Oh my wordy word. I miss you guys so much(: so anyways… I just got home yesterday. Yeah, I know. I was supposed to get back to Seattle LAST Monday, but the snow was crazy and we couldn't leave. The roads were very icy and it took my family 9 hours to drive there. It usually only takes us 3-4 hours. Our car had to get towed off the roads because our car got stuck in the snow. Ugh. Well, I'm glad that I'm finally safe at home
P.S. Guess what guys? It's 2013! And I'm finally almost 13 in 49 days. YAY
Enjoyyyyy~~~~~~
Several Dauntless come into my room at almost midnight. A light shines through the open door, blinding me in seconds. Only Eric and I have a key to my apartment, so apparently it's Eric and his crew.
A dark figure stands in front of my bed. He pulls my blanket off of my body, and I'm suddenly cold.
"Get your ass up. You're late. You were supposed to meet us in the pit."
Shit. I forgot about tonight. This is gonna be fun. Tonight is the traditional day where we play Capture the Flag with the initiates. It's probably going to be weird for the transfers because the Dauntless born will be joining us. I always look forward to this every year. I learn so much about the initiates and the way their brain's work.
I get up, grab a black T-shirt, and in one, swift motion, I pull it over my bare chest. I was hoping that Eric and his crew didn't see my tattoos. Everyone thinks I'm pure because people think that I have no tattoos. But in reality, I hide them.
We walk fast, too fast for me to be uncomfortable though. We rarely talk on the way to the dormitory. It's dark out at this time of day, since it's midnight. We hold flashlights that brighten the unlit hallways. Eric trips over his shoes, and I start laughing, but I cover it up with a cough when I earn a glare from Eric. I silently keep chuckling to myself.
We reach the dormitory, and barge into the room. I see the initiates' eyelids flutter open, some occasionally closing again. My eyes search the room for Tris, but my eyes find her instantly. Almost like I'm trained to find her.
"Everyone up!" Eric yells. He definitely doesn't want to waste time. He thinks that he's gonna win this year. Psh. I have a secret weapon.
Everyone has woken up to the light that the flashlights provide. Eric purposefully shines his on each of the initiate's faces. Eric, you're such a jerk.
Tris is still sitting on her bed, dazed and confused. There's a lot of commotion with alarmed kids that are getting dressed and putting on their shoes. They're obviously stunned by our unexpected visit at this time of hour.
I'm still looking around when I feel the presence of eyes on me. I already know exactly who it is since I'm now looking straight at her.
Tris's eyes are locked on mine, and they aren't moving. I can't pull my gaze away from her since she looks very alarmed. Her eyes are questioning mine, wondering what's going on. I'm afraid that Eric will notice our "thing" that's going on right now.
"Did you go deaf, Stiff?" snaps Eric. He looks her up and down, and I can feel myself get jealous. He looks at me, and smirks.
She moves out of her distraction and reels herself out of bed.
"You have five minutes to get dressed and meet us by the tracks." Eric says. "We're going on another field trip."
After he finishes talking, I push the door open, and I walk out. As I'm walking towards the train tracks, Eric walks up to me. Hello, Trouble.
"Aren't you a little old for her?" he laughs, but it almost sounds…. Evil.
"What do you mean?" I say, hoping that he won't catch on.
"You know what I mean. Bro, she doesn't like you. All you are is an instructor to her. Nothing more." I feel my anger bubble over, and I become outraged.
"I'm not doing anything to her. I don't even like the Stiff." I say, "She's too weak." It's crucial that I lie about this subject. I don't want him to think that I'm "favoring" her over the rest of the initiates.
"Whatever." He smirks, "I know the truth, and that's not it." He walks faster and waits by the train tracks. I glare at his back, mentally throwing knives into his head.
When I slowly reach the train tracks, most of the initiates are hurrying behind me. I can hear the footsteps that crinkle the grass.
"Everyone grab a gun!" shouts Eric.
It seems like the Dauntless-Borns are less shy than the Transfers, because almost every one of the Borns grab one immediately. None of the Transfers have dared to move an inch towards the guns yet. Until Tris confidently trudges up to the guns, fearless as always, and grabs one. I remember that she's still sore from the fight with Peter.
The Transfers follow in her footsteps afterwards.
