Today we show off our knife throwing skills to Kevin. We all hurl our knives to our targets. My knives hit the center almost every time, and I'm pleased to see the same results with Hailey and Daniel. Even if Daniel and I are still better than Hailey, she is now better than everyone else. The three of us are the top of the class.

That afternoon, we don't spar. Tomorrow Kevin will evaluate our fighting abilities, and we don't want to be sore. Instead, we all sit around the chasm, watching the water hit the rocks. "Sometimes," I start, "I try to imagine what my life would be like if I had stayed in Amity." Hailey leans back against the rocks. "I would've failed Erudite initiation." She says simply. "At the end, you take a test, and if you don't score high enough on it, they basically tell you to either live the rest of your life cleaning the science labs, or to go and join the factionless." I shudder. "Amity initiation isn't as hard as Dauntless." I say. "You have to pick the apples in the orchard for a few days and then learn and sing songs with each other. That's it." Daniel wraps his arm around me and pulls me close. "Yeah, who would want to sing and pick apples when you can beat each other to a pulp?" He says it with humor but I can tell, in some way, he means his words. Hailey gets up. "Well, I'm going back to the room to nap before dinner." We say goodbye to her, and then it's just Daniel and me.

I sit in Daniel's lap and lean my head against his shoulder. "I just want this to be over." He whispers. I turn to him. "Me too," I sigh, "but we still have stages two and three left." Daniel turns his head to mine. "Then we'll just have to be ready." And he kisses me.

As we walk into the training room, we look at our match-ups. Since we have an odd number of kids, one of us has to fight against Jay, and guess who that lucky someone is. "They're putting you against Jay?" Daniel gasps as we stare at the board. "I guess." I sigh. "I'll just have to do my best." Jay and I are fighting first, so I step into the ring. Jay is already there, leaning against the railing. "This is the last day of testing," Kevin says. "Today you are partnered up against someone who is at what we believe to be your level, with the exception of Ellie." I scowl as Kevin turns to Jay. "Don't go too easy on her." Then it's time.

Jay and I circle each other. Jay throws a punch, but I dodge to the side. He was expecting that. He throws another punch to my new location, and my head whips back. I turn back to him just in time to see another punch heading my way. I deflect the blow, leaving my forearm stinging, and grab his arm. I punch him as hard as I can in the face. As his head jerks back, I trip him, and he falls backwards. He jumps up before I can kick him. I throw a punch but he grabs my arm and pulls me down to the ground. I land hard on my back. I watch as he goes to kick me, but I grab his leg and pull, causing him to fall on his back. We both jump to our feet and circle each other. I steal a glance over a Kevin and see he is fairly surprised that I have made it this long. My heart sinks as Jay throws a punch. I deflect the blow and punch him in the face. I refuse to let him beat me without putting up a fight. His head jerks back and I punch him in the gut. He doubles over and I punch him one more time in the head. Jay falls backwards and doesn't get back up.

As Jay stirs, Kevin grins. "Well done, Ellie." He steps in and looks down at Jay. "Looks like someone was going a little too easy." He offers Jay and hand and Jay gets to his feet. "Nah," Jay says with a grin, "she's pretty good." I grin as I walk back over to Daniel and Hailey. Daniel gives me a kiss. "Congrats, Ellie." He says softly. I grin and look back over to Jay. He isn't grinning anymore.

Daniel's fight is next. He's up against Ryan. Even though Ryan is good, Daniel is still better, and the fight is over soon. Then it's Mark and Julia's turn. The fight ends with Julia on the ground, and finally, Hailey and Brianna are up. I grab Hailey's arm before she steps in. "You got this, Hailey, just remember our spars." Hailey grins at me and then she's in the ring.

Hailey and Brianna circle each other. Brianna throws the first punch. Hailey deflects the blow, punching Brianna hard in the jaw. Brianna throws another punch, and Hailey deflects it, punching Brianna again, the same way. I start to get nervous. Why is she doing the same thing? I only realize why as Brianna throws her next punch. Brianna has her other arm ready to deflect a blow from Hailey, so when Hailey dodges and jams her elbow into Brianna's back, Brianna is surprised. Hailey trips Brianna, and Brianna falls to the floor. Hailey kicks Brianna, over and over again, until she is unconscious. As Hailey walks back to me, I can see a glint of revenge in her eyes. This was for the comment Brianna made about Hailey when they first fought. My heart sinks. Hailey was turning into a Dauntless monster.

That night, we all celebrate the end of stage one. Tonight when we get back from dinner, the rankings will be posted.