For her friends, she'll be strong until they get their final rankings and when she's alone in her alcove she'll let herself break down over the friends she's lost, over the memories she's had to relive and over – hopefully – how she's made it into Dauntless.
By dinner Issy couldn't stop shaking. Whenever she sat down her knee constantly bounced, shaking the seat she was on and other furniture near her, annoying those around her. Even when she walked around the compound to kill time she had her hands fisted, willing them to stop. Flare had found her near the training rooms and told her it was time. Flare laced her fingers with Issy's and squeezed reassuringly. Issy squeezed back, biting her lip as they sped to the cafeteria. Her friends were all pilled onto one table again and her older brothers and their friends pilled onto the table behind them. Flare sat down and Issy sat between her and Alec with Lilah on the other side of him and Noah, Bree and Cody opposite them.
With a sad smile on her face Issy looks over the people that mostly started of as strangers who evolved into friends and some, siblings. Hector, the joker, always up for a laugh and a prank. Crystal, a good listener, happy to help. Luke, sly but funny, always has a sexual joke up his sleeves. Flare, sassy as, up for any challenge. Meg, troublesome and a brilliant mind for prank making. Charlie, a great story teller to keep the mood in high spirits. Sam, with an infectious smile that she can't help to mirror. Lilah, one that's quickly grown into someone Issy can trust and maybe even a sister-in-law in the future, Issy thinks with a cheeky grin as she watches Alec wrap an arm round Lilah's shoulders. Kayden, they had a rough start at first but now she along with Alec are happy to call him her brother. Cody, one of her best friends since she was little, and her fellow pranker. Noah, looks tough on the outside but a real softie within, Issy is glad Bree has someone like that by her side. Bree, her sister in all but blood, she always can see through the walls Issy builds around herself and can always break them back down again. And finally Alec. Brother by blood, heart and soul. Her best friend from birth 'til forever. Issy honestly wouldn't know what she'd do if Alec had stayed in Erudite or had gone to another faction. She daren't think of a world without her twin close by. She doesn't want to part with any of them, but the four folder drawings in her pocket remind her that she must. She laces her free hand with Alec's, smiling somberly up at him and resting her head on his shoulder.
Silence falls in the room and eyes dart up to where Max is stood with the other Leaders close behind. Eric stands to his left, leaning a hand on the metal fence as his sharp eyes look over the crowd. The Erudites, Issy notices, are no longer with the Leaders and she feels a pang in her chest from not being able to talk to her mum.
Max tiredly rubs his face. "It appears this year we'll be doing something differently. Something has happened that has never happened before." Murmurs break through the crowds and Max puts a hand up to silence them. Flare and Alec squeeze Issy's hand and she squeezes back equally hard. "During the final test initiates are marked on how they face their fears, how many fears they have and by their time. Their rankings of Stage One and Two are also taken into account but as the member will know the rankings before their fear landscape doesn't always matter." Max sighs as he looks through the sea of black. "This year two initiates happen to have made it through the final test with the same timings. Not only that, but they have the same amount of fears as well. Myself, the other Leaders and the instructors could not find a way to differentiate between how they faced their fears so therefore, there'll be eleven initiates this year." Multiple gasps come from the initiates. 'Eleven initiates?!' That means only three of them would be leaving. Shocked looks are exchanged around the table and Issy looks back to Declan on the table behind her equally shocked. "Tomorrow those eleven members will chose their career and have the weekend off, starting their new jobs on Monday. With that being said," Max continues with a smirk spreading across his features. "To those of you that made it, congratulations." The members around them shout their own 'congratulations', pounding their fists and cups on to the table and stomping their boots against the ground. The rankings appear moments later on the board.
There are loud shouts and whoops from the table, so loud that Issy can't concentrate. Bree shouts her name with glee and Alec pushes her shoulder with his.
"I told you it wasn't a challenge!" He shouts in her ear, laughing. When Issy finds her name on the board she understands why.
