A/N- you don't know pain until Ed Sheeran is performing 2 nights in Queens, only like 2 and 1/2 hours away (not including traffic) and you aren't able to see him and that's what you want more than anything else in the world.
PLEASE PARENTS! SURPRISE ME WITH TICKETS TOMORROW PLEASE!
sorry about that.
Disclaimer- I own nothing.
"I think the Stiff is going to rank highest." I say to Uriah.
He nods in agreement. "You're probably right. He's easily won all three of his fights, even against Zeke, and his shooting and throwing is absolutely on point. He's the best we have this year."
Uriah and I are currently discussing the current rankings of the initiates. Since there are only twelve initiates, only one will leave for the Factionless after the first stage and the second will leave after the third and final stage.
"I think that Gale might have to leave after this stage." I point out about one of the Erudite transfers. "He still hasn't won any fights and isn't exactly the best at knife throwing and shooting."
"Yeah. It's a shame, though. He is a really nice guy."
"It doesn't matter how nice you are here." I say. "You should know that. You've lived here your whole life."
"It used to be easier." Uriah sighs. "Before Max became leader. He made everything so much harder, like he's building an army, not a society."
I stay silent. "You never know what Gale will do, though." I whisper softly after a moment. "We are having the capture the flag game tonight, aren't we? He might do incredible at that. Our capture the flag game was what kept me in initiation."
"That's because no one but you were badass enough to climb a bloody Ferris wheel and almost die just for a game."
I shrug. "Maybe he will climb a Ferris wheel tonight."
"Honestly, I doubt anyone would be stupid enough to do that."
I slap Uriah's arm.
He puts his hands up in surrender. "Hey, it's true though."
"Shut up."
"Alright, alright. Do you want to start finding people who want to be in the game tonight?"
I nod. "Sure. I'll get Marlene, Lynn, Christina, and Will. You find another few people, okay?"
He nods and we part our ways. I decided to make Uriah go get other people I don't often talk to because he is a lot more social than me. I only talk to the people who sit at our table and the initiates, but both Uriah and I both get the pleasure of waking the initiates from their peaceful sleep at midnight, forcing them to hurry out to play an action game.
I find myself walking to apartment 463, which is Christina and Will's shared apartment. Silently praying that they are not doing anything, I knock on the door, only waiting a few moments before Christina's smiling face opens the door, thankfully fully clothed.
"Hey, Tris! What's up?" She asks.
"Is Will there also?"
"Yeah. Why? What do you need?"
"Uriah and I are having the initiation tradition of capture the flag tonight. You guys in?" I tell her.
Christina squeals. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" She exclaims. "Of course we're in! Capture the flag is clearly the best part of being Dauntless."
I mentally agree, but don't have time to say anything because Will is rushing towards the door.
"Is everything alright?" He asks.
"Capture the flag!" She yells.
"Calm down, babe." Will chuckles. "You're like an excited puppy."
"Puppies are cute." Christina says.
Will kisses her cheek. "Yes. Very cute." He smiles.
I interrupt their conversation. "Can you guys stop being so cute? I still need to find Marlene and Lynn."
"Okay. We'll come with you. I'll be back in a minute." Christina rushes back inside the apartment, probably to change out of her black dress and heels, and into a pair of black jeans, a t shirt, and sneakers, like a normal Dauntless.
"Want to come inside while we wait for her?" Will offers.
"Sure." I nod, accepting Will's invitation.
Will and I have a normal conversation for about five minutes, until Christina is ready to leave.
"Let's go!" She announces, excitedly.
"Literally, Uriah isn't even this hyper about this and you guys know how he gets." I say, referencing to last year when Uriah was so excited for the capture the flag game that he ran around the compound naked while screaming about the game to everyone he passed. After his team won the game, unfortunately beating mine, he went back to his apartment and got so drunk he missed the first half of the morning training the next day. That is why this year, we decided that the game would be on the night after we finished the las day of the first stage of initiation.
"She's bad, but not that bad." Will says after debating with himself for a moment.
"Today she is." I point out. "He didn't seem extremely crazy about it when we were talking about the rankings before."
"That's odd. Maybe that he's finally started dating Marlene, he's finally come to his senses and has sort of gotten a brain." Christina guesses.
I laugh. "Maybe. Now let's go find Marlene." I rush Christina and Will out of their apartment and a few doors down, to where Marlene's apartment is.
I knock on the door and wait a minute with no reply. I knock again with the same results. No one is at Lynn's apartment either.
"She's probably down in the Pit." Will suggests.
"Let's go."
We walk down to the action filled Pit, looking for Marlene or Lynn's familiar faces somewhere in the large crowd. The face I immediately recognize though, is not Marlene or Lynn's. I see Tobias, walking out of the tattoo parlor. He must've just gotten a tattoo.
"Hey guys," I nudge Christina with my elbow. "Can you guys keep looking for them and bring them to Uriah so we can get ready to start the game when you do? I'll be right back."
I see Christina nod out of the corner of my eye and I drift off, through the crowd over to where Tobias is walking, in the direction back to the initiates dormitory.
"Stiff!" I call out, careful to not use his real name.
Tobias stops walking and turns in the direction of my voice. "Hey, Tris." He greets me when I get close enough to him.
"How are you?" I ask. We haven't had a real conversation since that one night where neither of us were capable of sleep. We walk over to the side where we can have a private place to speak, away from all of the people.
"I'm alright. Better than usual." He mutters the last part under his breath, but I still hear it. "Initiation is pretty tough."
"You're doing incredible at it though."
Tobias shrugs. "I guess. I just can't stand the thought of not having a fraction." He mutters something else again, but I don't hear it this time.
"What?" I ask.
"Nothing." He quickly covers it up. "How've you been? How's life as a trainer?"
"It's pretty good. Can you keep a secret that I'm not supposed to let any of the initiates know yet?"
"Go ahead. I'm good at secrets."
"Be awake at midnight. We are having the annual capture the flag game tonight."
"Capture the flag?" He asks in confusion.
"It's like paintball, kind of. There are two teams and we have to basically try to capture the other teams flag with minimally getting hit with a paintball. It's not that hard. I'm sure Uriah will explain it in more detail later." I explain.
Tobias nods. "If we're on the topic of secrets, can I tell you something?"
I nod. "Of course."
"I was talking to Caleb before." He says. "It looks like him and Spencer might get together."
I clap my hands together excitedly and squeal a little, feeling like I've spent way too much time with Christina as soon as I do. Whatever. "Awe, my baby brother might get his first boyfriend! That's so cute!" I exclaim.
"You knew he was gay?"
"Of course. We were really close back in Abnegation. We told each other everything. Unless he got a secret boyfriend after I left." I shrug. "Either way, that is so freaking cute. I don't exactly trust Spencer, but I do trust Caleb's judgements."
Tobias chuckles at my excitement. "Calm down." He smiles a beautiful smile, with a laugh.
I catch a glimpse of the clock on the wall. "I've got to go now, Tobias. Uriah's going to be thinking I got myself killed or something." I sadly have to end our conversation, noticing that I am running late.
Instead of saying a goodbye, Tobias pulls me into a hug. I practically melt into his touch, feeling instant comfort and safety in his strong arms. I wrap my small arms around him and hug him back.
"I'll see you later, Tris." He whispers, letting me go.
I wave goodbye, smiling to myself over what just happened.
A/N- I hope you guys liked that chapter.
also, mattsmithfangirl wants me to start becoming a smut writer. Can you please all let her know that me becoming a smut writer would be an awful idea?
