Love, Lies, Secrets and Manipulation (Divergent/Eric OC)

48. Thirty Seconds

(Three Days Later)

"So, haven't seen you in a while," Des states.

I continue to bounce Annalise on my lap as she plays with her toy key chain. It's been over a few weeks since I've seen her. She's already bigger than I remember her.

"I guess you guys are all glad that stage one is finally over, huh?"

"Actually, I think I'd rather go back to stage one training," I say. "The physical part of it, of course."

It's been three days since stage two of initiation has started. Tuesday's simulation was a lot more traumatizing than Monday's. Four really had to jinx me when he mentioned the fear about spiders. That simulation had my skin scrawling and itching for hours afterward.

Yesterday's fear stimulation had to do with being strangled to death—another unpleasant trauma, but still, not nearly as bad as the spiders.

"Well, you seem pretty okay," Des responds. "Considering the fact that it's day four of fear simulations."

Annalise babbles as she jingles her toy keys in her hand, and I switch her from my right leg to my left leg so that I can turn in my chair and face Des better.

"Four says that most people have ten to fifteen fears. Is he right about that? Because... if he is, I don't know how much longer I can go without having nightmares every single night."

She cracks a smile and chuckles. "Yeah, I think those are still pretty much the average numbers. You guys have it a little easier, though. At least you get more time to practice. Back in my initiation class, we only had a week to get through stage two. And we only had a day to practice for the final."

"Yeah, but at least there was no such thing as 'cuts' back in your initiation class. Two of us are still getting booted out to the factionless."

"Oh, relax. I'm pretty sure you won't be one of them. How have your times been?"

"Mm.... five minutes, four and a half minutes, and four minutes and forty seconds."

Her eyebrows raise as if she's impressed. "Well those are good times."

Behind her, her husband Leo walks in through the infirmary entrance. "Well, hello, my beautiful wife."

Happily, Des turns around and greets him with a kiss as he approaches her. I, however, try to sit here and look unnoticeable. But it isn't exactly easy when I have their daughter sitting on my lap.

"Natalie," Leo greets.

I only smile back at him, not exactly wanting to start up a conversation. Since he's the Dauntless guard who works most nights up on Eric's apartment floor, he knows I haven't been staying with Eric this past week. Whether he knows we're not together anymore, I'm not exactly sure. Des hasn't asked me about Eric, though, so I don't think they really know anything.

"Haven't seen you up at Eric's place lately," he says.

Not sure how to respond exactly, I remain quiet for a few seconds, and I lift Annalise up from my lap. "Yep," I reply awkwardly.

I stand from my seat and hand the baby over to him, gladly stepping out of the way afterward.

"You're leaving already?" Des asks.

"Yeah," I say. "I should be heading over to the fear simulation room anyway. It's probably almost my turn."

Leo chuckles as he bounces Annalise in his arms. "So what are some of your fears so far, huh? Oh, wait. Let me guess. Uh... being covered in maggots? Or... being chased by a swarm of bees?"