AUTHOR'S NOTE: I am so happy that my writing is creating questions for the readers. I would answer them through private message, but then that would defeat the object of me writing on, to just give away the plot. That is what I am aiming to do. The plot will unravel slowly and most assuredly Tris will break through. I have planned it out up until the final chapter, which will contain the final reveal. I am trying to balance the fluff out with the plot as I find that too much of one or the other can be quite tedious. I have had a few questions about smutt related material, but as of yet I don't think I'm ready to rate it M and I also don't think the two are ready for that. However, the chapter before the smutt I will be stating in the author's note that it will be in the next chapter. This way those who like smutt can prepare and those who don't can feel free to skip, but this also means my fiction will only be found when selecting M rated works. I am very thorough when writing smutt, so you can guarantee there will be around 3,000 – 4,000 words just describing the act. But as I said, I don't think they're ready for that yet as they're just 4 weeks in to their relationship, but it will be coming soon. You can be certain of that as that chapter has already been written. That being said I hope I covered the queries raised in my reviews and in private messages and I definitely hope that more questions are raised within this fiction. Thank you all for the great support and I hope you all enjoy!


Chapter 11 – Beatrice

Uncertainty

When I awake later on it is completely dark. I haven't opened my eyes yet, but I know it's dark because my lids show no signs of light. My head is resting on something firm, it rises and falls a few seconds at a time. When I do open my eyes I can just about make out Tobias chest beneath me. I focus more clearly and comprehend that I am leaning on him. I suddenly feel warm inside. I am overly pleased that we have got this intimate in the relationship after 4 short weeks.

Two years was a long time ago. The last time I saw Tobias was when I got out of my chair at the end of my final examination. My eyes had locked onto his as I exited the room and I knew there was a spark there. A spark that if sufficient oxygen was given, would rise into a burning flame. That thought had scared me and that was the moment I knew I had to keep my distance. Throughout my whole entire training we had shared stubborn glances and fevered touching's and it had panicked me.

Now Tobias is lying on the couch next to me with his head tipped back on the couch, sound asleep. I wonder where that panic has gone and why it had not surfaced yet. Too many thoughts. I begin to move, my neck is stiff and I am greeted by a searing headache.

"Oh my god," I say leaning forward and putting my head in my hands. I feel Tobias stir next to me.

"Are you okay?" He says slightly groggy with a hand on my back. It's pressed beneath my shoulders. I hadn't meant to wake him.

"My head," I say attempting to move to look at him, but I can't, "Oh my god."

I can't stop saying it. I know I should be more durable, considering I hadn't drank that much, but this feeling was new to me. I have no idea what the attraction to this is.

I hear him mumble something behind me, but I slowly get up and walk towards his bed. My neck is stiff and my head feels as though it has been hacked at with a chainsaw. I don't bother asking for permission. Instead I make myself at home and climb into his bed. He gets in opposite me and I open my eyes.

He smiles and I feel as though I am melted butter on a warm summer's day. As I settle down on top of his bed I try to get my emotions in check. Though I am in pain, I adore the knowledge that he is here with me. That he is mine. However, I do not wish to be lulled by him right now.

I close my eyes for just a moment and when I open them again it still dark, but I know time has passed. I keep waking up at intervals and I don't know why. I question where I am at first because I can't see a thing. I hear indulgent breathing but it feels distant. I think its Christina at first, but then as I settle down I remember that I hadn't gone back to my room.

"Tobias?" I call out lowly, but nothing sounds back. I frown. I suddenly feel vivid.

I am in a dream that I can't wake up from.

I know the alcohol is wearing off because I feel disorientated. I wonder if I didn't call loud enough, but something screams in the back of mind. It tells me that I am safe. That I will always be safe here. I still feel dazed and don't want to move, so lie and wait.

"Tris?" I hear a voice directly beside me and I jump stunted. He had delayed his response.

"Good god!" I yell and I hear him chuckling through the darkness.

"God isn't going to help you here…" he says and I scowl, not that he can see it.

"It's not funny!" I growl in anger and he reaches out to rest a hand on my arm.

"Are you okay?"

