Daunting Fires (Completed)

16- Anger

I look down at Cece. I'm not great at comforting at all, yet, instead of awkwardly standing, I pull her into the tightest hug I've ever given. I realize it must be, one, because she's a friend and, two, I can only image the pain of what she's trying to process. I think of Kirone, only six himself. What if he died? My chest tightens and I shudder.

The room is filled with all eight transfers and only nine remaining dauntless born. Surely all the dauntless leaders are training and eliminating other sixteen year olds. If not, there'd be less than sixteen new dauntless citizens because I'm sure more initiates are going to become factionless.

Eric's standing in the middle of the room. "Everyone gather around." I grab Cece's arm and Jared grabs her other one. We stand with everyone else.

"Some news. Dauntless born and transfers are going to be training together now and you'll fight against each other. No excuses or complaints." Roxanna murmurs a complaint right away. "I said no complaints." Eric shoots her a look. "Now everyone choose something to work on while-" he looks at his lame chalkboard. "Jasmine and Jared fight."

I give Jared a sympathetic smile and say, "kick her ass." His smile is small and his eyes glance to Cece. He gives a short nod in her direction and I nod back to him. Jared wants me to stick with her. His worry for her is obvious.

I pat Cece's back and she takes her hands away from her face. I take her by the hand and bring her to the punching bags. She starts by weakly punching the bag and Eric walks our way. Leave us alone freak, I think. It bothers me how he has no shame about what happened between us. He's that arrogant?

I feel his eyes on Cece to my right. I look at the corner of my eyes and see his mouth in a fine line. "Punch harder, kid." Cece gives her punches a little more force, but still is weak.

"I said, punch. Harder. Kid," Eric spits out. I want to slap his face. He has no freakin idea what she's going through. I'm sure if he did know, he wouldn't give a shit.

Eric roughly pushes Cece's shoulder and she stumbles back a little, keeping her eyes straight forward. I hear Eric snort. "Are you a weakling? Are you? Aww, you should've chosen Amity."

That makes my blood boil. I turn in his direction and yell, "get the hell away! I'll help her, you prick!" With that, I push him away and go to Cece's right side. I know he's angry but who does he think he is?

I lean in Cece's ear and say, "you should be angry right now. These idiots got your brother killed. Imagine your beating them up for what they did." She sniffles a little but wipes her face and clenches her jaw. Cece nods and starts punching the heck out of the punching bag.

I think about what I just said. Where'd that come from? I've never been a rebel. Then, I remember I'm Divergent. Not only but I'm apparently insane because I'm a percentile of dauntless and amity.

I look at Eric whose still where I pushed him. His face is red and his eyes are on fire. He's staring me down as if he expects me to apologize. If looks could kill...

Is he red because he's mad or because he's embarrassed? I don't even care. I wish he never existed. I wish he would leave me alone.

But a feeling inside me knows I don't want that...

I guess I am insane because he's the most shallow, ignorant person I've met. But he might have his reasons...

I roll my eyes away from him and start punching my bag. I know I've been hitting too hard when I see my blood on the bag. I take a breath and wipe my knuckles on my black cotton shirt.

"Switch," I hear Four say. I rub Cece's back comfortingly. I look at the clock and it's 7:30. I pant as we walk over to the weights.

I see Four talking to Eric and he nods.

"Change of plans, initiates. We're starting knife throwing," Four says with the slightest pinch of excitement in his face. I grab Cece's hand as we walk to the knife throwing area.

"Are you ok?" I ask, staring in her puffy green eyes. She gives a slight smile and nods tiredly.

"Thanks for earlier," Cece whispers. I nod. "But you're going to get Eric to murder you." I look up wide eyed. She chuckles softly and then probably remembers what happened to her brother, making her furrow her skinny, dyed-brown eyebrows. She sighs.

"Alright everyone. We want to start variating training as we realize you're only starting to suck at fighting," Four states in a matter-of-fact voice. Some girls giggle. "We will start the mental process of dauntless training tomorrow and knife throwing and gun aiming today. This isn't a game so don't act like children."

"Everyone get knives." Eric mutters.

It feels good to hold the cold knives in my hand. It makes you feel like you know how to use them, even though you don't. But then I realize that I can hurt someone with it and I gulp. I hope that's not what Eric's game plan is.

After Four demonstrates how to aim the knife at the board and release it, I feel determined. Everyone else holds there knives differently than I do. They're all right handed.

I wonder if that could give me an advantage when fighting.

My knife leaps away and lands in the second to last circle on the board. I hear someone scoff behind me. I turn my head and wish I didn't. Eric is back to scrutinize me for mistakes.

I scowl. "Least it hit the board."

"What was that, initiate?" I'm taken aback that he has replied to me. I shake my head never mind, but he won't give up. "What'd you say, huh?" He's so close to the back of my neck, I feel his cold breath. It feels oddly satisfying.

"At least it hit the board." I throw another knife and it lands closer to the middle. I give myself a mental high five. If I messed that up, I'd be a joke.

"Everyone stop." I turn around and Eric is looking at me. Everyone else is, too. I turn red, feeling uncomfortable.

"Dalia has shown me what a good knife thrower she is. I would like to show everyone what bad knife throwing looks like." Eric motions me to go stand in front of the body target board. I swallow and stare at his gray eyes. Is he joking? He nods and raises his eyebrows. "Go on."

I wipe my clammy hands on my black leggings and stand in front of a board. "I'd say not to flinch, but you'd have better chances of not getting hit." I look down at my feet although my head is facing forwards. I hear people whispering and it only makes me nervous.

And then, Eric throws the knife.
----------------------------------------------
And then Eric gets kicked out of leadership...

Just kidding!! I couldn't do that xD

Hope it was fun reading!! Thanks for support and encouragement.

Love you's,
-DL1