Tris
The knives hit the target in time with my breaths. I always watched Tobias carefully during training, even after I knew how to do everything, and that is how I learned his technique. Every second exhale, I release the knife from my fingertips, inhaling and passing the next knife to my right hand as the previous knife buries itself in the target. I only interrupt the rhythm to pull the knives from the target and begin again each time I run out of knives after throwing all five.
The repetition creates a sort of soothing cadence, steady and predictable, releasing a bit of my frustration and tension with each knife as it leaves my fingertips. The stage two rankings were revealed about an hour ago, and just like last time, Peter managed to turn my friends against me. I know they'll be over it tomorrow, but that knowledge does nothing to keep my anger and frustration away.
I have hit the center of the target dozens and dozens of times and actually do feel much better when Uriah, Marlene, Edward and Lynn enter the training room, bringing their choruses of happy chatter with them.
"There you are!" Uriah says brightly, his contagious grin lighting up his face.. "I was hoping we'd find you on our way here, but I guess you were a step ahead of us."
I furrow my eyebrows, confused as to why they were hoping to find me, as Marlene crosses the room to the targets, a muffin in hand. "Ah," I mumble. "Right, the muffin." Uriah grins.
"Wow, you've got some aim, Tris," Marlene calls with a smile as she examines the target I have been using. All five knives are sticking out of the center of the bullseye, closely grouped together.
A nervous knot forms in my stomach when Marlene speaks to me, and I almost flinch. Things have been so rocky between the two of us since I came back. I know she dislikes me, and I hate that someone as sweet and kind as Marlene has such a misguided impression of me, but she was nice to me the other day at Tobias's, too, and she and Uriah even seem to be getting along. I know he told her everything the other day, but last I talked to him, she wasn't even speaking to him. But I'm not Beatrice from Abnegation any more, I am Tris, first ranked Dauntless initiate, and I won't let the cruel words she has directed at me these past few weeks weaken me. With that resolve, I respond confidently, with a smile. "Thanks, Marlene."
"Why aren't you out celebrating?" Lynn asks me. "I heard you were ranked first."
"The other transfers are jealous," Edward says, rolling his eyes.
Uriah winks at me. "Tris is too Dauntless for them."
Edward ranked second among the transfers, outdone only by me. While Peter is probably plotting to kill us both, and Will and Christina stalked off pouting that I hadn't shared the 'secret strategies' I supposedly (according to Peter) have for getting through sims quickly, Edward defended me, literally pulling Peter off of me, then making some sarcastic remark to Christina and Will about them being jealous... and that it was too bad they weren't as loyal of friends as I deserved. I never got to know Edward well before, and I still don't, but he is not the person he became when factionless with Evelyn. Here at Dauntless, he seems like someone I would actually like to be friends with.
I grin. "Damn right, I am," I say.
Marlene gasps jokingly, but she still has that toothy smile that I can't help picturing anytime I think of her. "Did I just hear the Stiff swear?! Shame, shame, little miss Abnegation."
"I guess everyone will just have to admit that I'm not a Stiff any more, won't they?" I smirk.
Uriah shakes his head, laughing. "I'm pretty sure that deep down, you've always been Dauntless, Tris. Now shut up and let me shoot at you, Mar!"
I don't ask questions, because I already know the answers. Instead I nudge Edward with my elbow while Uriah prepares to shoot and Marlene balances the muffin on her head. "Thanks for standing up for me earlier," I say quietly. "The other day, too."
Edward smiles. "You did save me from being blind, or worse, Tris. I hate Peter as much as you do."
"Fair enough, but I didn't do anything big. I think any decent person who notices someone else might be in danger would do the same, don't you?"
"Maybe in Abnegation," Edward laughs. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Tris."
"We both win!" I hear Mar shout from across the training room as she picks up the muffin from the floor and dusts it off with her fingers, then breaks off a piece and pops it in her mouth. She crosses to me and Edward, and Uriah starts shooting more plastic pellets from his gun, hitting the target with impressive accuracy, when Marlene is out of the way.