"I can't sleep, I keep waking up," I admit and I feel him edging towards me in the bed. His voice sounds much closer and much more sleep deprived. Every sentence is followed by a sigh.

"That'd be the liquor," I feel his smile, "I'm usually the same, depending on how much I drink."

"I just couldn't remember where I was. When you didn't answer I got slightly disorientated."

"Slightly?" He emphasises and I shoot him a glare, again, not that he can see.

"I'm just tired," I say burying myself deeper into the bed. My head nesting itself into the cosiness of his pillow, or rather what is currently mine? Tobias rests his head next to me, his chin touches my forehead.

"Would you like me to watch over you?" I don't want him to miss out on sleep because of my insecurities.

"No, just sleep with me," I feel him shift on the bed. His skin no longer touching mine.

"What?"

"I meant sleeping on the same bed, not sleeping together and even if I wanted to sleep with you what's the problem with that?" I am shocked at the words that have come out of my own mouth, but why had he sounded so offended by my poor choice of words. I look at Tobias and I can just about make out that he is staring at me blankly. I roll onto my back.

"Are you still drunk?" He asks.

"What? No."

"Someone gets grouchy when they're tired," he jests and I smile. Defeated, I turn back onto my side to face him in the bed again.

"It's a good job I have a good view," I remark back and he chuckles.

The dim light that is beginning to break through the window lights up his face. It's comforting. I want to cuddle up to him and rest upon him, but I reject the thought and exchange it for the space between us. I am happy with that and so I sleep.

The next time I awake it is to an empty bed and a cold hand on my back. I am full of disappointment, but as I turn to face the questionable character behind me I am pleasantly surprised to find its Tobias with breakfast. Whilst twisted in the bed, I rub my eyes and he smiles.

"I couldn't get away with much, but you needed something," he nods.

"Me? What about you?"

"I ate some porridge down there," he holds out a small bottle of juice, "the sugar won't help with the headache but it will hydrate you nonetheless."

I take it from his hand and sit up in the bed. My head doesn't hurt as much as what I thought it would. The glass of water and toast had really been beneficial and I am grateful to him for that. As I drink from the bottle I feel slightly embarrassed, I was too tired to be embarrassed earlier, but now it comes flooding back. He breaks the silence by putting two muffins on my lap.

"I thought these would be okay?" He asks in uncertainty.

"Thank you," I smile.

"It's a muffin, you don't need to thank me."

"Thank you for everything you did last night," I reaffirm and he sits on his side of the bed with a snide smile. I don't like it.

"You remember then?"

"Not much, I remember parts, but I know you must have looked after me because I woke up here."

"In all honesty it was a pleasure. You're actually quite amusing when drunk. One moment your rambling saccharine things the next your burning my ears off."

"Oh god," I say embarrassed, "I'm sorry." I feel my cheeks burning red hot, but he chuckles. "I won't be drinking again for a while, if ever."

"It's fun in moderation. It's about knowing your limits, but hey at least you didn't go past the point of coming back. You weren't sick or anything."

"Have you ever been sick?"

"Once," he nods and looks away. He's obviously not fond of the memory.

"It's like it hit me all at once. I remember taking a few sips then about an hour later bam it hit me and then just kept hitting me, even though I hadn't drank anymore since."

"What do you remember?"

"I remember climbing the Pire, then drinking from Uriah's bronze flask. I specifically remember choosing the bronze one, because the silver one was apparently a strange concoction he had made. Then I met Christina and she was already drunk…" I find myself straining for more memories.

"And I'm guessing that's where the liquor took effect?" He asks and I pick at my muffin searching for memories. He leans his back up against the headboard beside me.

"It's strange… I feel like I have the memories, but they're not there. I faintly remember seeing Eric and Alex, but that's not right."

"What together?"

"I don't know… I remember not feeling myself around that time and…" I struggle to remember and I feel frustrated. A couple of sips of liquor could not cause that, but I distinctly remember seeing them. I can't tell Tobias anymore because he looks weary. "I'm going to have to ask Uriah how much I had to drink, because it doesn't add up. I remember being carried around by Uriah and then being outside. I think you were there…"

"You think?"

