3
Tobias' POV
It's Sunday noon. Hana, Zeke's mom, invited me to have lunch with them just like we often do. I knock on her door and wait for her to answer. Instead Uriah, her youngest son, opens it.
"Oh, hi Four, come in" he says to me, then turns around and yells "Mom, Four's here."
"Stop shouting" I hear Hana from the kitchen. I chuckle and enter. As I make my way to the dining room I recognize some other faces. Lynn and Marlene, Dauntless-born initiates, as well as Tris. What is she doing here? I walk passed them and go into the kitchen to greet my surrogate mother.
"Hey, Hana" I say and kiss her cheek.
"Hey, sweetie" she says and caresses my cheek.
"What are the transfers doing here?" I ask casually as I help her take the food into the dining room.
"Uriah invited them" she says.
"Hey Four, did you know that mom and Tris' mom were like sisters growing up here?" Zeke asks and I raise an eyebrow. I didn't know that.
"Yes. Natalie and I were inseparable. We did everything together" Hana says.
"Was it hard when she chose Abnegation? I mean for you" Shauna asks genuinely interested.
"It was, but we still saw each other every once in a while" she says.
"Isn't it against faction law to do that?" Marlene asks.
"Not really. Besides as a nurse I also have shifts in the city hospital and Natalie often volunteered. That's how I met this little devil" she says looking at Tris.
"Come on" Tris says in mock exasperation.
"What? I don't remember one month since I met you when you weren't in the ER. I think you must have been the most relentless kid in Abnegation. I don't think there's a bone in your body that wasn't broken at least once" Hana says with a chuckle. I can't really remember that, but even though I grew up in Abnegation I didn't have friends there, mainly because of Marcus.
"That explains why she chose Dauntless then" Lynn says smiling.
"It would have surprised me if she wouldn't have" Hana says. "She was born to be Dauntless."
"Mom" she says and surprises us.
"Why do you keep calling her mom?" Shauna asks.
"'Cause she is like my mom. Got a problem with that?" she asks serious.
"Be nice, kiddo or you don't get dessert."
"Hana, I grew up in Abnegation, we didn't have dessert" she says rolling her eyes.
"There's fudge" is all Hana says and Tris' eyes widen and then she grins.
"I'm good."
"Thought so" Hana says returning into the kitchen. I follow her to help her some more. "She's a good kid, a bit rough around the edges, but her heart is in the right spot. A very big heart" she adds smiling fondly.
"A bit of a smart mouth, too" I say.
"Yeah" she says almost sighing. "She doesn't trust people easily. She thinks you are a douche bag" Hana says and laughs lightly.
"I'm just trying to help them all pass initiation" I defend. "And if she doesn't get her head in the game she'll be kicked out" I say, hoping that Hana can talk some sense into her. I tried the nice way, the bad instructor way, nothing works.
"Do you need her to kick ass to be ranked higher?" Hana asks. That's kind of an odd question. I nod my head slightly. "Tris, could you come in here for a minute" Hana shouts and Tris' response comes immediately.
"It wasn't me" she says as she enters the kitchen.
"I didn't say it was" Hana replies. "But just to clarify, what exactly didn't you do?"
"Nothing" Tris says shyly.
"Tris" Hana warns. I look from one to the other perplexed.
"Nothing, I swear. It's just a reflex response."
"Alright. I was talking to Four here and he said you need to improve" she says looking at Tris seriously.
"Did he now?" she asks with a smirk. "Well, I'm as good" she says and faces me now completely, a smug grin plastered on her face "as my instructor taught me to be." At that comment Hana slaps her over the head. "Ow."
"I told you to be nice to him. Stop bugging him. He is a good instructor" Hana praises me and I feel myself blush a little. This is the most awkward situation I've ever been. "Apologize, now" Hana commands.
"Sorry" she says. "So, you want me to be better?" she asks looking at me. I nod. "How good are we talking?"
"What do you mean? Be as good as you can be" I tell her honestly, not understanding what she means.
"Mom?" she asks whining a little while looking over her shoulder.
"Kick ass, but don't kill them" Hana says finishing up another platter.
"Copy that. Okay, Four. Tomorrow I'll kick ass. Anything else life altering or can we eat? I'm starving" she says and hugs Hana from behind.
"One more thing. If I ever hear you bothering Four again I'm going to call your mother and tell her what a little mischief you are" Hana threatens.
