Tris
"What are you doing out here, initiate?" I slowly turn my head at the sound of Eric's voice. Act confident, I remind myself.
"I got lost." Eric is standing close to me. Too close. My heart pounds, both because the invasion of my personal space, and in fear that Uriah won't hear us talking and might come out of that office.
I clear my throat to stall for time as my mind races, searching for a believable excuse. "I was looking for the control room. Zeke thought Four might be there and I had a question about rankings." What question do I supposedly need to ask? I have absolutely no idea.
Eric's hand runs up and down my arm and I could swear he is undressing me with his eyes. I shudder, and his smirk widens; I think he mistook my reaction for a shiver of pleasure. The thought of being with Eric makes me taste bile. Please don't kiss me, I plead silently over and over.
"Maybe I can help you." His voice is smooth and he is leaning in. Any second his lips could be on mine. I duck out under his arm and- hoping my disgust doesn't show- slip my hand into his, leading him down the hall.
"I just wondered what time the rankings will be shared with us? I'm a little nervous." I'm not nervous. Not all. Well, not about my rank, anyway. This situation? Yes. Yes, this situation has me very... very... nervous.
Eric falls into step beside me, apparently not suspecting a thing. "Ah. Seven o'clock in the dormitory." We round the corner, and he eyes me. "You could have asked your fellow initiates if you didn't remember." I very faintly, only because I am listening so hard for it, hear Uriah's footsteps moving away from us down the other hallway, toward the stairwell. "One might think," he says, pressing his hand to the small of my back as we slowly make our way toward the elevator, "that your question was just an excuse." I force myself to breathe evenly, but my palms are sweating. It's a good thing that he let go of my hand to touch my back.
"Maybe," he continues, leaning closer, "you were looking... for me." The faint smell of alcohol is on his breath. Really, already? In the middle of the afternoon, Eric? My stomach churns as his lips move in, just inches from mine.
The sound of the elevator doors opening is my saving grace; Eric steps back, away from me. We can see the elevator from here, so it only takes a glance to discover that Max has come upon us on his way to his office. "Eric," he says firmly, "I need a word." Max gives me a hard look.
"Thank you for your help, Eric," I say politely, forcing a smile. "I can find my way back from here." I don't breathe again until I am safely in the elevator.
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Tobias
My heart pounds and I casually glance back at my supervisor, Gus, as I isolate the footage for the leaders' hall and offices. I flip between various cameras around the Dauntless compound, going back to Max's office and the hallway Tris is loitering in when I know Gus is busy looking elsewhere.
At first, everything is going great. Tris and Uriah don't look nervous or suspicious, and Uriah has made it into Max's office and inserted the flash drive. I switch to a view of the Pit, then the dining hall, and see Gus leaving the room, so I switch back to the hall Tris is waiting in.
My stomach clenches immediately. There she stands... with Eric. There's no sound, but I can see the entire exchange play out. I grip the armrests on my chair so tightly my knuckles turn white as Eric moves closer to her and runs his fingers up and down her arm. She visibly shudders, but it doesn't deter him any. I can't see his face, but he keeps moving closer. My fists clench.
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding when Tris manages to duck out, under his arm... but that relief is short lived when she takes his hand and begins to lead him away. She won't do anything with Eric, I remind myself. She's just playing along so that Uri can get out of there. I keep telling myself that, and I know it's true, but it does nothing to remedy the sick feeling in my stomach.
They round the corner, and I search for the camera angle that will show me what's next just as I see Uriah glide out of the leaders' hallway toward the stairwell. Thank God. That's one less thing to worry about, now.
The view from the camera I have been searching for pops up on my screen after I type a few commands, and I see Eric's hand on the small of Tris's back, see him lean in so close his lips almost touch hers. I grip the arms of my chair once again, to keep me grounded here; if I weren't holding on so tight, I am positive I would be in that elevator already, heading up there to punch Eric in the nose for moving in on my Tris.
