CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
TOBIAS POV
I get back to my apartment and I don't know what to do with myself. I hate knowing that Tris is so close yet so far away. I know I can't just have her stay here but that's what I want. I clean the apartment and notice I still have a lot of nervous energy.
I decide to just go to my office and get some paperwork done. I won't have much time over the next ten weeks because the initiates are here and I will need to be watching what is going on with their training. I know I can trust Lauren with the Dauntless borns she is an excellent trainer, I wish I could trust Eric but I know I can't.
After two hours of paperwork I am completely caught up and find myself with nothing else to do. So I decide to check the dorms and make sure everyone is in bed. I check on the Dauntless borns first. Their dormitory is usually the one that keeps half the compound up at night through initiation, they like everyone to know how 'Dauntless they are'. But this year it seems that they are really quiet.
I walk in the dorm and find that they are all on their bunks. Thank goodness. I walk back out the door just glad that I don't have to start searching the compound. Rita was given the option of staying with her parents during initiation but she said she'd rather stay in the dorm. Home has so many memories and she thought it would be easier in the dorms. I have set up counselling sessions for her and I just hope she makes it into Dauntless.
I get to the transfers dormitory and I haven't even opened the door and I can hear someone crying. They aren't going to last long here; I think to myself. I walk in and all the transfers are in their bunks and again I am relieved. There is nothing worse than trying to find initiates at this time of night. I look to where Tris is sleeping and I can't help but to go over to her.
I sit on the floor next to her bed and I brush a strand of her hair of her face. I can't wait for these ten weeks to be over. Tris opens her eyes and it startles me a little. I wasn't expecting her to be awake. Although now she will probably think I'm a complete freak for just sitting watching her sleep.
"Hi," I whisper. I give her a half smile.
"Hi," she whispers back.
"Can't sleep?" I ask.
"No," she says.
"Want to go for a walk?"
"Sure," she says as she gets out of bed. She puts her shoes on and I grab her hand and pull her out of the dorm.
Once we are out of the dorm Tris asks, "where are we going?"
"A secret spot that not many people know about," I say.
I take Tris down the path that Zeke showed Shauna and I after our initiation had finished. I come down here often, usually just to think and to get away from the craziness that is Dauntless. The sound of the water is calming and the spray of the water as it hits the rocks is soothing after a long day of dealing with the workings of our faction.
But now I can finally share it with Tris. Which is something I've been dreaming about for the last two years. I sit on my favourite rock, it is relatively flat and the current isn't strong here, I dangle my feet over the edge and motion for Tris to sit down.
"How are you finding Dauntless so far?" I ask.
"I love it. But I'm sure that will change once I have to start training tomorrow," she says.
"You will be fine. Lynn told me that she has been training you for months now," I say.
"She has been so tough on me. There were days that I just wanted to give up but she made me keep going and I'm glad she did. She has become a really great friend," she says.
"I'm glad you've become friends. Plus, you have Uriah and Marlene," I say.
"Tobias I'm worried about what happened with my aptitude test," she says.
"What factions did you get?" I already know she is going to tell me that she is divergent.
"Abnegation, Dauntless," she says. "And Erudite."
"Three factions," I say. I know I sound shocked and I didn't mean to. It shouldn't surprise me, knowing Tris like I do I should have expected this but nobody has ever tested for three factions before.
"Yeah," she says. "I told mum, I kinda freaked out when I got home and wouldn't leave my room. But then she explained it to me. Tori, you probably know her, she administered my test and told me to stay in Abnegation. She said it wasn't safe here. But mum told me that I needed to tell you, she told me that you would keep me safe."
"I will always keep you safe Tris," I say. "Always."
I move closer to Tris and I stare into her eyes. I can't help it but my eyes move to her lips. I really want to kiss her right now. But I'm frightened that she won't want me the way I want her. I know people were talking to us about us dating but we've never really talked about it.
