The next few weeks were a lot more of the same. Every day: wake up, eat, train, eat, train, eat, bed. To say that Annabelle was exhausted was an understatement, but still, she'd never felt more alive. After only two weeks in Dauntless, Annabelle felt more at home than she ever had in Abnegation. She and Izzy had gotten very close very fast, close enough that Annabelle even opened up about Marcus and Eric. Damien had also become a close confidant and her best sparring partner. Together, they currently ranked third and fourth.
Throughout the past two weeks, the initiates had started training with weaponry as well. Guns were something Annabelle felt very unfamiliar with, but she knew she'd get the hang of it eventually. As she walked into the Pit today though, her heart soared at the sight in front of her. Knives. Izzy took notice of this as she walked up beside Anna and spotted the rows of knives aligned with targets as well.
"Something else for you to kick all of our asses at?"
"Not to sound arrogant, but yeah. You have no idea."
"How'd you learn?"
Annabelle tensed for a moment at Izzy's question, certain memories flooding into her memory and drowning out the world around her. Before she could fall too deep into her memories though, Annabelle straightened her spine and rolled her shoulders back, forcing herself to stand tall.
"Marcus."
"Alright, everyone line up at a station. Don't touch anything."
At the sound of Four's voice echoing through the Pit, everyone filed in line, each standing in front of their own target and table of knives varying in shape and size.
"In case you haven't figured it out yet, today we'll be working with knives. You'll start by learning how to use them at long range, and eventually we'll get to fighting with them in hand-to-hand combat. I'm only going to demonstrate this a few times and then everyone will practice on their own. Eric and I will be watching and assisting where we can on form and technique. Now pay attention."
Annabelle tried to focus her attention on Four as he demonstrated throwing form and different techniques for throwing but found herself distracted by the feeling of eyes on her person. Her gaze shifted for a moment to find Eric's already trained on her as they often were during training. The pair of them hadn't spoken since Annabelle last told him not to, and yet still, something made Annabelle ache at the way they only ever looked at one another from a distance. Logic would tell her that was the feeling of her missing him, but her more emotional and resilient side told her to push that feeling deep, deep down and continue hating him as she should. Afraid that Eric might see her through her mask, Annabelle quickly looked away and focused back on Tobias's instructions which were already nearing its end.
"As always, your performance today will contribute to your ranking. Begin."
While everyone else began throwing blades almost aimlessly at their respective targets, Annabelle took her time in examining the knives laid out on the table beside her, allowing her fingers to run over them gently, the cold of the metal sending shivers up the skin of her hands and arms. Knives held a lot of painful memories for her, yet somewhere along the way, she had also grown fond of the deadly objects. Something about having a weapon to protect herself with that was almost like an extension of herself made her feel more in control and more powerful than at any other time in her life. She had only just realized in this moment how much she missed it. Relaizing she'd need to start performing to not fall behind in the rankings, Annabelle picked up one of the knives and caressed it between her fingers for a moment while aligning her body properly with the target. She stared at the human shaped target ahead, a figure she was all too familiar with, took a long deep breath, and threw.
The sight of the knife lodged perfectly in the head of the target brought a smile of relief to Annabelle's face. For a moment, she had worried that she'd have lost her skill already, but then remembered that she had still been in Abnegation just three weeks ago. To Annabelle, it already felt like a lifetime had passed. No longer afraid of failing or needing to re-train herself, Anna grabbed a grouping of the knives and let them fly as freely as she wanted, knowing they would all hit their mark with no issue at all. From the position next to her, Izzy couldn't help but roll her eyes at Annabelle's "natural talent" yet again.
"Seriously? I figured you'd be good, but not professional knife thrower good."
"Yeah well just think, you didn't have to be the target a few times to get this good, so--"
"What?!"
Annabelle jumped at the sudden outburst from directly behind her person and spotted Four looking at her with wide eyes, his jaw clenched tight with anger. The siblings had refrained from telling people that they were brother and sister so as to avoid Annabelle's ranking appearing as favoritism. But if Annabelle didn't do anything fast, she knew that secret would become public knowledge very fast. Slowly, Annabelle approached Tobias, being sure to keep just enough distance to not draw attention to the pair of them.
"Four, can we discuss this at a later time?"
"No. Outside. Now!"
Four immediately stormed off to the doors leading out of the Pit, Annabelle releasing an irritated breath as she followed him in stride. As she passed Eric on her way out, he grabbed hold of her wrist, stopping her from leaving the Pit completely.
"What happened?"
"None of your business."
"Annabelle."
"Eric. It doesn't concern you. Nothing in my life does."
"Annabelle, stop. This is getting ridiculous. We need to talk about this like adults."
"There is nothing to talk about, Eric. Now let go of my arm before I make you."
Knowing better than for the two of them to make a scene in front of the initiates, Eric removed her arm from his grip, but not before leaning in close to whisper in her ear.
