Defected - A Divergent FanFic

Chapter Nine

STAGE ONE OF training has finished and now we are allowed a small amount of rest time so we can recover before Stage Two. I finished 13th in the ranks.

Every time I walk past a mirror, I don't recognise myself and have to do a double-take to figure out that it's me: My eyes have now been trained to constantly be on guard, my body is more muscular and more defined, the blue streak in my hair is vibrant against my natural pale strands.

I walk through the halls of Dauntless without thinking, I know where to go now so I no longer get lost. It's nice to be looked at as though I am Dauntless now. Many of the Dauntless-borns and the already initiated would often stare accusingly but it appears they've accepted the transfers when we proved that we could handle the physical intensity that came with initiation.

The infirmary is mostly empty, except for a few people nursing sprains and cuts, and I walk over to Toby who's bandaging a young girl's hand.

"Try to keep the cut as clean as you can, if it gets worse just come back here and I'll redress it." Toby smiles and peels off a set of surgical gloves.

He turns around and smiles when he sees me.

"I'll just be a minute." He says.

I nod and lean against the wall, Toby grabs his jacket and ruffles his hair when it catches on his jacket as he puts it on. We walk to the dining hall together, chatting easily about nothing relevant, and I catch the eyes of Tris, Christina, Will, and Al. They are looking on curiously.

Toby and I pass a group of Erudite on the way and I instantly recognise one of the young girls, she sees me and gapes.

"Fiona?" I gasp, stopping her.

"Cassy, oh my word!" Fiona gasps. "You look so different."

"Why are you here?" I ask curiously.

Fiona shifts nervously and casts a look to the group she is with and Toby.

"It's sensitive." She says cryptically. "Can't discuss it."

I nod. "Fair enough. Good to see you again."

The group of Erudites start walking again and I start too, Fiona grabs my arm and hastily whispers in my ear.

"They're up to something. Don't know what but it's not good."

She leaves me standing there, confused and her words going over in my head, and I watch the group disappear around the corner. Toby is calling me from the other end of the corridor and I run to catch up with him.

"Hey, are you okay?" Toby asks. "You look really pale."

I shrug and force a smile onto my face. "Yeah, it was my best friend from Erudite. Just strange seeing her, is all."

"Do you miss it?" Toby asks and, when I look at him in confusion, adds. "Your old faction, I mean."

"I miss my friends and my mother but that's all." I admitted. "I always knew that I didn't fit in there properly."

The dining hall is packed with bodies, shouting, laughing. The ordinary way of life in Dauntless. Toby and I sit down at a table, there are burgers and chips being served, and help ourselves to food.

"What's the second stage of training?" I blurt out.

Toby shakes his head. "Sorry Blue, I can't tell you that. You're not supposed to prepare for it in any way."

"Oh right." I frown. "That secretive?"

"I'm just gonna leave if you keep on about it." Toby looks up from his food - his look is disapproving.

I drop my head in shame. "I'm sorry. How long ago was it that you finished your initiation?" I ask, changing the subject.

"What's with all the personal questions?" Toby drops his fork with a loud clatter - his eyes burn into mine.

I don't understand why he's so hostile. "I'm sorry, I'm just trying to have a chat. I won't bother next time." My own anger rises now.

"This was a mistake, I should go." Toby springs up without warning and walks briskly away. I notice his fists are clenched.

I am disgusted with myself. I jump up too and run after Toby, obviously I've not quite got the hang of Dauntless social etiquette so everything that led to Toby's hasty departure was my fault.

"Toby, wait up!" I call as I see him disappear around a corner.

When I reach the end of the corridor, I see him leaning against the rocky wall, one foot flat against it, with his hands buried deep into his pockets. I approach him cautiously, fiddling with my hands as a I walk, and he looks over to me.

"I'm sorry, Toby." I say sheepishly. Obviously I crossed some sort of line. I hope you can forgive me."

He shrugs. "It's okay. I guess I overreacted." He stands straighter now and looks me full in the face and takes a firm grip of my arm - so firm it almost hurts. "But you have to promise that you won't talk about initiation again with me."

"I promise." I say, happy we're on good terms again. I like Toby, he's attractive, seems like a kind guy, and we can easily talk.

"So, why did that girl call you 'Cassy'?" Toby asks.

"It was my name before I changed it, I didn't like 'Cassidy' anymore." I explain.

"Why?"

I shrug. "I don't want to go into it."

Toby touches my arm with his finger gently. "You can tell me." He says soothingly.

"Well...it reminded me too much of my family so I wanted to let go of that part of my life." I explain. "Do you have any family here?"

"No, I'm a transfer." Toby says shortly.

"Really? From what faction?" I'm interested.

"Don't ask me about that." He says coldly.

I laugh. "So it's okay for you to ask me all the personal questions - but I can't ask you any?" I mock.

"Yes, when I say 'don't ask', I mean it Blue." He becomes threatening again, his whole body tenses.

I've done it again, pushed him too far. "Sorry, I won't ask." I apologise.

"Good," he smiles. "You'd best get to bed, you start Stage Two tomorrow. Later, Blue."

I follow his advice and walk back to the transfers' room with a smile on my lips. I like Toby. When I'm around him, I feel as though I'm being noticed and someone wants to be around me. He has a temper though but that must have something to do with his past - I can't ask him though, he doesn't want me to so I won't.

Tris and the others are on their beds, they look up at me but they don't smile like they normally do.

"Hey, who was that you were with?" Will asks.

"His name's Toby, he works in the infirmary." I kick my boots off.

"Toby? I know that name, recognise him too." Will thinks hard then smacks his forehead with his palm. "Oh yeah! He transferred from Erudite a couple of years ago. He wasn't a nice guy, always had girls on the go - had a temper if memory serves. I think you should stay away from him, Blue."

"I think you've got it wrong, Will." I laugh. "Toby is a lovely guy, he treats me well. Don't worry about me."

"I'm serious." Will insists. "I've got a bad feeling about him."

My anger rises again. "I think you've mistaken him for someone else. Keep out of it, I know what I'm doing."

"Alright then, just don't come crying to me when it turns out I'm right." Will snorts.

"Fine, I won't." I spit back.

I stomp over to my bed and lie down. Stage Two starts tomorrow and I am nervous about it now, what if I can't handle it? I'll be let go from Dauntless; I'd probably never see my mother again; I wouldn't be able to see Toby again either.