Cal
"It doesn't matter how many times you get knocked down. All that matters is you get up one more time than you were knocked down."
- Roy T. Bennett
"You are the definition of an airhead, don't lie." I said to Will and Chris laughed. "That is so true. He's such an Erudite." She pointed out, Will rolled his eyes and I nudged his shoulder. "Oh come on, we're just messing with you." I said to him. "Yeah, okay, bozo." He retorted, Tris chuckled and we walked around a corner.
"Haha, very funny." I said sarcastically.
We walked down a corridor and the sound of heels clicking on the floor made me focus my vision up ahead. I stopped dead in my tracks and my friends noticed. "What?" Will asked me and looks to where I'm staring, he realizes and stands next to me.
My mother is here.
I recognize her steps anywhere, her hair as well and her voice. She gets closer and noticed me from afar, her eyes softened and she smiled. "Calypso, my god, you are glowing." She pointed out, she puts out her hand for me to shake and I glanced at it. "Thanks. And, it's Cal." I said shaking her hand.
"What are you doing here?" I asked her and she pulled away. "I came to talk to the leaders and to see how you were doing." She answered looking at me. "She's in the lead." Tris spoke up, my mother looks at her surprised.
"Beatrice, am I right?" My mother asked her. "It's just Tris now." She answered. "Tris, I like that." Mother pointed out and looked back at me. "Cal has always been a competitive child, hopefully she's not giving you all a tough time. Everything you do surprises me, sweetie. I'm proud of you." She said to me, I looked into her eyes to see if she was lying, but she seemed confident on her comment. Except the sweetie part.
"Thank you, mother. I'm glad you're proud of my accomplishments." I said, she gives me one last nod and tapped my shoulder.
My blood ran cold when she touched me and I held myself back from making a face.
She walked around me and I take in a breath looking at my friends. "Well, that was weird." Chris joked since my mother is far hearing us now. "Yeah." Tris added and we start walking again. "What do you think is going on?" Al asked. "I bet they're hunting Divergents. That's all they talk about at Erudite." Will answered, my back tenses up and a shiver runs up my spine.
Am I being hunted?
"Wait, Divergents are real?" Al questions, he sounded surprised.
"Come on, Al." Will sassed.
I looked at the door slide close where my mother went through and I looked away.
~~~
"First fight for the number 1 spot." Eric announced to everyone. "Peter vs Cal." He added, I looked at Chris who stared at me worriedly and I moved my hair behind my ear. Peter quickly jumped onto the mat and bounced to warm himself up, before I climbed to the mat, Four grabbed my arm.
"Remember how I said to not overthink. You're faster than him and you are flexible enough to choke him out." He said looking into my eyes and I slightly raised my eyebrows. "First shot, right to the throat and you watch him. He steps right before he punches, alright?" He said making sure I was listening. "Yeah, alright." I confirmed, I take in a breath and climbed up to the mat.
"Hey, babe, I'll take it easy on you if you cry." Peter said to me. "Likewise, hermit." I responded and fake a small smile.
We both get into our combat stances and slowly circle each other.
Peter took a step towards me, throws his fist, aims at the side of my head and I moved to the side, throw his elbow behind me and quickly move behind him. He stumbled for a moment and I watched him closely.
"You got this, Cal." Chris encouraged.
Everyone was now watching this fight.
He took another step towards leaving his throat open for me and I hit him with the palm of my hand. He choked out as I take a step behind him and he quickly recovered, he jump kicked making me take another step back.
I shuffle to my left and I throw the side of my fist towards him, he grabs my wrist and slaps my cheek. Who knew all those years of abuse never made me immune to slapping?
I stumbled to the side and run up behind him, so now I had him in a chokehold since he was gripping my wrist. I locked my arms together and stand next to him as I held his neck tightly.
He punched my gut and I slightly winced.
Peter noticed that his hits aren't working, so he wrapped his arm around my thigh that's next to him and he throws the both of us back.
We both land harshly on the mat and a grunt escaped my lips, I elbowed his gut and quickly stood up. He groaned and flipped himself up, I get back into combat stance and he does as well.
