Ordinary Acts of Bravery [A Divergent Fanfic]

Chapter 4 - A New Life begins

The playful smile on her lips when she threw her jacket around her shoulders made me push her away from the bed with a bump of my hip. She stumbled, laugher escaping her as I also reached for my shoes, it was all I needed to be finished. Doing quick work of the claps and fastening my shoes properly, I left the room with Roxy as one of the first. I was really happy that there were no strings to tie on them. They were comfortable and extremely supportive.

Roxy's laugher filled the hallway while we ran towards the pit, helping each other take the right turns. When we entered the pit I had to squint my eyes and hold a hand up to cover them from the sudden light change. The glass roof glinted in the morning sun and more than a few prisms reflected on the floor. Once I had adjusted to the light, I was met with the sight of the dauntless born initiates already gathered there.

Their carefree and playful attitude sparked a bit of jealousy in me, but only in a good way. It helped seal my decision even more. I knew I had made the right choice, this was my faction and would be my home from now on. I would do everything to accomplish that. I was dauntless and I was definitely going to become a part of this faction.

Leaned casually against one of the larger boulders lying randomly spread on the floor of the pit, stood Eric. His arms were crossed, resting against his chest as he carried an even bigger scowl than yesterday. When our eyes met for whatever brief moment it was, he raised an eyebrow rather challengingly again, but it was a challenge I wasn't in the mood to take right now.

I looked away when Four decided to step forth, he had clearly been waiting for the last few initiates to arrive before he would address us all. "Excellent. Now, listen carefully." Four begins and clasped his hands together. The action quickly gained everyone's attention. It even silenced the dauntless born.

"There will be three stages of training." Four held up three fingers. "The first will be physically, the second and third will be mentally, fight your fears, conquer them unless they get to you first." Four explained, keeping his gaze on no one in particular, but shifting occasionally between some of the dauntless born and transfer initiates because they kept whispering and not paying attention.

"You'll be pushed to the breaking point in each stage of training. You will also be ranked and scored on your performances, so fight hard!" Four narrowed his eyes at us, definitely trying to make us understand his point. I was certain the seriousness in his voice reached everyone. With whatever courage I had been able to muster, I dared look back at Eric not far behind Four.

He was occupied with his fingernails and didn't notice my glare. I would fight as hard as I could, he would not be able to stop me. When Four turned to a board on his right, my attention shifted there as well.

"This board will show you your rankings at all times during the next nine weeks. Transfer initiates—" Four turned to us with a serious expression. "In the first stage of training you will be trained separately from the dauntless born, but you'll be ranked with them. After initiation your ranking will determine which job you move into, leadership, guarding the fence and so on."

A twinge of excitement coursed through me. It was the same for Roxy because she eagerly grabbed my arm in that very moment and squeezed surprisingly tight for one her size. Without a thought, one of the transfer initiates suddenly decided to interrupt. "What was your ranking, Four?" I was certain his name was Isaac, the candor smart mouth Four had lectured only yesterday about keeping his mount shut, asked.

With a raised eyebrow, Four rubbed his hands together, showing just a hint of the familiar dauntless arrogance I had come to know so well already before he cast a single glance at Eric behind him. I was certain I saw the leader tense, his nails digging into the exposed part of his skin on his forearms. "I was first." Four chuckled, sounding a little too satisfied. He didn't even sound all that annoyed about the interruption this time.