"Can we talk, Tris?" Marlene asks. She looks nervous, almost guilty. She chews on one fingernail and her eyes are almost pleading. I thought she hated me?
I stare at her for a second then realize I need to answer. "Uh... sure, of course," I respond before following Marlene to the other side of the training room, near the punching bags. We both sit on the floor with our backs against the wall; I wait silently for her to tell me why we're over here.
"I wanted to apologize for how I've treated you," Marlene begins. She's finally going to apologize? I didn't know how much I wanted my friendship with her back, despite all our recent arguments and conflict, until that thought lifted a heaviness off of me. Marlene and I didn't know each other that long, but I really liked her a lot. I still dream sometimes about choosing between Marlene and Hector, and always wake with an ache deep inside, full of regret that I could not save them both, always wondering if it was even the right choice. Is there a right choice, in that kind of situation?
Marlene continues, "I should have listened to you and Uriah when you told me that you were just friends. I never gave you a chance, and I'm sorry for that, because I think maybe I've been missing out by being angry with you instead of accepting your friendship. Can we start over?"
I respond by throwing my arms around her. I'm not much of a hugger, but something about this just called for it. "I understand why you thought what you did. Thanks for giving me another chance."
The door to the training room bursts open and I jump up eagerly-- I know who this will be before I even look.
"I thought I heard someone in here," Tobias says, smiling at me across the room.
"Yeah, and of course it was my idiot brother," Zeke teases, his arm wrapped around Shauna's shoulders. "You guys shouldn't be in here after hours. Or Four might have to tell Eric and then you're as good as dead."
And wait for it... Lynn's gonna speak next. I've begun to turn that annoying deja vu feeling I'm always getting these days into a game-- seeing how often I can predict exactly what will happen or who will say what. Marlene definitely threw me for a loop just now, but Four and Zeke have been quite predictable.
Uriah sticks the pellet gun back into the waistband of his jeans and we begin to file out. Then there's what I expected Lynn to say, and she doesn't disappoint. "You wouldn't tell Eric... "
Four snorts. "No, I wouldn't." I'm the last one out, and he guides me with his hand at the small of my back. I smile thinking of how last time we were in this situation, he kept me back and I held his hand. This time, he stops me in the hall again and the others are already too far ahead to notice. "Meet me by the tracks tonight," he says softly as we slowly walk in the same direction our friends went; it's an invitation, not a demand. "Ten-thirty?"
I smile, remembering when he had me meet him at the tracks just before stage three. I know it can't be for the same reason, but it doesn't matter-- I'll follow him wherever it is he wants to go. I don't ever want to be without him again. Still, it doesn't mean I'm not curious. "Of course! What are we doing?"
"I'm taking you out on a date," he whispers. "But I won't tell you where. It's a surprise."
"Can't wait," I murmur, staring at his lips. I know we can't. Not here, with cameras everywhere, in a hallway that anyone could come down at any moment.
Redirecting my gaze to his brilliant dark blue eyes, I smile at him shyly for a moment before I turn and run to catch up with my friends.
____________________________________
Marlene
I'm not sure where Tris disappeared to, but I don't see Four either, so I figure they must be together. I don't envy their position-- needing to hide their relationship like they do. Now that I know, I wonder how I was so stupid to begin with. Watching her around him, knowing that she just can't show it in public-- her feelings are as plain as the nose on her face.
"Mar!" Tris says breathlessly, as if she had just been sprinting, touching my arm as she catches up to us.
I feel like I have to be extra nice now to make up for how bitchy I've been practically since I first met her. "Hey, Tris!" I say, making an effort to put extra warmth into my voice. "Have fun?" I waggle my eyebrows and her cheeks turn pink. Even after, apparently, months as a Dauntless, she's still got that Stiff modesty. It's really pretty amusing. I can only imagine how much fun our next game of Candor or Dauntless will be. I have no doubt that teasing her with embarrassing questions and sexy dares will become a favorite pastime for Zeke and Uriah very quickly. All in good fun, of course.
