eh?"

"You have a girl you're not sure you like, but she thinks you're exclusive; I like a girl who's not ready to be exclusive."

"She thinks we're exclusive?" This terminology is new to me and probably sounds like another language coming out of my mouth.

"Uh, yeah." He says like it's the most obvious thing.

"Shit."

"Yeah, shit."

"I've got a problem." I admit, "I mean, I like her, but I don't think I like her like that."

"I saw you let her kiss you, and the hand holding - I figured you had to be pretty serious, you know, by your standards."

"I mean, yeah, of course I like that, I like a lot of the things she wants to do. But it's just doesn't sit well with me. It's like I'm taking advantage of her."

"Girls." Zeke sighs, "And sissy-pants abnegation boys." He jibes.

"I'm adjusting." I smirk.

"How far you go?" I keep my mouth shut, "second base?"

"What does that even mean?"

"You, know, feel her up?"

"What's a base?"

"I don't know, it's just a saying." He shrugs off, "So you haven't felt her up yet?" I focus on keeping a neutral face, but he's channeling his inner candor and gleefully shouts, "Mmmhmm, nice little handful!" He squishes the air. "You eat her out yet?"

"Shut up," I groan. "Are you ever going home?"

He's laughing, "Prude." He sips, "I've still got my tea to drink. So, you going to break it off with her?"

"Yeah, looks like it."

"You don't have to."

"Yeah, I do"