Delirium (A Divergent Fanfiction)

Chapter Ten: Confession

"How are you doing, Katie?" I asked her, kneeling by her.

"I'm okay." she lied, nodding her head.

"Hey, Amity." I heard from behind me. I clenched my teeth and whipped around.

"What do you want, Peter?" I demanded.

"We've got time for another fight. Wanna go a round? You know, 'cause you're so fearless all of a sudden." Peter taunted. I gritted my teeth and looked at Kate, whose expression told me not to do it. Being the stubborn person I was, I stood up and stepped into the ring as Peter smiled maliciously. "You just don't know when to back down, do you?" He mocked.

"Nope." I replied and swung my fist into his cheek. He seemed unshaken by the blow and held his arms up as mine were. I dodged his punch and kicked him in the side. He threw another punch, but this time, I wasn't so lucky as his fist collided with my jaw. I winced in pain, but quickly dismissed it, stepping towards Peter. I threw my fist forward, but he dodged it and kicked me in my leg just below my knee, causing it to buckle. He hit me in the chin and I fell back. As he kneeled by me and prepared to deliver a final blow, I rolled out of the way and his fist slammed into the concrete. He pulled his hand closed to his chest as he let out a cry of pain. The skin on his knuckles was torn and bleeding, the blood seeping into his black shirt. He was angry now and came at me with his left fist. I still had my back to the ground and kicked him in the center of his chest and he stumbled back.

I pulled myself up and Peter and I were both standing now. All the initiates had gathered around the ring even though Peter and I weren't scheduled to fight. Four and Eric stood behind the initiates, both crossing their arms. Four seemed to watch each of my moves, while Eric's eyes were trained on me. I ducked as Peter launched his hand forward then jumped as he swept his leg at mine in an attempt to knock me off my feet. He was babying his right fist now, no longer using it to swing punches. I kept to his left so he couldn't punch me as easy since when he punched, his arms went diagonally.

"Did you find your locket?" Peter teased as we circle around the ring.

"Who'd you get to put it on the bridge?" I asked. "It wasn't you."

"And how would you know that?" Peter requested.

"You stood back when all the initiates were gathering around when Eric threw Kate over the side of the bridge. So what is it? Drowning? Falling? you're afraid of one of them. So who did you get to put my locket on the bridge? One of your minions?" I dodged another punch from him.

"You got me, Amity." he said, raising his hands. "I didn't put your precious little necklace on the bridge. I was gonna throw it into the chasm."

"And why didn't you?" I asked.

"Because Eric stopped me." Peter admitted.

"Eric?"

"He took the locket. I didn't see it after that." Peter told me and I launched forward to punch him, but he kicked me in my abdomen. I folded forward in pain and he slammed his elbow into my back in between my shoulder blades. I fell forward onto my stomach and Peter pulled me up, holding me up by my shirt with his right hand, the left colliding in my temple four times before I heard Four's voice.

"Six o'clock." he announced. "Training's over for today." Peter pushed me backwards and I stumbled back, falling onto my rear. He smirked and walked past me. Al offered me his hand and I took it as he pulled me up.

"Come on. Let's go get dinner." Al said, Kate next to him.

"You guys go ahead." I told him. "I'm gonna stay back for a little bit." Al nodded and they left with the rest of the initiates. I was left in the training room as I walked towards the punching bags. I chose to use the first one and began attacking the punching bag with a specific sequence. On my third time through, I was startled by a deep voice.

"What are you doing?" Four requested, spotting me.

"I'm recreating all the moves Peter and I used." I told him and he nodded his head.

"Very Erudite of you." he told me.

"Now that's just offensive." I said sarcastically, as I unclenched my fists and brought my hands to my sides.

"So why are you recreating the fight?"

"So I can figure out where I went wrong." I explained. "Maybe this way I can avoid getting my ass kicked next time." I said and recreated the kick I delivered to Peter's side.

"You're using your right fist to much with the same swing. It becomes too predictable." Four informed me, holding the punching bag to stop it from swinging. I stopped punching it and took a step back. "Do remember what I told you? About using your elbows and knees?"

"Yeah." I answered, lowering my hands to the sides of my thighs again.

"Then why did you only use your fists?"

"Because I'm not good at using my knees and elbows." I answered honestly.

"That's because you haven't practiced enough. Arms up." I followed his orders and raised my arms. "Now hit the punching bag." I did so, but Four stopped me. "You have to stand closer." I took a small step forward and repeated the motion. "You have to use your whole body. Bend your knee in. Try it again." I followed the direction and the sound of my elbow hitting the punching bag resonated through the training room.

"Like that?" I asked and Four nodded his head.

"You're set to fight Peter tomorrow." Four told me, even though I was fairly certain he wasn't supposed to. "Peter steps before he punches. Watch for that and lead with a shot to the throat as soon as you get the chance." I nodded in understanding.

Four and I trained more for the next few hours. It was around ten o'clock when I was heading back to the dormitory. As I walked through the halls, I was startled for the second time that night. "Where were you?" Eric asked.

"I thought you said we could do whatever we want after six." I retorted, walking past him without so much as a glance at him. He stopped me by grabbing my arm just above my elbow and turned me around.

"Where were you?" he repeated as I yanked my arm away from him.

"Why did you put my locket on the bridge in the chasm?" I blurted and he looked at me in surprise.

"What?" He asked as if he was confused.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." I crossed my arms tightly. "So why did you do it? Was it so I'd go get it? So I'd go and as soon as I slipped, you'd be there to save me?" I pressed further. "And then I'd just magically fall for you?" If Eric hadn't been surprised before, he was now. "Why me, Eric? Why is it that you chose me to become completely infatuated with?"

"You're..." he began, but trailed off.

"Spit it out." I told him.

"Different." he answered sternly.

"And that makes you attracted to me?" I said doubtfully.

"It makes me want to know you more." he said.

I scoffed. "This is just too perfect!" I said. "You want me to fall for you when you've proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that you're a horrible person."

"I am not a horrible person." He tried to defend himself.

"Really? That's why you made Al and Will keep fighting until Will couldn't stand on his own two feet? That's why you threw Kate into the chasm?!"

"I was helping them!"

"How?!" I yelled. "How were you helping them? By making them not trust their own faction?!"

"By teaching them to protect themselves! I was teaching them not to surrender! To never back down!"

I returned my voice to its normal quiet tone. "Sometimes you need to back down, Eric." I told him. "This is one of those times. You may have a little schoolgirl crush on me, but I don't feel that way about you. And I never will." I pushed past him and followed the hall until it came to the faded black double doors that led into the dormitory. I reached for the handle and pulled the door open as quietly as I could.