Tris POV
"This is really starting to get on my nerves." I think to myself. He's so cryptic, and gentle, and hard and callous. "Yesterday couldn't have been a fluke if it happened again." I muse to myself. I find myself trying to understand but I just can't. "Why me?" I rant aloud. "Why you what?" Christina says looking at me incrediously as we walk into the training room. I roll my eyes and huff "I think someone likes me." She gasps and says "Who?" sounding like an owl with her eyes all wide.
"I'm not going to tell you until I know for sure." I say to her "Because it would be completely embarrassing if I was..." "Quiet initiates" I hear coming from the front of the room effectively cutting me off. It Four again "Damn." I think to myself I was hoping it was going to be Eric. He says something about shooting guns, throwing knives and fighting but I don't really hear him because at that moment who should stroll into the room but the man himself. I sigh silently to myself as Eric scans the room. His eyes fall on me and I am positive that I seen an imprint of a smile dance onto his face, but it is quickly replaced by a scowl as he turns and walks away.
"Alright initiates line up, grab a weapon and find a target." Four says all the while staring at me. I do as I am told and wait for the other transfers to fall in line. To say I am distracted by my thoughts of Eric is an understatement but if I want to stay here and be able to see if this truly is something I really need to pay attention. I clear my mind and listen to what Four is saying. I really need to get this right is my last thought before I take my first shot.
Eric POV
I need to stop and take a second, this is completely ridiculous I don't act like this... that smile could have gotten me into trouble. If Four saw any show of favortism for her he would most definitely make things worse for her, and that is something that I do not want and also could not live with. I fix my brain into leader mode and turn around and walk back into the room.
They are all standing there at the shooting lines watching Four take his stance. I scan the line and notice that she is studying everything from his foot position and hand placement and is attempting to copy it identically. Four takes his shot and sets his gun back down on the table. Letting the initiates know it is their turn. Every single one of them has taken a shot with the exception of Tris. She watches carefully as they all take their shots, only a few of them have hit the target. When Four starts to walk towards her she finally takes aim. She pulls the trigger and almost falls from the force of the recoil.
I suppress the urge to run over and help her because boy would that give me away, and I don't need anyone knowing how soft (and hard) this girl makes me. I look over as she once again takes aim adjusting her rear leg and taking a deep breath. A shot rings out and she hits the 2nd ring in. I suppress my smile and watch as Four walks closer to her and pats her on the shoulder. When this occurs a foreign feeling rises up and takes root in the pit of my stomach. I watch dumbfounded as she recoils from his touch and that feeling is immediately replaced with joy. I turn around to take care of the emotion on my face and walk over to Four so that he can announce the break and we can discuss our next move.
When the group comes back that big Erudite transfer has his arm wrapped around Tris' shoulder. It takes everything I have inside me to remain facially impassive and to suppress the urge to punch him in the face, but she wiggles out of his grasp and smiles at me. Inside I feel triumphant and it is getting harder and harder to not grin like an idiot. "Alright initiates," Four says " We are going to do some knife throwing until we are dismissed for lunch and then after that we are going to dabble (honestly, who says dabble...) in some hand to hand combat training. Go to the table over there and pick up 3 knives and then make your way over to the shooting line." Damn he is long winded. He walks over and grabs 3 knives for himself and walks back to the first target.
"I am only going to show you this once so pay attention." he spouts. He takes his stance and throws the knives one after the other. Once again Tris is copying the stance and Four's throwing technique doing it with an empty hand as to practice the release. Studying what to do in her mind before wasting her knives, it's very smart...very Erudite. I step out of my mind and that annoying Candor that said something on the rooftop yesterday is once again taunting her, "Why is she such a target?" I think to myself.
She says something back to him but I was so lost in my musings that I didn't really catch it. I look up when she finally tosses the first knife, the air is silent except for the whistling of the knife through the air. BULLSEYE! I have to tell myself to look away, "Suppress, suppress, suppress." I chant inside my head. The silence inside my head brings out a new sound... why do I keep hearing knives hit the ground? I look over at the group and immediately spot the culprit. Ugh... the giant Erudite isn't even trying.
"Stop." I yell. Haha, payback is a bitch next time maybe he will think twice about putting his arm around her. "Are you even trying initiate?" I spat in his direction. "It, it slipped." he says his voice quivering. "Well, go get it." I say loud enough so everyone can hear. "Are you serious, with everyone still throwing?" the undercurrent of fear in his voice fills my senses with glee. "Yes, are you scared?" I say. "Of being impaled by a flying knife," boldness creeping into his voice. "Yes." "Alright," I say. "Everyone stop..." I look at him and say, "Go get in front of the target initiate. Four, I could use your help over here and please bring 3 knives with you." Four brings the knives over and tries to hand them to me.
"No," I say, "You're the best thrower in here, this initiate needs to learn a lesson about bravery." Four then squares up and takes his stance ready to throw the first knife when I hear "Stop." coming from the back of the group. "Oh God," I think to myself, please don't make me do this... "Did you have something to say initiate?" I say my voice throwing a warning in her direction. "He's having trouble throwing knives, and you having Four throw knives at him is bullying and bullying equals cowardice." She says.
Once again I say to myself, "You don't have to do this." but of course my brain gets the better of me. "Alright then, you take his place and if you flinch even once someone else will take your place." Ugh... why does she have to be so fucking brave and selfless? Freaking Abnegation. She walks over and takes the Erudites position and Four throws the first knife which lands directly above her head. "Come on Four you can do better than that." I taunt. "Do you want me to give her a little trim?" He says. "Yeah, take a little off the top." I say inwardly regretting this entire situation. The second one lands closer to her head. Finally we are at the third one and I am pretty sure at this point I could puke.
The room is completely silent as the knife goes whizzing through the air it makes contact with her ear on the trip and a drop of blood lands on her earlobe, but she still doesn't flinch. "Well done initiate, that earned you some points for bravery." I say. At this point Four calls lunch and everyone gets up to leave and as I am walking through the door I hear Tris yelling at Four, I don't stay to make out what she is saying but at this point in time I can tell you that I could not be happier.