Dauntless Sweethearts

Chapter 13 (Tris)

As we left the training room for the night, Elsa asked for Tobias, Chae and I to stay behind for a moment so that she could talk to us.

"I need to make sure that you understand being late will not be tolerated. It was accepted today since Max wasn't sitting in on this session, but in the future he will be making visits periodically."

Tobias and I nodded while Chae seemed to just hang her head in shame.

"Now, last year, I took initates in groups of three to get clothing in the Pit. Initiates are only given five credits each, and I'm sure that all of you want to use them for something more fun than clothes."

"But doesn't that take away from what you have?" Chae asked.

"Between Amar and I, we have more than enough to support ourselves. You will all be Dauntless at the end of this, and I highly doubt that you want to be wearing the initiate hand me downs that are set out when you first arrive at your completion ceremony."

The three of us thanked her and followed her to the clothing store in the Pit.

Elsa started with Chae's clothing which was just a dress and a shirt with a pair of jeans. After Chae left she started helping me with picking out clothes.

We found a loose short sleeve dress that came to about my knees and some skinny jeans paired with a V-neck shirt. Elsa grabbed a few different sizes in each with the explanation that we don't know how fast my midsection was going to grow.

Tobias picked out a couple pairs of pants and shirts making sure that they were just loose enough to make room for future muscle development. He looked at belts to keep his pants from falling, but decided against those and returned to the previous area to grab ones that fit his current size.

After his sister set us free promising to put our new stuff in the chests by our beds for us, Tobias and I started to wander around. It wasn't long before Chae saw us and motioned towards the shop she was in.

Tobias shrugged when I suggested that we meet up with my friend and followed me to where she was waving from. The inside of the shop was covered in sketches of all kinds, and as I was looking around at the different images, Tori appeared at my elbow.

"Well, hello there." She smiles. "Never thought I would see you again. Beatrice, is it?"

"Tris, actually, " I say. "Do you work here?"

"I do. I just took a break to administer the tests. Most of the time I'm here."

I touch a sketch of a bird. "Listen, I need to talk to you about..." I glance over at Chae who is looking through books of sketches. "...something. Sometime."

"I am not sure that would be wise," she says quietly.  "I helped you as much as I could, and now you will have to go it alone."

I purse my lips. She has answers; I know she does. If she won't give them to me now, I will have to find a way to make her tell me some other time.

"Want a tattoo?" she asks.

The bird sketch holds my attention. I never intended to get pierced or tattooed when I came here. I know that if I do, it will place another wedge between me and my family that I can never remove. And if my life continues as it has been, it may soon be the least of the wedges between us.

But I understand now what Tori said about her tattoo representing a fear she overcame, a reminder of where she was, as well as a reminder of where she is now. Maybe there is a way to honor my old life as I embrace my new one.

"Yes," I say. "Five of these flying birds." I touch my left collarbone, marking the path of their flight, toward my heart. "Three here and two on the other side, but leave room for a third on my right. I might need it."

So I changed her tattoo a bit to represent Tobias and the baby too. I hope you all don't mind.