Ordinary Acts of Bravery [A Divergent Fanfic]

Chapter 13 - The coward way out

"It's nothing." I whispered, scooting closer to her. My arms then wrapped around her frame, embracing her. Roxy didn't hesitate to give me what I sought. Her arms wrapped tightly around me as well, pulling me into a tight embrace. Tears swelled in my eyes and I was unable to keep it down as I only tightened the embrace, really needing it. Roxy does the same and I wince because she accidentally hit my already bent rib, but I didn't let go of her at all.

Roxy exhaled deeply and complied with my need, letting me hold onto her for as long as I need. "O, this is clearly not nothing." Roxy tried, carefully retracting her arms to grab my shoulders, guiding me away from her. Our eyes meet and I quickly dried the tears away, it made Roxy tense and she helped me. Her small hands gently cupping my cheeks again, drying away the tears that was escaping.

"Who did this to you?" Roxy whispered and at that point I became aware that everyone around the table was watching us. Tadeo who sat behind me, placed a hand on my thigh and squeezed gently before removing the hand again. A gesture that allowed me to know, he was there if I needed him.

Unfortunately, or luckily, whichever fits better, Isaac decided to speak up about his belief that the only reason I've become this good is because I've been sleeping with one of our instructors. Roxy's entire body go rigid, but she is not the only one who stalls and I'm forced to grab her hands, once again removing them from my cheeks.

"Did he do this?" Tadeo then asked before the question could leave Roxy, they had all guessed the truth. I barely had to nod, letting them know the answer to the question before Tadeo's hand returned to my thigh, squeezing just a bit tighter and remaining where it was this time. "I can't believe he would—" Tadeo said through gritted teeth, but I didn't allow him to finish that sentence.

Tadeo trailed off the moment my hand found his. I grab it tightly and return a gentle squeeze before turning towards Isaac and the others beside the table we were seated at. "It was them, Isaac, Sophia and Aiden." I whispered, still tightly holding onto Tadeo's hand. He didn't hesitate to tighten the hold as well when I spoke.

"Aiden and Sophia fled when Isaac tried to push me into the chasm, saying it wasn't a part of the deal, then—" I trailed off, almost having told them that Eric came to save me, luckily at that moment, Roxy hadn't been able to keep her anger contained any longer.

"The chasm!" Roxy exclaimed while still holding my other hand with both of hers. Then she suddenly flew to her feet, ready to go to Isaac. Luckily, Luke who had been on the other side of her, forced her back down before she could do anything stupid. "Let me have that coward!" She hissed, eyes fixated on Isaac.

Roxy's sudden movements had made me notice the figure approach from behind her. "Octavia, can I—can I speak with you?" It was Aiden. He looked broken, clearly regretting the choice he had made but right now I couldn't use his apology at all, he could go to hell like Isaac. He was a coward. The worst kind of coward.

"No!" I snapped at him while raising to my feet, releasing both Roxy and Tadeo's hands. "I will not listen to whatever shit apology you can come up with!" I screamed at Aiden, silencing most of the dining room. "You made your choice, now you must lie in the bed you made—You're a coward." Tears swelled in my eyes once again when I yelled at him. Aiden cowered for every word that left me, leaving him even more broken to look at.

A hand then grasped at mine, carefully wrapping around my fingers. "Don't speak to me again." I sneered at Aiden who carried an extremely painful expression before he turned away again. Completely unknowing of the full story some of the dauntless cheered me on. They properly thought we had dated or something, or that he had disrespected me, it could be anything.

I couldn't help but to look around, my eyes soon landing on the leader table where Eric had risen to his feet, halfway turned to us. He stood with one hand resting on the table and one leg swung over the stool, ready to act at a moments notice if anything transpired between us.