I look back into her eyes and I know that if I don't do this now I may never have the courage. I lean in close and slowly brush my lips against hers. Oh god her lips are so soft. I hear a sigh come from her lips and I think I'm doing this correctly.
I pull away and see that Tris has a smile on her face. I reach out and touch her cheek with my hand just brushing my thumb over her soft skin. Then Tris moves closer and we are kissing again. More certain this time. Feeling more confident I wrap my arm around her and pull her as close to me as I can. I feel her wrap an arm around my neck and I can feel her fingers in my hair. Without breaking the kiss, I pull her onto my lap and with more confidence now we continue to kiss.
We finally break apart and I know that I have a ridiculous grin on my face. I can't help but smile, I have wanted to kiss her for so long. I can't help myself I reach over and kiss her again, not wanting this moment to end.
"About time you got here," Eric calls out to me as I walk into the training room.
I look at my watch and see that it is only ten to eight. What the hell is he complaining about? I'm actually early.
"I'm early," I say.
"Whatever," he says. He is already in a foul mood and the first day of training hasn't even started yet.
"Did you wake them up?" I ask.
"Yep, should have seen them. I thought they were all going to have heart attacks," he says.
"Zeke, Shauna and Marty will be along about nine to help you out with the assessments," I say.
"Bringing your friends along so that I don't cheat, is that it Four?"
"I thought Marty was a friend of yours?"
"He is," he says.
"Well then what's the problem? I may think a lot of things about you Eric, but, I would never think of you as a cheat," I say. Asshole is one word I am thinking about him at the moment.
"So you don't think I will try to fail your little girlfriend?" He asks. So this is what this is about.
"The thought hadn't crossed my mind," I say. Which is true.
"Okay, well I suppose we will see how she goes then," he says. If only he knew. Wait till he sees what she is capable of.
"You know this first week is only about their fitness levels. I'm sure she can survive any assessments you give her," I say.
Eric is about to say something else when we hear the door to the training room open. In walks the nine initiates all looking like they wish they had gotten more sleep.
"Good to see you are all on time," I say. "Don't think that Eric will be giving you a wakeup call every morning. Because he won't be. Training is from eight to six and you will be given a lunch break. Make sure you are on time or there will be consequences."
"For the next ten weeks you will be going through our initiation. There are three stages of initiation. Each is intended to prepare you in a different way. The first stage is primarily physical: the second, primarily emotional and the third, primarily mental," I say.
"You will be ranked throughout your training. So work hard. Only the top five initiates will have the opportunity to choose a job. The bottom five initiates will be guarding the fence. Whoever is ranked outside the top five but in front of the bottom five will be given an interview and we will give you two options to choose from for a job."
"If you don't work hard your ranking will fall and if it that happens you can get cut. If you don't show improvement, then you can get cut. We protect this city and you need to be able to do that if you want to become a member. If not, you will become factionless."
"Every stage of training is hard work. Eric and his team will be assessing you every day. Leaders will be watching as well. Just because you don't see us in the room with you, know that there are cameras all over the training room so that we can watch you. In stage one we are measuring your physical ability but remember we are also looking at your attitudes as well."
"Respect yourself, respect your fellow initiates and most of all respect your trainers. Your trainers are here for a reason, if you become a member you won't be able to go running to them whenever you have a problem. If you have questions, then ask your trainer. If you are having difficulty with a part of training, talk to your trainer. They are here to help you, so use them," I say.
"Here in Dauntless we respect improvement, it shows that you are working hard, we also respect team work. If you are on a mission, you need to be able to trust the people with you and they need to be able to trust you. But we will not hold your hands for you," I say.
"If you are failing," I say. "then work harder!" I shout.
"Any questions?"
"Can we use the training rooms after hours?" Will asks. Good question I think.
"Yes. But remember after six the rooms are open to all Dauntless members. Members have priority on all equipment and you need to respect them.
"Is it true you're dating the stiff?" Peter asks. Can I just punch him now; I think?
