I was back in the dorm and a lot of people were showering. It was uncomfortable being surrounded by strangers in the shower but at least I could say that nobody was naked.
"Why is everyone covered?" the Candor boy walked into the showers completely naked.
"DUDE! Oh come on Peter! Ah!" filled the shower room as he walked to the open shower head. He looked over at me and Abby.
"I thought at least the Amities would be naked," my anger was reaching a new high of the day.
"And why is that?" I asked him.
"Lil!" Abby said my name in a surprisingly annoyed tone.
"Aren't all of you guys used to seeing everyone naked? Since your all peace loving inbred hippies and run and dance naked in the fields,"
"Well even if that was true, it's a good thing you didn't choose Amity," I told him with anger leaking into my voice, "nobody would want to see you naked anyways."
"And why is that?" Peter seemed amused by my temper.
"You're a little short down there," Peter looked down then me. I was expecting him to burst out in rage but he didn't. His eyes turned pure hate and screamed murder. I nearly jumped out of my skin as Abby grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the shower. She pushed me into the group of waiting people and she was livid.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" it was weird seeing her angry. Yet my anger didn't take the hint to back down.
"Me!" I yelled at her.
"Yes you," her tone was filled with pure annoyance yet calm. "You've been a raging bitch all day," again I was weirded out by my sister's mood. My sister was always shy and quiet and I had never seen her annoyed (let alone pissed) at anyone. she never even cussed a day in her life. "At the gate when we saw Eric, after the choosing ceremony, the roof, even at dinner!" she took a deep breath and ran a hand through her long, thick, wet, blond hair, "you only get like this when your tense or upset about something," she took my arms and my skin crawled. She knew I hated being touched and which made me think she really wanted my attention. "What is going on?" I wanted to tell her that I knew she was Divergent but this wasn't the time and place. If anyone heard us they would go to one of the leaders and I would find her dead tomorrow. I took in a deep breath and I told her half the truth.
"It's just that I didn't expect you to pick Dauntless," I told her, "Abs, you are the exact opposite of everything Dauntless is. So I promised dad that I would get us both through initiation," I told her. Abby stood in silence.
"I was going to choose our home faction. But you chose to stay with me," she shook her head and ran a hand through her hair again. "I know you never belonged back home, and the thought of you giving up your only chance to belong just to stick with me made me sick," she smiled a bit, "we all know that you would become factionless not even the first hour of initiation," she chuckled.
"Yeah the peace serum never really worked on me did it," I smiled.
"you drove everyone up the walls with that," she giggled again.
"I'm sorry for being a raging bitch," I told her.
"I'm not the only one you need to apologize too," she told me with a serious look.
"You heard Peter right!" my mind went straight to that jerk.
"I'm not talking about Peter," she seemed a bit amused, "he's a jerk and deserves a good slap in the face," I smile a bit at her comment, "apologize to Eric." I nodded and I stood there for a while,
"Thank you for choosing Dauntless," I tell her. Abigail smiled at me and rubbed my arm.
"You're welcome," I pushed back the hating to be touched and I hugged her. She hugged me back and rubbed a small circle between my shoulder blades.
"Can I get dress before I go?" I asked her.
"I guess," she said in a joking disapproving tone. I went to my cot and I pulled on a tank top and black pants and my boots.
"I'll be back in a sec," I told her and ran out of the dorm. Our curfew was in five minutes so I defiantly had to be fast. I ran down the hall and past a lot of Dauntless men and women. I ran into The Pit where I knew I would find a lot of people due to it being the central hub of Dauntless. I looked around the crowds of people looking for the one guy who I thought would stand out. Of course maybe it was due to me being so short that I couldn't find a man about 6'1. I groaned as I kept walking around The Pit and I knew I wasn't going to be back by curfew. I looked over to the bridge that hung over the chasm and I thought I could get a better look over my surroundings. I walked through the crowds of people as I made my way to the bridge. People kept ramming into me as I squeezed through them. I apologized and said excuse me as I went through people. It was very Amity of me and I could tell people picked up on that. I tried to squeeze past another person when they grabbed my arm. I wanted to scream as their hand touched my bare skin.
"Trying to make a break for it?" Four's familiar voice said over the loud music. Four kept a hold of my arm and I was suddenly on the verge of having a panic attack.
"No I was looking for Eric," I told him.
"Why?" he asked me as he took a drink of what could have been moonshine.
"I wanted to apologize for how I acted," I told him and I ripped my arm away from him. my skin still crawled as my arm left his touch.
