This is Chapter 7 of Divergent (well most of it, Four isn't present at the end, so I left that out)
I just wanted y'alls to know that the quotes aren't mine. They are taken directly from the book, so that I don't get off track. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Divergent trilogy or any of the characters
After everyone has jumped, Lauren and I lead the initiates down the hall to the entrance. I have the urge to keep checking behind me to make sure that Tris is still there, and that I didn't imagine her coming. I see Tris smack into some Erudite kid and I resist the urge to fly at him, fists engaged. Lauren and Eric stop and face the crowd, and I copy their action.
"This is where we divide." Lauren's voice pulls me back to reality. "The Dauntless-born initiates are with me. I assume you don't need a tour of the place." She speaks with bravado and a cocky smile as the initiates clad in black follow her. There are only nine people left with me. I see Tris, the only Abnegation, and then a few Candor, and mostly Erudite.
"Most of the time I work in the control room, but for the next few weeks, I am your instructor. My name is Four." I sigh as a Candor smart-mouth questions me. One always does.
"Four? Like the number?" I resist the urge to roll my eyes at the girl.
"Yes," I say. "Is that a problem?"
"No." She sounds almost sullen.
"Good," I reply. I feel a bit better. "We're about to go into the Pit, which you will someday learn to love. It-"
The smart-mouthed girl cuts me off again. "The Pit? Clever name." She obviously needs to be taught that she can't question her superiors like that. I walk close to her, narrowing my eyes and leaning into her personal bubble.
"What's your name?" I ask her slowly.
"Christina." She whimpers with a squeak.
"Well, Christina, if I wanted to put up with Candor smart-mouths, I would have joined their faction." My voice reduces to a hiss. "The first lesson you will learn from me is to keep your mouth shut. Got that?" She nods at me fast, and I turn to walk.
"What a jerk." She thinks I don't hear her whisper, but I do. I let it slide. Suddenly, I realise she's talking to Tris.
"I guess he doesn't like to be laughed at." Tris has that right. I'm supposed to install fear in these people, not laughter. I push a set of double doors open and we walk into the pit. The look on everyone's faces gives me the satisfaction I was looking for.
"Oh," Christina whispers. "I get it." The large underground cavern was very intimidating to people. The stores that lined the edge sold merchandise for them, but I get the feeling that's not what scared them. What scared me so much the first time was the fact that there was no railing to keep people from falling. I see Tris take a nervous step back or two, and I open my mouth to tell her it's okay, but then I close it. She has to figure that out for herself. Comparing Dauntless to Abnegation was like comparing order to chaos. In the Abnegation sector, everyone walked in even rows in drab shades of grey. There were people of every age and size, unjudged by their peers. It was very quiet in the streets of Abnegation, no one really spoke unless it was to say sorry for something. That was the most common work in Abnegation. In Dauntless, people walk every which way, running into whomever they please and talking as loud as they like. As much as I love the Dauntless chaos, I miss Abnegation. I don't want to be a violent person. But I have no other choice.
"If you follow me, I'll show you the chasm." I wave the initiates forward. The roar of water hits my ears, and I sigh. I like this place. The water is peaceful, like the calm before the storm. Tris edges her way nervously to the side. She looks over the edge, and then leaps back slightly. Fortunately for her, no one notices, or else she would be ridiculed. I raise my voice to a yell, so that everyone will hear me over the loud noise of the water.
"The chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy! A daredevil jump off this ledge will end your life. It has happened before and it will happen again. You've been warned." I mean to scare the initiates, and most look wary, but not Christina.
"This is incredible." I begin to lead them away from the railing when she speaks.
"Incredible is the word." Tris agrees, and I'm glad. I'll have to bring her up here after initiation. I lead the group of initiates across the Pit towards an archway that can be easily mistaken for a random hole. The arch leads to the dining hall. Tris and Christina smile as they search for empty seats. I sit down next to Tris. She looks at the beef with curiosity, and I realise that, being from Abnegation, she's probably never heard of beef before. I nudge her with my elbow.
"It's beef. Put this on it." I pass her a bowl of ketchup. I see Christina's eyes widen.