"You mean, as if she doesn't know yet?" Tris asks chuckling. Another slap over the head. "Ow. You need to stop that. You're probably causing some serious brain damage from all the slapping" she says and starts laughing.
"I doubt that. You're head is too thick for that to happen" Hana says following Tris into the dining room. What the hell is going on here?
We soon sit down and start eating. The initiates whine about all kinds of things, while Hana and Tris are engrossed in a conversation I can't hear, not that I would eavesdrop. It amazes me to see the kind of relationship the two of them have. I've never heard Hana talk about her or her friendship with Mrs. Prior. I've only known the Prior's briefly and I barely remember Tris. I think the last time I saw her was during my mother's fake funeral, but she was only seven years old and her mom held her hand. But that's about it. In school I avoided talking to anyone, Abnegation or otherwise so I never got to meet her there.
She is so different from the Abnegation girl I pictured her to be. It should have been obvious to me that this girl is one of kind. She is the first jumper. The Stiff jumped first. I am pulled out of my thoughts when Hana talks to me.
"Four, sweetie" she says waving her hand in front of my eyes.
"Yes, Hana?"
"I need to ask for a favor" she comes and sits next to me, making sure no one hears us.
"Sure. Go on" I urge her.
"Tris needs to get better, right?" she asks and I nod. "I would appreciate it if you would…" she starts saying.
"I can't show favoritism. I can give her pointers, but I can't spend more time training her than the others" I explain. She smiles.
"I know, sweetie, you go by the rules. That's not what I meant."
"Oh" I say surprised. I was sure she would ask me to train Tris separately.
"I need some extra time with her in the training room, without anyone there. I think she's a little shy" Hana says. I can't imagine Tris being shy. I mean, yeah, she isn't like the Dauntless girls flaunting her body and skills around, but during training she is pretty much showing what she can do, which isn't much at this point.
"Alright, but you can't stay in there for long" I tell her.
"Are there cameras in the training room?" she asks. I look at her surprised. Not many people here in Dauntless know about the cameras. I shake my head and she smiles. "Good." Can this day get any weirder?
On Monday I take the initiates out to the shooting range. I've noticed that Tris examined the gun carefully, as if she doesn't like holding it. She takes her position, aims and shoots. She barely hits her target. She groans in frustration, but tries again.
As I head toward her to help her get better I hear some of the initiates making some ruckus. I turn my head and see that one Candor boy who always picks on Tris swirls around his gun. I get angry and hurry to where he and his lackeys stand laughing stupidly at some dumb joke he told them.
"Peter" I growl. Their heads snap in my direction and the moment it dawns on him that he is in trouble he goes pale. "You are holding a loaded gun. Act accordingly" I command.
"Sorry, Four" he says through gritted teeth. I know he hates me, but I don't care.
"Back to work" I shout. I watch them as they return to their posts. I turn around to watch Tris again. She ignored the fuss behind her and kept practicing. I watch her carefully as she positions her body, aims and hits the center of the target.
"Wow, Tris. You hit the center" Will, one of the transfers praises.
"Yes, Tris, good job" Al, another transfer pats her on the shoulder. She smiles and nearly gets knocked over when Christina, the Candor smart mouth, hugs her tightly.
"You rock, girl" she says.
"It's just practice" Tris says and tries to get out of the bone crushing hug Christina is giving her.
The rest of the morning passes by in a blur. I'm thankful it's lunchtime and I can finally have a minute to myself. I decide to go to my apartment to eat. I'm not really in the mood to talk to anyone. As I climb the stairs I see a familiar figure in front of me. Tris. What is she doing here? I decide to follow her. She somehow knows her way around this place, even though it's been only a little bit over a week since the Choosing Ceremony. I recognize the path she is taking, it leads to the roof. What can she possibly be doing there? I follow her and make sure she doesn't see me. She steps outside onto the roof and I remain hidden, behind the access door. I hear her speak, but I can't understand what she is saying. And more importantly, to whom she is talking to. I risk a peek and see that she is talking to a man. He is tall and dressed in black. But I can't say I ever saw him here in Dauntless.
"What is it? What aren't you telling me" Tris says to him.
"There is something fishy going on, but I can't find out what" he says.
"The usual suspects?" Tris asks.
"I'm afraid not" he answers. "It might have something to do with the shadow you saw. Did Hana find something out?" he asks. Hana? What does Hana have to do in all this?