"Its a minute past curfew," he told me. I groaned as he told me that. He looked back towards the dorm then past my shoulder. "He's down that way," I looked at the corridor he was pointing at. "Make it fast," I nodded and gave him a half smile.
"thank you sir," I said then I ran for the corridor. soon as I hit the large group of people I was slowed instantly down. I walked across the Pit squeezing past a bunch of drunk people. As I went through the Pit the music kept getting louder and louder and more people seemed to be getting even more drunk. At one point the crowd of people dancing broke as one bright red haired man puked all over the floor. I avoided the vomiting man and pushed through more people around him. people kept ramming into me and touching me I nearly started screaming. Once I reached the edge of the party people seemed to be shoulder to shoulder so getting past them was even more difficult. I squeezed past the group of drunken dancers and fell face first into the corridor. it was great being able to breath and not be touched but god did my nose hurt.
"ow," I said as I got to my knees. My nose was in instant pain and was starting to run. I touched it for a second and pain shot across my face and affected my teeth. "OW!" at that moment the corridor became quiet and I realized I wasn't alone. I looked up to see a couple making out… actually they were having sex right there. My blood ran cold as they both looked at me. The girl was very pretty with midnight hair with red streaks with all of her hair on one side of her head while the other side was shaved. She had tattoos going from her collar bone to her face, she also had a nose piercing. She had soft olive skin and dark eyes. The guy was Eric. Eric had her pinned to the wall with her legs wrapped around him and her skirt pushed up for easier access. the girl looked instantly embarrassed and red while Eric was pissed pulled away from her and zipped up his pants. His cold glare was fixed on me and I was terrified.
"What are you doing here!" he practically yelled. I stood up fast and I avoided the urge to run back to the dorm. "You should be back in the dorm," I didn't realize he was coming closer to me till his breath was hitting me in the face. It didn't realize how intimidating he was till that moment.
"I came to apologize," I told him in a calm voice with a hint of panic.
"Apologize?" he seemed amused by this but I felt like the next second he was going to make me factionless.
"Yeah," I said quietly, "I'm sorry for being a jackass all day," I said quietly. "I did test as Dauntless, but I had decided I was going to fallow my sister. I was angry because I didn't really fit in with Amity and I thought I was going to be stuck there for the rest of my life. I was even angrier when she chose Dauntless." Eric stood there in silence, "so when I'm stress and stuff I get angry and turn into a raging bitch," I didn't make any eye contact with him because I was actually scared of him. Eric was a good foot taller than me and I felt that he could kill me in a second. "So I'm sorry for my comments earlier," He seemed to suddenly be calm so I took the change to look him in the eye. The saying the calm before the storm was meant for this man.
"What makes you think I wanted your apology or your life story," his calm anger scared me the most about him. "Go back to the dorms before you become factionless," I nodded and I ran. I ran through the pit and squeezed through the large crowd of people trying not to step in someone's vomit or in front of someone.(Though I did end up having a few drink get spilled on me) I didn't care that people were touching me or ramming into me I just had to get away from Eric. Once I was out of the crowd of people I ran for the corridors that lead to the dorms. I hated feeling scared and running away but I was more scared of Eric than even dogs. I ran through the door of the dorm room and sighed. my heart raced inside my chest and I tried to control my breathing. I rightened my self and I walked into the main sleeping area. It was hard to see due to the main lights being out. I walked back to my cot next to Abby.I flopped on my cot face first into my pillow and groaned because I hurt my nose again.
"So how did everything go?" Abby asked me. I didn't want to tell her that he scared me and that he didn't except my apology. So I just decided to tell her something else.
"You know how I said Eric had a small dick?" I grumbled through my pillow.
"Yeah," I looked up at her and with a disgusted face.
"I was wrong and he is pierced and tattooed even there," Abby gave me a confused look.
"how do you know that?" she asked me.
"when I found him he was fucking someone," Abby seemed to either want to turn pale or laugh. So she laughed at me, she laugh really hard, harder than she ever had before. I was suddenly convinced she had lost her mind.
"SHUT UP! Some people are trying to get some sleep!" Peter yelled at her. Maybe he was trying to sleep but everyone else seemed to have issues sleeping. One guy cried throughout the night making my Amity instincts (that I thought I didn't have) kick in. Everyone stayed in bed and I could see Abby having trouble sleeping.
"Having trouble sleeping?" I whispered to her. She nodded I reached over and I took her hand and squeezed it. I knew I was going to hate myself in the morning for doing this but she needed it.
"Help, I have done it again
I have been here many times before
Hurt myself again today
And the worst part is there's no one else to blame"
Abby closed her eyes and nuzzled against my hand. She sighed and seemed to relax.
