CHAPTER SIX

Uriah

I easily block Marlene's punch, grabbing her wrist and twisting it behind her back. Sweeping her feet out from under her, I pin her for the tenth time tonight. She's pinned me a couple of times, and she's really not terrible at fighting… I just happen to be the best out of the Dauntless-born initiates, at least I was the first time I went through initiation.

I keep hoping that Tris come by- I'd love for her to spar with Marlene, I think they'd both get a lot out of it. It would be a more even match than me against either of them. "Who are you looking for?" Marlene asks as she sits up.

"Oh, I just thought Tris and Christina might come give us a couple more opponents to face off with," I say with a shrug. She frowns slightly. I'm not sure why she doesn't seem to like Tris- she liked her before, the first time. They didn't meet till Capture the Flag last time, but I don't see why that should matter. Tris is way more, well… Tris, than she was at the beginning of our first time through initiation.

"You know, I'm getting tired, Uri," Marlene says, looking away from me. "I think maybe I should get some rest, maybe that's the best thing to prepare me for tomorrow."

Oh. I had been hoping to hang out with her a little more. I guess if she's tired… she seems 'off', though. "Uh… okay, Marlene." I fake a smile. She turns and begins to leave, but I can't just let her go looking all sad like that. I quickly take the few steps to close the distance between us, and touch my hand to her shoulder. She pauses and looks over her shoulder at me. "Are you okay? You seem kind of down or something."

Marlene smiles but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. I know it's fake. "Totally fine! Just tired. I'll see ya later, Uriah." I frown as I watch her walk away, not missing way her shoulders slump. As the training room closes behind her, I let out a sigh and rub my hands over my face. I feel like something isn't right. Something isn't how it should be.

I can't seem to shake the uneasy feeling I got in the training room earlier. It's nearly lights out time at the dormitory, but I won't be able to sleep when I'm feeling anxious like this, so I decide to look for Zeke. He isn't hard to find: he has a night shift in the control room.

"Baby bro! Shouldn't you be getting some sleep before your first fight?" Zeke says with his usual grin stretched across his face.

"Probably should," I answer, "but I don't think I'd be able to sleep right now so I came to talk to you."

Zeke frowns. "Everything alright?"

I shrug. "Girl trouble, I guess," I say as I sit in one of the empty chairs and lean forward, resting my forearms on my knees.

Zeke smirks. "Trouble in paradise? The Stiff, right?"

My head snaps up quickly- Tris? Why would he think I liked Tris? "The Stiff, you mean Tris? No, not Tris," I say shaking my head. "Marlene."

Zeke raises his eyebrows dramatically as he finishes typing a command in on the keyboard, then leans back in his chair, supporting his head with both hands behind it. "Marlene, huh?" he says. "I had noticed you spending so much time with that transfer- Tris, was it?" I nod. "-and you and Mar have been friends for so long. I didn't realize you liked her. So, what's the problem?"

I sigh, shaking my head. "I don't know. She just seems… distant or something. I thought maybe she liked me too, but I feel now like she's pulling away from me."

"Are you sure there's nothing between you and Tris?" Zeke asks. "Seems like she likes you, at least."

Why is he so obsessed with this idea of me and Tris? Never gonna happen. Ever. She's cute and awesome and all, but she's in love with Four, I'm in love with Marlene, and even if they were gone, Tris is more like my sister to me, not a romantic interest. That's just wrong.

"There is nothing there, Zeke. Nothing. Just friends. And that goes for her feelings for me, too. I'm positive. We have this… connection… I can't explain it to you." Well, I could, but then he'd be seriously concerned for my mental health. "It's nothing more than a friendship, and I know for sure that she feels the same way."

Zeke silently watches the screens for a few minutes, but he's rubbing his chin like he does when he's thinking.

