Tobias P.O.V
I stab the punching bag with a vengeance,pleased to see how it swings back on its chain. A few days ago I could barely move it,but now,after much practice and a few handy tips from Tris,I have improved in leaps and bounds.
I think back to the last couple of days. The morning after our fateful trip to the Erudite compound, I was in a pathetic condition. Christina, whom I was up against that morning, had beaten me in about twenty seconds flat,but not before leaving me a lovely black eye.
Tris had come over to me that night at dinner, and offered me the fighting lesson that we never ended up having.
At first,I was still hesitant to hurt people,especially after Tris suggested that I practice some choke holds on her. But eventually the thought of getting kicked out of Dauntless and having to stay with the Factionless won out,though my views of the Factionless have changed considerably in the past few days. That night we practiced till into the early hours of the morning,despite the fact that both of us were still sleep deprived from the last night and my chest was aching like someone was crushing me in a death grip.
I still lost the next day though,to Molly who managed to land a lucky blow right where I had been shot. But last night we practiced again,and I actually managed to land some punches at Tris. But it turned out I would have won anyway,no matter what,because I was up against Katniss,who despite the fact that she could have certainly kicked my butt
lost to me like a scared little girl. I don't really understand this supposed strategy of hers,but it has getting in succeeded in Eric getting interested in her. He had asked both of us to meet him tonight. I declined,of course,but Katniss agreed of course.
"You're a natural," says Tris from somewhere behind me,her voice approving."If you manage to win tomorrow, like you did today,I think you'll make it."
I turn around and face her with a smile. Tris has dressed simply today,in a black tank top and workout pants, and has put her hair up in a surprisingly Abnegation-like bun.
She looks beautiful as always,and she has been consecutively winning all her fights.
"I think we are done for today,'she says "we might want to leave this chain intact for tomorrow."
I laugh at her silly joke and pull her in for a kiss,feeling her body melt into mine as she wraps her arms around my neck sighing with contentment. The two of us fit together perfectly,almost a if we were made for each other and it is only with great reluctance that I pull us apart.
"We need to get back" I tell her, unable to take my eyes off her face. "and make sure that Katniss is fine."
Tris nods at that,and links our hands together as we wordlessly make our way back to the dormitories.
Katniss hasn't really been at her best these past few days. Along with everything that she has to deal with,being a spy and all,something transpired between Gale and her that night. They haven't been talking to each other since,both of them moping around looking forlorn .
We pause for a final chaste kiss before making our way back to our respective dormitories,and as I silently creep into our dorm I find that Katniss is already there,sitting with Peeta on his bed. Both of them are talking in hushed whispers,their heads bent together .Eric's bed is still conspicuously empty and surprisingly, so is Gale's,Peter's and Molly's. If this means that the four of them are hanging out together,then this is certainly a troubling development. A few others are still sleeping soundly.
I don't know both of them all that well,but Christina has quickly become a good friend of Tris,if the number to shopping trips that they have taken together is anything to go by.
I make my way over to Peeta's bed and clear my throat. Both of them jerk apart instinctively,Peeta managing to bash his head against the wall in the process.
He looks up at me in annoyance, rubbing his head simultaneously. " 's just you." he mutters with a grunt,and Katniss scoots towards Peeta making some room for me.
I sit down as quietly as I can, wincing as the rusty bed springs creak.
"What happened?" I demand quietly.
"Well Eric wants me to do his dirty work." says Katniss,with distaste in her tone.
"What do you mean?" I inquire. "What could be that bad?"
"Well he wants me to go and get some footage from the surveillance room," she replies glumly. "Footage from Abnegation meetings and from the factionless areas. I don't think that Ev- err,my boss would like that."
I don't miss her slip up,but I let it pass by.'
There is a sudden creaking sound. We all hold our breaths for a moment,fearing the worst,and then Christina turns in her sleep,muttering something about moths.
Katniss lets out a little chortle of laughter and we all sigh out in relief.
"Eric was pissed you didn't show up," says Peeta,giving me a stern look.
