"So, drinks tonight?" Leon questions with a grin as he sits down for lunch.
"Drinks?" Lily questions, and I smirk.
"We celebrated you ranking first on that shooting run, how could we not celebrate you winning your first fight? Honestly, you have every dauntless trait except for the partying…" I say with a chuckle.
"Jay, Ben, you in? JC's again?" Mark questions and there's cheers all around.
"I'm so beating you this time Avery- you've got no chance!" Ben points a finger at me, and I merely raise an eyebrow.
"That's if she even stays to play- everyone keep an eye out if she tries to leave with a certain someone!" Beth teases and I roll my eyes.
"What's this?" Leon asks, raising his eyebrows suggestively. "Does Avery have a man?"
"I can't believe we haven't told you yet!" Beth exclaims excited. "We all know she goes out drinking in the middle of the night, but one time she took of her sweatshirt and she had a collection all over her chest!"
"When was this?" Leon questions, looking at me in question, as I just eat my food.
"Like, a week ago- they were really dark and there were a lot, we're talking over 10, she never told us who with or how old they were in fact they may still be showing lightly…" Beth reaches over to grab the neck of my high neck tshirt and I duck out
of the way. Oh fuck Eric gave me another one last night. Fuck fuck fuck.
"Seems like someone has something to hide!" Mark laughs and I stare at him dryly.
"Come on, let's just-" Beth reaches once more and a grab her wrist before she can get close enough.
"I'll trade a piece of information in return for keeping my clothing on please." I say levelly, coming up with a deal.
"But it's just a little pull of your collar-"
"Beth, you know very well how far down they go." I say elusively, but my jaw tightens as I regret what I said, as almost the whole table ooo's.
"Fine- who was it?" Beth says with a grin.
"Nope."
"Transfer or Dauntless-born?" Mark asks, and I sigh as there's no way it would be a transfer initiate, so they'll figure out it's a dauntless, and if they know that I'm sure some of them will start to wonder the reasons I'm not telling them who it is.
"Nope." I repeat.
"Oh come on!" Beth complains. "If you're not gonna tell us anything good you might as well just show us the marks, you're always wearing high-necked stuff, how long have you even had them for?!"
That's something I can answer.
"Just short of three weeks. You have your information, stop trying to undress me!" I say hurriedly as Beth's hands start to wonder.
"Three weeks?" There's a low whistle and my jaw tenses as I ignore the looks they're sharing.
"Damn girl who knew you liked it rough!" Mark says wiggling his eyebrows and I stare at him with a straight face.
"Do they really last that long?" Lily asks and I hide a smirk.
"Aw, does little amity not know how long hickeys last! How innocent!" Leon coos, and Lily raises her head indignantly.
"So what if I don't! It doesn't mean anything!" She protests.
"They tend to last around a week." I tell her softly, but it's still caught by the rest of the table despite the loud background noise.
"And you would know, wouldn't you?"
"Beth, I don't have anything to wear could we go for a quick shop before we go out?" I ask, and her eyes light up.
"You're asking me to go shopping?! I never thought this day would come!" She says overly excited.
"She's only asking to change the subject." Jay says dryly and I smile lightly.
"I know that! Doesn't mean I can't rejoice anyway…" Beth replies.
We finish eating promptly, before Beth shoos the boys off and we head to the rows of shops in the pit.
"I think I want to get a jumpsuit. I feel like an empowering jumpsuit." Lily says thoughtfully.
"Go for it, we are celebrating your win, afterall." I say with a small smile.
"I'm low on points, I'll have to go for something simple, but I'm all good with a little black dress." Beth shrugs.
"Just how little will that be?" I question and she grins. We head into a large female clothing store and as per usual, I go though each railing quickly and efficiently, whilst Beth and Lily pick out even more stuff for me before we head to the changing
rooms.
"Oh I think this is the one for tonight!" I hear Beth say from the room beside mine, and I stick my head out and see her twirling around in a halter black dress… which could also be mistaken for a shirt.
"Looks great." I say shortly as I see Lily stick her head out opposite us.
"Wow! You're going for the legs tonight then?" Lily exclaims and Beth nods.
"Of course, its always legs for me, we can't all be as busty as Avery." Beth remarks and I smirk.
"We were all born this way… but you'll definitely turn heads in that." I reply.
"Ben won't be able to see straight!" Lily adds, and I get back behind my curtain as Beth also doesn't reply.
There are noises of us changing, before Beth speaks.
"Don't think I don't know about it Avery… who am I kidding I know you know I know." She says, and I can't tell her mood from her voice.
