♘ Be Brave ♘

XLIX

We're so busy cleaning up the kitchen -- Cassandra's idea, not mine -- that we don't notice it's now morning. "How are we going to take this to my mom?" She puts a dollop of icing in her mouth. "We won't if you keep eating it."

She rolls her eyes. "Come on. I have an idea." We exit the kitchen and head to the training room. Lauren and Zeke catch up with us on the way. "What is it with you two and doing things in the middle of the night?" Zeke laughs.

"That sounded kind of weird, Lauren." She punches him in the arm. "You know what I mean. What were you guys doing?" I shrug. "Baking. A cake." I turn and jog the rest of the way to the training room with Cassandra by my side. When we get there, Matt is already hard at work, beating a punching bag to a pulp.

"Hey...guys. I really want to ask about why you're covered from head to toe in flour, but right now I need you to start hitting the targets with one of the guns on that table. Would you mind assisting me again, Matt?" I shake my head. "Actually, we wanted to ask you a question." Matt crosses his arms. "Okay. Shoot." He grins.

"WewantedtoaskthatyouletusgotoAmitytodeliveracake."

I talk so fast I can barely understand what I am saying myself. I'm sure Matt will never let us go. "I'm sorry. What?" Cassandra laughs. "I'll handle this. We were wondering if you'd let us go to Amity for a few minutes to take a birthday cake to my mom. I know it sounds stupid, but it would really mean a lot to me."

Matt scratches his head. "I don't know. I'm not sure the Dauntless leaders would allow that." Cassandra's face falls. "Oh." Matt snaps his fingers. "Tell you what... I'll ask Rachel to train both the transfers and the Dauntless-borns just for today."

Cassandra beams. "Thank you so-" Matt holds up his hand to interrupt her. "I'll let you go to Amity under two conditions." Cassandra nods. "Whatever you say!" Matt crosses his arms.

"Number one... you two will train for an extra hour with me once we get back." I shrug. "That doesn't sound so bad." Matt smirks. "Number two. I will accompany both of you." I groan. "Do you really have to?" I was actually kind of looking forward to going alone with Cassandra, but I can't say that out loud, of course.

"Look, Matthew. I have to go with you. You're still an initiate. Don't forget that. Without me, you won't be able to get out of here. Besides, I'd been trying to find an excuse to go outside, at least for a while. Dauntless members aren't vampires, believe it or not." He grins.

"Most importantly, I need to go with you because if I don't, you'll probably be too busy flirting to get off the train at the right time. You could end up in the factionless sector of the city, for all I know." He bursts out laughing, and I feel my face getting warm. "Alright. Fine. You can come with us." Matt smiles. "Good choice. I'll go tell Rachel to cover for me and be right back."