"Firstly her name is Tris," I say trying to stay calm. "Secondly that is not respecting a fellow initiate by calling them stiff. You are all Dauntless now, act like it or go live with the factionless. Thirdly, it is none of your business who Tris or any other initiate is dating. Neither is it your business who your leaders are dating," I say.
"And finally, Eric is in charge of the initiates scores and Eric doesn't give a shit who Tris is dating. He is here to train you to be the best that you can be. So Peter stop worrying about others and concentrate on yourself," I say.
"Peter I think we can dock you a few points for the comments you have made. Maybe it will teach you to listen to what your leaders are saying," Eric says. Which surprises me but only a little. He is trying to show his dominance over the group and by the look on Peter's face it is working.
"I'll leave you with them. Looks like it is going to be fun," I say.
"I somehow doubt that. Just what I need a Candor smart mouth. Maybe I should send them on their five kilometre run first," he says.
I look over to Tris as I am walking out of the room. I don't want to draw any more attention to her so I think it would be better to just acknowledge her rather than say goodbye to her.
When I get to the door I shout, "Work hard, we will be watching you." And then I leave. Better go over to the Dauntless borns and give them the same speech. I want to see how Rita is too, I couldn't imagine what she is going through. Max had the funeral last night. He wanted to get it over as quickly as possible so that it didn't interfere with initiation, I think also he didn't want it to linger for a few days because dependants dying always upsets him so much. I don't know why it affects him more than others and I don't feel it would be appropriate to ask him. Just one of the many things I may never get the answer too.
TRIS POV
I walk into the dining hall after training and I walk straight over to Lynn and give her a hug and whisper in her ear, "thank you for all your help, I wouldn't have survived today if it wasn't for you."
"Should I be jealous?" Tobias asks but I can see a smile on his face. Lynn just laughs at him.
"No," I say as I sit next to him.
I look across the table and I see Christina looking at me with a strange look on her face. I have no idea what that look means. I am absolutely famished but need to go and get myself some dinner. I am exhausted so I just start stealing food off Tobias's plate.
"Do you want me to go and get you something?" Tobias asks.
"No, I will get up in a minute and get something," I say as I take more food off his plate.
Tobias gets up and for a moment I think he might be angry and is going to walk out. But instead he walks over and gets me something to eat.
"Shit Four," Zeke says. "You are already whipped."
"I am not," Tobias says. "I'm just hungry and if I don't get her something she is going to eat all my food."
"Typical," Lynn says. "Men always thinking of their stomachs." We all laugh at this and continue to eat.
"Will and I have an announcement," says Christina. "Well we just wanted to tell everyone that we are now a couple."
Without looking up from her plate Lynn says, "haven't you been dating since we were in school?"
"Sort of," Christina says. "But now we are in Dauntless it's official."
"Okay then," Lynn says. She sounds really bored.
I don't think it is the response that Christina wanted. It feels like she was hoping to have more attention given to her news but everyone has just gone back to the conversations they were having before she interrupted.
"So what plans do you have for tonight?" Tobias asks.
"Well I was hoping to go and get my first tattoo. I was going to see if any of the others wanted to go with me. Do you want to come?"
"I can't I have a meeting tonight. I will try and come and see you later but it may finish to late," Tobias says.
I suppose I am going to have to get used to not having Tobias around all the time. He has a lot he has to do as a leader and I suppose once I become a member I will have responsibilities as well.
"I'll go with you to get a tattoo," Lynn says. She knows that I have been hanging for the day I could actually get a tattoo.
"I want to get a tattoo too," says Christina. "Will do you want to come with us?"
"Sure, why not?" Will answers.
"Marlene are you coming to get tattoos?" Lynn asks.
"Sounds like a great idea, I'm in," Marlene says.
This is great. I am loving being in Dauntless so far. I know I have made the right choice.
"I have to go," Tobias says. He gives me a quick kiss on the lips, I love that we are kissing now. "See you all later." And he leaves the dining hall.
We don't stay much longer and Lynn, Christina, Will, Marlene and I head out towards the tattoo parlour.