When Factions Collide
Chapter 12: Wren
So protective of me, like my mother used to be. I knew it was all in good favour, and I loved that he cared so much, but my injuries weren't as bad as he thought, he was just thinking the worst. Of course, I knew they would bruise. But the physical scars weren't going to be as bad as the verbal scars I got from Caroline.
"Whore, trying to steal my life away from me, my boyfriend, my friends. No one will ever like you, especially not Theo, so do him a favour and stop pretending that he does." she whispered when we fought. That sent me into a rage, but when I got back to Theo's room, I had to stop and think about it for a little bit. Of course he cared, I know he did. I didn't think he was lying to me, I didn't think he was that bad, Mels said he was telling the truth. But what if he was so good that he was able to get past everyone? He was tested for Candor, but he knew how to lie as well, that's why he picked Dauntless. But no, he felt something for me. It took me an hour to get over what she said.
Not even after an hour was I ready to deal with Caroline. I would most likely kill myself. Or her. Or him. Most likely the two latter choices. I would never really try to kill myself, Theo would miss me too much. Or so I hoped. Really, my problem was with the fact that Caroline just hated me from the start. She never gave me a chance, never got to know me. She never even said hi to me once. So my question became why she hated me so much, just for coming from Abnegation. Caroline was being stuck up about the whole situation. I shook it off, my temper rising again. Hopefully training would end early and Theo would come back up. I never got the chance to wait for Theo, I fell asleep too quickly.
At around six, I was up and ready to go down. He must have stayed down there for the rest of training. Maybe he just wanted to talk to some other people, or maybe he was fed up with me for fighting, now he probably thought I was too violent for fighting Caroline. Her doubts penetrated my mind, but I steeled myself and went down for dinner without Theo by me.
I saw Mels, Payton, Bri, Nate, and Isaac, but still no Theo. So I brushed it off and went to sit down with them, grabbing food and stuffing myself.
"For someone who put up a hell of a lot in a fight, you don't show for it. You still look good." Mels looked at me with her half black eye.
"My face may be okay," aside from minor bruising, but I didn't mention that, "But my ribs are like hell. They almost burn." It was true, they were really bad. I wouldn't be wearing anything sheer for a while. They laughed, but I didn't. First of all, I couldn't or I would start the pain again, and that was just going away. Second, I didn't consider my pain a laughing matter.
I spotted a lull in the conversation and got the chance to ask. "Where's Theo?"
"I thought he went looking for you. He went back to his room, assumed you would be there."
"When?"
"Right after training he took off, about five minutes ago." Oh. Well. Didn't I feel stupid for thinking about what Caroline said. In fact, he was just buzzing around trying to make sure I was okay. "In fact," Payton continued, "Here he comes now."
"Where were you?" he jogged to meet me at the table.
"I was in the room, and then I came down to eat." I looked back at my food and laughed with my friends. I don't know why I was so blasé, probably just the doubts again. Damn Caroline. He walked away, nodding and sort of shaking his head and laughing good-naturedly about my stubbornness.
I looked at the end of the table and saw Adam sitting alone. He looked seemingly complacent without Caroline there, almost relieved to not have to talk to her. I decided to take my chance and strike him while he was already down.
"Where's the girlfriend?" I asked innocently, the others at my table watching to see where I was going with this.
"Look, if you're here to make me feel like shit, it worked a long time ago. I'm sorry." Adam looked up with me with fear and something else, maybe regret.
I smiled cruelly, with faux kindness. "You think that's it, and I'll forgive you? Just like that? Why would I ever make you feel bad, the way your girlfriend did to me? I'm not an ass. I'm just being considerate and asking where she is, because you look lonely. Consider it an Abnegation thing."
"She's still hurt. Apparently it's a bruised rib." Poor baby, her poor rib.
"Maybe if she actually did what she was supposed to do, eat, and train, then she would get somewhere with fighting." I did that to her, I bruised her. I felt no guilt.
"Maybe. But all I know is that I don't believe anything she told me about you. You've got to believe me, I defend you."
"She says what about me? She's known me for five days. What could she possibly have to say? She's never even talked to me."
"She was Erudite though, so she must have some intuition," he shrugged, "I still don't believe her."
That was it. She may not have been there but he was the next best thing that I could use to show him, and her, how wrong they both were about me. I was not just a "Stiff" anymore, I washed my hands of that old life. I took on a new Dauntless life. I didn't see what happened next, but I felt my hand smack across his face, leaving a mark and stinging my own hand a bit.
