Heyheyhey!
Update is here!
-RunYouCleverBoyAndRememberMe33
The next morning, I go straight to Max's office. No time for breakfast, because my alarm failed to go off, so I run all the way to the way there. Max is waiting.
"Ah, Tris, right on time. Come on, we're going to the training room. I believe it is the one you trained in during initiation."
We leave, and soon arrive at the training room. "First," Max explains, "You, as a leader will be depended on during an emergency to lead the guards to defend the compound. You will need to train. Let me see you fight." He leads me to a punching bag with some targets and tells me to punch and kick them.
I raise my fists and Max steps back. I punch the first one, using my right fist, as hard as I can. The bag swings back, and as it starts to come back, I kick it as hard as I can. Max's eyes widen, as if he didn't think I could punch at all.
I hit the bag until my knuckles bleed. Max starts to look amused. I stop for breath and he frowns.
"Why did you stop?"
"Breath." I say, bending over and breathing heavily.
"Keep going," He says, "Don't stop."
I punch the bag again, and some of my blood trickles down the bag. I continue to beat up the bag, and soon Eric comes to join Max in watching me suffer. Only once I can hardly kick anymore, and sweat trickles down my forehead, do they finally allow me to stop.
By now, it's lunchtime, so they let me leave, and as I do, I see Eric whisper in Max's ear. Max smirks, and then I leave, still sucking in air.
I reach my apartment just as I see people lining up for lunch. I change shirts (The one I was wearing was drenched in sweat), and then join them.
I see Chris, and she is wearing her red shirt. She looks unhappy, so I grab my food and go to sit with her. As I sit she looks up at me and manages a weak smile.
"Hey Tris."
"Chris, are you ok?"
Chris raises her head more, and I see her cheeks are tear-stained. I slide over and wrap my arm around her. Her shoulder is shaking.
"Tori got mad at me..." she managed. Her shoulders shake more, and her tears start to fall onto her lunch tray. "I messed up... badly. I gave someone the wrong tattoo... Oh Tris, what am I gonna do?"
What do I say? I know how to be kind and selfless, but I've never really been good at comforting people. "You'll be fine, Chris. I mean, you're still only learning. If she expects you to be perfect the first time, that's just stupid."
She smiles a bit and thanks me. We eat the rest of our meal in silence, and when we stand to throw our trash away, she's stopped crying.
My knuckles and feet still hurt, but the once searing pain is now only a faint throb. I walk towards Four's apartment, and once I'm halfway there, I run into Peter.
"Hello there Tris. Going to see your boyfriend Four?" He smirks, crossing his arms. His black shirt is ripped at the bottom, probably from his training.
I continue walking and try to push Peter out of my way, but he grabs my arm and pulls me close to him. I can feel his breath on my face, and his grip tightens on my hand, and he sinks his fingernails into my bleeding knuckles.
"You can run, Tris, but you can't hide!" he smiles, his teeth red with his own blood. His training must be intense, maybe even more so than mine.
I wrench my hand from his grip. And I run. Down the hall, faster and faster, feet pounding on the cement. I run into Four right outside his apartment.
His face brightens, but then falls as he sees my hands. "Tris what happened?"
"Training." I replied, glancing over my shoulder to see if Peter had followed me. He hadn't.
Four looked me in the eyes. He grabbed my elbow, careful to avoid my hands and dragged me into his apartment.
Four's apartment was small, with a black couch similar to the one in Max's office, but softer. We sat down on it, and he examined my hand.
"Tris, this must hurt." he said, hands gently brushing my knuckles.
"Not so much anymore." I reply, though they do hurt because of Peter.
He looks into my eyes as if he can tell I'm lying. Then he brings my hand up to his face and kisses the bruises. I move my hand to his face and kiss him softly, moving my hands to his neck, my lips still on his.
"Don't let them hurt you... please, I cant stand to see you hurt." He whispers.
"I can't quit. I need to become a leader."
"Don't push yourself too hard Tris."
"I won't" he brushes my hair from my face, and kisses my forehead. Then he stands, and walks into the kitchen, leaving me sitting on the couch alone.
He returns carrying a wet towel. He sits, and places the cool towel on my hand, applying slight pressure. He moves on to the next hand, and then sets the towel on the table next to the couch.
"Are you hurt anywhere else?" he asks.
I take off my combat boots, and my bloodstained socks, revealing my bruised feet. He grabs the cloth again and puts it on my feet. They instantly feel better.
"Feel good?" he asks.
"Yeah" I respond.
He rubs the cold towel on my feet and hands. As soon as lunch ends, I return to Max's office. Max isn't there, but Eric is sitting on the couch.
"Ah, Tris, you're late."
"No, I've still got three minutes." I respond, checking my black watch.
I can tell he is about to say something, but then Max enters, so Eric says, "Never mind. Here, we'll take you to the next part of training." He leads me to the room in which I went through my fear landscape.
"Your training for leader will be like your initiation training, except you will go through all the steps each day. From breakfast to lunch is physical, then from lunch to dinner is emotional, and from the time dinner ends at seven pm to midnight is mental. This will be your routine for a week." Max explains, as I sit in the chair. "There will be no breaks, save for lunch and dinner. " He injects the simulation serum. "We will monitor your progress. Good luck." Then everything goes black.
Sorry for the cliffy!
I'll update soon!
-RunYouCleverBoyAndRememberMe33