"I'm guessing it helped widen the gap whilst Lily and I were fighting." I question, already knowing the truth.
"Definitely… I'm just ignoring it you know." Beth says quietly. "I could never not blame you for it."
I'm silent as I reach for another dress, pondering over my answer.
"Ignoring it is fine with me." I say finally.
"I'm definitely missing something here…" Lily says. "Avery could you zip me up?"
I go out into the mirrored area to help Lily, and it seems Beth has abandoned any embarrassment.
"Basically Ben has a crush on Avery. Kinda screwed things up for me and Ben for a while, you were too busy with training to notice." Beth states as she comes out back in her usual sportswear.
"What? … Ugh God I'm a terrible friend, how did I miss that?!"Lily says with a worried look towards Beth.
"It was just a crush though, I'm sure Ben's over it by now." I say, though I'm completely making that up. I'm completely aware of how he still watches me when we're together, but he hasn't tried anything since I turned him down, and definitely not anything
since the hickeys were brought up.
"I'd hope so… we have been talking much more comfortably recently." Beth says and I go back to change into yet another dress. The satin flows through my hands, and I slip it over my head before walking out.
"I think I'm going with this one… I like the cutouts." I hear Lily saying in a black sequined jumpsuit. "Wow… Avery if you're trying to attract attention that's what you should go in!"
"This- is exactly why I'm always having leg days!" Beth says with a laugh. "Damn you look good!"
The dress is a wine coloured satin maxi dress, with spaghetti straps leading to a very low vneck. The dress goes straight down, but has two thigh-high slits either side. I sigh.
"It's really nice… but it may be a bit much." I ponder, as the dress is figure hugging as well as showing off my bust. "Plus I'm getting some serious panty line problems."
"Nonsense, you're wearing that if it's the last thing I do!" Beth says with a manic smile. "Come on, let's go pay!"
12321
A little later, I'm following Beth and Lily who have linked arms into JC's.
"Hey! You two are looking nice!" I can hear Leon say round the corner. "But where's-"
"Damn girl… er-" Mark says, before reaching my meaningful look and coughing and looking away.
"Have you even started drinking?" I ask with a chuckle, moving over to the bar.
"Yeah, enough gawking let's get celebrating!" Lily cheers, coming up beside me.
"Let's see… 7 vodka shots to start?" I ask with a smile.
"Celebratory shots for sure!" Jay comes up on my other side and the bartender smiles.
"Should I put it on your usual tab?" He asks.
"So you do come here often! I knew it I always saw you sneaking out!" Lily says to me. "Excuse me, how much does she drink and how often?!"
The bartender smirks and smiles at me, his eyes twinkling. "Let's see, a few nights a week, at least four or five drinks each time? But that's only when I'm on duty." He says.
"What? You go drinking without me?" Leon says.
"I should really know your name by now, we've had so many chats." I say to the bartender, ignoring the others.
"Name's Tor. Seven vodka shots." He says and I thank him with a smile.
"Come on everyone! Cheers!" Jay says and we clink glasses, and the nights on it's way.
We're a couple drinks in and both Lily and Beth are showing their true colours.
"Wait, so is it that guy? You said you had chatted to him!" Beth guesses wildly, and I chuckle shaking my head.
"Could I get a Sazerac please?" I lean back in the bar seat to ask Tor, who nods.
"What's that then?" Ben asks, having given himself a goal to drink more than me.
"Rye whiskey." I say dryly with a smirk, not mentioning the absinthe that coats the glass.
"Make that two… Sazracks?" Ben asks cluelessly.
"Two Sazerac's, coming up." Tor says, and a few moments later, I'm steadily drinking through the straw whilst chewing the spiralled lemon.
"Jesus this is just ethanol! What did you say was in this?" Ben exclaims as he barely keeps the first swallow down.
"Rye whiskey." I repeat as my chest rumbles with laughter.
"80% alcohol whiskey." Tor fills in for me and Ben just shakes his head before defiantly taking another sip.
"So, you come here often then?" Ben starts the conversation, and I wonder where it will go.
"Reasonably." I answer.
"Good, good…" Ben says, and I can see him grimacing at his drink. "This place seems more popular with guys than girls huh…"
I look at him unimpressed. "You really want to have this conversation?"
"What?! I- I just noticed that-what conversation are you talking about?" He splutters.
"Ben. Please, just drop it. You're just causing problems for yourself, Beth, and I." I say strongly, before this conversation goes anywhere else.