"Time estimate?" Eric asks me. It seems like he's totally forgotten our conversation a minute ago. Good.
I check my watch. "Any minute now. How long is it going to take you to memorize the train schedule?"
"Why should I, when I have you to remind me of it?" Eric says, "lightly" punching me in the arm. But it definitely wasn't for play. He was mad at me for making him look like a dumbass in front of the initiates.
Just as I said, the train nears towards us, and the sound of it gives me a rush. When it's infront of our group, I swiftly grab the handle, where I usually jump on, and pull myself into one of the cars. I get comfortable and look back at the initiates. Tris is running beside the train, she doesn't even bother to look if Christina or Will following. I decide to help her.
I extend my arm, and pull her in quickly. She immediately lets go of my hand as soon as she's inside of the train. She moves away from me and sits as faraway from me as possible.
Did I do something wrong? What's up with her? Maybe Eric is right. I'm only an instructor to her.
I glance at her quickly and then turn to explain to the initiates.
"We'll be dividing into two teams to play capture the flag. Each team will have an even mix of members, Dauntless-born initiates, and transfers. One team will get off first and find a place to hide their flag. Then the second team will get off and do the same." The car jerks slightly and I grab onto the door so that I won't fall out. "This is a Dauntless tradition," I say. "So I suggest you take it seriously."
"What do we get if we win?" someone shouts.
Are you kidding me?
"Sounds like the kind of question someone not from Dauntless would ask," I declare, raising one of my eyebrows. "You get to win, of course."
"Four and I will be your team captains," Eric says, glaring at me. "Let's divide up transfers first, shall we?"
"You go first," I suggest. He'll need it. Plus, I can figure out his strategy faster.
Eric shrugs. "Edward."
Of course.. He's going to pick the strongest ones here. It's always been that way for Eric. I learned that last year. He thinks that Strength will win over Brains. But he's wrong. It's not the strongest who excel in this game. It's the people who are fast, and smart about their decisions. It takes strategy.
It's my turn now to pick from the transfers. I already know who I'm gonna pick, but it's not only because I like her. She's always quick and ready. She's determined.
I glance around, like I'm trying to decide who to pick.
"I want the Stiff." Tris's cheeks turn red and she tumbles towards me. Eric raises an eyebrow at me.
A few people cackle and snort at my decision. They think I'm stupid, but I know exactly what I'm doing.
"Got something to prove?" Eric asks, sneering. "Or are you just picking the weak ones so that if you lose, you'll have someone to blame it on?"
I sigh. "Something like that." I hope that Tris doesn't take it the wrong way. She's the opposite of weak.
"Your turn." I say lightly.
"Peter."
"Christina."
"Molly."
"Will," I say while looking down at Tris. She has a puzzled look on her face, and then it all clicks to her.
See? She's smart. Not even Eric could figure it out.
"Al."
"Drew."
"Last one left is Myra. So she's with me," says Eric. "Dauntless born initiates next."
We start dividing up the Dauntless-born initiates; Eric picking the strongest, while I'm picking the slim initiates.
"Your team can get off second," Eric confidently tells me.
"Don't do me any favors," I reply sternly. I know Eric's approach isn't gonna work. I'm not dumb. "You know I don't need them to win."
"No, I know that you'll lose no matter when you get off," says Eric while chewing on one of his lip rings. I debated on getting my lip pierced a couple years ago, but then I saw how Eric chews on his. It's gross. "Take your scrawny team and get off first, then."
My team stands up when I get up. Even though Eric is the "boss" around here, everyone knows that I could kill him in a heartbeat.
I jump out of the train and land perfectly on my feet, without a scratch. The transfers land hard, but the Dauntless-Borns jump safely onto the ground, crushing the landscape.
Uriah lands near Tris, and he helps her up. She smiles at him, and walks away. She's not taking any flirty shit from him.
Someone comes up behind me and talks flirtatiously, "When you team won, where did you put the flag?" I was hoping that it was Tris, but the sound of her voice signals me that it wasn't.
"Telling you wouldn't really be in the spirit of the exercise, Marlene," I say lightly. Most of the girls here try to flirt with me. I've always hated it. That's what I like about Tris. She doesn't… Attach herself to people.
