Chapter 2-Two can play at this game
Four pov
Lauren and I lead the initiates up to where the Dauntless borns and the transfers divide. Her initiates will go directly to the cafeteria where as I will lead mine through the compound.
"This is where we divide," she says. "The Dantless-born initiates are with me. I assume you don't need a tour of the place."
Lauren motions to the Dauntless-borns who follow her into the shadows. On his way past, Uriah wiggles his eyebrows at me. I simply roll my eyes and turn back to my initiates.
"Most of the time I work in the control room, but for the next few weeks, I am your instructor. My name is Four." I tell them, hoping no one will feel the need to comment.
"What kind of a name Four?" Asks the Abnegation boy, Rob. What is his problem? First he drags away Tris- much to my frustration-and now he feels the need to mock me.
"Maybe you don't belong here Stiff, it sounds more like you belong in Candor with that mouth of yours. Or possible being Factionless sounds better seeing as that's where you're headed if you don't shut it." I say in my 'instructor voice' as some have come to call it. He only breaks eye contact after a minute of two of me glaring at him. Rob looks away in submission and I can feel a smirk working its way across my face as I turn and continue on to the Pit.
"Alright, right now we're headed to the Pit. Someday you'll learn to love it." I say as I lead them into the cavern filled with pretty much everything someone would need.
All the initiates oh and ah at everything around them. Glancing over to Tris, I see her staring at a group of little kids running through the halls. She might even be wanting to shout at them to be careful, like I did when I first saw some not-so-little-kids running through the halls.
"Off you'll follow me, I'll show you the chasm." I say, waving them forward and leading them to a place that's lethal yet beautiful; the chasm.
On our way there I can feel Tris' gaze on the back of my neck. Turning slightly, I meet her gaze to let her know I caught her staring. She quickly turns away before anyone could catch our silent exchange but I can still see the blush creeping across her cheeks. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Rob fuming beside her and I throw him a smirk.
Once we've all arrived, I start yelling over the rush of the water. "The chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy! A daredevil jump off the ledge will end your life! It has happened before and it will happen again! You've been warned!" I end dramatically.
From the chasm, I lead the initiates to the dining hall and cheers envelop us all. Christina, Tris and Rob all look for a table with three empty seats. I follow their gaze and speed across the room, taking the seat beside Tris before Rob has the chance. Rob glares at me before going and sitting down with Will, an Erudite transfer. There is an empty seat beside me but I guess he doesn't want to sit with me. I wonder why?
Rob pov
After having my seat stollen by Four, I walk over to where there is an empty seat where I can still keep an eye on Tris. Sitting next to me is an Erudite boy with shaggy blond hair and a huge smile.
"I'm Will." He says, extending a hand to me.
"Rob." I reply, shaking his hand.
"Is that awkward for you too?" He asks.
I raise my eyebrows as if to ask, is what awkward?
"Shaking hands; I know that back in Abnegation you just nod at each other and in Erudite we didn't even greet each other because its an inefficient use of our time and therefor illogical." He explains, rolling his eyes at his explanation for why the Erudite don't greet each other. "So, again, is it awkward for you to shake hands?"
"Yeah, I'm always worried I'm holding their hand too hard or something." I say; embarrassed.
"Ok, good, I thought I was the only one." He says with an over exaggerated sigh.
I chuckle slightly before turning to the food in the center of the table. Small discs of some sort of...meat? Reaching over, I take one and just inspect it for a moment.
"It's called a hamburger. Here, I'll show you." He says.
Will then reaches over and grabs two pieces of bread, some yellow sauce, some red sauce, on of the discs of meat, some lettuce, pickles, tomato and cheese. He quickly assembles it and I copy what he does. I take a tentative bite and smile. This is amazing!
"I figured you wouldn't know; I read about your faction one time and saw that you guys just eat plain food."
"This is way better." I say before taking a much bigger bite.
Will and I talk for a bit longer and I'm actually almost glad that Four took my seat; if not I wouldn't have met Will. He's in the middle of telling me more about his old faction when all conversation around us drops dead. I turn my attention to the man who just came in the door. He's quite tall-taller than me-with long greasy hair and more piercings than skin on his face. You can also see multiple tattoos peeking out from his shirt.
