Resurgent: A Divergent Story//editing

Chapter 14

- Al -

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"Welcome to dauntless." I say. They all stare at me with different expressions on the faces. Lani, of course seems excited and happy. Jenna doesn't really show emotion, just a straight look is on her face. Jacob looks interested, but still tired from jumping off a train. Brian looks scared, probably thinking of every scenario that could go wrong today. Hector looks at me, dreamily. His blue eyes, stunning, and his facial features so defined.

I wonder if anyone of them would transfer to dauntless. Hector and I will hopefully stay, but could any of them be brave instead of smart, kind, selfless, or honest?

"C'mon," Hector says, snapping me out of my daydream.

We walk into the compound. We first enter the pit. "This is the pit, the center of life at dauntless," I say.

We pass Ethan, Tori, and Dad talking with some other dauntless members. "Those are the dauntless leaders," Hector says. "Tori is the girl in purple, Ethan is the guy in purple with the piercings, and that's Four, Al's Dad," he says, pointing to Dad.

"Can we go talk to them?" Jenna asks.

"Sure," I say and walk over to them.

"Hey Tori," I say as she pulls me into a hug.

"How's my favorite goddaughter doing?" she asks me.

"Good, can I introduce you to some of my friends from school? We have a project where we are exploring the factions." I say.

"Sure," she smiles. I wave to Ethan, who gives me a half smile and I smile at Dad too. I wave over Hector and everyone else.

"Well, you all know Hector," I say, "This is Lani Jacobs," I say, gesturing towards her. She smiles at them and Tori and Dad smile back. "This is Jacob Davis." I say, and he waves to them. "This is Jenna Kerman," I say and Jenna gives a shy smile. "And this is Brian Prior," I say. The smiles fade off all of their faces, and they all look at Brian.

"Al?" Ethan asks.

I nod my head, "Can we speak with you in private?" Dad asks. I nod again and Hector takes the group towards the cafeteria.

"Brian Prior?" Tori asks.

"Yeah," I sigh.

"Like Tris's brother's son?" Ethan asks.

"Yup," I say, popping the 'p'.

"Ethan, Tori," Dad says, "Al was required to bring them for a project."

"That is a dumb project," Ethan scoffs.

"Trust me," I say, "I wasn't to thrilled to have to bring Brian here either."

"Okay," Tori says. "Just show them the tattoo parlor, cafeteria, pit, and your house, okay? Nowhere else."

I nod my head. "Great," Dad says, "Get going kiddo."

I run off after Hector and the group, they are heading to the cafeteria.

I see them sitting at a table, "What was that about?" Hector whispers in my ear as I sit down.

"I'll tell you later," I whisper back.

He nods and reaches for a hamburger. Everyone, but Jenna is eating.

"Have you ever had a hamburger?" I ask Jenna.

"No," she says. We all start laughing and Lani, who is sitting next to her, helps her.

"Yeah. Abnegation eat plains food," Brian says, getting an eye roll from Hector.

"We know Brian," Hector says, in an annoyed tone.

Brian rolls his eyes. I'm starting to see how we are related. We don't look alike, but there are things that are similar, especially the eye rolls.

"This is so good!" Jenna says, after her first bite.

We all nod in agreement and continue to eat our hamburgers. Lani keeps dipping her hamburger in ketchup, which I've never seen before.

"Why do you do it like that?" I ask Lani. She looks at me, on a confused way. "Why do you dip the hamburger in the ketchup instead of just putting the ketchup on the burger?"

"I don't know," she smiles, "I just do."

I laugh a little and then get up. I mumble something in Hector's ear and he nods. I head towards the line of people waiting for food.

"Hey Al!" Betsy, the lunch lady, says, as she sees my face, "What do you need?"

"Could I get a cake?" I ask.

A smile grows on her face. "Of corse!" she bends down, grabs a cake and hands it to me.

"Thanks Betsy," I say.

"Anytime Al-igator!" She says, she have me that nickname when I was five, right when she transferred to dauntless, from erudite.

I head back to the table and sit down, placing the cake in front of me. "Yes!" Hector says, hugging me. Dauntless cake is his favorite, and mine too.

"Chocolate?" Jacob asks. I nod my head, and a smile comes across his face. I take off the plastic top, and cut the cake.

I get a slice for everyone, and it goes silent as we eat our cake. The only sounds people make are "mmmm" from the deliciousness of the cake.

I start getting hot, so I take off my jacket, now I'm only in a black tank top. Jenna, who is sitting on my left looks at my back.

"You have a tattoo Al?" She asks.

"Yup." I say, popping the 'p'.

"Can I see?" she asks.

"Sure," I say, hesitantly.

I pull my shirt over my head and turn around so they can see my back. My tattoo is the dauntless symbol in the middle of my back, then under it, it says 'I am brave'.

AN: Al's tattoo can be found in the comment section at the bottom of the page!