"Come on, Four," she whines and winks at me flirtatiously. She has always had a crush on me. Most of the girls here try to flirt with me. I've always hated it. That's what I like about Tris. She doesn't… Attach herself to people.
I brush Marlene off my body, and walk away from her. She always does this type of shit, but it never works on me. I'M NOT INTERESTED. MY EYES ARE ON SOMEONE ELSE.
I can feel her glare on my back as I walk off. I try to come close to Tris, but she moves away.
"Navy Pier," Uriah calls out. He thinks he knows everything."My brother was on the winning team. They kept the flag at the carousel." He smiles and looks at Tris, to see if she's showing any interest, but she's looking around at the scenery. His smile instantly drops.
"Let's go there, then," suggests Will.
No one else has an idea, so we make our journey.
We make our way across a bridge that covers a dried up river. The mud beneath is still wet to walk on. That's probably why the bridge is built.
This part of town is abandoned. We always come to this place every year for capture the flag. Everytime I come here, I wonder about the people who lived here. What was it like? This spot seems secluded from everything, so maybe it was peaceful to live out here. But other than peaceful, it's run down, and old. Everything is crumbling, and deteriorating.
The streets are also dark here, because all the city lights are off. Even though it's dark, only one of us is using a flashlight.
"Scared of the dark, Mar?" Uriah teases. Now he's trying to mess around with Marlene too? Pick a girl, dude.
"If you want to step on broken glass, Uriah, be my guest." Marlene says. But she turns it off anyways.
Tris is at the front of the group with Will, and they seem to be talking. Uriah comes up close to her, and stands beside her. She almost trips, but he steadies her. She thanks him, but keeps moving forward. I least I can watch her from the back of the group.
After walking almost a mile, we reach the Carousel. Most of the horses are cracking and broken into pieces. They're made of wood, so their saddles are chipping.
I take the flag out of my pocket. "In ten minutes, the other team will pick their location," I tell them. "I suggest you take this time to formulate a strategy. We may not be Erudite, but mental preparedness is one aspect of your Dauntless training. Arguably, it is the most important aspect."
Will comes up to me and snatches the flag out of my hand. "Some people should stay here and guard, and some people should go out and scout the other team's location." He says. Erudite is always cocky, trying to be superior than everyone else.
"Yeah? You think? Marlene snaps, taking the flag from Will. "Who put you in charge, transfer?"
"No one," says Will. "But someone's got to do it." He's right though.
"Maybe we should develop a more defensive strategy. Wait for them to come to us, then take them out." Christina suggests.
"That's the sissy way out," Uriah says, "I vote we go all out. Hide the flag well enough that they can't find it.
The group starts to argue, and yell. I slowing tune them out of my world as I sit down by one of the withering horses. I lean back and watch the stars, but I'm secretly looking at Tris. I have a perfect side view of her. I'm sneaky, right? (A.N. lol I had to add that in there. I thought that it was too funny.)
I soon get lost in my thoughts about my own first Capture The Flag game. I was too shy, and didn't talk to everyone. I might be shy, but everyone also was scared of me. I was like a Peter. Except that I wasn't a jerk.
I'm so concentrated in my thoughts that I almost didn't notice Tris move away from the group. Almost. I follow her to see what she's doing. I also don't want her to get hurt. I pace myself, and she stops right in front of the Ferris Wheel. She looks up at the top, and inspects the rungs of the rusty ladder.
She's almost about to climb it until I speak up. "Tris."
She turns around and looks at me. "Yes?" she asks. She must've known that I was following her since my voice didn't startle her.
"I came to find out what you think you're doing."
"I'm seeking higher ground," she tells me confidently. "I don't think I'm doing anything."
I didn't think about this before.
The higher up you are, the easier you'll see the other team. They would be producing light too. She's very clever. I can't help, but beam at her cunningness.
"All right. I'm coming."
"I'll be fine," Tris says. I know that she'll be fine. I don't doubt her for a second. She CAN handle herself, but I want to accompany her.
"Undoubtedly," I say.
Okay guys. I'm gonna continue the rest like tomorrow or something. I have school tomorrow though. So don't be surprised if I don't update tomorrow. UGH. Dang it. I wish I still had winter break.
Anyway How was it? Can you guys give me feedback? (: that'd be grrrrrrrrrrrrreat.
Love yaaaa xoxox
-Rhianna