1 – Issy
2 – Alec
3 – Hector
4 – Lilah
5 – Luke
6 – Cody
7 – Noah
8 – Bree
9 – Flare
10 – Kayden, Sam
–
11 – Crystal
12 – Charlie
13 – Meg
The three that are to be cut exchange glances but celebrate for those that made it. Issy stands up from the table and pulls Charlie, Meg and Crystal into a hug, slipping one of the folded drawings into their pockets. "To remember us and the life you spent here with us by." Watery smiles were given in response. The four nearly fell over when a force push them to the side. Meg laughed as their friends joined them in a group hug. Soon enough Four and Lynn came along with three packs.
"It's time." Despite the loudness of the room, the space between the fourteen of the feels quiet. They tightened their hug before letting go and giving their farewells one by one. The new members watch as Four leads them from the room.
"Hey Meg!" Alec shouts and she turns back. "We'll be using that list very soon."
She grins. "You better!" With one final grin Meg turns and leaves the room.
"For them." Sam says, staring to where their friends disappeared. "We'll live life to the fullest for them."
Claps and cheering pulled them all out of their private bubble. Members they didn't even know slapped them on the back, congratulating them, swarming them. Issy, being not yet used to the enthusiasm of Dauntless, squeezed Bree's hand and threw a look to Alec through the chaos. Its getting too much. I'll meet you all in the Pit in a bit. Alec nodded, reading the words in his sister's eyes as clear as if she spoke them in her ear. Issy weaved her way through the crowds until she came to the quietness of the hallway and she allowed her feet to take her to the Chasm and to her small nook in the wall.
Despite what she felt earlier, she can't find the tears to cry. Issy runs her hands over her face as she paces and chokes out a disbelieving laugh. A few hours ago she was ready to break down to tears until her throat was raw but now, now she's shocked. The reality of her ranking had only just come through. First. And now she has to decide her career.
Someone clears their throat and Issy stops in her tracks. She looks to the entrance of the alcove and there stands Eric with an amused smirk on his face. 'How long has he stood there for?' Issy and Eric stare at one another for a moment and Eric's smirk deepens.
"Finished?" Issy nods silently as he walks further into the alcove and closer to Issy. "I'd expected you to be with your brothers and friends in the Pit but you weren't." He lets his statement hang in the air for a moment before carrying on. "Not regretting your transfer, are you?" His tone is baiting as is his eyes and Issy can't help but fall into his trap.
"No!" She snarls while Eric grins gleefully as the golden fire flares in her eyes. "It's just – It was –" Issy finds herself lost for words. How does she explain it? She can't find the words to even begin to word it.
Eric's face softens. "Too loud." He whispers, understanding laced through his words. Issy nods and begins to play with her sleeves. "Congratulations on ranking first Issy."
She beams up at him. "Thank you." Memories throughout initiation rise in her head and she remembers the times he was there for her, how her cared for her after shitty sims, their moments. Eric had just turned to go when she called him back. "Eric, thank you." Issy poured it all into those two words, hopefully he understood. Quickly, so she couldn't over think it, Issy closes the gap between them and presses her lips to his. A second later she rips herself from him, evading the outstretched arm to pull her back and swiftly walks from the Chasm with her cheeks on fire.
Keeping her head down, she sped through the hallways until she entered the Pit while she tried to keep her mind off how warm his lips felt against hers, how soft they felt. A new wave of heat flared through her body and gathered in her cheeks. Issy quickly spotted her friends and zoned into three of them. She almost sprinted across the room to them and continued to walk past them, not even pausing when Issy grabbed Bree's arm and pulled her along. Letting out a surprised yelp, Bree grabbed onto Flare's arm and in turn, Flare grabbed onto Lilah's arm. Issy pulled them from the Pit and pulled them into a clothes shop near by. She didn't let go until they were deep within the store and alone.
"I kissed Eric." Issy blurted out and immediately clapped her hands over her mouth. She could feel the blush descend to her neck as the girls squealed and clapped. "Nothing like that!" She quickly said, knowing exactly what they were thinking. "Just a quick peck."