"Be my friend
Hold me, wrap me up
Unfold me
I am small and needy
Warm me up
And breathe me"
The guy across the room stopped crying and the room seemed more silent. I knew everyone was listening at that point to me singing. I guess everyone needed it. (even though I hated the idea, maybe even Peter).
"Ouch I have lost myself again
Lost myself and I am nowhere to be found,
Yeah I think that I might break
I've lost myself again and I feel unsafe
Be my friend
Hold me, wrap me up
Unfold me
I am small and needy
Warm me up
And breathe me
Be my friend
Hold me, wrap me up
Unfold me
I am small and needy
Warm me up
And breathe me"
Abby was asleep by the time I finished singing. Soon everyone was asleep soundly around me. I was the only one awake now. I couldn't help but think of our mother and how dad had to tell her we weren't coming back. But I hoped it gave my mother comfort that we're together. I wondered about Aston and Asa, how were they doing. were they crying? were they missing us? How was Audrey? was she sleeping alright? would she even remember us when she reached our age? I sighed and rolled over onto my bell so I could try to sleep. I missed my family a lot and I was regretting going to Dauntless now. I closed my eyes trying to at least get an hour worth of sleep.
"I love you as much as the every expanding universe," I whispered to my family in Amity.
~OO~
I was startled awake to the sound of a loud banging. I fell out of my cot and landed on my face once again hurting my nose.
"ow," I groaned. I got to my knees and looked up at the jerk that woke us up. Four stood at the entrance of the dorms with a pipe. He looked very serious and leader like as he looked around the room.
"In The Pit. in two minutes," I picked myself off the floor and I grabbed a clean tank top and pulled it over my head. I had slept in my cloths including my boots after I tried to apologize to Eric. All I really thought I needed was a clean shirt since someone spilt their moonshine on me.
"Was it just me or was someone singing last night?" Will asked out loud as he pulled a t-shirt on.
"Someone was singing," a girl by the name of Molly told him.
"Who was it?" Christina asked very groggily and yawned.
"I'll meet you out there," I told Abby as I tied up my mid back length hair. I jogged out of the dorm and down the corridor to the pit. I focused on my breathing and where I was going. My constant anger was quiet today with a light purr in the pit of my stomach. It was a good sign that I may actually have a good day today and I may not bite anyone's head off today. I skidded to a stop at the entrance of The Pit. The Pit still had constant music playing through it but there weren't as many people in it as there was last night. It was clean throughout the dancing area like no one was puking at all over the place last night. I looked around The Pit and till I found Four… and Eric. I kept my eyes down as I made my way over to them. More initiates ran into The Pit behind me. I stood with the others avoiding eye contact with the two men. Once everyone was in The Pit, Four started to lecture us. I wasn't paying attention because I made the mistake of looking at Eric. His steel gaze was locked on me till he broke away and spoke.
"Your ranks also determine who get cut," he said with an intimidating tone.
"Cut? Why didn't anyone tell us?" Christina said out of shock.
"Would it have changed your decision?" Eric was annoyed by her question
"What do we do after we get cut?" someone asked him.
"You become factionless," he then turned his gaze to me again. "One of you nearly became factionless last night," my blood ran cold as everyone looked at me. "Piss me off again Twin one and you will be factionless." I felt my anger stir but I kept my mouth shut. I didn't want to become factionless because it wasn't an option.
"Yes sir," I said quietly. Eric walked up to me so he was towering over me.
"I didn't catch that," his tone was lethal.
"I understand Sir," I said a little louder.
"Good," I looked him in the eye and I could see bottled up hate and anger there. But I also saw what Peter lacked, a soul. "you all picked Dauntless, now we get to pick you," Eric said to all of us before he turned back to Four "take them to the training room." Eric ordered him. Four nodded
"Alright follow me," Four said. Eric left and rammed his shoulder into me as he walked past me. I winced as his steel body met mine and my skin crawled only in the spot he touched. the group started walking behind Four once he started down the corridor I had found Eric in last night. I looked back to see Eric walk up to Max one of the other leaders of Dauntless. I looked away and I fallowed the group. I kept my head down so I wouldn't cause anymore trouble today.
"You okay?" Tris asked me in a quiet voice.
"Yeah," I said. I looked back again and saw Eric looking this way. My skin crawled like I had just been touched and I looked away fast. I put my hands in my pockets as we walked into a room. It was large and as nearly as intimidating as Eric himself. There was training equipment all along the walls of the room and small fighting rings in the center of the room.