"Avery, you don't want to cause problems, I get that, but-"
"Even when I'm completely shitfaced and dancing into strangers hands tonight Ben, there is no chance of me getting with you." I say bluntly. "You're compromising not only your relationship with Beth, but mine too."
"Gee, thanks for making me feel great. If I'm that unsavoury maybe I should just leave." Ben snaps bitterly, and I sigh, knowing I've been a bit too harsh.
"It isn't that Ben. If I wanted a fling, it would be a fling that doesn't hurt my friends. If I wanted an actual relationship, it would be with someone I like in that way." I say slightly softer. Just then I feel an arm sling round my shoulders.
"What you up to peeps?" Sure enough it's Jay who has obviously had a few more drinks, a lazy grin on his face. Ben puts his Sazerac back on the counter and leaves with a frustrated look. "What's up with him?"
"You know, he didn't win his fight today, so he's not at his best." I say, before passing my empty glass back to Tor and picking up Ben's mostly full one, sharing Tor's knowing look.
"What's that?"
"Sazerac, rye whisky, want some?" I offer, and he takes the straw from me and takes a long sip before his eyes widen and he leans back, coughing a little.
"Damn, how strong is that thing!" Jay says as I laugh and resume sipping again.
"We're celebrating, I have to get buzzed at the same rate as both Beth and Lily, it takes some work." I say with a sly smile.
"You look amazing by the way, I didn't want to say it in front of everyone in case they got the wrong idea." Jay says chuckling.
"God no, I already a problem with Beth, having one with Lily…" I mutter to myself as I start to feel very warm. "Come on, we're celebrating, we have to join in!"
I pull his wrist and he follows me into the centre where I'm grabbed by Beth who puts her arms around my neck.
"Dance! Woo!" She orders me, and I laugh.
"You're so pissed…" I chuckle to myself, but it's not long before I'm swinging my hips with her.
After a little more dancing, and a few more drinks, I calm myself down and walk back over to the bar.
"You're still going steady?" Tor says to me, obviously impressed and I chuckle.
"It has been a while." I reply, but I know the last set of drinks… three shots… are yet to hit me.
"Tor mate! Sorry I'm late." My eyebrows raise as I hear a too familiar voice, and turn in my seat.
"Avery. Great." Four says before looking around and spotting the others still dancing.
"Good evening Four." I bow my head slightly and he takes the seat next to me. "Here to party the night away?"
He chuckles. "Just a catch up with an old friend to keep his boredom away. Yeah, beer tonight."
"Avery?" Tor questions, and I purse my lips. I probably shouldn't order anything more right now if I want to be able to get back to the dorms, with Lily and Beth, in one piece, but there's been a drink I've really been wanting to try.
"That jungle juice… is it worth it?" I ask him and he grins.
"Damn, I shouldn't be surprised, another heavy hitter? It is good, new on the menu as you know." Tor replies and I purse my lips again, weighing up the pros and cons.
"A jungle juice for the lady then, on me." Four says, and Tor raises his eyebrows amused. I turn to him in question. "I do owe you a favour."
"And you're trying to pay it back. With a drink?" I question.
"A special drink, just for you." Four replies dryly.
"A very special drink that I shouldn't be drinking."
"What, you the sober one?"
At that Tor barks out a laugh, before hastily quieting himself.
"If I start vomiting over the chasm and wake up in the infirmary I'm blaming you." I tell him as Tor brings my new drink up to me and I take a sip.
"Hmm… fruity." I murmur.
"Not really your usual style, I'll say. You usually go for something drier this point in the night." Tor says.
"I don't usually get to this point in the night darling." I say with a smile before taking another long sip. Oh shit why did the shots have to hit me now…
I start twirling around in the barstool with the drink in hand, the sugary sweetness not doing me any favours.
"Avery! Come on, we're… wait… aw shit I'm drunk." Beth runs up to me and I smirk.
"You are drunk, but don't worry you're not imagining things, Four is here. Come on, let's go back, what did you want?" I stand up solidly, using every effort in my soul to stand up straight and walk firmly. If I stumble in front of Four he'll never give
it up.
"What's that?" Beth asks.
"You'll like it." I tell her, giving her a sip.
"Mmmmmmthat's niceee… get me one…you knowerrrr next timeee." She says. "But we gotta play vodka beer pong!"
"Sure…" I say, knowing this is going to go downhill.
"Yesssss!Marky boy, you gotta drink!" Leon yells as Mark picks up the cup with the ball and downs the large vodka shot.
"You're on- Avery I'm getting this!" Mark says, aiming up with the ball, that skims over the rims of the cups. "Damn it!"
