Chapter 3

I watch as another man brings Christina in by her arm. He lets go and stands by the doorway we entered. Christina rushes to my side and immediately takes a seat.

"I hope our men were gentle when they picked you," a boy says. "Names? Give me a name that you always wanted to be called."

I think over what I really want to be called. This is a new place. I could be different here with a new name. "Tris," I say firmly.

Everyone's eyes shift to Christina and she looks at the blank ceiling for help. "I want," I could hear the nervousness of her voice, but it is masked by her cheery tone. "Aguilera." I laugh in the inside and I see several others smiling.

"Fine then," says the boy. " My name is Four." What does his name stand for? Is it symbolic? "The guy who kidnapped you is Snake." I look to the right and see the boy, who has caramel colored skin and black hair. "Christina, the boy who helped you is Luke." I glance at the boy and he looks like Snake, but he has browner hair and green eyes instead of brown.

Four and my eyes find each other and for a moment, I recognize him, but then it fades away. His eyes could set me on fire.

"I'm Lout," a girl in the corner introduces herself. She has a shaved head and piercings all over her right ear. "This is Scarlet," Lout points to the girl next to her. I smile at her and she returns it.

They all must have code names for this. A knot of regret grows in my head and I push it off to the side. The worst thing that can actually happen is that my parents find out. Which will never happen.

"Since, Tris and Aguilera are new here," Four starts to speak. His voice gives me goosebumps, the good ones like when you listen to a song and the singer hits high notes goosebumps. "You will be assigned partners."

Then there's a lump in my throat. Beads of sweat run down my face, screaming that I am nervous. I cross my fingers and hope it's Lout or Scarlet.

"Tris," Four says. I look at him again. "You're with me." Should I be happy or sad? I mean Four looks hot and all, but I am more comfortable with a girl. I shrug it off. Four isn't that bad, right? "Aguilera and Lynn."

Jealousy shoot through me and I give a stare at Christina that screams "I HATE YOU! LETS SWITCH PARTNERS!"

"The meeting is over and you may exit out of the trash chute," Four says and he points to the left side of the room. A trash chute is in the middle of the wall.

One by one, people enter it and slide down it like a slide in a playground. When it's my turn, I put leg in and the other and hope it's not a trap. I let go and slide. I eventually hit a pile of mattresses and find no other members of the Dauntless.

Christina goes down and asks, "Are you going home?"

I shake my head. "I will in a few minutes." I wave at her and she gives me a quick hug.

Soon, Four lands on the mattresses. I go up to him. "Hi," I say, shakily.

"Hello there, Tris."

"I was wondering," I look at him and I seem to get lost in his eyes. "What if we get caught?"

His hand grazes my bare forearm and he grabs my wrist gently. Blood rushes to my cheeks and it sends a shiver, a good shiver, down my spine. With his other hand, he makes a fist shape with the hand that he is holding. He makes a smooth motion toward the air. "Punch them."

He leaves and before he walks out the alley, he gives me a hug instead of a high five or a hand shake. In that moment, I smile.

A/N: Hey! Sorry I haven't updated in a long time! I have to a of stuff to do and I hope this chapter suffices.

-PaperAxes