"No, no… I'm sure of it… I remember kissing you. I also remember getting into the shower with my vest on and almost crying about it. I ate toast and fell asleep."

"Well you remember almost everything, I guess. I can't account for the time I wasn't with you, but you were definitely with me last night. You were mumbling how I was an ogre and that you wanted kisses."

"Oh god," I stare at my lap. I can't look at him. I finish off the muffin and place the second on the bedside table with the juice. "Can we not reminisce on last night please?"

"Why… too embarrassing?"

"You think?"

"Nah, I loved every moment of it. You certainly brightened up my night. Zeke got dragged off far too early."

Loved. He had loved it. I find myself screaming on the inside with pleasure. No matter how embarrassing my situation was, the fact he had loved it makes it better.

"Well I am sure I enjoyed it too," I smile finally looking at him. I suddenly feel brave. Brave enough to be romantic with him. I sit on top of him and adjust myself in his lap, as I do he rests his hands on my back. "I called you an ogre, really?" I ask unconvinced.

"Well you commented that I had… well basically a big everything and I said you make me sound like an ogre… but same thing really," I feel him brush his fingers over my back. It feels nice.

"I knew I wouldn't have said something like that," I laugh wrapping my arms loosely around his neck. "Let's just stay in today?"

"And do what?" He asks looking around me as though I am an obstacle in his way.

"Let's just get to know each other."

"Okay," he smiles pushing forward and kissing me.

I become are that I have not brushed my teeth, but he doesn't seem to care. As our lips meet I taste the bitterness of the porridge on his lips mixing with the sugar from my muffin. I unlock one of my hands from his neck and run my fingers through his hair. I break my lips from his and let our foreheads touch.

"You are aware I meant get to know each other personally," I say and he chuckles.

"This is personal," he presses his lips to the bottom of my neck and I become weak. I feel like jelly sitting on top of him and I find myself gasping. What had he just done?

"I meant emotionally," I say quickly going stiff at his touch and he kisses a little further up my neck. I relax again and almost cave into him.

"I think there's enough emotions here," he chuckles and I frown. He knows he's effecting me in such a way.

"You know what I mean!"

"I do yes, but why would I choose to acknowledge what you mean when this is so much more enjoyable to watch," he smirks.

"Oh you like seeing me weak?" I ask irritated.

"At the power of me, yes," he has a point, but before I respond he turns me into the bed.

I plummet from my sitting position on him to lying on my back within seconds. We both fall into the bed and the springs screech around us. I find myself giggling, I can't help it. His body is pressed against mine and I can feel his lower half resting against mine. I reach out for him for the bedside table and grab the muffin, smashing it into his mouth. He recoils a bit, but not as much as I would have liked him to and instead leans down towards me. He has crumbs in his stubble and I find it humorous, but then he rubs his face onto mine and I squirm. The gooey consistency spreading onto my cheek.

Though I am laughing I press my mouth to his and he is more than happy to welcome me. He runs his hand down my body and automatically slips it under my shirt, or rather his shirt, as though he had planned to all along. I feel nervous as his large palm touches the skin on my waist and follows my curve up to my ribs. He is not hesitant but neither am I. Something in the pit of my stomach tingles. I let our lips part to allow a gasp to escape my throat and he is only encouraged. He tugs the collar of the shirt down by a fraction and presses his lips to my throat and my hands fall from his body. I feel weak again. I feel vulnerable. I don't like it. My legs begin to tremble and I panic.

I escape his grasp and scramble off of the bed.

"Are you okay?" He asks in alarm. "I'm sorry if it was too much."

"No… no it's not that," I say and I feel my legs shaking beneath me. I begin walking towards the kitchen so that he doesn't notice, but he follows me.

"Then what is it?" He asks catching me before I get there. I lean against him, my chest pressed to his. He is very good at distracting me. "Your legs are trembling."

"Yeah, that's why I stopped. I didn't know why they were," he smiles and I begin to get frustrated. "What's so amusing?"

"Are you tense around me?"

"Why?"

"It sounds like a muscle spasm. Your nervous system is causing your muscles to contract, so when you finally relax… this is the result you get." He taps a hand on my leg and I flinch.

