Chapter Twelve.
It was night, and I was eating a hamburger with chips with Christina, Tris and Four. Eric was no where to be seen.
Not like I care.
Okay, that may be a lie.
"How many times do we have to do the fear stimulation?" I asked.
I'd rather not face my fears again. And I'd rather not repeat my fears within my life.
"A few more times." Four replied, taking a bit of his meal.
Grunting, I shove fries in my mouth. A few more times? More times thinking that Peter harassing me about my hidden secret and lies?
"Wonderful." I muttered. But at least I can punch Dad. Forcing me to get married. Who does that?
Mine, apparently.
"Same place, same time tomorrow." Four continued, only glancing up when Dauntless Leaders sat besides us. Then to Max: "Have Erudite got the..." I zoned out. I felt sick.
Like... Sick.
"You okay?" Eric murmured.
Looking at him. "Yeah, I'm fine." I dumped the last of my meal. "I'll see you guys later. I'm catching an early night."
As soon as I reached my dorm, I sprang for the toilets. Spurring the contents into the bowl.
When I was sure I was emptied, I brushed my teeth and crawled into bed.
The next time when I woke up, I felt sick again. But nothing wanted to come up. My stomach swirled in pain but I ignored it by going back to sleep.
When I woke up again, the room was dark and I could hear others snores meaning that I'd probably up in a few hours.
When Four came to do the daily wake up call, I groaned. I was up all night. Sick. And I still have to do the simulation?
Dauntless have no sympathy whatsoever.
Back in the simulation room, I was one of the first to be called. Probably because I was the last yesterday.
"You look like you've been hit by a truck." Eric comments as soon as I get comfortable in the chair to get injected.
Yeah, when you have minimal sleep it tends to do that to you.
"Thanks." I deadpan. "Now inject me so I can finish this thing."
"Well, someones on their period this morning." He chips and laughs. I didn't laugh. I'm due...
Today? Tomorrow?
The realisation hit me. You had sex...
Apparently the one night stand situation got a whole lot worse. I've had the signs, right? I've been sick, not hungry...
Hey! Have my boobs gotten bigger?
Eric, not seeing the horror on my face, injected the serum in my neck.
I didn't even feel the pinch as I was horrified as much.
"One minute, and you'll be facing your fears." Eric said, turning his back to me.
Soon, I was back in the room.
Under the familiar bed covers that I always cried upon when something didn't go as planned.
There was shouts down stairs. Dad.
The shouts got louder, I threw the covers off my bed.
Wandering over to the window, I tried opening the window. There was a padlock.
"Cassandra!" Dad hit my door with his fist.
Wrong name.
"Yeah?" A voice that was mine, but didn't sound like mine, replied. My voice was thick, my face was sore.
"Get up and out of this room before I knock this door down." Dad growled and I obeyed mindlessly.
"The girls' are here." He said shortly and girls piled in my room at least five of them.
"Here!" One pushed at my shoulders and I sat back on the bed. She pulled out hair clips, spray, straighteners and makeup out from her bag.
"What's going on?" I asked the words automatically as she began pulling my hair. A bit too harshly that I smacked her hand.
"Don't be silly, Cass! It's your wedding day!" One other girl chirped as she sat in front of my mirror and did her hair. All seen before.
"What?" I choked out.
"When did I get pregnant?"
"Silly, you and your fiancé have been planning this for months." Who the heck is my fiancé?
The girl in front of me finished curling my hair, and started on my makeup. When she was done, she held out a hanger with a dress cover.
Wedding dress.
"I'm not getting married, especially if Dad forced me into this."
The girl glared at me. "But you love Andrew. Why would you want to back out now? You have been planning this for ages!"
"Get it away from me."
All the girls slowed down to a stop. "There's no need to be a party pooper."
My Dad was shouted. He came in only wearing half of his suit.
"Cassandra, what are you doing?" He growled.
"I'm not getting married." I say shakily.
"Girls, can I speak to my daughter alone for a minute?" He asks sweetly, and his nice exterior vanishes when the last girl leaves.
"Put on the dress." He ordered. I didn't move. He stormed over to me and leaned close. "You are not making me look like an idiot today. You are going to marry that man, one way or another."
I pulled my arm back and swung my fist to his face.
The room changed.
I was in my dorm room, just had a nice shower and I stepped out nearly walking into Peter.
"Oh, it's you." I hissed.
"I know you didn't come from Candor. I would have seen you!" Peter snapped. "How did you do it? How did you suddenly appear out of the blue wearing Candor clothes?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Can you ever so kindly leave? I have training to attend." I narrowed my eyes at him.
"It's your stuff, isn't it?" He said as I walked away.
"No. Nothing of what they've found is mine, Peter."
"Do you know how much I can tell you're lying to me, Cassie?"
"I am not lying."
"We both know you're lying." Peter said pointedly. "Tell me, is that stuff yours?"
"Fine, you caught me. I'm lying." I said tiredly. "And what are you going to do, spread the gossip like a little girl?"
Peter gave me the biggest grin. "I don't need to."
I span around to find five Dauntless Leaders: Max, Four, Eric and two others I didn't know.
I didn't want to hear the words again. I knew what they were going to say.
"Kill her."
Everything around me changed to red and yellow.
What?
My skin was pouring sweat, my skin was burning.
Fire. I was in a house of fire. Burning.
"Shit!" I scrambled back and hit a plain wall. "Fuck!"
Fire blazed around me, making me swim in a pool of sweat. It was like I worked at the gym for a year straight.
I narrowed my eyes at the fire. At up at the ceiling when I couldn't think of anything.
"Face your fears." Eric's voice echoed in my head.
How the hell do I face my fear of fire?
Burn alive. A thought washed over me. It. Isn't. Real.
"Oh, man. Can't believe I'm doing this!" I said to myself and dove in the fire head first.
Eric stared at me when I woke up. "Fire? Seriously?"
"And? The fear of burning alive is perfectly normal!" I snapped back. "How long did I take?"
"Seven minutes."
I nodded and stood up. "Done?"
"Yeah."
As soon as I left the room, I dashed to the pharmacy I saw while at the tattoo shop.
I had a really bad feeling. I seriously did.
But I needed to know.
;) yay/nay?
I am so ready for the weekend, revisions is tiring me (don't worry! I have lots of pre-written chapters all waiting to be updated!)
Happy reading Little Outsiders!
C.I.
p.s. Now you know I have pre-written chapters, I've wrote up to Chapter Thirty and I am stuck....
So quick question and SPOILER for those who hasn't seen the movie or read the book, should Eric live?
I hope that will keep you guys bubbling! ;)