"You did a good job," Tobias said to Annabelle who was still wrapped in his arms. "A couple more times and it'll be perfect,"
"More?" Anna said, tears still slowly falling down her face. She could go through all of that again but the last one, the only one based off of real memories.
"You'll be fine," Four began, "It's only- it's only the last one that needs some work," He looked at his closest friend and gulped, he hadn't known his past had affected her this must, he didn't know she felt that way: powerless.
"I'm sorry," She said once again, refusing to look at him as his eyes scanned her face. "I never did anything,"
"You did enough just by being my friend," He reassured, pulling away from their long hug and wiping her tears with his thumbs, "You got me through it."
Anna smiled slightly at Tobias as he said that, trying to convince herself he was being truthful and not just saying that to please her. He pulled her up from her seat and returned the smile.
"Do I look terrible?" She asked, wiping her under-eyes as much as possible.
"Never,"
***
Annabelle lays on her bed as Peter begins to read from newspaper in his hands, people crowding around him to hear better.
"The mass exodus of the children of Abnegation leaders cannot he ignored or attributed to coincidence. The recent transfer of Beatrice and Caleb Prior, the children of Andrew Prior, call into question the soundness of Abnegation's values and teachings." Peter began to read causing Annabelle to sit up on her bunk with her eyebrows furrowed. She saw Tris standing on the outskirts of the crowd, she looked emotionless as Peter continued.
"Why else would the children of such an important man decide that the lifestyle he has set out for them is not an admirable one? Molly Atwood, a fellow Dauntless transfer suggests a disturbed and abusive upbringing might be to blame. 'I heard her talking in her sleep once' Molly says 'She was telling her father to stop doing something. I don't know what it was but it gave her nightmares,'"
Tris walks closer to the crowd a scowl on her face, "What?" She demanded causing Peter to stop and multiple people to look her way. "Give me that,"
"But I'm not done reading," He replied, his amusement evident in his tone.
Annabelle felt absolutely horrible for Tris, she doubted her and Caleb transferred for that reason however Anna knew she couldn't count it out especially not when she knew about Marcus and Tobias. Annabelle also wondered if there was anything about her in the article Peter was reading, after all her parents were close with the council members, especially the Priors.
"However, perhaps the answer lies not in a morally bereft man but in the corrupted ideals of an entire faction. Perhaps the answer is that we have entrusted our city to a group of proselytising tyrants who do not know how to lead us out of poverty and into prosperity."
Tris storms up to Peter trying the best she could to snatch the paper from his hands, Peter having an obvious advantage with his height holds it above her so high that she was to jump. Tris however, doesn't jump. Instead she slams her heel into his foot causing Peter to groan and then throws herself at Molly.
Will intervenes pulling Tris away from Molly and out of the room, leaving the transfers flustered and shocked at the conflict that had just taken place.
Annabelle stood from her bed and began walking from the dormitory, from what she had heard her family hadn't been targeted, but that didn't mean Jeanine and the other Erudite's wouldn't in the future. Annabelle understood Tris' anger, after all Anna knew that's how she would react if it was her family.
"Belle, hey I need to talk to you," Peter said, running after Annabelle as she left their dormitory and gently tugging on her arm.
"What?" She replied, Peter's eyebrows raising at the harshness in her tone. He had expected her to be mad, but not like that.
"Are you alright?" He asked gently, his hand surprisingly still wrapped around her wrist, scared she would run away and never talk to him again.
"Just stressed, Peter," She said, "I'm sure you are too,"
"Yeah you're right. Second phase hits hard" He said, finally letting go of her wrist and running his hand through his hair, Annabelle's stress also being felt by Peter.
"If you can deal with stabbing someone in the eye, you can deal with a few fears," Annabelle retorted, her eyes cold as she stared him down.
"You're right," He said, causing the girls hard eyes to soften with confusion. She hadn't expected that response. "If I truly belong in Dauntless the fear simulation shouldn't affect me at all, I'm being a coward."