"Not really. She didn't have time to go through all the books and because of that God damn curfew I can't help her much. I haven't seen the shadow again" she says and starts pacing. "Maybe I just imagined it" she sighs in frustration.
"Tris, I've known you for years now. If you say you saw it then you have. Whoever or whatever is behind all this is careful, but sooner or later they will make a mistake."
"I hope so. I hate being in the dark" she says.
"I know. And this dumb initiation is keeping you from doing your rounds."
"Please, tell me there isn't any fun going on without me" she says whiney.
"Not yet, but as soon as the Underworld gets wind of the Guardian's absence they will probably throw a party and sacrifice virgins and stuff" he says with a snicker.
"You are terrible, Liam" she says laughing.
"And yet, you love me" he says. Love? Is he her boyfriend? For some reason this information angers me. No, it hurts me. What the hell is wrong with me? I know I liked her the moment I saw her, but she is my initiate and I can't allow any romantic feelings toward her. However, the idea of her being with someone else disturbs me.
"Yeah, I do" she says smiling. "Liam, understand that I don't love you the same way, but I do love you. You are my oldest friend, even my best friend, but I can't see you as more" she says softly.
"I know, Tris" he says caressing her cheek. "You made that clear and I respect you. I still need to get over my crush" he says in a joking manner, but I can tell he is telling the truth.
"You better" she says punching him lightly. "I'm going to train later in the training room. Hana managed to persuade Four to allow me in there after hours" she explains.
"You want me to come too?" he asks.
"Yes. While Hana goes through her books we will spar. I need a real challenge. These guys around here are really weak" she says. I fight the urge not to scoff at her remark. Since she got here she didn't win one fight.
"Okay. I'll check in with Evelyn to see if she needs me tonight, if not I'll be at the training room. When will you be there?" he asks.
"After nine p.m. Hana has a shift that ends at 8.30 p.m. and then we go together, since she'll have the key."
"On a cheerier note – how's initiation going?"
"You mean since you last asked?" she asks with a raised eyebrow. "It's okay, I guess."
"What about that heartthrob of an instructor?" he asks her teasingly.
"Stop it, Liam" she punches him but I can see her blush. Did he mean me? I mean, I know I'm her instructor, but still.
"You like him, admit it."
"Shut it" she says shoving him around.
"You like him, you like him. Tris and Four sitting in a tree. K.I.S.S." he stops abruptly his silly song when Tris hits him in the face with her heel. She moved so fast I barely saw it. "Ow" he whines as he falls backwards on the ground.
"Serves you right. I told you to stop."
"Babe, you can hit me as hard as you want, but this still won't change the fact that you have a crush on your instructor" he keeps taunting her. Is that true?
"You're out of your mind" she says and gives him the finger. "See you at nine, dickhead" she adds and turns on her heels quickly coming toward the door I'm still hiding behind. I rush away and run downstairs just in time for her opening the door. I manage to exit the staircase and head toward my apartment.
The moment I'm inside I find myself grinning like an idiot. She likes me. Tris Prior likes me. Damn, I act like a girl. What is wrong with me? This doesn't change a thing. She is still my initiate and I'm still her instructor. I lock my door and walk into my small bathroom. I undress quickly and hop into the shower. I need to focus. It doesn't matter if she likes me or not. I need to remain professional around her.
But who is that guy? I've never seen him here. I know I'm not the most social person, but working in the control room allowed me to get a glimpse of practically everybody. He mentioned Evelyn. I wonder if he meant my mother. Could he be faction less? It wouldn't surprise me to learn that Tris is friends with a faction less. As Abnegation she often must have volunteered helping the needy. Maybe that's how they met. Ugh. Why do I keep thinking of her? Perhaps it would be wise to go to the training room tonight, but unseen. I want to see what Tris is hiding.
After I finish in the shower I have a turkey sandwich since I'm not in the mood for anything else. I eat, clean up and return to the training room. It's still early so I go and set up the knives for the initiates to practice when they come in.
Just as I finish they start milling in, followed by Eric and Max. Eric isn't an unusual sight down here, but Max is. I wonder what he wants.
"Four" he says and extents his hand for me to shake. I do so and nod. "How are the initiates doing?" Max asks.
"So far, they could do better, but it's only the second week of training" I answer.
"They are weaklings" Eric scoffs.
"You weren't any different at this stage" I say and Eric glares at me.
"Don't forget I'm one of your leaders" he gets in my face.