"I wanna go!" Beth yells and stumbles in her heels to take the ping pong ball. "Ben, this is yours!" She says, before completely missing not only the cups, but the table. The teasing ensures and I laugh too.
"Fine, you're up Beth!" Ben says, before tossing the ball neatly into the centre cup, which is filled with at least two shots of vodka. There's cheers all around as Beth picks up the cup worriedly.
"Down it! Down it! Down it!" The chants start and Beth starts to protest.
"No, I-"
"Down it and I'll kiss you right here!" Ben yells drunkenly, leaning on the table for support, and before my mind can doubt it Beth tilts her head back, her face squeezing in displeasure as she manages to swallow. Almost as soon as she's finished Ben
loops his arms around her and there lips are smashed together, and there's more cheering. I finally notice that Raven, Kray and DT have joined us, along with some random Dauntless all gathered round to watch us initiates.
When Ben pulls back for air, I notice the alarmed look on Beth's face and quickly unwind Ben's arms from her as she runs to the side and crouches, and I pull her hair back just in time and turn away from the mess.
"Oh God she should not have done that…" I hear someone say, and once her chest has stopped heaving the contents of her stomach up I pat her back and put my arm around her waist to drag her to the bar.
"A full pint of water with a straw please." I say to Tor and he just nods as I sit Beth down on a stool and she slumps onto it as I grab a napkin. "Here you go."
She wipes her mouth, just as I hear Lily's name being shouted.
"This is yours, for your first win Lily!" Ben yells before throwing yet another ball, skidding over the top before falling into a cup.
"Holy shit that's like three shots of vodka!"
"Nah, mate it's gotta be more than that!"
"Down it! Down it! Down it!"
"I can't, I really can't!" Lily protests as she's already past her limit and she looks around helplessly and meets my eyes. I sigh and nod to her.
"Hold this." I say to Four and take his hand to hold Beth's shoulder so she doesn't fall off her chair, before walking through the crowd.
"I forfeit to my team member." Lily says quickly, and I take the cup straight from her hands, take the ball out and open my throat-
"Yess girl she's got it going!"
"Wooooo!"
"What about a dance hottie?"
I slam the cup back down on the table, making sure to swallow properly.
"Nice going, are you alright?" Jay asks coming up behind me. I nod with a smile before I get dragged closer into the crowd, and laugh wildly as everyone resumes dancing.
The first three shots and the jungle juice is definitely well into action, and my throat is still tingling from Lily's cup, and I'm far, far, far into the realm of not caring.
There's Jay's arms around my neck, a cup still in hand, and then I'm dancing with Kray who's rattling on with compliment from our fight.
"You were soooo good! I knew- I knew you were good okay, but that was fucking amazing!" She yells through the music as I laugh. "And now! Now you're a damned goddess! I could tell your boobs were great, but this is-" She motions to my chest and I laugh
as she hugs me tight.
Then somehow I end up in Lily's arms, and we laugh crazily as Beth ends up kissing Mark, and then tugs at DT for a kiss, and then runs off again and Lily runs off after her.
And then I'm further in the crowd, my arms up in the air, and-
Hands on my hips from behind, shoulders almost encasing me. The touch is foreign, and the hands are short and thick. I start to move my dancing elsewhere, but the grip on my hips tightens and pulls me back into a figure. There's breath on my ear and as
I move to elbow them hands grasp my wrists. So I should kick, kick- my heart drops as my heel gets caught wildly on my dress, and I lose balance leaving me completely in this fucktards hold and-
"Back the fuck off." I look up to meet Four's dark stormy gaze, the one he uses when he's really mad, but almost worse. I trip as the stranger lets go of me but Four's quick to lend an arm just as hands grab his shirt.
"The fuck you doing?"
"Making sure there's no sexual assault on an initiate." Four replies darkly, and the stranger seems to realise the words- illegal. "Come on." Four says, letting me hold his arm to keep steady as he leads me back to the bar where Tor is waiting with a
clear glass of water.
"Thanks." I mumble as I sit down and start to drink the water at a steady pace. "Ugh, shit."
"You're a bloody idiot." Four says and I raise my eyebrows at him as the rooms circling me slightly. I keep a firm hand on the bar and my feet firmly on the floor.
"It's fine… I'm only just at my limit, and I won't drink anymore." I say reasonably.
"Yeah well you're four vodka shots and however much of that tequila you had from Kray past as far as you've gone before, so take it easy." Tor says and I look up at him as I slump a little.
"How do you know that?"
