Hello, sorry for lack of posting I've been so busy but don't worry I will not stop posting any of my stories.
I sat watching her eating, I couldn't believe it, her last name was Eaton just like Four. He acted like it was nothing, but from what Max said she is already ranked in first place, she was a natural with a gun. She was raised in Amity, it was a shock to everyone.
I looked between her and Four, their features subtlety matched. It's rumored his mother cheated on his father, she died during child birth along with her child. I believe that part of the rumor was wrong. She is Fours sister. I smirk bitterly, every time I say that name it feels like I'm bending to his will. Although now I don't believe I will ever have a chance to tell anyone, if I did I might anger her. I never want her angry with me, although it was bound to happen.
Today we have them fighting each other, she was dressed in her training gear showing off her body. All I had to do was not drool over her. Her hair was tied back, I watched as they walked in together. I stand with Four in the training room, a large circle painted into the hard floor.
"Since there are an odd number of you one of you won't be fighting today," says Four, stepping away from the board in the training room. He gives Tris a look. The space next to her name is blank, I don't think it's the same girl from school, her nose isn't as large but she holds the same placid expression although fear twitches in her eyes.
"This isn't good," I heard Christina whisper nudging Ava. I watched the three girls talking between each other, as close together as possible. I turn back to Al and Will, Al has the strength but is too soft in his emotions.
My eyes drift back to Ava and her little friends, as Drew, Molly, and Peter also watch with their heads together. I watch Christina and Ava wave at the other group but Tris looks down as Ava whispers to her. She was going to be a problem starter, she was going to act out.
Will and Al face each other for a few more seconds, more hesitant than they were before. Will flicks his pale hair from his eyes. They glance at Four like they're waiting for him to call the fight off, but he stands with his arms folded, giving no response. A few feet away from him, I check my watch.
After a few seconds of circling, I have to shout, "Do you think this is a leisure activity? Should we break for nap-time? Fight each other!" it comes out cold, bitter.
"But…" Al straightens, letting his hands down, and says, "Is it scored or something? When does the fight end?"
"It ends when one of you is unable to continue," I shout, this is shit, I can't believe them.
"According to Dauntless rules," Four says, "one of you could also concede."
I narrowed my eyes at Four. "According to the old rules," I say. "In the new rules, no one concedes." He still tries to overlook my rules even though I stand mere feet away from him.
"A brave man acknowledges the strength of others," Four replies always calm, in control.
"A brave man never surrenders."
He knows who has the authority here.
Beads of sweat dot Al's forehead; he wipes them with the back of his hand.
"This is ridiculous," Al says, shaking his head. "What's the point of beating him up? We're in the same faction!"
"Oh, you think it's going to be that easy?" Will asks, grinning. "Go on. Try to hit me, slowpoke." Al wasn't going to make it in dauntless, although Will has a shot.
Will puts his hands up again. One hard shot to the head and Al will knock him out cold. Will is faster than Al though, if Will was strong enough he could turn this fight around. Al tries a punch, and Will ducks, the back of his neck shining with sweat. He dodges another punch, slipping around Al and kicking him hard in the back. Al lurches forward and turns.
I glance at Ava and her eyes meet mine, I feel my cheeks hot with new found embarrassment. Something I've never felt before. I look back to see Wills eyes roll back in his head and all the tension fall from his body. He slips from Al's grasp, dead weight, and crumples to the floor. I smirk.
Al's eyes widen, and he crouches next to Will, tapping his cheek with one hand. The room falls silent as we wait for Will to respond. For a few seconds, he doesn't, just lies on the ground with an arm bent beneath him. Then he blinks, clearly dazed. Weak.
"Get him up," I smirk, this is dauntless. Strength and the ability to overcome, show no weakness, show no cowardice. I will enforce this into these initiates, the weak will be thrown out like trash. We will be strong.
Four turns to the chalkboard and circles Al's name. Victory.
"Next up Drew and Ava," I say looking cold, my eyes following them as they move. She stands with her hands up, she has a good stance, her body tense and ready as Drew smiles "I will take it easy, shortcake," he smirks at her, I narrow my eyes. "You don't get to call me that" she snarled, I was going to toss his ginger ass into the chasm.
They circle each other, I am aware Four and her friends are watching with intense eyes. Drew catches her side but she only stumbled back. Drew punches over and over hitting nothing but air, she moved fast using her size as leverage, her sharp elbow lands a solid blow to his throat, his hands fly to his throat and she takes the advantage as she kicked him in the back of his knee, he goes down.
I wait to see if he gets up, but he doesn't "Up Drew," I bellowed as Drew shakes it off moving to his feet, she moved barley avoiding his large fist but she landed another blow to his face. She won't let him hit her more than once or she might be done for. I watch her as she flipped him over her back. He lands, his body landing on the mat makes a thunderous noise but he stood "Sorry," I could hear her as she punched him in the temple, a sore spot also a good blow.
