But Then I Met Her | ✓

Chapter 21

"Right. Wouldn't want to get between you and your boyfriend." Molly walks away grinning triumphantly. Tris and Robert talk for several more minutes before the guards finish inspecting the truck. The bearded man climbs back in the cab and shuts the door. Robert takes that as his cue and sets him hand on Tris's shoulder. He looks ready to kiss her but seems to think otherwise and instead turns away, climbing back into the truck. A girl with a banjo starts playing a tune. Tris watches the truck drive away almost wistfully, as if she's imagining what her life would be like if she had chosen Amity.

The guards close and lock the gate. Tris seems to notice that the lock is on the outside rather than inside and bites her lip. She's the only one that seems to realize this.

"Four, are you listening?" Tamara, a Dauntless guard with a gun resting on her shoulder asks. We were in the same initiate class. From what I remember, she transferred from Candor.

"Sorry." I sigh.

"She's in trouble?" Tam asks, shooting a sympathetic look in Tris's direction.

"Eric'll kill me if I don't at least scold her." I step away from the fence and go over to Tris.

I stop a foot away from her, crossing my arms over my chest. "I am worried that you have a knack for making unwise decisions."

She stubbornly crosses her arms over her chest. Almost as if she's mocking me, but Tris is not one to mock others. The stance could possibly be considered 'provocative' or 'flirtatious', only Tris is not like that. "It was a two minute conversation."

"I don't think a smaller time frame makes it any less unwise." The other initiates are paying us no mind. Instead, they talk to the guards about their jobs. Even though I'm well aware of how risky it is, I touch the corner of her bruised eye lightly with the tips of my fingers. Her head jerks back, whipping some of the blonde hair that came loose from her ponytail into her eyes.

I don't move my hand, just tilt my head and sigh instead. "You know, if you could just learn to attack first, you might do better." She has a fire in her that could dominate her opponent if she actually tried, but I don't say that.

"Attack first? How will that help?"

"You're fast. If you can get in a few hits before they know what's going on, you could win." I shrug, letting my hand fall back to my side. Why did touching her face like that feel so intimate?

"I'm surprised you know that," she says quietly. "Since you left halfway through my one and only fight."

"It wasn't something I wanted to watch." She doesn't understand my meaning. I'm not sure whether that's good or bad. I clear my throat. "Looks like the next train is here. Time to go, Tris."