Annabelle stared at him, not knowing how to respond, she looked at his dazed eyes as if he was in heavy thought, his messy hair due to fingers constantly being intertwined with it, his fiddling thumbs - a tic she hadn't noticed during the first stage. Annabelle immediately felt sorry for snapping at him, Peter was going through the exact same as she was, he was practically a nervous wreck as she stood in front of her, however she couldn't forget what he had done, there were better ways of dealing with your problems.
"You know that's not true," She said quietly, hoping to bring any comfort to him, even if it was brief. He gave a small nod before walking away back into the dormitory, where the laughter of his friends could be heard.
***
Anna stood, staring down at the chasm. Her vision blurry due to the tears threatening to fall down her face. She hadn't gone back to the tattoo parlour with her friends, she really wasn't in the mood. She had been sat there for hours, the bustle around it dying down completely until she just sat in silence. As she stared down at the chasm, it became more tempting until she stood, absolutely nothing holding her back.
"Initiate!?" A booming voice yelled and echoed throughout the chasm. It didn't even phase Annabelle who continued to stare down the dark hole. "What are you doing Anna?" The voice asked again, when they got closer. This time Anna recognised it, her tears now falling as she looked at one of the Dauntless leaders.
"I don't belong here," She said, turning away from the man and back to the chasm. Her thoughts become too much for her to handle.
He scoffed, moving towards her and sitting down, lighting pulling her with him so both pairs of legs dangled into the abyss. "You came 6th overall in the first stage, you're kidding right?"
"Sure I can fight, but that's not courageous, I also got tips from you. I can't even help the people who need it when they do and in the end I'm the one causing the problems,"
"The simulations aren't real," He replied, immediately assuming she was talking about the simulations, relating her experiences to his own.
"But it was, that's the thing. What I see now may not be real, but they're based off very real memories. Where I couldn't do anything. No! I didn't do anything,"
"Calm down, Anna."
"No, Eric! It'd be better if I just jumped," Annabelle attempted to stand again, but Eric quickly grabbed her waist pulling her down, back to where she was sat.
"You and I both know that's not true, you belong here and your aptitude test proves that."
"We're not supposed to talk about that,"
"But you got Dauntless, didn't you?"
Annabelle only nodded
"Point proven," Eric said before getting up leaving the girl sat there, "Now come with me, we'll get you sorted out," He held out his hand for her to take, which she did and he took her to his apartment.
***
"Why did you bring me here?" Annabelle asked as Eric opened the door to his apartment and let her in.
"I think you need to be supervised, can't have you jumping in the chasm," He said, sending a small smile, something that still felt so foreign on his face.
"Why do you care so much?"
"You intrigue me, Anna." He began, "I see great potential in you, I can see you in leadership here at Dauntless,"
"You're kidding, right?" Annabelle said in disbelief, "There are people much better suited than me, like Peter or Uriah,"
"They're skilled I admit, but I don't see in them what I see in you," Eric said, leading Annabelle further into the apartment and into his bedroom, "You sleep here, I'll take the couch,"
***
Annabelle made her way into the dormitory early in the morning to not cause suspicion as to where she slept.
"Where were you last night?" A voice said, startling Annabelle as she was taking off her shoes.
"Why is that a reoccurring question with you?" She replied, smiling at the boy, who was ultimately shocked by her jokey response,
"I could ask you the same goddamn thing," Peter replied, smirking her way as she rolled her eyes.
"Didn't feel well, couldn't sleep, went to the infirmary," Annabelle lied, knowing he probably wouldn't question that.
"Wish I'd though of that," He said, looking down at his lap as he sat on his bed. She walked towards him, taking a seat on the end of his bed.
"That bad, huh?"
"Every time I close my eyes I see it," Annabelle nodded smiling sadly at the boy as they remained in silence, knowing they'd have to go through it all again that day.