Reawakening

Chapter Six

So.... I don't know how it happened because I swear I published this before... but it appears somehow this chapter never went up?  It was just sitting there as a draft.  Whatever though... here it is now.

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Uriah

I easily block Marlene's punch, grabbing her wrist and twisting it behind her back.  Sweeping her feet out from under her, I pin her for the tenth time tonight.  She's pinned me a couple of times, and she's really not terrible at fighting... I just happen to be the best out of the Dauntless-born initiates, at least I was the first time I went through initiation.

I keep hoping that Tris come by-- I'd love for her to spar with Marlene, I think they'd both get a lot out of it.  It would be a more even match than me against either of them.  "Who are you looking for?" Marlene asks as she sits up.

"Oh, I just thought Tris and Christina might come give us a couple more opponents to face off with," I say with a shrug.  She frowns slightly.  I'm not sure why she doesn't seem to like Tris-- she liked her before, the first time.  They didn't meet till Capture the Flag last time, but I don't see why that should matter.  Tris is way more, well... Tris, than she was at the beginning of our first time through initiation.

"You know, I'm getting tired, Uri," Marlene says, looking away from me.  "I think maybe I should get some rest, maybe that's the best thing to prepare me for tomorrow."

Oh.  I had been hoping to hang out with her a little more.  I guess if she's tired... she seems 'off', though.  "Uh... okay, Marlene."  I fake a smile.  She turns and begins to leave, but I can't just let her go looking all sad like that.  I quickly take the few steps to close the distance between us, and touch my hand to her shoulder.  She pauses and looks over her shoulder at me.  "Are you okay?  You seem kind of down or something."

Marlene smiles but it doesn't quite reach her eyes.  I know it's fake.  "Totally fine!  Just tired.  I'll see ya later, Uriah."  I frown as I watch her walk away, not missing way her shoulders slump.  As the training room closes behind her, I let out a sigh and rub my hands over my face.  I feel like something isn't right.  Something isn't how it should be.

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I can't seem to shake the uneasy feeling I got in the training room earlier.  It's nearly lights out time at the dormitory, but I won't be able to sleep when I'm feeling anxious like this, so I decide to look for Zeke.  He isn't hard to find: he has a night shift in the control room.

"Baby bro!  Shouldn't you be getting some sleep before your first fight?" Zeke says with his usual grin stretched across his face.

"Probably should," I answer, "but I don't think I'd be able to sleep right now so I came to talk to you."

Zeke frowns.  "Everything alright?"

I shrug.  "Girl trouble, I guess," I say as I sit in one of the empty chairs and lean forward, resting my forearms on my knees.

Zeke smirks.  "Trouble in paradise?  The Stiff, right?"

My head snaps up quickly-- Tris?  Why would he think I liked Tris?  "The Stiff, you mean Tris?  No, not Tris," I say shaking my head.  "Marlene."