"Well, now that we are all properly not sober, it is time for some Candor or Dauntless. Once again the rules are simple. Candor you tell a truth, Dauntless you do a dare. If you don't want to do it, you gotta strip an article of clothing. Shoes and socks don't count." I was very glad I had layers.
"Marlene, since you went last, last time this time you get to go first."
"Hmmm... Christina."
"Dauntless, I'm no candor anymore."
"Well then Christina, it should be easy for you to slap Four!" Marlene smiles.
"Sorry, unlike Tris I do Not have a death wish!" She takes off her coat as everyone laughs. "Alright, um Lauren, Candor or Dauntless."
"Candor"
"Who do you like?" Christina wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.
"Ha, jokes on you. I am asexual, I don't like anyone," she says smugly. "Four, you know the question." Four groans.
"Dauntless." Her smile says that she had anticipated he'd say that and she knew exactly what she was going to say.
"I dare you to play seven minutes in heaven with the person of your choice." Four groans again... I can tell he's conflicted. He keeps looking at his jacket as if he wants to take it off, but doesn't want to lose an item of clothing so soon.
He looks around the circle for a moment. Before he stands up and walks over to me offering a hand. I can't understand why he'd choose me of all people in the room.
"Me?" he simply answers with an mhm before I take his hand. I swear his hand is shaking but maybe it's the alcohol. Zeke opens the closet for us then closes it once we're inside. It's dark and I can't see his face as my eyes adjust. Once I can see his eyes are pinched shut, his nostrils flaring. I'm caught off guard for a moment as I expected something different. This must be why he chose me. He knew I was going to be the kindest and most likely helpful in this situation. I know everyone's ears must be pressed against the door trying to hear what we're doing.
I have to get on my tiptoes to whisper in his ear, "You okay?" He only shakes his head. "What's wrong? Are you afraid of the dark?" Another shake of the head.
"Not a huge fan of small spaces," he whispers. He looks like he's about to hyperventilate.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" I ask keeping my voice hushed so the others can't hear.
"Not that I can think of." He says.
"Close your eyes," he chuckles, I realize he hasn't opened them. "Well keep them closed then, move away from the wall closer to me." He does so and we are nearly flat against each other and I'm pressed against the wall, but this way it'll be easier for him to forget there are walls. "Now imagine you're somewhere else. Somewhere you're happy, maybe you're with someone who makes you happy." His breathing starts to slowly even out, but it still seems like he's vibrating with anxiety. "There you go." I wonder how much time we have left. I need him to really think he's in this other place, not in this closet. "Imagine you're holding their hand," I say as I slip my hand into his clammy one. His breath hitches for a moment before he starts to relax. His weight starts to sink into me a little when I hear a handle twisting. He must hear it too, because he jumps back, but I don't know if it's fast enough. The door opens quickly to everyone's faces trying to catch us. Zeke and Lauren must have seen how close we were because they have huge smiles on their faces, but everyone else seems disappointed not to find disheveled clothes or hair. We all go back to the circle.
"Tris, candor or dauntless?" I think for a moment, my heart is still racing, probably the alcohol.
"Dauntless."
"I dare you to get a tattoo," he says after a moment of thought. I don't think he expected me to say Dauntless.
"Okay," I shrug, "I'll get it tomorrow after training since the parlor is closed now." Everyone nods in understanding.
"We'll need to see it for evidence." I shrug.
"Uriah..."
I don't even get the question before he shouts, "Dauntless! I ain't no PANSYCAKE!" Most of the dauntless group groans.
"You're not bringing it back!" yells Lynn. Don't know what that was about. What was I doing again, oh right, dare. I think for a minute...
"I dare you to eat a Dauntless pepper and go a minute without milk or crème." Uriah seems horrified. Zeke smiles and walks to the kitchen.
"Damn Tris! You're more evil than I give you credit for!"
"You're order sir," Zeke feigns being a waiter with the pepper on a plate and a large glass of milk. Uriah takes a breath. He plugs his nose as he eats the entire pepper in one bite. Everyone is smiling in anticipation as he chews. He swallows.
"Not that bad," he says. He spoke to soon. His face starts to turn a bright shade of red, sweat dots his brow, and his breath becomes heavy. "Oh, it's burning the back of my mouth!" he begins to pant trying to cool himself down, but it only makes it worse. "Oh god!"
"You're at 30 seconds!"
