Tobias and Tris: A Childhood Together

~22~

TrisPOV

      "Where'd you sneak off to last night?"
I stop mid bite, fork hovering in the air,"What?"
Christina does a full 90 degree turn to face me,"Where'd you go last night?"
"I don't know what you mean." I shrug, the motions hurts slightly considering the tattoo I had gotten with Chris this morning was not fully healed. Three ravens.
She sighs,"Girl, I am a master when it comes to that and I know you were out, you're also a terrible liar."
Thankfully, Will and Al weren't around to see the brilliant shade of pink my face had become.
Chris seems to disregard my silence and leans in closer,"Was it that Four guy?" Her eyes roam the cafeteria.
I put down my utensil and pray my face was back to normal,"Yes but don't you dare tell anyone."
She waves me off,"And what will you do about it?"
"Hmm, you and Will disappeared into a closet for a few hours last night. What was that about?" My fork clinks against my plate, replacing her stunned silence.
Her eyes narrow,"Touché, Stiff."
I poke her,"Secret for a secret."
Her smile appears when she sees my teasing nature,"That was a good one, didn't have to shock my like that."
I tilt my head,"I know, but seeing the blood drain from your face made it amusing."
"You psychotic bitch."
We both laugh.

...

"Watch me." Tobias raises his arm and in one swift motion, the knife goes flying from his hand into the center of the target.
Everyone gives a collective gasp, Peter merely rolls his eyes as if he could do better. Eric just stands with his arms crossed, surveying us quietly.
Without another word, Four motions to the collection of small, throwable knives on the table in front of us,"Grab five and line up."
Steadily, each of us gets ours, the metal is cold beneath my fingers, seeming to take away all my heat. I stand between Christina and Al, feeling way too small.
Everyone shuffles around, getting set up, not a single knife in the air quite yet.
Tobias positions himself at the end of the line. Eric waves in our direction,"Well go on."
After that, the room rings with the sound of knives falling to the floor.
Before throwing, I glance at Four, watching his posture and the way his arm arches. Taking a few seconds to copy his stance to the best of my ability, I take a deep breath in, raising my hand.
I feel a hand adjust my elbow and it's all I can do not to turn around,"Exhale slowly and release, keep your arm going straight."
I nod ever so slightly. Steadily letting my breath out, I wind and release, the knife flies through the air and lands with a small thunk just off the center.
Everyone quiets slightly, seeming stunned. I don't blame them, my blade is the only one stuck into the target.
When I turn with a smile on my face, Four's already down the line inspecting the other initiates.
Shaking off the slight disappointment, I turn back around. The next four knives come much easier, each one landing on the target, one just a hairsbreadth from the direct middle.
The whole time Chris gave me impressed nods and smirks, she herself wasn't quite bad either, only two of her five knives falling to the floor.
Al on the other hand, not a single knife had landed on the target or even the wood surrounding it. At his fifth knife, Eric comes over to investigate.
When it too fell to the ground, he shook his head,"Go get it."
In confusion, Al turns,"What?"
Eric leans closer,"Go get it."
"While everyone is still throwing?"
As if to emphasize his point, another blade goes ricocheting off the target.
"Are you afraid?"
"About getting stabbed with an airborne knife? Yeah."
Oh no, Al.
He nods and raises his hands, in seconds everyone is quiet, coming to a complete stop.
He picks up four knives,"Go stand in front of the target."
You can tell Al is practically wetting his pants,"What?"
Eric turns his head slightly, motioning Four closer,"Did I stutter?"
Al takes a trembling step forward.
"Four, give me a hand here."
I shake my head, he shouldn't have said that but that's still awful to make him get knives thrown at him.
By the time Al makes it to the target, he's visibly shaking, his breath coming in short, ragged spurts.
Eric takes slow, dangerous steps towards him,"You're gonna stand there while Four throws knives at you. If I see you flinch, you're out."
He then hands Tobias the knives.
Four lines up to throw, twirling the blade in his hand. He arches his arm.
"Stop."
The silence deepens when I speak up.
"Anyone can stand in front of a target, it doesn't prove anything."
Eric's pierced eyebrows raise,"Then it should be easy for you to take his place."
I don't bother answering.
Like a wounded animal, Al quickly stalks away. I stand where he was, staring Tobias in the eyes.
Before I can think, the knife blurs and thuds heavily a few inches from my side.
"Aw, come on Four." Eric smile sends chills down my spine.
I continue to keep eye contact, willing myself to not think about what's happening.
Thud
A hand length from my head.
"Hm maybe a trim off the top."
Thud
An inch above my skull.
Eric continues to taunt me but I'm zoned out, not paying attention to a single word.
Thud
I feel the metal beside my ear, cool and unforgiving. Moving forward, I feel my ear, my fingertips comes back a deep red.
"Maybe you're not just a Stiff." Eric sniffs, seeming satisfied.
      The rest of them disband. Chris tries to approach me and I have to block out Al's 'thanks' as I head directly towards Tobias.
      "Why do you let him treat you like that? Like a puppet." I mutter fiercely under my breath.
      He avoids my eyes,"I'm not the boss."
      Picking up the rest of his belongings, he strides past me,"Nice tattoo."
      Then he's gone.