"Come on, Cal." Will cheers.
Peter threw a punch and I grabbed his wrist, twist it and knee him. He grabbed my leg and tossed me to the side, I land harshly on my side and a wheeze escaped my mouth.
The pain my body had felt in that moment, it was embarrassing. All my life I only knew to fight with words, never once did I fight with actual fists in Erudite.
Peter came to stomp on me and I rolled to the side, he stomped again and I rolled. I grunt then scissor swiped him, he fell on his back and I hurriedly straddle him.
He covered his face with both arms and I held his arms with one hand while the other elbows the side of his head.
I've elbowed a good dozen and he finally removed his arms, pushed me to the side and I get on one knee. He gets back up and I stood up.
I get back into stance and he throws a punch, I was too slow to dodge it and he hits my jaw. I stumbled back and he kicked my gut, I gasped holding my stomach and he ran up behind me.
He puts me in a chokehold like Four did before and I glanced at him as he watched from the crowd.
Don't overthink it.
I elbowed his stomach, grabbed his arm tightly and threw him over my shoulder. I wrapped my legs around his arm, pull his hand up towards my chin and pushed my calves down on his neck and chest.
He tried to pry my legs off, but I curved my toes down to keep a good grip and I pulled his arm further close to me. Peter groans in pain as I used my foot to pin his other arm down, he couldn't escape this.
"Finish him." Eric said to me.
I looked down at Peter and take in a deep breath, I kicked his face and his body goes limp. I quickly crawl away from his body and he groans holding his nose, I touched the cut on my lip and flinched. I stood up from the ground and looked at Eric who was smiling.
I had this feeling oozing out of me as I looked to the blood on my hands. It was the feeling of pride. I did not like to hurt my friends, but something about beating the guy who's constantly in your face felt...Good.
"Next time, be a little quicker." He pointed out, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Second fight. Molly vs Tris." He announced, I take in a breath and jumped off the mat.
~~~
"She'll be okay, right?" Chris asked me as she stood near Tris' bed while she laid there unconscious. "I think so." I answered moving the hair off her face. "We should try to get her back, she can't be factionless." I said to them, Will nodded and Chris sighed.
Tris shifts in her sleep and I looked at her worriedly. She slowly opened her eyes and she looks at us, I give her a small smile and held her hand.
"Wow, you look...look bad." Chris joked. "How long have I been here?" Tris questioned. "About a day at least." I answered, she looked at me wide eyed. "A day? Have you seen the score board? Where am I?" She asked, I take in a breath and glanced up at Will. "You're below the line." Chris answered reluctantly and Tris laid there stunned.
"Why are you wearing those vests?" She questioned. "War games." Will answered, Tris glanced at me and started to sit up. "Whoa, what are you doing?" Chris asked her as we try to stop her from hurting herself.
"I'm coming." She said. "You can't." Chris pointed out, Tris looks at her confused and I take in a breath. "Eric says you're done." I added, I glanced at the other two who looked at her sympathetically. "What?" She questions. "He said you were out. Your father's on the council, Tris. Maybe they'll make an exception and let you go home." Will answered, Tris looked upset and I looked down. "I'm sorry, Tris." I apologized, she shook her head and leaned back.
"We gotta go. We're gonna miss the train." Will reminded us, he nudged my shoulder and I nodded. "Yeah, okay." Chris said, she hugs Tris and stands up.
"Bye."
"Bye." Tris responded. "Bye." She said to Will as he lightly squeezes her hand. "You coming?" Will asked me noticing I wasn't moving. "Yeah, I'll be there in a sec." I answered looking at him, he nodded and walked away with Chris.
"Where will I go now?" Tris questioned and her bottom lip trembled. "Who says you have to go?" She looked at me confused and I pulled another vest from under her bed. "But Eric said-"
"You are getting on that train." I interrupted her. Tris' eyes light up and I smiled. "Now, hurry up and put on your vest. We have a train to catch." I said, she nodded sitting up and took the vest.