Tris rolls her eyes. "Way too many cameras for that. But..." She gets this sheepish, pleading look in her eyes. "He's taking me out on a date tonight," she whispers.
I squeal loud enough that Lynn turns around, raising an eyebrow. "Girl talk," I say with a grin, waving her off. "You're not girly enough to enjoy this." Lynn nods once, turning back to continue whatever conversation she and Uriah are having. Tris laughs.
"So..." Tris drawls. "Could you go shopping with me and help me get ready? Christina always did, the few times I had any reason to care that much how I looked, but she doesn't know..." I know she's kind of asking me by default, but at least this is an opportunity to get to know her better and maybe make up for the way I have been acting. I guess she did know me before and liked me, but I still regret the way I have acted.
"Yes!" I say enthusiastically, clapping my hands. "Tris and I are going shopping, see you guys later!" I call ahead the others. Zeke waves without really looking at us and Shauna grins, probably knowing why we need to shop. Uriah raises his eyebrows, but looks happy, relieved that I am making an effort to get to know his friend. Lynn, as I expected, just shrugs and yells, "later!" She isn't really into the whole shopping and primping thing.
Two hours later, we have settled on a fitted black tank top with lace at the top and bottom, and finally found a skirt that isn't too... well, isn't too Stiff for me, as her current fashion critic, to nix, but long enough that Tris doesn't feel naked in it. I'm quite sure Christina would insist she wear some fancy, impractical shoes, but I agree with Tris-- she might fall flat on her face trying to get on or off the train in some stupid shoes like heels, and this ensemble actually looks totally badass with her combat boots. "Yay!" Tris cheers. "Maybe you can be my fashion expert from now on, because you are far more reasonable than Christina."
"You got it," I say with a grin. I've actually had a really good time with Tris today. She is occasionally funny-- I'm sure she never told a joke in her life before she got to Dauntless, the Stiffs probably consider jokes attention-seeking and selfish, but she has a natural tendency towards sarcasm that actually had me snickering a few times. Particularly her references to Uriah's over the top love of cake.
I end up taking Tris to my parents' apartment. No one is home, so we aren't slowed down by introductions or anything, and Tris takes a quick shower while I dig out the extra makeup that I didn't bring with me to the dorms two weeks ago. Once she's out, we don't say much until I finish drying her hair; now we can actually hear each other.
"Tell me about you and Four," I say with a smile. "I take it you were together.... Before?"
Nodding, Tris looks down, her mouth curling into a shy smile. "We got together near the end of initiation, last time. We had to hide it at first. I mean, Peter had already tried to kill me once and--"
Woah, woah, woah... I have not heard about that. "He tried to kill you?!"
"Yes," Tris says matter-of-factly. "He, along with Drew and Al, tried to throw me into the Chasm because I ranked first in stage two. Anyway... we kissed after the final rankings were revealed, in front of everyone. But then, that night was when the war started, so pretty much our whole relationship... we were fighting a war, fighting to stay alive, to keep each other alive. It has been nice, even if we have to hide it, having just... more time together."
We are silent for a minute then she takes a deep breath. "Uriah really loves you, you know. He has missed you so much. I felt guilty every day-- still do-- for saving Hector. I couldn't save you both... I..." I put my hand on her shoulder in comfort. I have wondered why she chose Hector and let me die, but I also can't really be mad. How do you decide which life is more valuable? I don't think there's an easy answer, and this tears her up inside-- it's obvious just from the way she's literally biting her cheek to hold back tears. "I saved him for Lynn," she says really softly. "Shauna had just been shot and paralyzed a couple days before... I didn't have enough time to think... every choice was a wrong choice."
"You don't have to explain, Tris," I reassure her. I am glad she did, but she doesn't have to. I did not know about Shauna before and she was only looking out for one of my very best friends-- and I don't even think Lynn likes her that much. Tris smiles at me gratefully.