He was dizzy his body falling to the floor not able to continue "Ava, Victor," I can't help but smile as Four turns to the chalkboard and circles her name, I thought I saw a smile on his face. Does he know?
She limped off to Tris and Christina.
I couldn't help her. Christina smiled hugging Ava as she winced in pain "She is hurt," Tris touched her side "I will be fine," I heard moving closer, so I could.
"Next up—Molly and Christina!" my voice loud and clear as Christina cracks her knuckles, her friends panicked looking over her fight.
"I will be back in a few minutes," For says as Tris and Ava watch him leave them alone with me. I wonder what they're thinking.
Christina kicks Molly in the side. Molly gasps gritting her teeth like she's about to growl through them. A lock of stringy black hair falls across her face, but she doesn't brush it away, she is tough.
Al stands next to Tris and Ava but I turn back to the fight seeing Molly smirk at Christina, and without warning, dives, hands outstretched, at Christina's midsection. She hits her hard, knocking her down, and pins her to the ground. Christina thrashes, but Molly is heavy and doesn't budge.
She punches but Christina moves her head out of the way but Molly just punches again, and again, until her fist hits Christina's jaw, her nose, her mouth, I like Molly she has spirt. Blood runs down the side of Christina's face and splatters on the ground next to her cheek. This was nice to watch, but I felt guilty seeing Ava's face the color drained from it seeing her friend in that state.
"Oh no, come on Christina. Tris she will be okay," I heard Ava say.
Christina screams and drags one of her arms free. She punches Molly in the ear, knocking her off-balance, and wriggles free. She comes to her knees, holding her face with one hand.
The blood streaming from her nose is thick and dark and covers her fingers in seconds. She screams again and crawls away from Molly. I can tell by the heaving of her shoulders that she's sobbing, weakness but she is taking it.
Molly kicks Christina's side, sending her sprawling on her back. Ava looks to be clenching her teeth to keep from crying out, at the mere sight of Christina clutching her rib cage.
"Stop!" wails Christina as Molly pulls her foot back to kick again. She holds out a hand. "Stop! I'm…" She coughs. "I'm done."
Molly smiles, this isn't a real victory, I walk toward the center of the arena, and I make my movements slow, and stand over Christina with my arms folded. I say in a calm and quiet voice, "I'm sorry, what did you say? You're done?"
Christina pushes herself to her knees. When she takes her hand from the ground, it leaves a bloody hand print behind. She pinches her nose to stop the bleeding and nods.
"Get up," I say still calm. I grab Christina's arm, yanking her to her feet, and I all but drag her out the door.
"Follow me," I say to the rest of them. They will all see how I deal with weakness, not a very nice side of me. But then again was there a nice side at all?
I watch as they all gather standing near the railing. The Pit is almost empty; not like anyone but Four would try to put a stop to my own methods and for another, the Dauntless have different rules—rules that brutality does not violate.
I shove Christina against the railing.
"Climb over it," I say she looks at me with disbelief.
"What?" She says it like she expects me to relent, but her wide eyes and ashen face suggest otherwise.
"Climb over the railing," I say again, pronouncing each word slowly. "If you can hang over the chasm for five minutes, I will forget your cowardice. If you can't, I will not allow you to continue initiation."
The railing is narrow and made of metal. The spray from the river coats it, making it slippery and cold. Either she decides to be factionless or she risks death. Should be fun to watch.
I see out of the corner of my eyes Tris and Ava holding hands, Ava's face is angry and terrified at what I'm doing. She'll never love me.
"Fine," she says, her voice shaking, brave.
She is tall enough to swing her leg over the railing. Her foot shakes. She puts her toe on the ledge as she lifts her other leg over. Facing us, she wipes her hands on her pants and holds on to the railing so hard her knuckles turn white. Then she takes one foot off the ledge. And the other. I see her face between the bars of the barrier, determined, her lips pressed together.
She looks to be doing well for near a minute, but I timed it right, right then a wave hits the wall, and white water sprays against Christina's back. Her face strikes the barrier, and she cries out. Her hands slip so she's just holding on by her fingertips. She tries to get a better grip, but now her hands are wet.
I was thankful I was fast, my arms grabbed Ava as she rushed forward ready to help her friend, it's the little acts we value vibrate in my head. She doesn't stop trying to escape my arms, but I like having her there.
"I can kick you out of Dauntless for this, this was her punishment," I whisper in a cold tone but her eyes are on Christina, her fingertips blue, her face panicked.
I felt it before I even registered what happened, pain flared she rammed her head back nailing my nose, I dropped her in shock. She hit me, she actually hit me. "You hit me," I wasn't a question, but I grabbed her from the floor bringing her flat across my chest. Her friend lets out a sob it can be heard over the river, Ava tries to get free once again.