"You make me feel vulnerable."

"I can definitely relate to that," he says. I think he's pressing me into a warm embrace or a broad hug, but instead he kisses my neck and I become weak again. In my standing position I almost fall.

"Stop," I say hanging onto him and he smiles.

"I think I've found your sensitive spot," he chuckles.

"My what?"

"Everyone has that spot where they are extra sensitive?"

"What is this an education session?" I ask both embarrassed and angry.

"Well you said you wanted to get to know each other…" he says with a knowing look and I sigh.

"It's nothing to worry about, I probably have one somewhere. Zeke has one on his back. I punched him once and he recoiled whilst squirming. Quite funny really."

I find myself holding back a laugh at the thought, but I make do with a smile instead. So it is natural to feel weak when he touches me in that way and especially in that area.

"It looks like I've found your pleasure sensitive spot that makes you relax." He glides his lips over my cheek and I freeze. I don't want him to kiss my neck again. "But you know," he whispers, "Us humans have more than one."

His voice rumbling down my ear makes me shiver. Goosebumps appear on the back of my arms and I am driven by impulse. I pull his head back and press my lips to his. He struggles with keeping his balance so instead lifts me up. I wrap my legs around his waist, our lips never parting. I no longer feel tense, in fact I feel free and relaxed. I break our lips to lightly bite his bottom lip. I had seen Christina do it to Will before and Tobias more than enjoys it. I can see the urgency in his eyes and he responds by slamming me up against the wall.

I press my palms to the wall, trying to grab something, but it is flat. He must see me struggling for something to hold because he moves a few inches to the left and places me on the kitchen counter top. In the midst of all this, he is demanding my skin by kissing my jawline. All the emotions that I feel are being overpowered by just one. Frustration. I have an urgency for his touch, even though I am getting more than my fill. He pulls my waist towards him, my crotch meeting with his and once again I become aware. I gasp and he pauses out of breath.

"Maybe we should stop," he says and I press my palms to his cheek. I hum in response because I can't manage words just yet. I slowly and lightly press my lips to his and he pulls me down off the counter. That was intense.


The rest of the day is spent with minimal bodily contact, but we do converse a lot. I dig deep into the depths of his life as he does mine. Most of my stories seem to involve my brother Caleb, but he seems okay with that. Caleb was a big part of my life so he is bound to be spoken about numerous times. The more I talk the more he seems interested and I admire him for it. I would have told myself to shut up by now.

When we finally go down to dinner we go our separate ways. Tobias goes straight over to the dinner queue, but I scan around for my friends. They aren't here, but Eric is looking awfully sketchy. He doesn't see me, but I see him. He has a package in his hand and keeps looking over his shoulder as he cuts through. I follow him out of the cafeteria and into the pit. It is too dark and there are too many people. He disappears. I look around for a vantage point, but the only thing I can see is the white walls.

I have no choice.

I begin scaling the wall closest to me. My fingers digging into the grooves of the rock as I lift my body up one foot at a time. I use the thin ledges that line the pit to hold my weight. Once I am a few heads higher, I pause and scope through the crowd. He's gone.

I am not convinced. There are only so many places he could have exited from, but there's no point trying to figure out which one. I climb down from the wall and reconvene with Christina in the lunch queue. At first I am not fully certain she knows I am there, but I clear my throat to make myself known and glances at me.

"Hey tiger," she greets and I smile.

"Can I ask you something?" I ask her whilst we select what food we want for dinner. I don't fancy anything warm to eat after climbing the pit wall.

"You just did, didn't you?"

"You know when you're… well you know… intimate with Will?" She pauses and stares at me. I wish she wouldn't because I know she's judging me. I try to say it as quiet as possible so people around us can't hear.

"Hmm?"

"Do your legs ever shake? Or do you ever feel weak?"

"You're kidding right?" She says and I shake my head. She rolls her eyes towards the ceiling. "All the time. It's the best sensation in the world."

"Oh," I say picking up a dinner roll. I take a bite of it whilst I'm waiting for the queue to move on.

