Hi guys, here's the next chapter I hope you enjoy :) thank you for your reviews they make me smile :D

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Divergent :(


Chapter nine – Playing with knives

The early worm gets the bird, wait, no that's not right. I mean the early bird gets the worm. As usual I'm up at the crack of dawn. There's no worm involved, obviously because I'm not a bird. You know what I don't even know why I'm taking about worms, metaphors aren't my specialty. Just ignore that bit.

Anyway, I decide just to get dressed in the dormitory, like normal people do. Considering that pretty much everyone has already seen me in my underwear, thanks to Eric, so I don't see the point in hiding what they had already saw.

I hear quiet giggling at the other end of the room, I look around and see Christina standing next to Will's bed with a pen in her hand. I walk over while I finish putting my top on.

"W-what are you d-doing?" My voice is just above a whisper.

"I was bored and couldn't sleep, so…" she moves aside, and I look to see what she had done. I bite my lip to keep myself from laughing too loud. There, on Will's top lip was a black moustache that curled at the ends drawn on with black marker.

"N-nice detail," I squeak, and a laugh escapes my lips.

"Thanks. I wonder how long it would for him to notice," she laughs quietly.

"D-do you wanna bet?"

She raises a brow, "a bet?"

I nod, "for fun." She bites her lip.

"Okay, I bet he only notices it at the end of the day," she says.

"I bet lunch t-time."

"If I win you have to kiss, Al," She giggles.

"…On the lips." She puts the lid back on the pen.

I grimace.

She wants to play like that does she?

"And if I w-win you have – have to kiss m-me," I say. "Deal?" I stick my hand out.

She thinks for a moment.

"Wait, what if neither of us win?" she asks,

"Uh, well, Tris c-could decide what the p-punishment is if we both lose," I say, my hand starts to ach from holding it out for too long.

She smiles before she shakes it. Her long fingers wrap around my palm, her grip is strong.

"Deal."

I am going to win!


When we all get to the training room, I notice that Eric is as ridged as a statue. It is as if someone has shoved a metal rod right up his… nether regions.

Eric isn't in the best of moods, and I think it has something to do with losing the game yesterday. I take note that there are knives spread messily along a table at the other end of the room. Target practise.

Christina nudges my shoulder and nods her head to one side, I glance in the direction her head went. Will, totally obvious to that fact that he has a three inch, black marker caterpillar drawn on his top lip. We had agreed that nobody would tell him, otherwise the bet would automatically fail and we would both lose, resulting in punishment.

I strange noise escapes my mouth – a laugh that sounds more like a donkey 'hee – hawing.' I cover my mouth with my hand, and bite the inside of my cheeks to keep it from happening again.

Will looks over at me and then sticks his nose in the air. All he needs now is a Monocle and then he'd be splendid. I snort again.

Eric gives me a look of disapproval.

"Tomorrow will be the last day of stage one," he says. "You will resume fighting then. Today, you'll be learning how to aim. Everyone pick up three knives." His voice sound rougher and deeper than usual. "And pay attention while Four demonstrates the correct technique for throwing them."

No one moves.

"Now!" He yells.

We all scramble for the silver, shiny objects.

"You do know how to pick up a knife right, Stiff? By the handle and not the pointy end," Peter snorts. I grimace, his laugh is like a pig squealing for food.

Yes, I know what a knife is. Yes, I know how to hold it. Yes… ahh. A little rush of pain, like a paper cut, runs through my finger.

"That why you don't hold the pointy bit, you dumb Stiff." I roll my eyes and place my finger in my mouth to sooth the pain. The cut is only small and not deep but stings. Peter gives a toothy grin.

I narrow my eyes, "I got distracted, tell me, P-Peter. Did you have a Muffin for b-breakfast or is that just shit in your t-teeth?" I hear a few laughs, and Peter covers his mouth.

That's what I thought.

Once I get my three knives, I go back to the middle of the room with everyone else. They're light, like not heavy light, if that makes sense. Light, but dangerous.

Four begins to throw his knives one at a time. His arm gently pulls back, flicking his wrist and then releases, exhaling as he lets go. The target is always hit. He is stood up straight, confident and his concentration is gold. Every throw he takes is smooth, and always hits the target's centre.

"Line up!" Eric commands.

Rushing, I think, will do you no good. My father told me that when he taught me how to tie my shoe laces. 'It only causes fumbling,' he would say. Every time I rushed and fumbled with my laces, he would lightly slap me on the hand and make me retie them again, and again until I got it right.

This is a mental exercise, you have to think before you act. Aim before I throw. I breath, spread my legs and have my knife ready to throw. Keep your eyes open! I think. The last time I closed my eyes in target practise, Four almost made me pee myself.

Clatter! It hit the floor.

Clatter! Again.

Clatter!

I sigh, then get my knives while everyone collects theirs too.

I look around seeing if anyone is looking at me. They're not thank goodness. I close my eyes, and picture the target in front of me, imagining the knife flying and hitting the target. I keep my eyes closed and throw, releasing the knife.

Thunk!

I do it again.

Thunk!

And again.

Thunk!

I open my eyes slowly, smiling to see that all three of the knives had hit, and stuck on the centre of the target.

Will stands next to me, awe stricken. I can't help staring at his top lip, smirking I go and collect my knives and do the same process.

I do that three or four times again.

Close my eyes, aim and then release –

"What are you doing?" Eric's voice is barely above a whisper.

"Hitting the t-target," I say, opening my eyes.

"With your eyes shut?" He asks.

"We've been over this, Stiff," Four interjects, and I blush. He is helping Al, teaching him the technique slower.

"I do b-better with my eyes shut," I say.

"You seemed to hit your target perfectly fine with your eyes open yesterday, why is this any different?" Eric sneers, his piercings stretch from his lip.

"If I had my eyes cl-closed, I would have hit my t-target better, it would have been something much smaller than y-your chest," I glance down, his cheeks tinge pink.

I hear a few 'Oooh's'.

"Shut up!" He yells clearly embarrassed. He grabs my shirt, "listen here you little –"

"Stop playing with the Stiff, Eric," Four mutters, he lets loose of my shirt.

"Stand in front of the target!"

"W-what?"

"Open your ears, or can you hear better with them closed?" Eric taunts, his eyes are like daggers.

I stand in front of the target, unmoving.

"Everyone out of the ring. Four give me a hand here," everybody moves to the other side of the room, and Eric gives Four knives.

"You're gonna stand there as he throws those knives. You got that, Stiff?" I nod stiffly. "Oh, and if you flinch… your out."

I gulp.

I'm not worried that Four will hit me. I'm worried that flinch and screw up.

He aims, he is about to throw the first knife when, Tris interrupts.

"Stop it," she says. "Any idiot can stand in front a target. It doesn't prove anything…"

Oh, God this is bad. Please, just stop talking, please.

"Well then, it won't be hard for you to take his place."

Too late.

"There goes your pretty face," Peter hisses. "Oh, wait. You don't have one."

I feel my eye brows tug together in anger. She makes her way towards me, she wears determination on her face.

"Move," she whispers, I shake my head.

"Move," she says again, this time shoving me out of the way.

I stay for the first knife to be thrown, but can't take anymore. "I-I can't watch," I say to Christina. She pats me on the shoulder and gives me a sad smile, before I

charge out of the door, not daring to glace over my shoulder.


Whew, I hope you enjoyed that hehe.

Who do you think will win the bet? What will the punishment be if they both lose? hmmm. next chapter should be up soon, and as always your reviews are very much appreciated :) thanks for reading