The door to the control room opens, and I try to look casual as I switch to another screen, thinking Gus is back. When I turn, I see Uriah giving me a discreet thumbs up. I motion him to come over to me. "I might need you to go help Tris," I tell him as I pull the hallway back up.
Uriah sighs in relief right along with me as we watch Max and Eric walk together around the corner, the elevator doors closing with Tris inside. I swallow the lump in my throat. "It looked like he was going to kiss her," I whisper. "You don't think she kissed him, do you?" I look at Uriah, my eyes pleading.
"She certainly didn't kiss him, I can promise you that. But if he kissed her," Uriah says, "I'll bet she's on her way to the dormitory to wash her mouth out about a dozen times." I smile slightly as I release the footage, just as Gus walks in. I shut down my computer and turn off the monitor as Uriah says hello to Gus and makes small talk; his sister is in Uriah's initiate class, so I leave Uriah behind, chatting with Gus, and return to my apartment, forcing myself not to track down Tris and interrogate her. I need to trust her. She loves me. I can trust her.
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I lay on my bed groaning in frustration at the jealous thoughts racing through my mind. All I can think about is that almost-kiss I saw on the screen between Tris and Eric. It has made me realize that I don't know whether I am the only guy she has ever kissed. I know she has more experience than I do- though I don't know how much- from being with me, as weird as that is to think about, but beyond that, I have no idea. Maybe I'll ask her, I think just as I hear a knock at the door. I groan. I don't want to see anyone right now.
I change my mind when I open the door to find Tris smiling at me. "So, we pulled it off?" she says after she comes in and shuts the door behind her. She grabs a water bottle from the fridge, takes off her shoes, and sits down cross-legged on my bed. I shake my head to clear it; it's so weird how comfortable she is in my apartment, though I realize she has probably spent a fair amount of time here.
I nod and chew on my lip. "Is everything alright?" Tris asks, her eyes filled with worry.
"I saw you on the screen with Eric," I admit. "But I had to go to another screen right when he looked like he was going to kiss you." I pause, then finally look at her. "Did he?"
Tris smiles. "No, Max inadvertently saved me, thank God." I sit down next to her on the bed and pull her into my lap. "You're the only one I have ever kissed, and I want to keep it that way." Well, that answers that question. I grin. Tris glances at her watch. "Thirty minutes till the rankings," she reminds me. "Should I be worried?" By the look on her face, it's safe to assume she knows the answer to that question.
I laugh. "No, you definitely should not be worried. You were incredible." I pause, looking at her thoughtfully. It's very strange to imagine that she has been through all of this before, and it probably went differently the first time. "How did stage one go the first time around?"
"Well," she begins, "I ranked sixth." She goes on to tell me all about losing- badly- in her first fight, with Peter; her fight with Myra, which she won but felt no pride over- can't blame her there; and her final fight with Molly, which sounds like it went very similarly to her fight yesterday against Peter.
"Did I throw knives at you?" I ask.
She giggles. "Yes, you did. But I thought you were taunting me the whole time. I didn't understand what you were trying to do. So, I yelled at you and stormed off. We also climbed the ferris wheel during capture the flag, and it was a special moment, but this time was better."
"Why?" I kind of like hearing her memories of us.
"Because this time you told me that you like to be with me. I couldn't stop smiling after that." I smile back thinking about that night. Tris's expression turns serious. "Tobias, something bad is going to happen tonight." I wait for her to continue. "Edward ranks first, right? The first time around, Peter and Drew stabbed him in the eye with a butter knife while everyone was sleeping. I think it was around midnight." She pauses. "Edward loses his eye and leaves with Myra to the factionless, where he will become your mother's second in command. Peter and Drew don't get caught and have no consequences."
She knows about my mother? Of course she does. "What is my mother's involvement in... everything."
Tris sighs. "I will tell you all that, I promise. But right now, the rankings are in twenty minutes and we need to save Edward tonight."
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I enter the dormitory with the large chalkboard from the training room and a piece of chalk, making only brief eye contact with Tris as I walk past. We don't want to give anything away. She left my apartment a few minutes before I did so that we wouldn't be seen together.
