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❝Our world doesn't play out like a fantasy. We aren't some carefree princesses getting handed happy endings on a silver platter-you make one wrong move, and it's game over.❞
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In a world where all control over their lives is illusory, a grou...
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—Part 3.1— Bottoms Up
"It'll be over in the blink of an eye." —Jaemin—
After an abrupt-awakening from the pressed black sheets of our Dauntless quarters, each of us were forced onto our feet, sent to the cafeteria, and then beckoned onto the train. The ride wasn't an easy one, though the route was familiar, the same path we took every weekday to school. While Dauntless borns were widely known for their constant chatter and rowdiness, a majority of us were silent as The L carved through the polished ruins of Seoul.
Each veer along the serpentine tracks only led us closer to our fates—The Aptitude Tests.
Barely anyone spared a word, only a select few who showed no fear for the upcoming exam. I was one of them. There was little to no apprehension in me; we'd been expecting this day for 18 years. What was there to be scared of?
That logic clearly aggravated a certain girl as I refused to keep my mouth shut about it, surprisingly, she seemed scared, it was an uncommon emotion for her to exude. And so now, after our daily grand entrance of leaping from the Train, we gathered in front of her locker and grabbed our books for class. As Emiko sifted through her materials, I habitually shifted the topic of conversation to something distracting—the events that ensued in the sparring rooms yesterday.
I had to admit, it was quite the show. But, it had left her with a bruise that she insisted on hiding from me. Leave it to Emiko to show up on a day like this looking like she walked straight out of a bar fight. At least being Dauntless provided her with some excuse.
"Em, just let me see, please?" I asked for the umpteenth time, but all I was answered with was a scoff and side glare.
She continued gathering her supplies, stacking thick books in her arms that I knew she wouldn't even bother using—she was clearly just avoiding the subject.
As my hand gingerly reached for her cheek once more, her own came up to swat it off. She jerked her face away, drawing out her words with a whine, "Jaem, just give it up! You've been nagging me all morning! I swear, it's not as bad as last time!"
With a small roll of my eyes, I shook my head. Judging from the display of colliding fists, and bodies pummelling into the practice mats yesterday, that was an utter lie. While the result of the two hothead's brawl came out better than I expected—landing a rough hit on Jaehyun's crotch that had him hobbling over in pain—Emiko still left with multiple minor injuries of her own.
Namely, the one she was hiding with ringlets of hair and her cupped hand. Spend your entire life with someone, and it's second nature to sense if they're lying.
"Mhm, sure," I smiled, planting a palm around her wrist and coaxing her towards me. She shifted reluctantly, dropping her hand to her side.
