The New Initiates

Chapter 16

I sit by Rose, in the chair that is normally vacant. “Allie was asked to be a dauntless leader.” I say calmly. Rose stabs the scrambled eggs on her plate. “I heard.” She says through gritted teeth. I wince, “I didn’t think you’d respond like that, I didn’t mean to offend you.” Rose sighs and puts her fork down. “Forgive me if I am not Allie’s biggest fan right now Aria.” She says, her tone has the right mix of sarcasm and anger for me to be taken aback. I watch with my mouth open slightly as she stands and walks across the room, dumping her tray with all the others that contain empty dishes whereas her food is untouched. As she leaves the room I notice she meets Uriah’s eyes. It looks as if he mouths something and she shakes her head but I can’t be one hundred percent sure. “What is wrong with her?” I ask Daniel. He shakes his head. “I don’t know. I’ll go talk to her later though Aria, honest, I’ve just been giving her some space but I think she has some issues she needs to talk about.”

“Some issues?” Allie says placing her tray between mine and Daniels. “I, personally, would say she is made of issues. It wouldn’t surprise me if she has a few screws loose either.” Daniels jaw tightens but he says nothing, so I speak up. “Allie, don’t be rude, some things are better left unsaid.” I glance at Daniel who is staring at his plate, at least he has eaten something. Allie shrugs. “And if I don’t say them, who will?” I’m about to reply when Daniel stands and looks at us. “I better go check on my best friend” he says, adding extra emphasis on the words ‘best’ and ‘friend.’ He follows Rose’s moves almost to the very last detail, save for one thing, he doesn’t even tilt his head in Uriah’s direction.

Daniel POV.

“Rose?” I knock on her door. I’m lucky to get an answer. “Come in.” I open her door and she looks up from the pile of papers spread infront of her. “Job hunting?” I ask. She almost smiles. Almost.

“Something like that.” She says rolling her eyes. I scoop up some of the papers and make them into a pile. “Well, it’s break time.” I say. She bites her lip.

“Daniel I really-”

I hold up a hand. “Rose, we need to talk, and I want you to be completely honest, okay?” She nods.

“Okay.” She waits, staring at me like she knows what I’m about to say before I begin.

“Is something wrong? You’ve been really… quiet lately. Since, you know.” I meet her eyes and notice something in them, something I only see when she is freaking out; panic. She shakes her head. “Nothing is wrong, well, not really.” I lean forward.

“Rose, you’re my best friend! You should be able to tell me anything! In fact, you can tell me anything, and I hope I can tell you anything in return.”

“You can,” she swallows. “It’s just, I don’t want you to worry, alright?”

I shake my head. “Not knowing will make me worry.”

She swallows and looks close to tears. I immediately know that whatever she is about to tell me will be a bomb-shell, I realise I have pushed her too far. I quickly say; “Um, okay, you know what? Never mind. It doesn’t matter.”

Rose looks at me with watery eyes, but she also looks angry. “You want me to tell you Daniel? Well okay, I will!” she takes a deep breath, looking away from me. When she turns back she no longer looks sad, or angry, but she looks weary. “I think…” she takes another deep breath before continuing. “I think I might like Nate.”

Rose POV

I lay on my bed, the conversation I had with Daniel running through my head.

You like Nate, Rose?

No! I mean, I was kidding.

Oh, well what’s wrong, really.

Stress. It’s the pressure of dauntless, and I have to choose a job now…

Have you chosen?

I’ve had a few offers. This morning Tori said I could make a good tattoo artist, and on my way out of the cafeteria, I was offered another job.

And that was?

A dauntless leader.

So Allie didn’t accept?

Maybe, I can’t be sure.

I sigh and roll over. A rose? Allie must really have it out for me, and because why? I bested her once?  She isn’t being fair at all. I sit up.  I had another job offer, I was offered the position as a guard. Typically, the position as a guard is only for initiates who weren’t in the top five of their class. But the leaders were impressed with how I handled the simulation. I make my decision. I walk out of the room to go find one of the leaders.

I find Four, before I find anyone else. He’s with Tris by the chasm. “Good job with initiation,” Tris smiles. I nod “thank you.”

Four looks at me, “Have you come to tell me something?” he asks. I nod.

“Yeah, um, I will take that job as a guard.” Four smiles.

“Great,  you understand you’ll be the only person who ranked in the top three if their class, right?” 

“Yeah I do, but as long as I don’t have to be around here all day…” I notice Tris frowning. “Did I do something wrong?” I ask. She shakes her head and looks at Four. “Weren’t you looking for someone to help you in the controls room so you could go back to training initiates.” Four looks surprised.

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that.” He turns to me. “How would you like to be my apprentice?” I blink in surprise and find myself nodding. “Like, doing what exactly?” I ask

“Mainly checking security cameras around the city, but you will also do small jobs for me. You know, running errands, taking messages to people, that sort of thing.”  Four raise an eyebrow. “So what do you say?”

I smile. “Anything is better than guard duty.” I say. Four nods.

“You start next week.”

“Thank you, bye Four, bye Tris.” I say as I begin to walk away. I hear Tris say

“Bye Rose.” The Four says,

“Don’t be late!”