Iron hide, silk heart

Bleeding

"Well you look like you need a stiff drink. And maybe a punching bag." He said honestly.

Before I could answer, Eric's dark, looming voice echoed off the concrete walls and sparked goosebumps all along my arms. Taking a deep breath, I smiled curtly at Uriah.

"Please excuse me for just a second."

With a swivel of my heel, I sauntered across the huge room making a beeline for Eric, my eyes blazing with anger, jealousy, and hurt. The initiates that stood waiting for instruction saw me approaching before he did, and his dubious eyes followed their gaze to rest on me.

His expression immediately went from curious to defensive as I marched towards him, my right hand balled into a tight fist.

"Lucy." He started, but I ignored his hesitant greeting and closed the space between us.

Leaning my shoulder back slightly, I brought my fist up and launched it right into his jaw, sending him back a few staggering steps. The loud crack of skin on skin collision could be heard by all, and I could faintly make out a few gasps from the transfers behind me.

When Eric recovered, his hand shot up to rub the red mark on his face and his menacing eyes glowed black with anger.

"What the fuck was that for?!" He demanded.

Pointing my finger in his diection, I let him have it.

"Don't you ever come near me again, do you understand? If you so much as look at me again, I swear on my life that I will kill you in your sleep without an ounce of remorse Eric. You fucked with the wrong girl."

With that, I turned and began walking in the direction of the Dauntless borns, my knuckles aching like a son of a bitch.

"Dauntless borns, on the roof now!" I ordered, my voice full of rage and authority.

The group wasted no time hustling through the door and up the stairs for gun practice, and a small sliver of pride welled up in me. Or maybe it was regret. I didn't mean to scare the poor kids.

Without a backwards glance, I followed them.

********************************

Under the heat of the sun, I began to sweat as I watched the Dauntless borns shoot endless bullets at their targets. Still feeling worked up about what I'd done just 10 minutes ago, I felt no desire to instruct or even speak. Luckily, they knew what to do and nobody asked questions.  Well, almost nobody.

"Lucy?" Uriah asked, and I suddenly noticed that he was standing in front of me.

"Yes?" I asked softly.

"Can I just tell you that you've got some seriously big balls?"

When I looked up at him, he was grinning.

"Yeah, I can't believe you hit Eric!" His buddy Matt chimed in.

"Lucy, you're my hero!" Lonnie said.

I smirked at their remarks, feeling a little smug.

"Thanks guys." Was all I said.

**************************************

At lunch, I walked into the cafeteria as casually as I would any day, aside from the adrenaline. I felt as though the only thing I could hear was my heart racing and the steady breaths emitting from my partially open mouth.

Already I could see people's eyes on me as I stalked past table after table, hearing their murmured voices gossiping about what I did to Eric. I caught a few smiles, and also some more concerned, grim looks from those who thought I had some sort of death wish.

Eric was nowhere in sight, but I could see Sarah as soon as I walked in. Her catty laugh and thick scented perfume seemed to radiate right towards me. Obviously I didn't bother asking questions before I attacked Eric, so why should I with Sarah?

She answered my question anyway, shooting me a proud smirk when her eyes fell on me as I approached patiently.

When others seemed to realize what was going down, they stopped whispering and sat in silence, watching the scene unfold.

Sarah sat with three of her friends, the sluts of dauntless. I might not have been so enraged if she were just an average girl with self respect and morals. But no, she deserved every bit of pain that she'd soon be feeling.

"Oh hey there Lucy." She sneered mockingly as I walked up.

She sat atop the table with her feet on the bench, surrounded by her ugly faced cronies.

I didn't say a word, nor give her a chance to continue. I just reached up and grabbed the collar of her Dauntless jacket, ripping her from the table and throwing her to the ground. Her head hit the other table's bench on her way down, and she whimpered in pain.

Before she could react, I landed a right hook straight to her jaw, sending her the rest of the way to the cold concrete floor. I could hear numerous gasps from around me but I kept my eyes on Sarah.

When she finally sat up clutching her face, I grabbed her collar again and pulled her onto her feet, only to slam her onto the table and punch her again. Her hand flew up to feel the bruise forming, and I noticed a speck of blood on her upper lip.

Good.

"Lucy stop!" She begged, her eyes glazing with tears.

I stood before her, smirking.

"Having fun yet?" I asked, but didn't give her a chance to speak.

My fist connected with her eye this time, and it swelled almost instantly. Nobody bothered trying to stop me, and her groupies just sat in shock as I hit her again and again until her nose was trickling blood.

"Lucy!" She cried, blocking her face with her hands.

Her desperate voice echoed through the silent room.

I leaned down close to her ear and spoke soft but firmly.

"It's no secret what you did, and I'm gonna make you pay for it. Ever single moment of it."

"He doesn't love you!" She snapped, wiping her nose with the back of her hand.

I launched another punch to her face.

"Nice try sweetie." I purred.

With one last swing, I left her bloody and broken on the table, clutching her face. But not before I stood back and said, "Touch him again, and I'll break every bone in your body. That's a promise."

And for the second time that day, I turned and exited the room leaving everyone in shock. Nobody spoke when I walked by, they only watched me with wide eyes and tight mouths.

Yeah, I knew I'd be punished for this. But it felt so good.