"Get out. Screw you. I don't care if you wanted to defend me, you took the time to at least consider that she might be right. Where is the trust, the friendship in that, Amity?" I started walking away.
"You were cut out for Dauntless, Wren. We weren't. But we're trying to fit in. Give us that."
"Not even close." I walked out of the Pit.
I walked-no, ran- back to the dorms instead of to Theo's. I wasn't even sure he wanted to see me. I took his jacket and wrapped it around me, and laid down on my bed. I wasn't even sure initiation was worth it, although I knew I was being melodramatic at the time. It just wasn't fair to have someone hate me for no reason, much less to have them talk about me. I never did anything to her, she just wanted to talk badly about my faction. My ex faction really.
I don't know how long I slept before I woke up to the smell of Theo, my head on his chest, and his hand running through my hair. I also didn't realise I had been crying, but I felt my cheeks and they were dry, with the feeling of dried tears on them. How did he know where I was? There were literally no boundaries for the Dauntless, I didn't know how he would think to come here, none of the others were here, and they didn't tell him. We were the only two in here.
"Hey, beautiful." he looked down on me.
"Theo, why are you here?"
"I got worried about you, and I wanted to come check up on you. When I saw that you were upset, I sat down with you."
"What?" I faintly remember curling up with him, but I thought it was a dream where I was just half asleep. "I thought that was just me dreaming."
"Nope. What's up?"
"Caroline is trying to talk shit." I mumbled into his chest.
"She's what?" he sounded alarmed.
"And I slapped Adam, ran here, and started crying." I started remembering bits and pieces.
"Tomorrow, we fight for the last time this week. I'll make sure to get her killed."
"No, don't put me with her, please."
"Well, no promises, Isaac's making up the schedule, but she will be pummeled, that I can make sure of."
"Okay."
"What did she say to you?"
"When?"
"In the fight, what did she say?"
"She accused me of trying to steal Adam, and that you don't want to even put up with me."
"You know that's not true, right? I love having you around. I love having you. I love you."
"Yeah, I know, but it just kind of got to me, since I'm not used to the whole thing and whatnot."
"Just know that I will never give up on you."
I nodded and he went back to stroking my hair, his other arm wrapped around me. I smiled complacently, I enjoyed the attention, I really did. It was nice being cared about, it was nice knowing that Theo actually did care.
We spent the rest of our time together like that, but he left around eleven before the initiates started getting back. He kissed me long and hard, his lips crashing down on mine. They were so soft, but they kept their form as mine shaped around his.
"I really do love you, Wren. He tilted my chin up and broke away only for a moment, getting a glimpse of my eyes.
"I do too. It's just-"
"Hard for you to say. I know. It takes a lot of courage for me to say it too. When you're ready." he smiled and kissed me again.
"But give it to me straight, how awful do I look?" I was sure the crying probably impacted my eyeliner a little bit, and I know my hair had to be sticking out.
"All in all, not too bad." he chuckled and wiped a bit of eyeliner from the side.
"Good."
"Oh, and heads up, we'll be coming in about two AM to get you guys up. Paintball. Get some more sleep."
"Can't I come with you?"
He stood, pondering for a moment. "Yeah sure, I guess, as long as Peter doesn't see you. Grab some stuff. And take my jacket." he threw it to me. I grabbed black jeans and a shirt that covered up a lot of skin, one of the cheaper ones I got, so I could at least have a little bit of Abnegation left. I took my sweats as well, grabbed a bag to put them all in, and headed out the door with Theo.
"Maybe you should invest in buying some more clothes and leaving them at my place." he looked at my bag with a strange look. I saw and put my head down, maybe he didn't want me staying with him all the time. "No, I don't mean it like that, I just mean it would be easier. And you would have more selection."
"And I wouldn't be stealing your clothes all the time." I added.
He smirked. "You look nice in my clothes."
We got into the apartment and crashed into bed, getting under the covers quickly. It wasn't like that, but I wanted to experience the essence of the good Dauntless bedding rather than the sheets they gave us in the dorms. I slept soundly until Peter woke us up.
AN: They're cute! Adam and Caroline are petty, but I needed a target for some fighting and some conflict...until we get to even more conflict. So thanks for reading and whatnot, I will never stop thanking you! Keep going, there's like eight more left!