I write down the rankings in order, the chalkboard facing away from the nine initiates, as I explain how they were determined. "After the first round of fights, we ranked you according to your skill level. The number of points you earn depends on your skill level and the skill level of the person you beat. You earn more points for improving and more points for beating someone of a high skill level. I don't reward preying on the weak. That is cowardice."
I look at Peter, remembering his fight with Myra. He teased her, had her down in no time, then continued to kick her even though he had won. It was disgusting.
"Stage two of training is weighted more heavily than stage one, because it is more closely tied to overcoming cowardice. That said, it is extremely difficult to rank high at the end of initiation if you rank low in stage one." Tris smiles at me and I try to hold back the smile trying to break free in return. "We will announce the cuts tomorrow. The fact that you are transfers and the Dauntless-born initiates are not will not be taken into consideration. Four of you could be factionless and none of them. Or four of them and none of you, or any combination thereof. That said, here are your ranks."
As I finish my speech, I turn the board and hang it on a hook on the wall, then step back so everyone can see:
1. Edward
2. Tris
3. Peter
4. Will
5. Molly
6. Christina
7. Drew
8. Al
9. Myra
I want to pull Tris into my arms and spin her around to congratulate her, or at least smile at her and give her a kiss, but I have to hold back. I can't believe how hard this is. She grins at me, though, before turning to Christina and Will with a squeal, jumping up and down. Will hugs her in congratulations and I take two steps toward him before I redirect myself out the door of the dormitory. I have no idea how I will survive the next two weeks pretending, at least in front of other people, that I'm not falling in love with her.
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Tris
I lay on my lumpy cot mattress in the dormitory, listening to the sound of nine people breathing, though I am fairly certain only five are asleep. Besides myself- Peter, Drew and Edward should all be awake.
I pulled Edward aside a little while after the rankings.
"I didn't like the look Peter had in his eye after the rankings were revealed," I said to Edward. "And he's psycho. He stole all my clothes and my towel the other day, and I wasn't even such a threat to him yet. Edward, I think he'll stop at nothing to rank first. Try to stay awake tonight for a while, stay on guard. I will, too. I just have a really bad feeling about this."
I think Edward believed I was mostly paranoid, but he could see that I wasn't kidding around. "Okay, Tris. I'll be careful," he said and smiled at me. "Thanks for watching out for me."
I never really got to know Edward the first time around- he was always with Myra, then he was gone too soon. He seems like a nice guy, though.
I struggle to keep my eyes open. The dormitory is very dark at night, but my eyes have adjusted somewhat to the light. I am prepared to fight to defend myself, and if no one comes for me directly, run to turn on the light immediately. Tobias plans to be waiting in the wings to help catch Peter and Drew.
A unidentified sound brings me to full attention. I hold my clenched fists in front of my face in case they attack me, too- Peter was ranked second before, a position I personally, and literally, knocked him out of yesterday. I hear scuffling feet then a yell; I dart toward the lightswitch but someone pushes me down and I land hard on my shins and forearms. Edward screams, but it isn't the terrifying scream that haunted me for weeks afterward last time. Someone finally turns on the lights as I hop up and try to make my way there, so I immediately hurry to Edward, glancing at the door as I do.
Where is Tobias? Why isn't he here!?
There's been a butter knife stabbing, alright, but it isn't in Edward's eye. The knife sticks out of his forearm and I see him rip it out with another scream. I don't want to think about what kind of force it would require to make a butter knife embed itself in an arm like that.
"What happened?" I ask frantically.
"They tried to go for my eye!" Edward yells. "Thanks to your warning, Tris, I was awake and blocked them. It went into my arm instead."
Everyone is awake and getting out of their beds now; Peter and Drew are making a show of looking sleepy. I can't believe Peter got away with this again! I glare at him, but he pretends not to notice.
"Can you get yourself to the infirmary, Edward?" I ask him. "I'll find Four."
