A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in almost a month, I rarely get time to write now :( But I will not give up on this story!
"Four?"
The mention of my name brings me out of my daze. I look around, confused. My thoughts had been elsewhere. I see Max standing in the doorway, his eyes on me. He gives me a small nod, and I head toward him.
"Evening, Four," he greets me. "Did Eric pass along my message?"
"He did."
I know what he's about to ask, so I beat him to it. "I accept your offer."
He looks at me for a moment, the certainty in his eyes is replaced with bewilderment. I smile to myself. It amuses me that he is so sure that I'll reject his offer, yet he asks me anyway. For over two years, I have convinced myself that I'm happy with the current position that I hold, yet the idea of leadership sparks some kind of unknown excitement within me that I never knew I had. Max quickly regains his composure.
"What changed?" He asks. His question comes as a shock to me. I was expecting more of a positive reaction.
"I…um, I don't know, Sir," I say. I know the real reason why I changed my mind; it's the only way I can save Abnegation. Marcus has always found a way to cloud my judgement and influence my strong hatred for my former faction, but I have to remind myself that not all Abnegation are monsters.
"Okay," he says. I sigh in relief. It doesn't seem that he's going to push me for more information. "You won't have to participate in training as you did it during your initiation. I'll call a meeting with the other leaders to confirm your transition to leadership."
"Yes, Sir," I say.
He looks at me sternly. "I just came to inform you that you won't be needed anymore tonight."
I nod.
Max gives me a small smile, and leaves me alone, standing in the hallway with only my thoughts to keep me company.
After dinner is over, I slowly make my way to my apartment. I wonder whether Eric will still oversee the trainings when I'm officially a leader too? I don't hold much hope that Max will still allow me to train the initiates while also holding much greater responsibilities.
As I open the door to my apartment, the image of Tris, bruised and beaten, is brought to the front of my mind. I see her sprawled on the ground, Peter punching and kicking her violently. I grit my teeth. I won't let that happen again.
In an attempt to clear my head, I take a cold shower before changing into a more comfortable ensemble of a baggy t-shirt and pajama shorts. I wrinkle my nose at my reflection. I would never dare wear shorts outside of my apartment; I'm too self-conscious of my appearance. I run my fingers through my hair before pulling my eyes away from the mirror and climbing into bed.
I stare up at the ceiling, willing for sleep to possess me, but as always, it chooses to evade me. Tomorrow seems so close, within touching distance, yet so far. The thought of defecting to join my mother and the factionless no longer crosses my mind; I finally feel at home here in Dauntless. I picture Tris, laughing and joking, her blue-grey eyes gaze intently into mine. I remember the way she used to say my name, her voice filled with so much love and adoration. Her face is the last thing I see before sleep tugs me into oblivion.
"The first thing you will learn today is how to shoot a gun. The second thing is how to win a fight," I say. "Thankfully, if you're here, you already know how to get on and off a moving train, so I don't need to teach you that." I realise that I'm using my 'Four voice'. I can hear the slight hint of sarcasm in my tone, and I try my best to hide it. I constantly remind myself that I was one of them once, uneducated and oblivious to the Dauntless customs and expectations.
Tris frowns at the gun in her hands, holding it away from her body as far as her arms will allow. I smile to myself.
"Initiation is divided into three stages. We will measure your progress and rank you according to your performance in each stage. The stages are not weighed equally in determining your final rank, so it is possible, though difficult, to drastically improve your rank over time."
"But what…" Peter yawns through his words. "What does firing a gun have to do with… bravery?"
I raise an eyebrow at him. I've always knows that Peter's conceited personality would sometimes overpower the few Dauntless traits that he happens to possess, but his stupidity never ceases to amaze me. I flip the gun in my hand and press the barrel casually to his temple.
"Wake. Up," I snap. "You're holding a loaded gun, you idiot. Act like it."
I slowly lower the gun. When Peter is sure that the immediate danger is gone, his green eyes harden. I see Tris trying to hide her smile.
"And to answer your question… you are far less likely to soil your pants and cry for your mother if you're prepared to defend yourself." I pause at the end of the line and turn on my heel. "This is also information you may need later in stage one. So, watch me."
I face the target, my feet apart, and wrap both hands around the gun. I push all thoughts from my mind and fire. With a crack, a hole appears in the centre. After a moment, I step back, allowing the initiates time to practice.
Tris raises her gun awkwardly, trying to balance the weight in her hands. She closes her eyes and clenches her teeth as she points the gun at the target and fires. She winces at the sudden bang and the recoil sends her hands back towards her nose. She stumbles, pressing her hand to the wall behind her for balance.
She fires again and again, and none of the bullets come close to the target. I frown. I never knew how tough initiation was for her the first time; her slight built and Abnegation upbringing is almost an impossible combination. I scold myself, promising to pay equal attention to each of the transfers.
A small crease appears between her eyebrows as she talks to Will. When she turns back towards her target, I can see the newly found determination in her features. The corner of my mouth twitches. I recognise that look; the desire to prove herself. I can't help but wonder what Will had said to her.
When she fires, a hole appears near the edge of the target. She smiles in satisfaction. I can almost hear the thoughts running through her mind. Despite her doubt, I know that she belongs here.
A/N: Please leave a review and let me know what you think! :)