"I'd tell you to ask Marlene to hang out, but you already hang out all the time," Zeke says. "Shauna and I were good friends first, too, as you know. When we got together… I don't know, it just kind of… happened. I didn't even totally realize how I felt about her until we got drunk one night and… things happened."

I grin. "So what you're saying is that I should get her drunk?"

Zeke snorts out a laugh. "I don't know, man. Maybe. Liquid courage, kiss her, hope it doesn't ruin your friendship."

Ruining our friendship is the last thing I'd want to do. I don't know why this is so hard. We were in love before… I know how she felt about me then… but that was after initiation was over. We had… been through stuff together. I don't know if she felt that way about me this early on. I don't know what it was that led to her feeling more for me, or when it happened. I sure don't want to mess it up.

"I should go to bed," I say, standing up, still feeling no more sure of what to do about Marlene than I did when I walked in here. "Thanks for listening."

Zeke stands and claps me on the shoulder. "Anytime, baby bro."

As I leave, I stop, turning so half my body is hidden by the door, holding it partially open with one hand. "And Zeke?" He hums in response, eyes on the screens. "Don't tell anyone, okay? Promise?"

He looks me in the eyes as he answers. "I promise." Then he adds, "only Shauna. Shauna and I don't keep secrets. But she won't tell." I nod and thank him as I leave, hoping that I won't be kept up all night thinking about Marlene.

Marlene

I told Uriah that I wanted to get some rest when I left the training room, but when I get to the dormitory, I know won't be able to sleep anytime soon. It's early enough that no one is even in here yet, so I wander the halls, thinking about Uriah and Tris.

I could talk to Lynn about all this, but I don't know… I'm not sure why, maybe just because the three of us are such close friends, but I would feel weird talking to her about Uriah. Besides, she doesn't warm up to people easily and that might totally turn her against Tris. If Uriah and Tris do end up dating- even if they just are good friends- that could cause a lot of awkwardness and then everything would be so messed up. If nothing ever happens with Uriah and me, I would hate to lose his friendship.

Without thinking about where I'm going, I end up standing in front of a familiar door. With a shrug, I knock. I only have to wait about ten seconds before the door opens. Shauna smiles as she greets me. "Mar! Come in!"

I try to smile, but I know I won't fool Shauna. Shauna is Lynn's sister- older than us by two years- so we grew up together. I'm an only child, and Shauna is the closest thing I have to a sister. She furrows her eyebrows and frowns. "Why don't you sit down and I will get us something to drink, then we can talk. I'm guessing that's why you're here…" I just nod and fall back onto her couch. Shauna returns with two bottles of water and hands me one as she sits next to me. "So, why the sad face?" Leave it to Shauna to get right to the point.

"Boy trouble," I say, as if that will explain everything and I won't have to verbalize all the details. She stares at me blankly and I know she's waiting for me to elaborate. "Look, you have to promise not to tell anyone, okay?" She nods. "You swear?"

Shauna half-jokingly puts one hand over her heart, like she's reciting a pledge. "I promise you my silence. Now, spill it."

I hide my face behind my hands. "I like Uriah," I groan. My hands are still covering my face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't get that," Shauna says earnestly.

I drop my hands and let out a huff, looking away from her. "I have feelings for Uriah."

My friend just looks confused. "Well… why is that a bad thing?! You two are perfect for each other! You're probably one of the few that could handle life with a Pedrad brother," she jokes.

"The problem," I say, irritated, "is that damn Stiff! I thought that maybe he felt the same way I do, but then she came along and he seems completely smitten with her." Did I just use the word 'smitten'?

Shauna's face falls, and she nods slowly. "I guess I have seen him with her quite a bit since the transfers came yesterday. I thought it was kind of odd. What was her name, again?"

"Tris," I hiss. And then I just feel bad, because she actually seems really nice. She doesn't deserve the attitude I have toward her but I just don't know how to help it.

"Tris," Shauna repeats. "Well, maybe it's just because she's new. It might blow over. Does she like him?"