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Tobias
Tris thought that the attack she remembered had happened around twelve or twelve-thirty. I wish she could have given me a more specific time, but I'm sure that checking the clock wouldn't be the first thing I would do right after a fellow initiate had been stabbed in the eye, either. Knowing Tris, she was probably the one focused on helping him.
I check my watch as I walk slowly down the hall toward the initiate dormitory. It reads 12:09. I sigh. It could be a while yet.
I let out a string of expletives in my mind as Eric rounds a corner. "Four," he says with a smug smirk on his face when he reaches me, putting an arm around my shoulder in mock friendship, dragging me away from the dormitories with him. "I saw Little Stiff today." Oh, how original. I suppose that makes me 'Big Stiff'. I roll my eyes. "She was looking for you, but I... helped her." I know what he's trying to do, and it isn't going to work. Tris loves me and recoils from him every time she sees him. We already talked about this; he can't make me jealous.
"What brings you around here this time of night?" he asks when I don't respond, eyeing me suspiciously.
I shrug as we round a corner, then I stop, not wanting to go any further from the dorms. He stops as well and faces me. "Not that it's any of your business, Eric; if you must know, just a bout of insomnia. Walking helps sometimes."
"Ha! Yes, I suppose nightmares keep you awake, don't they." I clench my jaw. He has no right to talk about anything that is in my fear landscape. I'm sure he's seen it; he has access to all the recordings as a leader.
The conversation is cut short when I faintly hear a scream. I try to break away in a run, but Eric grabs my arm. "What's the rush, Four?"
"I am responsible for those initiates, Eric! Someone is obviously hurt."
He shrugs. "They can take care of themselves. There is no need to go running like an overprotective mother worrying about her baby. Let someone come to you."
"There's something seriously wrong with you, Eric," I spit at him as I stomp away. He lets out a cackle as he watches me head toward the scream.
"You know," Eric says, and I turn and walk backwards so I can see him. He begins slowly following me. "I wouldn't mind seeing Little Stiff... maybe picking up where we left off this afternoon. I'll come with you."
I roll my eyes and put on my emotionless 'Instructor Four' mask to hide the anxiety pounding through me at his mention of Tris.
Down the hall I spot Tris rushing out of the dormitory. She sees me and looks angry, and I'm pretty sure she's about to yell at me until she notices Eric behind me. Edward soon emerges from the same door, blood dripping from a wound on his arm. Thankfully there is no knife in his eye.
"What happened?" Eric barks, as if he ever actually intended to do his job.
Edward answers, "Someone stabbed me with a damn butter knife. They were going for my eye but I was awake and blocked with my arm." He holds up his arm, which is still bleeding steadily. "I think it was Peter but I don't have any proof."
"Four," Eric barks, "take Edward to the infirmary. Tris, you should get back to bed." Eric places his hand at the small of Tris's back to lead her back to the dormitory, and she looks at me with pleading eyes.
"Uh, Edward," Tris says, her eyes brightening like she just had an idea. She jerks her head toward the dormitory, and I look and see Myra leaning against the doorway staring sadly after Edward. "Do you want me to get Myra to come with you?"
Edward glances at me and then back at Tris. "No, but could you get Marlene?"
Tris frowns slightly, but nods her head. "Sure, Edward, Marlene and I will meet you at the infirmary." She turns to Eric. "Thanks so much, Eric, but I'd like to concentrate on making sure my friend Edward is okay. We don't have training tomorrow, so I will be fine." She doesn't wait for any sort of response before marching to the Dauntless-born dormitory, leaving Eric scowling behind her.
I smirk. "Come on, Edward, lets go get this looked at."
When we are well out of Eric's earshot, Edward turns to me. "I would have lost my eye if Tris hadn't warned me to watch out, Four. I owe her big time."
I nod. "She's a good one. Smart." Edward nods, and I look him in the eye. "She's in as much danger as you are- she's smaller, she ranked above Peter, and Peter hated her to begin with just because of where she came from. Watch out for her, make sure she stays safe. That's the best way to thank her."
"I will," he promises as we enter the infirmary.