Aberrant

Fourteen: Dex

"You Stiffs are so selfish," says Cassie to Amy, as we eat in the Cafereria after our first day of fighting, "Couldn't let me even win my first fight, huh?"

"We all have to fight each other at some point," Plato points out quietly.

"Shut up Plato," snaps Cassie, "I was talking to Amy here- and hey! Are you even listening to me?!" It's pretty clear that Amy isn't. She is instead staring over Cassie's shoulder with her spoon halfway to her mouth.

"Oh great," Cassie scoffs, "She's now choosing to ignore me," But then turns round to see what Amy is looking at-the Dauntless girl with red hair who saved Amy on the roof. 

"You Stiffs are weird," declares Cassie, just as Amy decides to come back to earth. 

"I'm not a Stiff!" retorts Amy, flushing "I'm Dauntless! And I don't know why you've got a prob-" She stops suddenly. The Dauntless girl with red hair is approaching our table.

"Hi," says the girl, while Amy goes somehow even redder than before, "I'm Lyra."

"Hi?" says Sam.

"No offence," begins Cassie.

"But why are you talking to us?" I finish.

Sam's eyes widen and Plato gasps, "Dex!"

"Ignore our friend here," says Sam, "It's seems they have no manners in Amity."

"Just asking a question." I mutter.

Ignoring all of this, Lyra says, "I figured I'd just say hello, considering that we're going to have to become acquainted at some point." Her grey eyes dart to Amy's and smiles. Amy smiles back before lowering her gaze to the table. 

"Well, nice to meet you," says Sam, and then he spots something on her wrist, "Hey, is that a tattoo?"

"Yeah," says Lyra, and tilts her wrist so we can make out the shape of a lion, "You like it?"

Sam stares at it, and then, beaming, turns to the rest of us, "Who here wants to get a tattoo?"

"No," I say decisively, "Just because I'm Dauntless, I don't need to get a tattoo." Maybe I'm against them because of my Amity upbringing but at the same time, I don't want to get a tattoo just to prove that I belong. I just want people to see me for what I am: Dauntless. 

"They make your skin look ugly," agrees Cassie, "and it could lead to your skin getting infected."

"And, besides," adds Plato, "I need to do some extra training."

Sam stares at us in shock, "Wow," he says, "You three are a real bunch of killjoys aren't you? You know, Dex," he says turning to me, "I expected this from the boring Erudites but I didn't figure you would be boring as well."

"I'm not saying tattoos aren't fun," says Plato placidly, "I'm just saying that I need more training. I'm surprised you don't want to come too."

Sam bristles at this, "What, because I lost my fight against Dex? I may need the training but I'm not going to let that get in the way of having fun. Your Erudite upbringing is getting in the way."

"Hey!" says Cassie, "I'm from Erudite too and I'm not going to get extra training!"

"Yeah?" retorts Sam, "But you still don't want to get a tattoo!"

"Wow," Lyra interrupts, "Only one day of training in and you guys are already at each other's throats? Just chill, all of you." There's an awkward pause. 

"Alright," Sam relents, "So who's coming to the Pit?" All of us, except Plato, put out hands up.

"It'll be cool to see the Pit." I say.