"Let me guess," Flare drawled with a devious grin. "You just high-tailed it outta there, didn't you." Issy bowed her and nodded slowly. "How the hell are you meant to know how he thought of it if you didn't give him chance to?"
"Hey, leave off." Lilah shoved Flare playfully and gestured to the store around her. "She'll find out tonight while she teases him in the Pit. Hell, have a few spins on the dance floor with Luke or Sam and he might just carry you out."
Issy manages to relax and laugh with her friends as her mischievous streak blazed in her eyes. "I can do teasing." With a laugh, the four raided the racks around them until they found something for all of them for their celebration party.
xXx
Issy, Bree, Flare and Lilah stand in the Dauntless born dorms ready for the night ahead. It was agreed earlier in the day that the girls would be in the Dauntless borns' dorms and the boys would get ready in the transfers. Lilah shyly admitted to the girls that when she was telling the plan of teasing Eric all the other boys overheard and are now in on the plan. Issy and Bree laughed, waving it away and begun to explain how Sam is using her to impress a girl he likes and in return he'd help her to tease Eric.
Issy was impressed with what Flare suggested she'd wear after Issy made it clear she wouldn't wear a dress or skirt. Issy wore a black crop top with Fuck This Shit in graffiti text on that showed of the tattoos on her hips, waist, ribs and lower back nicely, a pair of distressed dark grey jeans that clung to every curve she had like a second skin and her combat boots. After she was dressed, Lilah pulled Issy over to her a proceeded to style Issy's hair. Lilah kept it down and ruffled it up sexily. Issy was instructed by Lilah to keep ruffling up throughout the night just to keep that oomphf, as Lilah said before pushing her in Bree's direction.Bree kept her makeup to a minimum and Issy ended up with dark grey shadowed eyelids and a matt nude lipstick. Issy watched with a grin as the trio then got themselves ready. Both Lilah and Bree got dressed into black dresses and Flare wore jeans and a tank with a tribal skull.
Flare started to wave her hands in front of her face, smirking at Issy as Bree giggles. "Damn girl. You're making me all hot n' bothered and I don't even swing that way."
In response Issy sticks her tongue out at them and they laugh. Just for the occasion Issy bought a new stud for her piercing and this time it was white with Bite Me in bold black text.
Giggling, they walked out of the room with heads held high and devilish grins on their faces. Lilah walks at the front of the group with Bree to her left and Issy and Flare following close behind Men and women alike stopped to stare as they walked by. The girls laughed again and Issy's golden eyes gleamed in the darkness. As they strode into the bar where Lilah said they'd meet the boys, people began to move out of the way while whistling as Flare led them to where their friends were sat with Issy's older brothers and their friends. Declan himself whistled at them when they came closer and sat down. Bree winked at her sister when Issy sat in front of Eric with Declan to his left.
"Dressing to impress, dear sister?"
Issy can feel Eric's burning gaze on her as an impish grin covers her face. "Nah." Declan grins, winking at her and slides a glass of whiskey to her. She takes a sip as she looks around the table. Four and Tris are to one side talking quietly and Zeke sits to Eric's right chattering with Flare, Lilah and Bree and the others are currently dancing. She allows her eyes to finally move over to Eric and she smirks over the rim of her glass. Eric swallows several times as his hand grips a bottle.
Before he can say anything though, Issy is dragged on the dance floor by Bree. "I swear he literally just sat there and fucked you in his mind!" Bree whispered in her ear while they headed into the middle to the floor where all her friends are. Issy laughs with her friends as she relaxes into the music, moving her body sensationally to the beat. Hands gently pull at her waist and Sam laughs in her ear as she winks at Eric when the pair lightly grind into each other. Issy feels powerful when Eric's eyes narrow and he begins to stand up. Those that are still on the table grin knowingly at each other, sending winks and thumbs up in her direction. She looks back to Sam to find him staring at a women with pastel orange hair and brown eyes on the edge of the floor. Issy and Sam exchanges a look before spinning from each other, Sam saunters in the direction of his girl and Issy heads to the bar. It takes a moment before she feels the familiar body heat behind her and the large hand the grabs her hip. Without even acknowledging him, she orders another whiskey. His grip tightens as his mouth brushes against the shell of her ear.