"Alright listen up," Four spoke loud enough that his voice echoed across the room. "This is where you'll be spending the next ten weeks training," he told us, "you will learn how to throw a knife fire a gun and learn how to fight. Your ranks will appear right there," he pointed at a digital board. "Your ranks will appear after a two days, by week eight if you hadn't improved over the line you will be cut like Eric said." I looked over to Abby and she was standing by Tris and her group of friends. With Eric on my ass making sure Abigail getting into Dauntless was going to be hard. I at least hoped that if only one of us could get into Dauntless I wanted it to be her. I looked back at Four who was now teaching us how to throw a punch. I watched what he did intently and memorized every hit and how he fought. He dismissed us so we could practice on our own. I went to a punching back and I stood in the stance that Four had demonstrated. I hit the bag and instantly I heard a laugh. I looked over my shoulder to see Peter. he was looking at me as he laughed at my attempts. I looked back at the bag and let out a breath so my anger didn't come into play. I started hitting the punching bag again with a little more force. I added more force to each hit till I was hitting the bag with full force and I was getting winded. I hit the thing for five minutes straight when Four called a break. I wiped the sweat off my forehead and I jogged over to the water fountain.
"So how are you doing?" Abigail asked me. Abby's face was completely red and she was drenched in sweat.
"Okay I guess," I told her a little out of breath. "What about you?"
"I don't think I'm doing too well," she told me.
"It's just the first day," I told her and I put on a hopeful smile, "you'll improve," she nodded. I leaned down and took a long drink of water from the fountain. I heard chuckling behind me. I stood up and glared at Peter.
"You're kind of flexible aren't you?" Peter asked with a cocky smirk.
"It's called Yoga," I told him, "it builds a lot of upper body strength and it very relaxing and peaceful which is why they have it in Amity." my mother had put me through yoga hoping I would spend my high energy someplace other than running or climbing trees... or fighting. My mom was trying to keep me out of trouble.
"How flexible are you?" he asked me. I crossed my arms and gave him and equally cocky grin.
"You'll never find out," I went back to my punching back. As I got back into my fighting stance I noticed Eric had come into the training room. I ignored him and went to my punching bag.I watched Eric make his way to Four and they stood there talking. I threw another punch at the punching back and someone touch my shoulder. Without even thinking I elbowed the person.
"What the Hell!" I turned around and saw Christina holding her gut.
"CHRISTINA! Oh my god I'm so sorry!" I tried help her but she moved away from me.
"What's the hell is wrong with you?" she asked me.
"I don't like being touched," I shook my head. "It was an accident! I'm so sorry,"
"Just stay away from me," she said and walked away. I looked up to see everyone looking at me. Even Eric and Four were looking at me. I turned back around and I started hitting the damn bag. I spent another three hours on the punching bag till Four taught us a kick then sent us to do that. I spent an hour doing that and feeling guilty as hell.
"Take it down a couple of notches we don't have many of those," Eric commented as he walked past me. I glanced at him and he still looked at me like he was about to throw me out. I went back to kicking the punching bag till Four dismissed us for the day. Once he did I ran back to the dorms and I flopped down face first cause a sharp pain to go through my nose, again. I groaned as my muscles relaxed into the cot. I was tired and hungry but I wanted to avoid Christina. I had hurt her all because she had touched me. It was an accident yet I still hurt her. I heard people come in and get changed and leave for dinner.
"you coming to dinner?" Abigail asked me.
"no I'm just going to stay here," I told her.
"okay maybe I'll bring something back for you," she gave me a soft smile and left the dorm. I sighed and thought of how much of a bitch I was for elbowing Christina in the gut. I pulled the blanket over my head and closed my eyes. Maybe I could sleep today off and tomorrow would be better. That is if my anger stayed at bay.
"Go ahead I'll catch up," I heard Will say, "I'm just going to check on Zed," I groaned as I heard my name. I heard his boots come across the room and stop next to me. "Hey are you okay?" Will sounded concerned.
"Go away," I told him. I didn't want to talk to anyone. Will sat on my cot and pulled my blanket off my head.
"I'm not leaving a friend by themself," I snorted.
"After I just elbowed Christina in the gut you think of me as a friend?"
"Abigail told us why you elbowed her," he told me, "It's a perfectly understandable reaction to the fact you don't like to be touched." I noticed that the whole time he was trying not to touch me in anyway.
"How's Christina?" I asked him.
"Annoyed but she understands," he told me, "so are you coming to dinner?" he asked me just as my stomach growled.
"Yeah I guess just let me get changed," I said and sat up.