"I think you had better watch out," adds Katniss,throwing blondie a grateful look. "I think its safer that you don't piss him off entirely"
"I don't really want to get involved in any of this crap," I growl."The only thing that I really care about is staying in Initiation."
"Ah but you see,this really does involve you staying in initiation," comes a voice from behind me. Goosebumps cover my arms and I feel as if someone has dumped a bucket of ice cold water over me as I slowly turn around to see the greasy git himself staring at me.
Well,hell.
There's something about his face that looks odd though .Even his voice sounds weird,like he is speaking through a wad of cotton.
"What do you want Eric?" I ask him through clenched teeth.
"Well I'm sure Katniss here told you,Stiff." says Eric casually."There's going to be a war. Wouldn't you like to be on the winning side?"
"Who says I have to pick a side?" I demand angrily.
"Well you don't,really," snaps back Eric. "You can choose to do this voluntarily or involuntarily."
Peeta opens his mouth to interfere,but I silence him with a wave of my hand.I can feel the anger bubbling up within me,threatening to spill out. Its time I begin to fight back.
"Are you threatening me?!" I demand,standing up and grabbing Eric by his collar.
I can now see a glint of metal on his lip. That is why he sounds weird. A piercing.
For a brief instant I think I see fear flash across his pale blue eyes but it might just be a trick of the ligt.
"Just be careful who you tangle with,four," he whispers silkily. "Otherwise bad things might happen. Just between us,right?"
And with that,he turns away and walks out of the door.
Peeta, Katniss and I stare at each other dumbly.
"What on earth did he mean by that?" I ask Katniss,who hasn't said or done anything ever since Eric came into the room.
"Well Haymitch told me something like that," she says,her brow crinkling."He said something about they eliminate unnecessary competition. You do realise that in order for me to get into the next stage of elimination someone has to go out?"
"Are you saying Four is the someone who will go out?" asks Peeta, understaning dawning in his eyes.
"I'm afraid so," says Katniss,biting on the inside of our cheek. "Hopefully that isn't the case though."
None of us feel like talking anymore,so we just decide to go to bed.
My dreams,as always are occupied by my father flogging me mercilessly till I wake up panting on friday morning.
The room is empty save Will and Christina,the latter laughing flirtatiously at something Will is saying. I make my way over to the bathroom,which is luckily empty and after a quick shower I head to the breakfast area.
I find Tris sitting with Katniss and Peeta,both of whom are presumably filling her in on the events of last night.I grab myself some toast,generously cover it with chocolate spread and make my way over to their table,sliding in next to Tris,who gives me a peck on the cheek.
"Are you okay?" she asks,her blue eyes filled with concern.
'"Yeah," I say gruffly. "I'll be fine once I beat the crap of whoever is up against me today."
Tris and Peeta laugh. "That's the spirit," says Tris,toasting me with her glass of juice."Here's to hoping it's Eric."
We all laugh,save Katniss,who for some reason is looking extremely preoccupied. She keeps staring at the table behind us. I turn around to see Gale,sitting and laughing with Peter,Molly and...Eric.
I nudge Tris,and with a gesture with my head towards Gale's table. Her face drops open in an 'o' and she looks back in Katniss,who looks utterly miserable.
"Screw him" says Tris. "Peeta's much better".
Both Peeta and Katniss blush,but the mood becomes considerably lighter.
After a while Marlene and Uriah sit down and start joking around with Tris and Peeta,while Katniss and I tune them out.
Once we are finally in the Training room,I see a board in a corner with all our names and rankings. To my dismay, Katniss and I are second and third from the bottom respectively, just behind Albert. Peeta is on number three, behind Edward and Eric, having won all his fights after loosing the first one to Eric.
When Amar shows up and finally reveals the pairings,it is with a sense of glee that I notice that my name has been chalked up next to Eric's. It seems like Fate. And Katniss has been paired up with Gale. This is certainly going to be awkward.
The first few fights go off pretty uneventfully. I sit in a corner,staring at looks pretty terrible,actually,with dark circles under his eyes. His hair is overlong and greasy as usual,and frames his sallow face in two lank curtains. I wonder what has got his so dejected.
