Soulmates

Chapter 24: Birthday Part 2

When the group returns to the compound, Tris insists on hosting the Candor or Dauntless game at her apartment, as it’s the biggest. Within a few minutes, they have gathered the cake, drinks, snacks, plastic cups, paper plates, and napkins that were stashed in their various apartments, and they’re back in Tris’ living room.

The furniture is pushed back to make as much room as possible, and the birthday girl sits in her usual place in the middle of her couch, with Eric on her left and Tobias on her right. The rest of their friends sit on furniture or on the floor, making a big circle. They help themselves to food and drinks before the game begins.

“It’s your birthday, Trissy,” Uriah says gleefully. “So you get to go first.”

“Okay,” Tris says, looking around the circle. “Lynn!” she calls, “Candor or Dauntless?”

“Um, Candor,” Lynn says.

“Why did you shave your head for initiation?” Tris asks.

“Whew, that’s an easy one,” Lynn says with a laugh. “I wanted to be taken seriously. Sometimes girls get treated like we’re less capable. I also didn’t want anyone to be able to use my hair against me in a fight.”

“Smart,” Christina says, rubbing her head as she remembers having her hair pulled in her fight with Molly.

“Four,” Lynn says. “Candor or Dauntless?”

“Dauntless,” Four says.

Lynn smiles wickedly. “I dare you to go up on the roof and jump into the net again.”

Tobias removes his sweatshirt and throws it into the middle of the circle. “You’re afraid of heights, aren't you?” Lynn asks. “That’s why you didn’t zipline with us.”

Tobias just shrugs, and Tris unconsciously moves a little closer to him. Around the circle, curious eyes dart between Tobias, Tris, and Eric.

"Zeke," Tobias calls, "C or D, man?"

"Dauntless all the way, baby!" Zeke says cheerfully.

Tobias gives Tris and Eric a wicked grin, which they return, and Tris hops off the couch and runs to the kitchen for what they prepared while their friends were gathering the party supplies.

"I dare you to do six shots, blindfolded, and tell us what you think each one is," Tobias says. "I promise you that none of them are dangerous."

Zeke swallows hard, then agrees. Tobias throws him the blindfold they used on Tris earlier, and Shauna secures it over his eyes. When Zeke is safely blindfolded, Tris returns with a platter of shot glasses.

Tobias puts the first glass in Zeke's outstretched hand, and the blindfolded man drinks it. "Tequila!" Zeke shouts, relaxing a bit. The second glass contains white liquid. Zeke gags a little after he drinks it. "Milk," he says. "Not a good chaser for tequila!" 

Everyone laughs at his reaction, and Tobias puts the third glass in Zeke's hand. "Ugh, I hope that's cheap vodka and not hairspray or rubbing alcohol," Zeke says after drinking it.

"It's vodka," Eric assures him with a laugh.

The fourth glass contains yellowish-green liquid. "Pickle juice?" Zeke guesses. "It's really salty and vinegary."

"Two left," Tobias says, putting another glass in Zeke's hand.

"Ketchup," Zeke says after choking down the red liquid.

"Watered down with a little tomato juice to make it easier to drink," Tris says with a giggle.

"How thoughtful of you," Zeke says wryly.