I shrug. How would I know? I've barely said two words to her. "I don't know. Seems like it. I was so excited before lunch when he asked me to spar with him tonight, then as soon as we got to the dining hall he made a bee-line for the table she was at and asked her and her friend to come, too. They didn't show, but he was all distracted after a while, watching for her. I even asked and he said he had thought maybe Tris and Christina would show up and that's what had him distracted."

Shauna sighs. "That's the worst," she says. "Liking someone, and they're interested in someone else. I went through that with Zeke for a long time before he finally got his head out of his ass. But I really think... there was no rushing it. I think you should wait it out and just focus on initiation for now. Let the novelty of the new kids wear off. You two have history."

I nod slowly, looking down at the half-full water bottle in my hands. Shauna wraps her arms around me, mumbling reassurances that everything would be fine, and I rest my head on her shoulder, staying that way until I get tired and head back to the dorm.

Tris

"Since there are an odd number of you, one of you will be sitting out today," Four explains as he gestures to the chalkboard. Like last time, Eric is here. Just his presence in the room makes my stomach clench, and I have to suppress a shiver every time he glances my way. I never liked him, but now I know what he is capable of, what he is up to, and who he is working with.

Will and Al fight first again. I watch the same argument, word-for-word, between Eric and Tobias about whether it's more brave to never surrender or to acknowledge others' strengths, watch the same stare-down, and once again watch Tobias concede to our cruel young leader. Again, I watch Al knock Will out and stand over him concerned before Tobias takes Will to the infirmary, leaving us alone with Eric. Again I have the thought that it's like leaving us with a babysitter who spends the whole time sharpening knives, and almost laugh at how predictable my own thoughts are.

Molly and Christina are up next. Their fight is a carbon copy of the one in my memory, and I cringe when Christina calls out, blood streaming from her nose. "Stop! Stop! I'm done," she chokes out. "I'm done."

"I'm sorry," Eric says, stalking over to her. I know the dangerous look in his eyes, certainly know it better than anyone else in this room, and I know what is going to happen. "Did you say you were done?"

"Y-yes," Christina heaves.

"Alright," Eric says, feigning the empathy I am quite sure he is not capable of, holding out his hand to help her up. After pulling her up, he puts one hand on Christina's back. "Come with me." He motions to all of us to follow, and we do.

I can't watch her hang like that again. I just can't. I care too much for Christina and I am not the scared little Stiff I was the first time this went down. I am Tris. I am Dauntless. I am brave.

I push through the crowd until I'm walking side by side with Eric. I wish Tobias hadn't left the room. "Eric, can I talk to you alone for a second?" I ask. I know this is a bad idea. I know it. I can't help myself, though. I can't watch Christina dangle over the Chasm again.

Eric glares at me, and it only strengthens my resolve. Eric is a bully, and the best way to deal with a bully is to stand up to them. Okay, that may not be entirely true when said bully is a leader of Dauntless, but I guess there's a reason I'm here and not at Erudite.

We're several yards ahead of the rest of the transfers, and I talk quietly while we walk. "I know what you're going to do. Please, don't make her hang there. She could fall. She could die. There has to be a different way to handle this."

Eric narrows his eyes at me, and I can see the anger in them at my insubordination. "How do you propose I handle it, then? Would you like to do it for her?" He says the words in a clipped, overly-enunciated fashion that gives me chills, but I refuse to let him scare me into backing down. I stand straighter and set my jaw.

"If necessary," I reply, "yes, I'd take her place." I hope that my determination is enough to make up for how weak my arms still are. We're almost to the Chasm now and I don't have an answer from him.

We stop in front of the Chasm, and he stares me in the eyes for a moment, like he's reading me, judging whether I'm brave enough to do it. I stand straight, head held high, my arms crossed in front of my chest. Finally he speaks. "Nice try, Stiff, and points for bravery, but I do actually have a lesson to teach Candor here," he says quietly.