"I'm not forgetting anything, I'm just stating the truth" I say in a low, deadly voice.
"That's enough" Max says. "I know you wanted to practice with them knife throwing, but let them do that for about thirty minutes" Max says.
"Why?" I ask confused.
"I want to see how they fight. We will pick randomly from both the transfers and the Dauntless-born" Max informs me.
"There will also be an audience" Eric says with a sneer.
"What?" I ask looking from Eric to Max.
"I want to see how they are doing under stressful conditions." The way Max said that makes me understand there is no way I can persuade him otherwise. I nod and go to where the initiates are lining up to start with the knife throwing exercise.
One by one each throw their knives and most of them just bounce off. It takes most of them a while to keep their knives stuck in the wooden target and even longer to hit anywhere close to the center. But one initiate surprises me. As I want to say something Max walks over to me.
"What's her name?" he asks.
"Tris" I answer.
"Tris" he shouts and she stops, turns around and looks at him suspiciously. "Where did you learn to do that?" he asks. She just shrugs.
"Four taught us and I just practiced" she says. I showed them, yes, but I didn't get any of them this good in such a short time. Max nods and gestures for her to continue.
"Good job, Four" he praises me.
As I keep watching them throw their knives I notice that Al didn't hit his target once. This catches Eric's attention and he walks over to him. I don't hear what exactly it is he is saying to the poor bastard but Al gets pale and then Eric yells at him.
"Everybody stop" he shouts. "Go and stand in front of the target" he commands. "Four, give me a hand." Fuck, now he makes me part of his shit. He wants me to throw knives at him. "Four will throw these knives at you. If you flinch you're out" he tells Al. I grab three knives and glance toward the back of the room. A considerable amount of people, including the Dauntless-born initiates have gathered here. They are all watching. I get in position and just as I want to throw my first knife Tris speaks up.
"Stop" she says and Eric turns to look at her.
"You want to say something, Stiff?" he asks.
"Anyone can stand in front of a target, it doesn't prove anything" she says. I know she's right, but has she lost her mind?
"Then it'll be easy for you to take his place then" Eric says. Tris gives a slight nod and walks toward the target, exchanging positions with Al. He gives her a shy smile and hurries back to stand with the others. I know he has a crush on her. But how can he even pretend to crave to be with her, when he so willingly exposes her to danger? I would never in a million years put her in harm's way, if I can avoid it. Fuck, not this again. Tobias, you can't fall for this girl. But maybe it's too late for that. Maybe I've already fallen for her. She stands there tall, well as tall as she can, and waits for me to start. I position myself, aim and throw the knife. It lands next to her right thigh.
"Uh, Four" Eric says and I grin, trying to mask my annoyance and fear that I might hurt her involuntarily. I aim and throw a second knife. This time I hit the board just above her head. Maybe he will be satisfied now.
"You can get closer" he says. Son of a bitch.
"You want me to give her a little trim?" I ask staring at her, checking if she is alright, but she doesn't even blink.
"Maybe just a little off the top" he replies.
So that's what he wants, to hurt her. I need to play this smart. I reposition myself, aim and throw the third knife. It deliberately flies to close to her ear and effectively cuts her. Her eyes widen when she must feel the sharp pain but she doesn't say anything. She moves her head and I can see the blood. My heart aches thinking that I hurt her on purpose. I never meant to do that. I swore to myself that I would never hurt another human being on purpose.
"Points for bravery, Stiff, but not as many as you lost for opening your mouth" he says. He then goes closer to where she is still standing and whispers something to her, or at least that's how it looks like since I can't hear over the noise made by everyone in the room.
"Everyone follow me to the ring. We will let our initiates fight to see how well they've improved after their first week" Max says and everyone follows him. I linger wanting to check on Tris. She comes closer to where I stand and speaks up enough for me to hear, but not draw attention.
"You cut me" she says accusingly. What was I supposed to do? Let Eric throw knives at you? He has terrible aim. He could have hurt her seriously.
"I meant to" I say busying myself with the knives.
"You meant to?" she asks in disbelief. It angers me that she doesn't understand. I look up at her and see the unmistakable fire burn in her eyes. She looks so beautiful angry and determined.
"If I wanted to hurt you, I would've" I say and turn around. I walk toward the ring, not wanting to stay there any longer alone with her. I might forget myself and pull her close to me. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm head over heels for her. Fuck. This is so not what I planned.