"Why do you ask? Have you experienced it?"

"No I just heard someone talking about it and I wondered if it was normal."

"You really are a stiff aren't you?" She giggles. "It's Uriah isn't it? Does he push all the right buttons?" She winks and I gasp.

"Ew no! He's like a brother to me and he likes Marlene!" I defend myself but she just makes kissing noises with her lips. "Hey stop it!" I say following her over to the table.

We join Will and Uriah at our table, but Tobias sits with Shauna and Zeke. As I eat my food I wonder if there will come a day when we dine together, but for now I am happy with our boundaries that we are setting.

"That's not your shirt," Will says pointing across the table towards me. I look down at myself and could almost kick myself for not changing back into my vest. It must still be lying on Tobias's bathroom floor.

"What?" I ask biting into my dinner roll.

"He's right, where'd you get that shirt?" Christina asks and Uriah glances at Tobias then back at me.

"It's mine," he says.

"What?" I ask confused by his comeuppance. Wait a go, Uriah! I think. It was only moments ago I was telling Christina different.

"She ripped her vest last night whilst intoxicated so I borrowed her one of mine," he smiles and I look between the three of them like watching a sports match.

"Yeah… I've had a pretty bad headache all day," I confirm. That is not a lie.

"I don't even remember seeing you last night," Christina says over the table.

"I don't remember much myself. I remember prancing around with Uriah playing dares, not much else," I say finishing my food.

Eric walks past our table and smirks at me. I watch him disappear over to his own table, but something haunts the back of my mind. I know I had seen him last night, but it's almost slaughtering me trying to remember where. I know for sure he was doing something sketchy just too and if there's one thing that I dread it's that I am working under him now. I gave him my City Security Leader position and I'm just the average member now.

"Did you two have fun?" I ask them in an attempt to distract myself.

"Us?" Will says.

"Oh we had much fun," Christina kisses Will's cheek and I lean back.

"Okay, well that's too much information for me. Let's go Uriah," I say and he chuckles passing my gun over the table.

"Your weapon back, m'lady!" He jests and I sarcastically curtsey.

"Thank you kind sir," I joke and he laughs coming over to my side.

"Stop flirting you two!" Christina says and if I were sitting at the table I would have kicked her.

"You see, two people can actually joke with each other without shoving a tongue down the other's throat." Uriah shoots at her and I laugh. "Come on," he crouches in front of me, "Let's take this walk of fame."

I hang the gun on my shoulder and jump onto Uriah's back. He then begins marching out of the dinner hall and I am given the perfect opportunity to glance back at Tobias. He's still eating, but glances at me. To stop myself from smiling I turn to the hallway ahead and Uriah runs down it. It smells like the warmth of the kitchen, the scent drifting in from the open doorway. It makes me hungry again, but Uriah's bouncing distracts me. I wonder how he can run with my weight on his back. I try to stop myself from rebounding so much, but fail.

He sets me down when we get outside and we hop onto the train and head over to the factionless compound. We patrol the area quietly without much to say. I want to ask him why he took credit for the shirt but I don't want to have to tell him everything about my personal life. It's not too long before he breaks the silence and I am forced to talk.

"When was the last time you saw Mack?"

"Erm probably when I visited him in the infirmary, why?"

"Just curious, I saw him last night in the Candor sector and he asked how you were," he shrugs.

"Oh right," I say trying not to seem inconspicuous.

"So what's the deal with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You gave up your City Security Leader position to be an Initiate Trainer and now you've traded it in for an average City Security position and a Dauntless Leader position. Does that not strike you as odd? You seem to be wavering between levels of power."

"I can't say I have ever thought of it like that." I reply honestly, never taking my eyes of the area surrounding me.

"Why all the secrets Tris? You were always so strong and open. Even a little too serious at times. Did you finally give in to Four?"

"I don't know. Too much has been happening lately… what do you mean, give in to Four?"

"Please you've been pining after him for years and while we're on the subject so has he. He was always looking at you as if you were something to devour. Will told him you really liked him and he jumped on the opportunity. You go missing some evenings and your wearing his shirt, because it sure as hell isn't mine."