Eric turns to the group of initiates. "You all are training to be soldiers. The enemy won't give up, and if you are going to give up as easily as Candor here did, you are useless to Dauntless." I really would have respected this whole 'lesson' a lot more if he had explained it the first time he made her do this. I still think it's wrong, but at least I know he has some reason for it. He turns to Christina. "You will hang off that railing over the Chasm for five minutes. If you succeed, I will forgive your cowardice. If you refuse or you come up before the five minutes are up, you can go join the factionless. If you fall, well… don't. I don't want the paperwork," he says callously.

I swallow, hard. I tried to stop Eric from making her do this, and I failed. She will make it. She did before. Good thing, because I know there is no point in further challenging Eric. "You can do it, Chris. I know you can. Just don't give up," I say to her softly, and she shakily walks to the railing and steps over it.

I don't look, other than periodic glances. I've watched this happen once and I cannot watch it again. Everything happens just the same as it did- Al keeping time, cheering on Christina; I begin cheering much sooner this time, shooting glares at Eric the whole time. But the thing that is different this time is Eric. Before, he just looked bored. But this time… this time, every time I glance his way, he is staring at me. And he doesn't even look angry. He's just watching me, with that curious look of an Erudite who is trying to figure something out. Caleb gets that look, so I know it well.

After the five minutes are up and Al helps Christina over the railing, I help her calm down. "Back to training, initiates," Eric calls out, and we walk back to the training room with my arm around Christina's waist as she continues to sniffle.

By the time training is over, I have analyzed every initiate for weaknesses and feel prepared for the fights that are to come. I'm pleased to see Tobias glance at me frequently, sometimes outright staring, but I can't get the knots out of my stomach and it's not because of Tobias. It's because every time I look at Eric, he is also looking at me.

The next day, we fight again. For everyone else this is their second fight, but it's my first. I'm shocked when I enter, however, to find that the pairings have changed from what they were on this day the first time I went through initiation. I'm not up against Peter this time. Instead, I am fighting Christina.

I'm really not sure to make of this. Christina is certainly a much easier opponent than Peter, and I'm fairly certain that Eric made the pairings- I don't think Tobias would have put me with Peter for my first fight ever. On the other hand, Christina is also my best friend… and I stood up for her yesterday. So, did Eric do this as a reward, or a punishment? Either way I have to fight her… I just wish I knew what kind of attention it meant I should expect from Eric. I'd rather not have his attention at all, but I brought it on myself when I pulled him aside yesterday, I suppose.

Peter and Drew fight each other first. The fight is pretty quick- Peter is a formidable opponent, and Drew is strong enough, but not very smart or fast. Tobias orders Peter to carry Drew to the infirmary, probably not wanting to leave us alone with Eric again after yesterday.

Next Will is to fight Myra, and I feel sorry for her. She's the worst fighter and weakest out of the bunch, and Will isn't one of the best, but he's really not bad, either. I think I remember him ranking third in this stage the first time around. The fight is over quickly; Will has Myra out in one punch, and I'm grateful that it's so quick and painless.

Now, though, it is time for me to fight my best friend. "Best friends?" I say as we walk to the ring. "Even if one of us does have to knock the other out?"

Christina grins. "I promise not to get mad at you if you promise not to be mad at me." I'm sure she doesn't think it's possible for me to beat her, but I refuse to count myself out that quickly. My body may still be pretty weak, but I do know how to fight now. There's more to winning a fight than physical strength.

We circle one another and I quickly assess Christina for weaknesses one more time. She's taller than me, but she isn't a large person by any means- she's still slender, willowy. She's pretty quick, and she can throw a good punch. I notice her placing too much weight on one foot as well as not blocking well enough as she leans into it to punch, and I quickly dodge her, elbowing her in the stomach. She staggers back, her face showing clear surprise, and comes toward me again. I fall for a fake left hook and she punches me in the jaw. She quickly goes for a punch to my stomach as I dodge around her, kicking at her knees and knocking her feet out from under her. I back away, letting her get up, glancing quickly at Tobias and Eric.