"Only 30!" Everyone laughs at his pain. "Give me the milk I give up!" We all cheer as he chugs the milk.
"Alright Uriah, take off the shirt!" I say.
"But I did the dare!"
"No the dare was to go a minute without the milk. You gave up," I say.
"She's got a point," Shauna basically sings. Uriah grumbles something about eating being pointless as he pulls off his shirt. Now Uriah may be a big guy but he was built with muscle. I couldn't help but stare. I had never really looked at a shirtless guy before.
"See something you like?" Christina teases me and I blush.
"Zeke!"
"Dauntless!" Uriah smiles.
"I dare you to go sweep Eric into a passionate kiss!" The look on Zeke's face is priceless, horror mixed with a handful of disgust and the smallest pinch of impressed. A small chant begins to start up when Zeke hasn't answered. "Do it, do it, do it, do it, Do It, Do It, DO IT, DO IT!" It gets louder and louder as more people join in. Zeke groans. "FINE!" We all whoop and cheer as we head out into the corridor. We find Eric in the pit walking somewhere, I can't exactly tell direction right now. We all start to snicker as Zeke inhales, pumps out his chest and approaches Eric from behind. Zeke's right hand grabs Eric's left shoulder stopping him in his tracks and spinning him around to face Zeke but the arm continues around Zeke's neck. Not giving Eric enough time to react or enough time for Zeke to reconsider. Zeke's other hand grabs Eric's waist and pulls him close before lowering his mouth to Eric's. Eric's eyes are wide, when he's finally gained his senses after about 3 seconds a fist comes up and hits Zeke's chin. That's definitely going to bruise.
The rest of us are howling with laughter as Zeke starts to run back to the apartment. Once we're all back at the apartment, Zeke quickly grabs a drink and chugs it. He shudders.
"That was Terrible. We are never to speak of this again. Shauna your turn to answer the question."
"Dauntless."
"I dare you to swing naked from the chandelier." Shauna's shirt comes off revealing a lacy, black bra.
"Nope, hmmm..." she looks between me and Four for a moment. Before settling on me.
"Tris, Candor or Dauntless?" I was scared of what she could possibly have planned. But I didn't want to find out what she had planned.
"Candor."
She smiled, "Why did you hesitate during Never have I ever when we asked if anyone had sex?"
Tobias' POV
"Why did you hesitate during Never have I ever when we asked if anyone had sex?" What? I didn't notice that. Did she? I know she didn't drink. I swear I hear my neck snap with how quickly I look at her. Her face seems to flush of color, but she's trying to hold her expression.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she tries to avoid.
"Oh come on I don't need to be a candor to know that's a lie," says Lynn.
"You're not in Abnegation anymore," says Christina. "If you broke the rules we're not going to judge you." Tris rubs the leather cuffs on her wrist and looks at her over shirt. If she takes it off they're going to assume she's had sex. But why's she so hesitant if she hasn't?
"I didn't fully understand the question. The abnegation have a lot of strict rules so I wasn't sure where you draw the line of what's considered sex." She shuffles in her seat uncomfortably.
"Oh, so have you gone farther than abnegation appropriate?"
"You only get one question," she says as she looks at her lap. There are some whistles and cheers that cause her to blush.
"Um," she doesn't really seem present at the moment as she tries to come up with something. "To... Four." She corrected quickly hopefully before anyone noticed. So she did know who I was, maybe that's why she didn't like me. "Candor or Dauntless?"
"Dauntless."
"Umm... I dare you to...um... give me your dauntless cake for a week." I laugh which gains a few odd looks. Of all the things she could do, she takes my cake.
"Alright you can have my cake."
"Oh man why didn't I think of that?" says Uriah, looking slightly disappointed. Everyone laughs at that. We go around a few more times. Tris only takes off her jacket. I'm down to my boxers and a t-shirt. Uriah has on his shorts. Marlene, Christina and Shauna are down to their bra and panties. Lynn was in her tank top and boy shorts. Zeke was down to his boxers. I had to give it to Lauren, she still had on every article of clothes. We had learned a lot about everyone here. Marlene had admitted she liked pie more than Dauntless cake, Uriah was horrified. Zeke admitted he liked gardening. They of course asked my real name and my fears. Tris refused to say who she got to second base with, though I was curious.
"Well you all still have training tomorrow," groans echoed throughout the room. Zeke just laughed at their pain. And with that the party slowly dispersed as the initiates helped each other to the dorms.