Everyone in the training room gathers around the ring. Max talks to Eric probably asking who should fight. Unfortunately, Eric wants to get back at Tris and she is called to fight along with Peter. I want to protest, but someone holds me back. I look down and recognize Hana.
"Don't say a word" she says and then her gaze turns to the ring and she nods. I look there too and see Tris nodding as well.
"First fight is Peter against Tris" Max announces.
"If you cry I might not hit you too hard" he says mockingly.
"If you eat your own shit you won't puke" she says making him look at her confused. What the hell is she doing?
"Oh for God's sake" I hear Hana.
"What is she doing, Ma?" Zeke asks as he just arrived.
"She's taunting her opponent" she says.
"I gathered that, but why?" he asks. I want to know that too.
"He will be so focused on his anger that he will make rookie mistakes. Although he is one" Hana comments.
"So is she" I say.
"Hmpf" Hana scoffs. This is all so odd.
"You will fight until one of you is out" Max announces. "No one concedes" he clarifies. I hear a few people protest but Max ignores them.
"Fight" Eric tells them.
We watch as Peter circles Tris while she just stands still, her arms next to her body. She just turns her head to watch Peter.
"You scared yet?" Peter asks.
"Like shitting my pants" she says mockingly.
"Would you two start already?" Eric growls. Peter takes out to punch and all Tris does is lift her leg and kicks him in the chest making him stumble backwards. Where did she learn that? I didn't teach her that. As a matter of fact I don't know to do that.
"You'll regret this, bitch" Peter yells at her, but I can tell he has a hard time catching his breath.
"If I'd get a point each time someone told me that I would be rich" she says seriously. Her expression is deadly and I can't imagine that this is the same girl that hasn't won a fight yet.
"You'll pay" Peter shouts and charges at her. She avoids each punch and each kick, making him wear himself out.
"Stop playing with each other" Eric says, although I'm sure he means Peter.
"Alright" Tris says. "Hey Peter?" she calls and Peter looks at her. She grabs both his wrists, jumps up, hits Peter's jaw with her knee, back flips and lands on her feet. But she isn't done yet. She falls to the ground, kicks Peter's legs from under him and hits him so hard in the chest I think I might have heard something crack. When Peter is still whining on the ground she stands up and kicks him in the face knocking him out for good. The crowd starts to cheer and Max walks to the ring announcing Tris as the winner.
"Good job, initiate" he praises and Eric mutters something.
"Anyone else wants his ass kicked?" Tris asks and Max looks at her incredulous.
"I think this is enough for one day" Max says.
"Really? Oh, darn and I really wanted to kick some more ass" she says glaring at Eric. He must have picked that up and struts toward the center of the ring.
"Where did you learn that?" he asks loud for everyone to hear.
"Learn what?" she asks innocently.
"To fight, you stupid bitch" he insults her. I ball my fists and just as I want to charge at him Hana holds me back again.
"Eric" Tris says in a calm voice. "You are a motherfucking piece of shit. I think you suck as a leader and the faction should look for someone more competent than you. As for the insult" she says jumps up and snakes her legs around his neck chocking him in a vice like grip "if you ever talk to me like that again I will cut of your balls, boil them, stuff them down your throat and make you check your shit until they come out of you again" she says. Everyone in the room is quiet and listens to her. She is just an initiate and she just attacked a leader. She will surely be expelled now. "Max" she says looking up to him while she still keeps Eric down on his knees breathing heavily. He tries to get her off him but he can't. Tris moves her right hand to his neck and then he falls forward, unconscious. "Don't worry, he isn't dead. Just fainted. I checked the faction manifesto and the law. It is my right, even as an initiate, to defend myself even from a leader. If I make a formal complaint at Candor he can even be made faction less for his behavior. Although as a leader yourself you value integrity and bravery more than you value a scumbag like him" she says. "As to his question, where I learned all this. I had enough bullies to fight my whole life. I learned a trick or two and if anyone messes with me I will break you down" she says looking around and leaves the room.
"Wait" Max shouts after her and she stops. He then looks at Hana and grins. "It's her, right?" he asks.
"Yes. That's Tris" she says.
"Tris, my office in ten" he says.
"I have no fucking clue where that is" she replies without turning around.
"I'll bring her" Hana offers.
What the fuck just happened?
A/N: Hi initiates, I hope you enjoyed this new chapter. I would like to get your opinions on the story so far and what do you think is going on.