"I know you still love me. I can see it in your eyes when you look at me. I can wait. As long as it takes until you're mine again."
"Well then you'll be waiting a very long time."
Eric scoffed at Annabelle's comment and gave her an annoying smirk, but allowed her to continue out of the Pit nonetheless. When Annabelle finally made it outside, Tobias was waiting for her, leaning up against the opposite wall with his jaw still clenched and arms crossed tightly across his chest.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"It's not like we've had a lot of time to talk and catch up, T. Besides, it's in the past. It's not important anymore."
"Yes, it is, Anna. Look okay right here, right now, you be 100% honest with me. How bad did it get?"
"Tobias--"
"How bad, Anna?"
Annabelle did her best not to break her resolve as she and Tobias held one another's gaze, each determined not to break against one another. Realizing that Tobias was not going to let her back into the Pit until she spoke though, Annabelle finally cracked with a frustrated groan.
"Alright fine. Bad, Tobias. It got really bad. After you left, he lost it, way worse than when mom died. The first night, he beat me so bad that I spent the night on the kitchen floor because I couldn't move. I got pulled out of school two months later because it was impossible to cover up the swelling and the bruises and scars. In the last year, I've had six broken bones: my right leg, three fingers, my nose, and a rib. But I started fighting back. I got strong. I'd go out into the woods and punch the trees over and over again until my knuckles bled. I'd run with rocks in my bag to build up my stamina. He started taking the hits almost as much as I did. So, when I started getting too good at taking the beatings, he went to more extreme methods. He started pulling knives on me any chance he got. He'd hold me down and..."
Annabelle paused as she felt her throat tighten around her next words, the memory of it all playing in her mind as she spoke and almost feeling too real again.
"And he'd just cut me. Again and again and again. Anywhere he could reach. My arms, my legs, my back. Especially my back. That's why I only train in long sleeves, even though it makes me sweat an atrocious amount. Anyways, I started carrying knives on me at all times, just so I could be ready any time I walked through the door, and I got good. Really good as you can tell from my target in there. So, yeah. It got pretty bad."
Tobias didn't speak for a long while after Annabelle had finished recounting the horrors that were the last year of her life. The guilt racked him as he realized the extent of what she had ensured in his absence. But one thought consumed him more than the others.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Anna. I should have been there. I promised I'd visit and that I'd check up on you and I never did and I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
"It's okay, T."
"No, it's not Anna. How can you not hate me? I abandoned you just as much as Eric did."
"No. No, that is not true at all. Alright, you had to get out or you'd still be taking all the hits. Eric had a choice, he had a choice to be with me and he chose otherwise. You two are not the same. It's not the same. Besides, as hard as it was, I'm glad you didn't ever visit."
"What? Why?"
"Because yeah I took a lot of beatings and yeah it was incredibly painful and difficult, but if you had visited, if you had kept on protecting me, I wouldn't be as strong as I am today. I sure as hell wouldn't be ranking top three right now. Honestly, I'd probably be in danger of becoming factionless at the end of the week. You leaving forced me to learn how to protect myself. And that's not a bad thing."
Tobias seemed to contemplate Annabelle's words for a moment before slowly nodding his head in agreement.
"Yeah. Yeah, I guess that's true. But Anna, if that's the case then can I ask you a question?"
"Yeah of course. Shoot."
"Why don't you forgive Eric?"
Annabelle wasn't sure what she expected Tobais's question to be, but it certainly wasn't that. Suddenly, she felt very defensive, not wanting to discuss her complicated feelings for Eric with her brother right now.
"I'm sorry, have you forgiven him? When you left, the two of you were best friends and now you hate each other. I'm assuming that has to do with me, no?"
"Only a little. A lot has happened between us since joining Dauntless. Eric isn't the same guy he used to be. He's dangerous, and vicious and sadistic. Lost all of his brains after leaving Erudite too."
Annabelle couldn't help but chuckle at the last part of Tobias's statement, sure he was exaggerating, but also that it wasn't entirely inaccurate.
"You still haven't answered my question."
"I'm not mad at Eric for not being there to protect me. I'm mad at him because he broke his promise. Because he told me that he would choose me over everything else, even the factions. And then he didn't. He told me that I was the most important thing in the world, and then treated me like I wasn't. I'm mad because he lied. That's all."
"I understand. I'm sorry. But for what it's worth, I'm glad you're not with him anymore. I trusted him with you back then. Not now. Like I said, he's dangerous, Anna. Please continue to stay away from him."
"You keep saying that... what do you mean exactly?"
"You'll find out later this week. It's not important right now. Just promise me you'll stay away. Please, Anna?"
"Yeah, yeah of course. Whatever you say."
"Good. Now get back inside. You're going to stay an extra ten minutes to make up lost time. Go."
Annabelle laughed lightly at her brother's quick return to instructor, but as always, obeyed his orders nevertheless.