"You caught me… or rather us, but keep it to yourself," I smile. He's quite observant, but I guess I owe him something for what he did for me with Christina.

"Fine, but just so you know my brother knows too. Oh and Will more or less knows and if I were you I'd tell Christina before someone else does. I can't believe you won Four over."

"He's not property… you can't win him. I didn't win him."

"Please, my brother used to set him up with girls all the time and all he ever did was scare them off or ignore them," I look at him and he looks at me, "he's never ignored you. Not once."

I like that. I like that he has noticed something I haven't, but I don't like hearing about the girls in his past. Something inside tells me that I should be happy that I am the one he is interested in, but he's been set up on dates before whereas I haven't.

"So have you slept with him?" The question strikes my heart hard.

"What?! No."

"Why so coy? I know you've thought about it. Heck I've thought about it," he starts to walk with a bounce in his step.

"Oh my god, Uriah! That's gross."

"Not with you I mean him, he's a hunk," he laughs and I find myself smiling.

"Well that's something you don't hear every day," I laugh and it soon disappears as he continues talking. I'm not sure what's worse, that I thought he meant me or that he actually meant Tobias.

"So come on then, why haven't you?"

"Oh I don't know because it's only been a month?"

"More than enough time. Has he seen you naked yet?"

"Oh my god Uriah! What is wrong with you?"

"I don't know it may have been that burger," he jokes. "You do know you can talk to me right?"

"Well this is awkward," I say and I am interrupted by voices ahead.

Just as we're about to turn the corner I capture the sight of Eric at the end of the walkway. I quickly pull Uriah aside and we lean up the wall to hide ourselves. We both slam into the wall and become stiff.

"What are you doing?" He whispers.

"Eric's around there…"

"Are you sure?" He asks unbelieving.

"Yes," I say adjusting my head around the corner slightly. I don't want to be seen. He is still there, but talking to a figure I do not recognise. It is too dark. I see a few bins ahead that we can hide behind just a few steps ahead. "Come on," I say.

I crouch down low and run behind them and Uriah halts at my side.

"What's he doing?" He asks and I peek my head over the top of the bins.

"They're exchanging something, I can't hear what they're saying," I whisper. It's true. I can hear nothing but the soft rumbles of their voices.

How could so much happen in four weeks? I had been reconnected with Tobias and had even struck up a relationship with him. I had trained the transfers as well as taking up a Leader position. So much has happened and most of it wasn't personal to me. Alex had tried to jump in the chasm, something that I had prevented and Eric had threatened me. Now this.

Together we watch the exchange from behind the bins. The figure I can't see disappears first and Eric glances around. Together we duck and when we look back again he's gone.

"So what do we do?"

"There's not a lot we can do," I say, "For all we know they could be exchanging credits."

"Eric? Credits? Really?"

"Yeah, okay maybe not, but you get what I mean. Anything we say is liable."

"Well that definitely wasn't right," Uriah shrugs with his gun.

"Of course not! Don't you think all these deaths are weird?"

"People die here all the time."

"Five people in a week Uriah! Use the brain you were born with. All of these unexplained deaths and…"

"And what?"

"Look if I tell you something, keep it to yourself," he nods, "promise me." I demand.

"I promise…. On my brother's life."

"Eric physically threatened me into taking the Leader position… he specifically said he could trust me over the likes of your brother and Four."

"That's because any friend of Four's is Eric's enemy," he sums up.

"Yes, but then why is it essential that I join them? Am I not a friend of Four?"

"Maybe Eric doesn't know about you and Four?" I stare at him blankly and he smiles. Everyone knows by now that me and Four are friends. Uriah scans my face with realization and then stares at the floor. "What do you think it is… an uprising?"

"I don't know… but whatever it is, we need a plan."

"Why we? Why me?" He asks.

"You're the only one I can trust, you know almost everything about me now and I can't trust Christina with this."

"Candor born."

"Yes."

"I don't see how you can trust me though…"

"You just promised me-"

"That was affairs of the heart… this is politics. This is a little more serious than just you or me." He states and I know that he is right. I look around us as if looking for a solution, but nothing comes up. "So what do we do then?"

