Four: The Untold Chapters

Chapter 12

I stand at the train station, waiting for Eric to appear with the initiates. I half don't want him to reappear, but then I remember that Tris will be with him. My stomach drops. Why should that matter to me? I try to squeeze her out of my mind, focus on what's ahead. I'll need a clear mind for the match. Five seconds later, Eric rounds a corner, followed by the initiates. Though I'm not trying to, I'm already looking for Tris, and there she is, yawning next to Christina. Though her face looks tired and there are dark circles under her eyes, her mind is awake. Her eyes are alight and her body is tense. I admire this, among many other attributes, about Tris. Her gaze meets mine for a split second, and I tear it away before she can notice I've been looking at her for too long.

"Everyone grab a gun!" shouts Eric. The initiates all rush to grab a gun, and once everyone has one slung across their shoulders, Eric says, "Time estimate?" to me. I check my watch, trying not to think about what's happening to me, what Tris is doing to me. "Any minute now," I say, hoping my voice doesn't sound tense. "How long is it going to take you to memorize the train schedule?"

Eric sneers at me. "Why should I, when I have you to remind me of it?" He shoves my shoulder.

The familiar anger I feel is a welcome distraction.

I hear the train approaching, and feel its light on my face. I can feel Tris's gaze on me as she watches the train approach from my left. I hoist myself up onto the train with ease. I turn to see Tris begin to run, Christina and Will and Al not far behind. Tris falls into stride next to the car and I hold out my arm. She extends her slender arm to grasp mine, and I feel a jolt of electricity go through me everywhere her skin touches mine. It's going to be difficult for me to ignore how she makes me feel tonight. I pull her inside the car, and she lets go quickly, as if embarrassed, sitting down near the other side of the car. I focus on blocking out my distractions. Once everyone is in, I begin to speak.

"We'll be dividing into two teams to play capture the flag. Each team will have an even mix of members, Dauntless-born initiates, and transfers. Oneteam will get off first and find a place to hide their flag. Then the second team will get off and do the same." The car sways, and I reach out, grabbing the side of the doorway for balance. I take a breath. "This is a Dauntless tradition, so I suggest you take it seriously."

"What do we get if we win?" I hear someone shout, not noting who it is.

"Sounds like the kind of question someone not from Dauntless would ask," I say, raising an eyebrow. "You get to win, of course."

"Four and I will be your team captains," says Eric, taking over. He glances over at me. "Let's divide up transfers, shall we?"

I narrow my eyes at Eric; nearly everything he says to me is a challenge in disguise. "You go first." I say. Eric just shrugs. "Edward." I lean against the door frame and nod. This is Capture the Flag, a game of strategy and speed and smarts, not just brute strength and talent. I take a moment to think, knowing also that my team will work better together with people who not just know, but actually like and maybe trust each other. I scan over the group, noticing Tris's eyes on me. "I want the Stiff."

I can hear laughter in the car. Color rushes into Tris's cheeks. She looks confused, like she doesn't know whether to thank me or the ask me what I'm doing. An urge to smile rushes up my throat, but I swallow it down. Now is not the time. "Got something to prove?" Eric asks me, smirking. "Or are you just picking the weak ones so that if you lose, you'll have someone to blame it on."

Eric is just trying to rile me up. I know what he's doing. So I stay nonchalant. "Something like that." I say.

I see Tris scowl at her hands. "Your turn," I tell Eric.