"Okay I'll be out side," he told me and got off my cot. I rolled myself up and I grabbed a clean shirt and I pulled it on along with my jacket and zipped it up. I shoved my hands into my pockets and left the dorm room. Will was right where he said he would be and we walked down the hall. " So, why did you leave Amity?" he asked me.
"I tested as Dauntless," I decided to tell him the truth… ish. "But I told Abby I was going to stick with her no matter what faction she chose," I told him. I kept my head down as I walked down the corridor.
"And she got dauntless?"
"No, she got Amity," I told him, "she choose Dauntless because she knew I didn't belong in Amity."
"You must be really grateful," he said as we grew closer to The Pit.
"Yeah I am," I half smiled.
"You aren't as sarcastic as you were yesterday," he told me with a half-smile.
"I get like that when I'm stressed," I told him.
"How did you almost get kicked out yesterday?" he asked me
"You ask a lot of questions," I told him with a slight laugh.
"I'm from Erudite remember?"
"Fine this is the last question than I start asking questions,"
"Alright," he agreed with a smile.
"I was up past curfew and I ran into Eric while he was fucking some chick," Will started laughing.
"that must have been so awkward," he laughed.
"oh it so was, but she was really pretty," I shrugged, "Eric seems to have good taste in women," I started laughing now.
"Why were you up past curfew anyways?" he asked me. I stopped in the middle of the pit and raised my eye brow at him.
"Sorry," he said. I rolled my eyes and told him anyways.
"I was trying to apologize to him for my attitude," we started walking again and made our way to the mess hall. "Now why did you leave Erudite?" I asked him
"I guess I was too Dauntless for them," we reached the mess hall and he started looking for his friends. His smile brightened as his eyes landed on Christina.
"Well I'll see you around," I told him to try to find a lone table for myself. Before I would get a foot away Will grabbed my hood making sure there was no skin contact.
"You're sitting with us," he told me he guided me to the spot where Tris, Christina, my sister and a guy named Al sat. Christina's smile widened as she saw Will. her smile how ever faded when she saw me.
"Hey you okay?" Christina asked me as I sat down. She genially looked concerned about me. her concern caused me to feel even guiltier for hurting her.
"Are you?" I asked her as I grabbed a hamburger and began to eat.
"Yeah," she nodded, "sorry for reacting the way I did," she told me, "your sister explained to us about the touching thing. I'm just glad it wasn't one of your worse reactions," she gave me a half smile. I ran a hand through the back of my hair as the worst time ran through my head. when I was fifteen I actually burst into tears screaming and throwing a fit when someone actually tried touching me. The guy really didn't understand that I didn't want or liked to be touched. the memory alone of my reaction embarrassed me. I hoped that I would never react the same way again.
"It was still pretty bad," I told her still feeling guilty.
"I know for next time though," she still wore her half smile. "Friends?" friends, not something I had back at Amity. I was Dauntless and I guess the no touching thing made it hard for me to make friends.
"Yeah," I smiled, "friends."
"You had some killer punches today," Al told me.
"And kicks," Tris added.
"Oh yeah before I got hit in the gut I wanted to ask you something," Christina said to me. "Was that you singing last night?" she asked me as I was biting into my hamburger.
"Yeah was that you?" Will asked me. I looked at Abby trying to get her to bail me out of this. She of course was ignoring me and attempting to eat her hamburger. I looked at the two then realized it wasn't just those two but also Tris and Al. I sighed and ran a hand through the back of my hair.
"Yeah sorry about that," I said awkwardly.
"Oh no it was really nice to hear," Al told me.
"Yeah it was," Christina agreed, " last night was really hard so, it kind of relaxed everyone."
"You're really good at singing," Tris told me and I shrugged.
"Thanks," I told her. "I only really sing for family," I shrugged.
"So no asking for you to sing?" Christina guessed "got it." she said with her half smile.
"Thanks," I let out a yawn and rub my eyes. "I'll see you guys back at the dorm,"
"See ya," the all said in there own ways. I smiled as I got up and walked out of the mess hall. I walked through the corridor and I let out another yawn. When my eyes were closed I bumped into someone. "Sorry!" I said as their strong hands clamped down around my upper arms. My skin instantly felt hot and was only affected where the guy's hands were. I looked up at the person who I ran into and my blood ran cold.
"Watch where you're going Amity," Eric said out of annoyance. He pushed me away and I stood there still staring at him as he walked away. I felt my anger wake up a bit but I kept my mouth shut…. Well I kept the more volger stuff inside.
"Jerk," I grumbled and walked back to the dorm.
So I think I just made Will, Zed's best friend. well I hope you guys enjoyed. I was told that Zed was more of an Asshole than Eric so I hope I fixed it. let me know what you guys think