"I don't know. I'm going to have to try and gain their trust and then I'll feed back to you. I will see what's going on. See if it is something untrustworthy."

Even though I say this out loud I know that it is untrustworthy. There would be no other reason that Eric would be out after hours exchanging things. He wouldn't have threatened me and neither would faction members be getting picked off one by one. I just hope that it's not as serious as what I think it is.

"What am I going to do? I have no power." Uriah says and breaks me from my thoughts.

"There is power in knowledge Uriah, use it to your advantage."

"When's your first meeting?"

"Tomorrow," I say now looking back at him.

"Fine… you try and gain their trust and see what's going on. I mean, Eric's always been a psycho, doing stuff like this is probably normal to him, but if something is going on you need to tell Max."

"And if he already knows, we're screwed."

"To put it lightly yes," Uriah nods beginning to walk. "Come on… I don't want to hang around here any longer than we already have. Let's hop over to the Amity sector."

I follow what Uriah says, just so I can offer him a distraction while I mull things over. If I was on my own I'd probably find a place to sit to think out a strategy. We hop the train a couple of stops and jump off near the athletic centre. We scale down the track structure and begin on foot towards the Amity compound. There's a musky scent in the air, as if it is about to rain.

"Why don't you want people knowing?"

"Hmm?" I hum not quite sure what he means.

"About you and Four…"

I wait a few moments before replying. Why don't I want people to know? I have only just realized at the sound of his question that the past few weeks that's all I have been worried about… is others finding out. I am not embarrassed to be with him, if anything he should be embarrassed to be with me. My heart sinks and I know what it is.

"Because I'm insecure. I don't want to make it worse by being judged."

"No one will judge you… heck I think you'll be congratulated," he chuckles and I smile.

"You make Four sound like a trophy," I laugh.

"A big shiny one," Zeke's voice sounds from behind and we spin in our step, guns raised.

"Don't do that!" Me and Uriah chant in unison.

"You two are adorable," Zeke says pushing both our guns down towards the ground. "You two had the same idea then?"

"What do you mean?" Uriah asks.

"Did you not come here to use the pool?"

"I can't say that we did," I say and Uriah pats me on the shoulder.

"But we have now," he says joining his brother in the act.

They head towards the athletics building to the right and walk straight in. I linger in the background, my mind screaming at me to act Dauntless. To follow them. So I do. I jog to catch up, but when I get through the door I find that Zeke is already in the pool and still fully clothed. He'll have to walk back to the faction building like that, but then, I doubt he cares.

"Come on Tris," Zeke sprays water towards me, but I step out the way.

I must be half asleep because as I do step out the way Uriah runs past me with no shirt on and pulls his legs into his chest. He plummets into the pool and in doing so forces a wave of water splintering into the air. I wonder when he had taken his shirt off because I hadn't seen him.

"I'm not getting wet, Uriah come on," I insist. There's a rumble and I look around, not too sure where it has come from and then I hear the familiar sound of rain pattering on the glass windows.

"Even mother nature wants you to relax," Zeke jests and I sigh. He's right I'm going to get wet anyway.

"No," I say putting the gun on my shoulder and beginning to walk away.

"Come on Tris!" Uriah pleads and I pause.

"Aren't you supposed to be on duty tonight?" I ask Zeke and he shrugs, the water rippling around him.

"Yeah, with Four actually," he says and I suddenly become interested. He raises his eyebrows at me and it is matched with his smug smile. "I left him somewhere around the Amity headquarters."

"What a lovely friend you are."

"Stop trying to divert the conversation Tris. Come on… stop taking everything so seriously," he reassures me.

Zeke smiles at me devilishly and in my moment of weakness I succumb to him. I kick off my shoes and drop my gun next to Uriah's. I hear them both cheering me on and before I know it I am breaking through the surface of the water. It is cold and begins to fill my ears, everything becoming deaf tone. As I come back up again they're laughing and I can't help but giggle along with them. Four's shirt sticks to me like glue as I brush the stray hairs from my face.

"See it's not so horrible being a Dauntless," Zeke says breaking into a back stroke.

No it's not.