I own nothing!

Chapter 4

Today is the first day of fighting. I stop by the dining hall to grab a quick bite and get to the training room at 7a.m. so that I can work off some nervous energy before the day begins. By the time the first initiates arrive I am winded and my hands are red from the punching bag. I don't pay attention to who comes in I only continue to throw punches at the bag. It is the only thing other than the chasm that seems to settle me down at all.

I hear whispering behind me and realize who has been in here watching me for the past couple minutes, it is Tris and Christina. I still don't turn though. I start to use my knees and elbows to demonstrate how to use them and how to inflict maximum damage. This is a way that I can show her how to fight without being obvious. I hope she is watching and taking notes. If she is, it will only help her in the future.

I hear the door open again and I stop punishing the bag. The rest of the initiates enter and I turn to focus on them.

"Since there are an odd number of you, one of you won't be fighting today," I tell them. I turn the chalkboard to reveal the pairings. Tris won't be fighting today, she really isn't ready yet, so I decided to give her a reprieve. I look at her and she is visibly relieved, the look she gives me sends chills through me. I'm not sure why this girl has this effect on me, but I have to stop this. Nothing can come from these feelings.

Eric enters the room as promised. He looks at the pairings and takes his spot by the wall to observe the initiates.

The first pairing, Will and Al, enter the ring and start to circle one another the way I taught them. At least someone was paying attention yesterday. Al is physically larger than Will and has enough strength in his size to end this quickly. Al punches Will in the jaw and Will is clearly shaken. Eric is enjoying the fight, smiling when Al punches Will. Will is able to block Al's next attack, but he is not doing well. Will stands and they begin to circle each other again.

Across the ring from where I'm standing, Tris talks to Christina. Christina is dressed in tight fitting clothes and wears make-up. Christina has embraced the Dauntless style, Tris has not. She has given up her grey for black, but her clothes are baggy and she is still wearing grey shoes. Hopefully Christina will be able to help Tris come out of her shell a bit and get her to lose the Abnegation part of her before someone notices. I have a feeling that is the only way that she will be able to really succeed here.

Next to me Eric yells, "Do you think this is a leisure activity? Should we break for nap-time? Fight each other!"

"But…" Al says putting his hands down "Is it scored or something? When does the fight end?"

It ends," Eric says, "when one of you is unable to continue."

This comment angers me, but I show no emotion when I say, "According to Dauntless rules, one of you could also concede."

Eric glares at me, "According to the old rules. In the new rules, no one concedes."

Now, feeling a rage building but controlling it, I say," A brave man acknowledges the strength of others."

Eric fires back,"A brave man never surrenders."

Eric and I stare at each other. What can he possibly know about bravery? He is a power hungry coward, afraid of losing his position and of other people's strength. There is no winning this staring contest and I realize this.

I feel the eyes of all the initiates on us as we argue. I especially feel Tris' eyes on me. I refuse to back down from him and show him any kind of weakness. Then Al's voice jars me out of this stupid struggle for dominance. I turn my attention back to the two fighting in the center of the ring.

Al speaks up," This is ridiculous! What's the point of beating him up? We're in the same faction!"

Will puts up his hands, "Oh, you think it's going to be that easy? Go on. Try to hit me, slowpoke."

Will is fast but determined. If he can avoid a direct hit, he has a good chance.

Will dances around Al, kicking him in the back causing Al to lurch forward. Al turns, grabs Will and punches him in the jaw. Will is out cold.

"Get him up," Eric says. He stares at the carnage and his lips curl into a cruel smirk.

I turn to the chalk board, circle Al's name and cross the rink to take Will to the infirmary.

As I lift Will to leave, I hear Eric bark, "Next up- Molly and Christina!"

I'm not comfortable leaving Eric with the initiates, especially Tris since he has already shown interest in breaking her. But Will needs the infirmary.

As we walk to the infirmary Will starts asking me questions about girls. "Four, can I ask you a question?"

"Depends on the question," I say coldly.

"There is this girl," he says. "I just can't seem to stop thinking about her. Just her presence distracts me. She doesn't even have to do anything special."

I know the feeling well. It is amazing that a girl can do this to a guy and not even realize it. Then I begin to wonder which girl it is. The only girls he really has contact with are Myra, Molly, Christina, … and Tris. Myra is dating Edward and Molly is hideous. That leaves only Christina and Tris.

I get him quickly to the infirmary without responding to his declaration.

"Should I try to talk to her?" Will asks.

"I'm not sure I'm the right person to be giving you advice," I say quietly.

I deposit Will in the infirmary and leave without finding out who he is talking about.

I return to an empty training room. Where have they gone? I knew I shouldn't have left them alone with Eric. What the hell is he doing now?

I make it to the Pit in time to see Al and Tris pulling Christina over the railing from the chasm. The three of them fall to the ground relieved.

I turn and return to the training room to work out some more of my anger before lunch is over and they return to finish the fights.

What am I going to do if Will has feelings for Tris? Four, get a hold of yourself, you won't do anything. You are the instructor, she is the initiate. Nothing can come of this. But I can't help wondering how I would handle things if I was able to really get to know her. How would I be able to balance Four and Tobias? And if she actually got to know me, would she even like me?

XXX

By the time I leave the training room for lunch, I have broken a punching bag and my hands are sore and bleeding.

"What happened to you?" Shawna says staring at my hands.

"Just training," I say.

"What were you training to do, kill an ogre?" asks Zeke.

"Just working some things out in the training room is all. It really isn't a big deal!" I respond without looking at them.

They know me well, and know when something is going on. Zeke drops the subject. He knows I'm not going to talk if I don't want to. Shawna and Lauren are a different story. They begin to tag team me with questions about what is wrong with me.

"What happened during training this morning?" Lauren asks.

"Did someone do something wrong?" asks Shawna.

"I bet it was something Eric did, right?" says Lauren.

I don't respond to their questions, I just finish eating quietly. They know my silence means more that if I actually spoke.

I leave the dining hall and return to the training room to clean up the broken punching bag and ready the room for the initiates return.

XXX

The afternoon fights continue much the same as the morning had. Eric finds me after the afternoon fights.

"Don't worry about doing the pairings for tomorrow; I will take care of it."

"That is not necessary," I tell him.

"Just leave it to me, Four. See you in the morning." Eric says with a smirk.

I know this is a bad idea. Nothing good can come out of allowing Eric to make the pairings. All I can hope is that no one gets hurt too badly because of him.