Deceptions & Secrets

Chapter 28: Rankings and Decisions - T version

Chapter 28: Rankings and Decisions - T version

Date: Initiation Day / Baby Natty is 7 months old (August 15)

**Four POV**

I make my way through the Pit carrying a case of beer, dodging small crowds of Dauntless. Most people have flasks or bottles in their hands; the Dauntless take advantage of just about any excuse to party, and the day of the Fear Landscapes, the final test of initiation each year, is no exception.

The fear landscapes went well, especially for Tris. The Dauntless record for fewest fears was eight before I shattered it two years ago with my four fears. Tris did not beat my record, but with only six fears, she came close, and she moved through them quickly. She always does. Only the leaders get to watch the simulations, but I can only assume that they are the same six fears I have seen in her simulations. I watched the leaders scoring her carefully as they observed Tris in her landscape, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I am confident there was nothing unusual in her final simulations. I have no doubt that Tris will place first when the final rankings are revealed tomorrow morning.

Tris. I was so nervous watching her through the window of the fear landscape room, even though I had no reason to be. She has been exceptional throughout initiation and there was no reason to doubt that she would be exceptional in her final test as well. But I'm sure it is always difficult to watch someone you love face their fears, and always nerve wracking to know that they are facing the culmination of months of hard work.

There is no denying now that I am madly in love with Tris Prior. Whatever happened during the two years we were apart doesn't matter any more, I'm done letting my jealousy get in the way. I am choosing to let that go. I love Natty with all my heart, and I need her in my life as much as I need Tris. I won't step aside for Uriah, but I need to at least try to do this right. And that is why I am searching the Pit for the Pedrad brothers.

As I near the Chasm I finally see the people I was looking for. Zeke has an arm slung around Shauna's shoulders. Marlene leans against the Chasm railing next to Uriah, who takes a drink from a silver flask before passing it to Lynn. I can hear their laughter over the roar of the river below. The initiates look as though they haven't got a care in the world. I remember that feeling after my own fear landscape two years ago and I smile at seeing them so happy. That's something you don't see a lot of during stage two, when everyone is stressed and traumatized by their fear simulations.

"Four!" Zeke yells when he sees me, though I'm only a half-dozen yards away by then and obviously coming their way.

"Congratulations on finishing your fear landscapes," I say to the initiates, nodding at them. Then I look between Zeke and Uriah. "Zeke... Uri... can I grab a beer with you guys alone? I wanted to talk to you about something."

Uriah smiles and straightens up, waving the flask away when Lynn offers it to him. She passes it to Marlene instead. "Sure, man," he says while smiling. I hope he is still smiling after I say what I need to.

Zeke pecks Shauna on the lips and drops his hand from her shoulder. "See ya, Four," Shauna calls after me as I walk away with Zeke and Uriah.

Ten minutes later, I am sitting in a worn armchair in Zeke's apartment, nervously glancing at Zeke and Uri as I sip a beer. I was thankful to find that Uriah hasn't had much to drink yet; it's probably best that he is mostly sober for this conversation. He smiles. "Thanks for the beer, Four." I nod.

"You said you wanted to talk to us about something," Zeke prompts me. I nod and lean forward, resting my forearms on my knees, and stare down at my beer bottle. I need to face this issue, whatever Uriah is to Tris. Even though I very well may not like what I hear.