"You started with a shot, then the couple of ciders, then you took most of that cuba libra from Mark, you had two more bloody strong cocktails that I was asked to send to you then you took the three shots and a half, and I gave you the jungle juice expecting
it to be your last." Tor explains, and my eyes widen up at him.
"How'd you do that?"
Tor chuckles at me thenshifts the water closer.
"Drink up."
"He would've gotten to you if I hadn't been closer. What were you thinking being so far from the others dressed like that? This is where people go to get smashed and wake up in someone else's bed, cos the booze is cheap." Four says sternly.
"Yessir." I say with a salute, and he just sighs taking a long sip of beer.
"I didn't know you took time to go drinking with initiates, Four." My whole body tingles as I recognise the voice, but at the same time I panic. Stay in character Avery. I can't give anything away.
"I don't, Eric. Just sorting out trouble, as always." Four replies tersely and I look up and avoid gazing desperately towards him. "Drinking with Max, again? I thought you were all tied up with work."
"I'm sure you remember some of that work, paid off this morning, so we're taking a break." Eric replies. "Only to find you in this interesting situation."
"It was my fault sir. I have quite obviously drunk too much, and when my heel got caught in my skirt Four helped me out, and I'm grateful." I say as evenly as possible, and hold my breath to stop myself gasping as his bright eyes turn to me, and I suddenly
feel even more drunk, and sober at the same time.
"It's barely past midnight and you can't hold your drink? You're still an initiate, don't think you're free to do whatever. If you're in the infirmary tomorrow when training starts, you're cut." Eric says harshly, and the precision in his words only makes
my stomach tingle even more as I repress myself from making any sound, my drunken mind pulling me closer just by his words.
"Of course sir, it won't happen." I say, my voice caught in my throat.
"Mate, you have my word, I'll keep them off the drinks, you know that." Tor says, and I look up in surprise as Tor shows a friendly grin to Eric, who also loosens up.
"They better not escape your eyes, bastard." Eric says, but the insults teasing. "Another round." He turns and as his eyes pass mine I can't help my intake of breath before I force my eyes away.
He's here, and I really can't wait any longer. He's here and I don't want to keep my eyes off him. He's here, and I want him to ravish me and renew the marks all over me.
"I'm going to join the others. And no, no more drinks." I say to Four and Tor, before making my way back to the others who are all dancing together.
I need to get my mind off him, I need something else. I loop my arms round Lily and start moving to the beat, determined not to let my drunken mind teeter off to Eric and sit on his lap in front of all the higher ups. Instead, I'll let my drunken body
lose itself in music.
12321
"I'm gonna get another glass of water, you, you get her back." I manage to say to Jay, whose holding onto Beth's limp body, and I watch as they disappear round the corner. I drag my feet to thebar, but it's a different bartender, and Tor and Four
have obviously gone off somewhere else.
"Actually, I don't feel like water." I say to myself, before wandering out of the opposite exit to where Jay had left with Beth.
I can tell my feet are stumbling as my mind recalls how Eric looked, in those few moments I had excuse to stare at him. He looked better, he had obviously slept, and he was wearing a short sleeve t-shirt unlike his usual long sleeve in this winter, so
the pale skin of his arms looked so smooth over his muscle.
I absent-mindedly lick my lips as I wonder closer towards the chasm, and I hear the crash and start to smile.
"S-H-E-S-M-I-N-E! I'm… I'm all his…" I say to myself. "So stupid… stupid passcode…"
"Don't go destroying my privacy now."
It's him. His voice, cool and warm at the same time, as I turn to the noise, and see him leaning against the stone next to the chasm, where I know there's an alcove only he knows about, blind from the cameras.
My legs are moving before I can think, as I run up to him as he also moves closer, but I push him back into the stone, hands possessive on his neck, fingers tightly wound into his hair.
"Kiss me."
*Gasp!* Another chapter is up! It turns out I really can't write very much without really needing some Eric in there! I know, it's been so long since I've updated, and I'm so sorry! I knew I was going to be away, but completely forgot the fact I wouldn't even have my laptop with me, not to mention I was on courses so I had no time to myself (it ended up hell) Hopefully this extra long chapter makes up for it, though I'm afraid I'm going away for another three weeks on another course, and again I have no idea if I'll have any spare time! Anyway, this chapter was basically a big night out, I thought I'd elaborate a little more on the Ben/Beth front, though I was unsure how much drunken shenanigans to include since this is T rated, but I hope how crazy flirty drunk Beth was got through! Anyway, stuff that's actually part of the plot line will be coming up soon, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, read and review as always!