"What are you doing?" Issy enjoys how rough his voice is and decides to play with him for longer.
She spins in his hold and leans against the bar, staring into his dark eyes. "Ordering a drink. Why? Did you want one?"
He replaces his hands on her hips and moves even closer, caging her in. "You know exactly what I mean."
Issy taps a finger to her chin in thought before staring at him innocently through her lashes. "Do I?" Eric growls. The rumble comes from deep within his chest and it sends shivers down her spine. Her eyes shine brighter but darken a shade at the same time. "I did promise Sam a dance. . ." Issy ghosts her fingers over his chest and his muscles tighten. ". . .Now that I think about it, I did promise them all a dance too." Without giving him chance to respond she ducks underneath his arm, adding a slight swing to her hips. Issy hears him groan and mumble something and Issy can't stop grinning. She walks past their table, waving her fingers at them and she gets several laughs and whistles from them, though mainly from Declan and Hugo who must have appeared when she was distracted. Towards the corner of the bar stands Hec, Cody and Luke.
"I believe I promised y'all a dance." Issy says, looking prominently at Luke. Luke looked at Hec and then to something over her shoulder, she had a feeling it was who it was and she grinned.
"What the heck," He gives his bottle to Hec. "I might loose more than a hand but it's worth it." Luke made an obvious show of checking her out before pulling her onto the dance floor. They dance wilder than she did with Sam. No matter what she did, Issy could always feel his gaze on her. A hand spun her away from Luke and she came face to face with Alec.
As the night wore on she had danced with most of the boys in her class. She had said the same to Alec the second time she danced with him. Alec had laughed, saying that he'd be around somewhere. Alec had also pointed out that no matter who she danced with, even if it was him, Eric would be burning holes into their arms that were around her. She was currently dancing with Flare and as Issy turned mid-laugh she spotted Kayden in the shadows of the room with a bottle in one hand, watching around him but not entirely focused. Issy nudged Flare in Kayden's direction and they shared a look. They skipped over to him and once they were close enough Issy took his bottle out of his hand and replaced it with her own while Flare grabbed his free hand and begin to drag him over. Most of their friends laugh as he tries to get away.
"Oh no! No! I don't dance!" He tries tugs them back but it doesn't work. Instead he leans back like a dead weight.
"Oh c'mon!" Flare tugs a little harder. "We've passed initiation! You've passed initiation! We're Dauntless now!"
"I had enough of hippies dancing circles, of dancing full stop. Why did you think I –
"YOLO!" Issy interrupts them as Alec and Hector come and help them push Kayden forward. Kayden suddenly stands upright and the boys go down like rocks but Kayden wraps an arm round Issy's waist and grabs Flare's arm, pulling them both into him. Issy glances across the room just in time to witness Eric break the bottle in his hand as he glares at Kayden's arm. 'If looks could kill.' Issy muses. That said arm draws away from her quickly and her eyes turn to Kayden.
"Perhaps I shouldn't dance with you." He mutters, casting a wary look to the young leader.
Her brother snorts as he and Hector stand up. "Yeah, don't worry 'bout that. We're trying to make him jealous and so far it works best when she dances with Luke.
"And by that look just then, you are definitely dancing, even if it's just one dance." Hector grins when Kayden shakes his head, huffing as he leads Issy onto the dance floor and begins to dance with her. Slowly, he begins to relax amongst friends and laughs as he spins Issy around. Like Hec said, Kayden only danced with Issy once before dancing with mostly Flare and Issy began to dance with the others.
As soon as Eric stood up loudly to intervene as heated dance between Issy and Luke she spun away from them both, waving a hand at the table and her friends and walked out of the Pit, ecstatic that she had gotten to Eric.