Eric isn't tapping his foot impatiently like when I fought Peter; he and Tobias both seem to have their full attention on the fight. Eric is watching me with curiosity and Tobias's face is impassive, but in his eyes I swear I see pride. I'm too busy with the fight, though, to spend much time wondering why.

Christina is up and charging my way, but her surprise that she had so grossly underestimated me has affected her focus. As she goes to punch, she's not balancing her weight right and there's no way she can right herself quickly enough when I have faked one direction and instead dodge the other way, kneeing her in the stomach. She doubles over and I elbow her in the throat, sweep her legs out from under her, and pin her to the mat, not letting her up this time. With a swift punch to the temple, she's out and I have this time triumphed in my first fight, coming out with only a bruised jaw. Tobias circles my name on the board.

I bend over Christina and Tobias approaches with an ammonia stick, hoping that she's in good enough shape to avoid a trip to the infirmary. She comes to quickly and I help her out of the ring so the final pair, Molly and Edward. Al sits out today.

Edward, I recall, has been studying hand-to-hand combat for fun since he was ten years old, so this fight goes just as I would expect. I would have been ashamed at the satisfaction I get out of seeing Molly beaten the first time I went through initiation, but this time, I don't. I know what she is like. She deserves it.

While they are fighting, I lean in to Christina, who sits beside me with her back against the wall. "You okay?"

Christina chuckles. "Yeah, I am. I gotta say, though, I didn't think you had all that in you, Tris," she admits.

"Good things come in small packages," I say with a grin, and she laughs. I am relieved that she doesn't seem to be upset with me.

After the final fight is over, we are dismissed and I begin to leave with my friends… but Eric calls out to me. "Tris, you stay," Eric barks at me, as if he's commanding a dog. Will raises his eyebrows at me, silently asking if I'll be okay. I fake a smile and shrug before turning back to Eric as the room clears.

"Yes, Eric? You needed to talk to me?" I say nervously. This never happened before. There was that time he said he should keep his eye on me after the knife throwing, but he never once asked me to stay behind, alone with him, like this. Tobias isn't here- did Eric ask him to leave?

"You did very well today, Stiff," Eric says and I scowl.

"My name is Tris," I say flatly.

Eric smirks. "Right. Tris." He steps closer to me, until we're less than a foot apart. I really do not like being this close to him. Every time he has been this close to me it's felt menacing… probably because nearly every time, it has been, like when I shot his foot during the Abnegation attack, or when he was hunting Divergents in Candor and Tobias saved me just in time. "Where did you learn to fight like that?" he asks me, tucking a stray hair behind my ear. This is just creepy.

"Um…" I stammer, "I just… I just you know… did the training the other day… Four gave me good tips. I pay attention. And I watch for my opponent's weaknesses."

"You are a fast learner." Eric has never talked to me in this soft tone of voice before. Not just volume soft but it's more than that. I don't know what's happening here. "And you're brave." He tucks a strand of hair behind the other ear now. "But you are rebellious. We are training soldiers here, not rebels. What should I do with you after your insubordination at the Chasm yesterday, hmmm?"

My heart is pounding. He makes me so nervous. Not the good kind of nervous like I always have been with Tobias. "I thought that was why you paired me with her for the fight today," I say. "I had to beat up my best friend."

Eric barks out a loud laugh. "Yes, well, she barely touched you. So that didn't work out quite like I had hoped." He is even closer to me now, and has backed me up against the wall. He runs a finger slowly along the bruise on my jaw from when Christina managed to land a punch.

Abruptly, Eric pulls back. "I've got my eye on you… Tris." He leaves the training room, the door slamming behind him, leaving me stood against the wall with my heart pounding.