Finally,its our turn.I make my way to the ring,and stand facing Eric. He has been using the same tricks that he had initially been using with Peeta on day one,and it's n owonder that his name is the first one on the board.
But I have a plan to beat him.
Amar blows his whistle to indicate the start of the fight. For a moment we both stand silently facing one another,before Eric makes his move,quick as a whip. His arm shoots forward,fingers outstretched.
Katniss explained to me what he had been doing a few days aimed for certain nerve clusters,through which he could incapacitate a person temporarily by deadening sensation in that limb. If he missed however,in theory,then his blow would be pretty much useless,though it would still hurt. I quickly feint to my right,and he ends up jabbing my chest,which does hurt but still leaves me in control of my limbs. I quickly drop down,rolling behind him. Eric tries to kick out at me,but I grab his leg and pull him falls down and I quickly make my move as I pin him down,restraining his his bony wrists with my left hand,and I punch him in his stupid face repeatedly,probably giving him two black eyes and some broken teeth.
But Eric doesn't pass out,and with a surprising show of strength he breaks free of my grip and pushes me off. Pain sears through my chest,and for a moment everything is fuzzy. I blink blearily,just in time to see Eric lunge at me. For a moment there is pain,and as I stand up painfully, I realise that my left hand is hanging down limply at my side,unresponsive to my brain's commands. Without thinking, I hurl myself bodily at Eric,squashing him under my weight.
For a moment,all I can feel is simmering anger,anger at Eric,my Father,the Erudite and I just let go. Without thinking,I simply start pummeling him,unaware of everything. At some point of time, Eric flashes me a crooked grin,not even attempting to fight back, his bottom tooth missing,and he spits out a mouthful of blood at me. I am vaguely aware of someone screaming,and I feel hands pulling me away from Eric's body,which has now gone limp.
"Enough,Four," says Amar- he's the one who pulled me away,and is looking at me with concern. "You've won."
But looking at his prone body, I don't feel particularly ecstatic. I feel like my father now.
I make my way silently towards my place at the back. Will claps me on my back on my way back. I watch silently as Katniss makes her way into the circle. Peeta, having already won his fight against Albert,makes his way over and its down next to me wordlessly.
Once the match starts, however,both of them simply stare at each other expressionlessly,until gale finally breaks down and opens his mouth.
"I'm sorry," he whispers brokenly as he steps forward and punches her in the gut.
Katniss staggers back,and its obvious that she is going to step out of the circle so that she can continue her loosing streak. However, much to my surprise, she steps forward and delivers the most vicious blow that I have ever seen on Gale's face.
"I'm sorry too, Gale." she says tonelessly,and then proceeds to do a number on him,before Gale can react,finally ending with a vicious kick that sends him literally flying out of the circle.
"Remind me never to upset her." says Christina,with awe in her voice, as Katniss simply steps out of the ring and walks out of the room.
Amar looks over at us and shrugs, and Peter and Albert are assigned to the unpleasant task of dragging Gale and Eric to the infirmary.
When the days training is over, Peeta and I make our way towards the exit.
The rest of the day passes by uneventfully,with no sign of Katniss. We fill in Tris on the days happenings during lunch. Finally its time for dinner, and the three of us are immediately surrounded by Uriah,Marlene,Christina,Will and a reluctant looking Lynn, all of whom want to to know the juicy details about Katniss and my fight with Eric.
Luckily Tris answers all the questions,and at around ten thirty I decide to make my way back to the dormitory. As I pass by the chasm, I see Katniss curled into a ball, the sound of her sobbing hidden by the roar of the river.
I make my way over to her and sit down next to her, awkwardly on her shoulder in what I hope is a soothing manner as she cries herself out.
Finally after a good twenty minutes she wipes her eyes with the back of her hand and stands up shakily.
"Come with me," she commands as she grabs me by the arm and literally marches me to the train platform.
"Where are we going?" I ask confusedly.
Katniss turns around to look at me,with an intense look in her eyes.
"We're going to see your mother,Tobias."
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