"You've never had a hamburger before?" She looks shocked, like it's a miracle that Tris is alive. I resist the urge to laugh.
"No." Tris looks completely innocent. "Is that what it's called?" I find the time to chime in. I hate using the word 'Stiff' but only the Abnegation don't use it, and I don't wish to be outed as being a former Abnegation, that will lead to them knowing my name.
"Stiffs eat plain food." I nod in Christina's direction, letting her know silently that the explanation was for her.
"Why?" she asks. Before I can answer, Tris jumps in with a shrug.
"Extravagance is considered self-indulgent and unnecessary." Christina answers with a smirk.
"No wonder you left."
Tris rolls her eyes. "Yeah, it was just because of the food." My ability to contain my smile fails, and the corners of my mouth rise slightly. The opening of the doors alone interrupts me. Eric comes in, and everyone is silent. His face piercings give me the shivers, although no one knows it. But that's not what scares Tris, and I can see it as she stares into his cold, lifeless eyes.
"Who's that?" Christina's hiss reminds me that I'm in public, and I must not show fear. I calm my voice.
"His name is Eric. He's a Dauntless leader." only because I said no. But I don't say that to Christina.
"Seriously?" She sounds shocked, and I remember she's from Candor, and everything there is by age. "But he's so young."
My face goes grave. "Age doesn't matter here."
Tris looks at me, almost concerned. I wish I could tell what she was trying to say, but I got nothing. Eric stopped, and walked to sit next to me. I see Tris and Christina both take in a gulp of fear, and Eric sits down. He nods at Tris and Christina.
"Well, aren't you going to introduce me." I stiffen at his blatant disregard for manners. I guess a part of me will always be Abnegation.
"This is Tris and Christina." I point to the two girls respectively.
"Ooh, a Stiff." Eric smirks at Tris. His lip piercings make me, and everyone around me uncomfortable. Tris flinches. "We'll see how long you last." Tris opens her mouth to tell him off, but the words obviously fail her. She looks nervous. Eric taps his fingers on the table, and I notice the fighting wounds on his hand, about to burst.
"What have you been doing lately, Four?" I raise an arm uncomfortably. I really don't feel like talking to Eric, but I have to keep up the pretense of us being acquaintances so that initiates don't become suspicious of cracks in the leadership.
"Nothing, really," I say nonchalantly. Tris's brow furrows as her eyes dart between the two of us, trying to analyze our 'friendship'.
"Max tells me he keeps trying to meet with you, and you don't show up. He requested that I find out what's going on with you." Eric looks accusingly at me.
"Tell him that I am satisfied with the position I currently hold." I hope he stops questioning me, but no dice.
"So he wants to give you a job." Please, just stop talking. I will Eric silently to shut up.
"So it would seem." I try to speak evasively, but he still doesn't shut up.
"And you aren't interested." Finally, I decide to shut him up.
"I haven't been interested for two years."
"Well," he says. "Let's hope he gets the point then." He claps me uncomfortably on the shoulder and walks away. Tris visibly slouches. I look at her quizzically.
"Are you two… friends?" She seems to burst with curiosity.
"We were in the same initiate class. He transferred from Erudite." I try to talk quickly and quietly, so she doesn't question me.
"Were you a transfer too?" I cringe. I hoped she wouldn't ask. I think a moment about how to take this. I obviously can't tell her I'm from Abnegation, she'd get my name faster than I could blink. I could lie and say I was Dauntless, but I don't want to lie to Tris. For once, I want to be completely honest with someone.
"I thought I would only have trouble with the Candor asking questions. Now I've got Stiffs, too?" I try my hardest to make my voice cold.
"It must be because you're so approachable. You know, like a bed of nails." Her voice is flat, and it feels like a dull blade. I look curiously at her, and surprisingly, she meets my gaze. I notice her cheeks go red.
"Careful, Tris." She gulps. Luckily, the tension is broken when someone at another table calls my name. I get up and walk over. As I go, I catch a snippet of her conversation with Christina.
"I'm developing a theory." Christina says, sounding amused. Tris just sounds annoyed.
"And it is?"
Christina picks up a hamburger, and before sticking it in her mouth she says, "That you have a death wish." I resist the urge to smile.