MISPLACED || DIVERGENT¹

-twenty three-

***

The next morning, Annabelle was still utterly exhausted. She was thankful when she walked into the training room and targets were set up - an indication that no one was was fighting today.

"Tomorrow will be the last day of stage one," Eric said, as he stood in the middle of the room. Annabelle's eyes widened she didn't realise they were that close to half way through initiation. "You'll resume fighting then. Today, you'll be learning how to aim. Everyone pick up three knives, and pay attention as Four demonstrates the correct technique for throwing them," It seemed like Eric was in a bad mood, and honestly, Annabelle didn't blame him. He lost the game last night, maybe partially due to Annabelle, and that hit his pride.

Annabelle walked forward picking up three knives. Just like when she first held a gun, they felt weird in her hands, but she decided to ignore the odd feeling as she watched Four throw his knives and hit the target everytime. Annabelle examined his structure - remembering it so she could easily replicate when it was her time to throw the daggers.

When Eric told all the initiates to line up, Annabelle did just that. As she practiced her throw she zoned out the voices and noises around her, Eric's pacing, Peter and Tris' bickering and the sniggers Christina let out due to it. Annabelle's first knife went nowhere near where she wanted it to. Just making its way into the bottom of the targets leg. Annabelle sighed but at least she hit the target. As she continued throwing, her hits continued to rise up the leg, eventually hitting the torso of the target.

After about half an hour, Annabelle had fine tuned her throws so that she was hitting the similar place of the left shoulder every time. When she heard Eric's pacing come to a stop from behind her she tensed up, but didn't let him stop her from throwing another knife into right where the other in was.

"You're good, initiate," Eric said quietly, "Just turn your body to try and hit other areas of the target," He continued to stand behind her as if waiting for her to do exactly what he said. Annabelle took in a deep breath before turning her body slightly and repeating her throw. Her exhale came quick when she realised she'd hit exactly where she wanted to - the right shoulder of the target. When she looked at Eric, she saw him nodding lightly. This made Annabelle relieved as she probably would've gotten hell if she had missed her mark.

"How slow are you, Candor?" Eric's voice bellies gaining Annabelle's and every other transfers attention. Annabelle sees Al repeatedly missing the target as Eric continued to yell at him, this couldn't be good.

"I think you should go get it," Eric said after Al's dagger slipped once again. He looks around at all of the initiates who had stopped throwing to pay attention to the ordeal. "Did I tell you to stop?"

Knives begin to hit the targets once again, causing Al to claim he didn't want to get hit while getting his knives off of the floor.

"I think you can trust your fellow initiates to aim better than you," Eric smiled, but his eyes remained cruel, "Go get your knife."

When Al continued not to do as Eric had practically demanded claiming he was afraid of getting stabbed by an airborne knife, Eric told everyone to stop and clear out the ring - every one except Al.

Annabelle cleared the ring putting her daggers down before making her way over to where all the initiates stood watching Eric's wrath play out on Al, who stands in front of the target, his hands shaking in fear.

Eric beckons for Four to give him a hand and said to Al "You're gonna stand there as he throws those knives, until you learn not to flinch,"

Annabelle could see how Fours body tensed, before he asked "Is this really necessary?"

"I have the authority here, remember?" Eric replies so quietly Annabelle could barely hear him. "Here and everywhere else." Four doesn't say anything else, only grab the daggers tighter and face Al.

Suddenly another voice speaks up "Stop it,".

Annabelle quickly jerks her head to Tris who stood by her side narrowing her eyes before quietly spitting "Do you have a death wish? Shut up!" She didn't want Tris to get into any unneeded trouble.

Tris stared at Annabelle, biting her lip in hesitation before lightly shaking her head and standing up to Eric once again "Any idiot can stand in front of a target. It doesn't prove anything expect that you're bullying us.  Which, as I recall, is a sign of cowardice,"

Annabelle internally face palmed, she couldn't tell whether this was Tris' selflessness taught when she was in Abnegation or if it was her new found courage that came with being a Dauntless, maybe it was even a mix of both.

"You should've listened to your friend, are you really willing to take his place?" Eric sneers. Tris weaved her way through the small crowd of initiates, turning around to Annabelle to give her a reassuring nod.

"There goes your pretty face," hisses Peter as Tris passed him, "Oh wait. You don't have one."

Tris stands in front of the target, Four about to throw daggers at her. Annabelle clenched her fists in fear and anticipation of what was going to happen. Fours first knife buried itself half a foot away from the Tris' cheek. His second knife inches closer to Tris as this time it landed just about her head. His third knife nicked Tris' ear.

"I would love to stay and see if the rest of you are as daring as she is," Eric begins "but I think that's enough for today."

After Eric left Tris, Annabelle made her way over to her asking if her ear was alright as it dropped with blood.

"Yeah, it's just a small cut," Tris said, lightly touching her ear "I need to talk to him though," She pointed her finger to behind Annabelle causing the brunette to turn around to see Tobias sitting out the knives. Annabelle only nodded understanding that Tris was probably angry Four had thrown a knife and ended up hitting her. Annabelle lightly patted Tris on her shoulder before walking off towards the dormitory, leaving her two friends alone.