"Sir, yes, sir."
"Shut up and get inside."
-----
After a few more days of training between knives and armed combat, the initiates were finally given a day off before finally tests and ranking results. So safe to say, everyone decided to go crazy and party. Annabelle, Izzy, and Damien had spent all night in a club before finding a pizza joint at 2am then finally heading back to the compound for the night. Before they returned home though, the group had found a tattoo parlor and decided to round out the night in full Dauntless fashion.
For two o clock in the morning, the parlor was still surprisingly crowded with Dauntless of all ages scanning designs and sitting in chairs under the stencil patches. Izzy and Damien scattered to opposite sides of the tattoo parlor to look for something that would catch their eyes while Annabelle stayed securely in the middle. A lot of the designs were cool, but Annabelle really wanted something that would still mean something to her ten years from now. She scanned four different design poles but still hadn't found anything special enough for her first tattoo before Izzy came excitedly bouncing up to her.
"Hey! You pick a design yet?"
"No, nothing yet. You?"
"Yeah! Look, look, look."
Izzy lifted her design to the light to show an intricate design of roses and thorns along a vine.
"Wow. That's really pretty, Iz. Where are you going to get it?"
"I'm not sure. Do you think I should get it along the length of my arm or my side."
Before Annabelle even had a chance to decide, Damien appeared from behind her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and answering for her.
"Side. Definitely side. Give Gabriel something to look at."
Annabelle's eyes widened at Damien's words and Izzy looked like she was ready to murder him.
"Excuse me?! Gabriel?! How long have you been seeing him? And more importantly, why didn't you tell me?"
"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to keep it from you. It just started out as more of a friends with benefits thing, so we didn't want to make a big deal out of it. But... I don't know lately things have felt different and we've started sneaking out at night to go on real dates and... I think it could actually be something."
"Oh, well that's so great. I'm so happy for you, Iz!"
"Thanks, Anna! You're the best. Alright, I'm going to go get tatted. Find a design you like. We are not leaving here until we have all been permanently scarred in ink."
Annabelle and Damien both chuckled at Izzy's dramatics and it was then that Annabelle noticed that Damien's arm was still around her. With all the subtlety she could muster, Annabelle shifted out of his hold and moved to continue looking at the various designs, not missing how Damien's eyes continued to follow her through the shop.
"Hey, Anna? Do you think that maybe you'd like to go out some time?"
Annabelle would be lying if she said she didn't somewhat see this coming. Damien had been acting different around her lately. Quieter and more reserved, almost as if she made him nervous, but in a good way. Still, she wasn't prepared for when he asked the question.
"Oh, uh, I don't know Damien. I mean, do you really want to go out with me? Of all the girls you have access to here in Dauntless?"
"Well, why wouldn't I? You're smart and funny and you know how to have a good time. Not to mention you're a total badass in the ring. And beautiful. Really, really beautiful."
Annabelle liked to think that she was above swooning at simple compliments from men, but even she couldn't help the blush that filled her cheeks at Damien's sweet words.
"Well, thank you Damien. But I don't know. I'm not really the dating type."
"Oh. That's okay. I understand."
"I'm sorry, D."
"No, don't be. Really it's fine. Friends?"
"Yeah, of course. Friends."
"Great. I'm going to go find an open chair. Remember what Izzy said. We aren't leaving here until we all get inked."
"I've got it. I'll find something soon I'm sure. Go."
As Damien moved to an open chair across the room, he stopped next to Annabelle for a moment and placed a soft kiss to her cheek, offering her a reassuring smile that they'd be okay before continuing on to get his tattoo.
Another ten minutes had passed and Annabelle still hadn't found a design she liked. She was just about to give up when a design stencil was placed in her hands by another person. Annabelle looked up to find Eric already looking down at her, one hand having fallen to the small of her back while the other still held the stencil in front of her.
"You should get this one. I think it would suit you."
"I can find my own tattoo, thank you very much."
"You've been in here for almost thirty minutes and still haven't found anything."
"What, are you stalking me now?"
"Would you cool it, Belle?"
At Eric's little slip up, Annabelle gave him a look that would have killed him on the spot if it could. He raised up his hands in defense before she could make a scene out of his mistake.
"Sorry. Sorry. Annabelle. No, I'm not stalking you. I just got a fresh tattoo. I saw you when you came in and based on the way you're still looking around like a lost puppy, I thought you could use some help."
"Well, I certainly don't need any help from you."
With a defeated sigh, Eric took a couple of steps back, understanding that he had already worn out his welcome.
"Fine. I get it. Maybe you'd prefer something Damien picks out for you."
At Eric's remark, Annabelle's head shot up to Eric who had slowly started backing away towards the exit. He gave her a small, sad smile before turning his back to her and walking out into the cold, dark night. For the first time, Annabelle looked down at the design that Eric had placed in her hands and let out a sad sigh. Of course, it was perfect.