"I am sorry," I say, "for how I have treated you. I didn't give you a fair chance."
"It's okay, I understood why. I'm glad to have you back."
_________________________
Tobias
When Tris runs off to catch up to her friends, I don't waste a moment in getting things set up for tonight. Enough exploration of the Dauntless compound will lead you to all kinds of hidden gems; remnants of the past-- the distant past, before the war even-- and I remember just which musty storage closet holds the items I need.
Tonight, I want to take Tris out on a date. Unfortunately, we can't risk anyone seeing us-- Tris is enough of a target for Peter as it is, and if he knows we are involved, he's sure to believe that I am helping her through initiation in some way. I'm not, of course. Neither Tris nor I are cheaters. Besides that, she doesn't need my help. Even if she did need it, I know that she would not accept it even if I offered. I'd bet my life that Peter would, though.
I stop at my apartment first. I'll need a backpack to carry this stuff in. I look back and forth between my fridge and the backpack for a moment but ultimately decide that I should wait on the food. While me giving her food poisoning might someday make a funny first date story, I would rather avoid literally making her sick. I will just have to bring the backpack home with me after I set everything up.
The Dauntless compound is huge, and the storage closet I need to visit is at the opposite end; I check my watch when I reach the train tracks. It is just past six o'clock. Good timing; the train will be here in four minutes. It is a hot July day, but far less humid than is typical of Chicago at this time of year, and a nice breeze keeps me comfortable. I lean against the outside wall of the Pire, tipping my head back to rest it on cool glass, and I close my eyes, letting the cool gusts of wind soothe away my stress and worries, enjoying the birdsongs coming from the nearby trees. When I hear the train horn just a few minutes later, I'm almost sorry for my good timing getting to the tracks. This peaceful feeling is almost unfamiliar to me, and I would have liked to enjoy it a little longer. To my surprise, that peaceful feeling follows me onto the train as I hold both handles and lean my body out of the opening.
The peaceful feeling is crowded out by the return of tension and anxiety when I hop out at the factionless sector. I wander the empty streets for a few minutes looking for the building I want to set this up in. Abandoned buildings are prevalent, to say the least, in the Factionless sector.
I keep my eyes open for my mother, hoping to avoid her today. I believed that she was dead for nearly half my life, because Marcus told me she was after she left me. When she contacted me during my first year at Dauntless, the reunion was not a happy one. Our relationship has improved slightly, but I still cannot predict what her reaction might be to my note last week, informing her that I have chosen to stay at Dauntless. I also know that previously, she and Tris did not have the best relationship, and I hope that things will be better this time around, but I'm sure not holding my breath.
"Four?" The sound of my name makes me jump; either he was so quiet coming up behind me that I somehow did not notice him, or I was too lost in my thoughts about Tris. I suppose it could be either, or both.
"Anthony," I greet him with a stoic expression on my face. Anthony works closely with my mother, Evelyn. He is a few years older than I am, with unkempt red hair and a scraggly beard of the same color. I don't know his story, or how he became factionless, but he has always been kind to me and seemed like a decent enough person. However, no matter how nice he may seem, I'm wary of anyone closely affiliated with my mother... especially after everything Uriah and Tris told me.
"Looking for your mom? I can take you to her."
I shake my head. I have to think of an excuse, and fast. "No, I have to make this trip quick. I'm here on Dauntless business. Max sent me out to repair a camera we've been having trouble with. Even working in the control room gets me outside once in awhile," I chuckle, hoping it doesn't sound as fake as it feels.
Anthony smiles, and i can't quite decide if it's genuine. "I see. Well, I hope you'll meet with Evelyn soon; I know she'd like to see you. Good luck with your work." His tone is light; I don't think I have anything to worry about.
Even so, I weave through the blocks, taking a roundabout way to the building in which I plan to set up our date; I don't want to be followed.
A glance at my watch tells me that I had better hurry back to the train; it's already nearing nine o'clock, so I must meet Tris in less than two hours.