He scans the room but stops on where Tris, Four and Christina are seated. Quickly striding over, he sits down right next to Four and I can see him look the girls up and down. Every muscle in my body tenses at the sight and I can also feel Will tense beside me. Why is he panicking? I give him a puzzled look and he mouths, Christina and blushes slightly when I smile knowingly. I guess I'm not the only one who likes someone who doesn't know, or at least doesn't care.
After talking with Four for a moment, the man claps Four hard on the shoulder and walks over to another table. I keep watching Tris and Four exchange a few words before he suddenly gets up and walks over to where Lauren sits with some others. Tris looks generally mad; probably at what he said before storming off. I guess he's not so charming after all.
Four pov
This afternoon, I had planned on going through my fear landscape and leaving the initiates with Eric. But, I don't want to leave Tris alone with Eric and Rob so I decide to go with Eric while he's showing them their dorms.
We walk through the halls and before I have a chance to even look at Tris, Rob is right by her side and glaring at me. This is probably pay-back for stealing his seat next to Tris.
There's a part of me that's saying I should just let Rob have a chance with her. I can tell he's not already dating her just by the way she acts with him but he clearly likes her. On the other hand, I don't know what it is about her but, I just can't get her off my mind. I know that we can't be together until initiation is over, and even then she might not want me but, I feel the need to at least try.
We stop at the initiates' dorm and the initiates gather around Eric and I.
"For those of you who don't know me, my name is Eric; you've already met Four." he says, motioning to me. "I am one of the five leaders of the Dauntless. We take the initiation process very seriously here, so I volunteered to oversee most of your training."
I can see Tris pale slightly, probably at the thought of Eric being around all the time.
"Some ground rules, you have to be in the training room by eight o'clock every day. Training takes place every day from eight to six, with a break for lunch. You are free to do whatever you like after six. You will also get some free time off between each stage of initiation."
Eric gives me a look as if to say, finish the explanation.
"A few other rules, you can only leave the compound when you have a Dauntless member with you. Behind this door is the dorm where you will all be staying. Until the second stage of initiation starts you will be separated from the Dauntless-born. That doesn't mean that you're evaluated separately though, your rankings are determined in comparison with the Dauntless-born's."
"Rankings? Why are we ranked?" Asks a small Erudite girl, Myra.
I'm about to answer them when Eric takes a step in front of me and puts out a hand as if to say, I've got this.
"Your rankings serve two purposes." He says with a sadistic smile curling across his metallic lips. "The first is to determine what job you get after initiation. The second is to determine who gets to stay," he looks to Tris and Rob before finishing his sentence. "And who becomes Factionless."
Rob pov
After Eric tells us that we could become Factionless even if we survive initiation, everyone starts to talk at once.
"Calm down, children," he says condescendingly. "Like it or not, this is what you signed up for. You chose us, now we have to choose you."
(Page break)
Once Eric and Four have left, I choose a cot that is next to Tris'. I lay there and can't help but wonder if I made the right decision. Tris probably doesn't even know that I like her but after waiting years for her, I can't let her go that easily. I know that I might not be able to stay with her even if I pass initiation and that's what scares me the most.
My thoughts are interrupted by a choked out sob. Is that Tris? I immediately wonder. As quietly as possible, I roll off my cot and sneak over to where Tris is laying on her side with her back to me.
"Tris?" I whisper, rubbing her arm slightly.
"Robert?" She whispers back, flipping over to her other side.
"Are you okay? I thought I heard you crying." I say.
"I'm fine, it's Al. Try to go to sleep." She says, with a weak smile and putting a hand on my shoulder, I nearly shudder at her touch.
I nod and crawl back to my cot, falling asleep with the thought of her smile and wondering if I really do have a chance with her.
A/N Sorry for all the pov switches, I plan on doing more so if you don't like it, too bad and I'm sorry but I will not tell you who Tris ends up with, you'll all have to wait and see. Review or pm with ideas and tell me what you really thought; any criticism is good. Thanks for reading.