"DON'T GIVE UP CHRISTINA," I turn her hearing Al keeping the chant going, her blue eyes bore into mine with such a fierce desire to protect her friends. She'll never love me.
I could feel blood trickle down my face as she spoke "I would do it again, I don't give up on friends, I think she is brave for admitting she was done, Molly is a coward for preying on the weak," she was going to be trouble, damn her.
"Come on," I hear Tris say. "One minute left," she said louder, I sighed trouble, so much trouble.
Christina's other hand finds the railing again. Her arms shake so hard "Come on, Christina," Al and Tris say with Ava.
Another wave of water splashes against Christina's back, and she shrieks as both her hands slip off the railing. A scream launches from Ava's mouth. It sounds like it belongs to someone else, she tried but can't escape the prison of my arms.
But she doesn't fall. She grabs the bars of the barrier. Her fingers slide down the metal until I can't see her head anymore; they are all I see.
"Five minutes are up," Al says, almost spitting the words at me. I checked my own watch. Taking my sweet time, tilting my wrist, all while Ava is in my arms.
"Fine," I say. "You can come up, Christina."
Al walks toward the railing.
"No," I say to him. "She has to do it on her own."
"No, she doesn't," Al growls. "She did what you said. She's not a coward. She did what you said."
I don't respond, I like this kid's style. Al reaches over the railing, and he's so tall that he can reach Christina's wrist.
She grabs his forearm. Al pulls her up, his face red with frustration, and Tris runs forward to help. She's too short to do much good, but she grips Christina under the shoulder once she's high enough, and Al and Tris haul her over the barrier. She drops to the ground, her face still blood-smeared from the fight, her back soaking wet, her body quivering.
They kneel next to her. Her eyes lift to Ava, then shift to Al and Tris.
"All of you go back to the training room Four should be back, I have another Initiate to punish," I know I sounded cruel but Tris and Christina moved forward. She waved them off, seems she will take her punishment without problem.
I let her go but this time she landed on her feet "Move it Ava," I was leading her down a hall, she walked behind me as we walked further up and into a stone room. "You can't do things like that Ava, you can't think I will play favorites with you. She has to learn, just like you," I say to her, but she looked clueless.
"I don't think you will play favorites, you have no reason to," she didn't understand, I liked her a lot, I looked at her over my shoulder "You honestly don't, do you?" I was perplexed, I thought all the winking and smiles gave her an impression.
"You will get five lashes," that was an older punishment but I wanted her to be strong and also learn a lesson "Take your top off," she stood straight taking off the black top turning her body angled away from mine as she left the top on the table "Angel wings, don't worry I won't hit them," I heard the loud crack of the leather, I closed my eyes after each hit. Her back was bleeding but she didn't cry or ask me to stop.
Once… twice…three times…the fourth nearly sends me over the edge I can see it trickling down her back as I whisper five, letting the whip fall to the floor, Amar once gave me lashes.
"Next time, don't interfere,"
"I will not stand for something I don't think is right, I don't give up on my friends, she needed me so I was there," I held her training shirt, she wouldn't turn towards me she just held her hand out I dropped the fabric into it.
"I didn't like doing that Ava, you don't have to believe it, but I didn't," she whimpered while trying to get the top over the bloody lashes "Stop, you'll hurt yourself," I moved forward, my heart breaking.
"No more than you have Eric," she whispered her words cutting me like a knife my fingertips trailing as gentle as a feather over her back pulling fabric over it.
"Go to training," she started walking towards the door when I stopped her "I didn't want to hurt you, Ava," I put my palm on her face it felt soft, there was something warm and loving in her eyes as they met mine. My thumb brushed over her small nose, cheek, even her kissable lips, before footsteps could be heard. I opened the door, she walked out as I stood watching her feeling disgusted with myself. I wrote the two punishments in the book before leaving.
I watched her at dinner, and again snuck into the dorm late at night seeing her sleeping her back bandaged up. I placed a kiss to her cheek as I walked out running into Jeb.
"Watch Ava, report anything to me."
"Sure," he said while we walked back towards the Pit.
Four was coming from the Ward, a sheet of paper held in his hand "Stay away from Ava, Eric. For whatever reason you are acting any such way towards her, stay away from her," he said his voice calm, it always made others scared, but I smiled.
"I don't have to Four, so it is true. I am taking it she doesn't even know," I laughed but Jeb look worried.
"No Ava doesn't know, I just found out she is my sister. I'm giving you this one warning, I will put you down if you make the unwise decision to not keep your distance," with one cold look he walked off, not giving me the chance to respond.
"You know as well as I do, Four is dangerous, very dangerous," Jeb said looking over his shoulder at Four who turned left heading to his apartment, only three doors from mine.
"I can deal with Four," but I wasn't sure, honestly I wasn't. He was lean and some sort of Dauntless prodigy. I developed hard muscle and worked hard, but now something was on the line, Ava.
