The next day I'm released from the hospital. I'm still not allowed to put weight on my leg so I'm on crutches. The doctor said I should be off them in a little under a week. Tobias said I can go through the fear landscape tomorrow. I wanted to go through it today but he won't let me.
He takes me to his apartment and settles me in on the couch. He won't let me up for anything except to use the bathroom since he can't do that for me. I try to convince him that I'm tired of siting and doing nothing but he says that it makes him feel better to take care of me so I let him. I'm still tired and really don't want to fight him on it.
<<<•>>>
The next day when I wake up I get ready to go through my fear landscape. It's a pain to get dressed when I can't put weight on one leg but I manage it. I end up wearing a pair of black skinny jeans, a tight black v-neck shirt, and black combat boots. When I'm done getting ready I follow Tobias to the Fear Landscape room. Tori is already there waiting for us. Tobias injects the serum and I'm in the fear landscape.
My first fear is simple: the crows. I shoot them easily and move on to the next fear: the glass tank filling with water. I roll my eyes as I easily break the glass. I remember Tori's watching so I decide to show off a little. Instead of touching the glass to break it I will it to break and it all shatters.
My next fear is having to shoot my family so I do the same thing I did the last time and move on. After that I face my fear of being kidnapped. I notice that Malachi has now joined the group. When I feel the flames lapping against my feet I summon the rain.
Suddenly I'm in an ocean and I'm being tossed about. I surface once and am able to take a quick breath before I'm shoved under again. I find a big rock and cling to it. I'm able to slow my heart rate enough to move on.
The scene shifts and I'm running away from something, or more like someone. I hear a bullet graze by my head. It barely missed. I decide that I want to try something different this time, so instead of running at them I stop running a will my body to turn to stone. When the bullets hit me they flatten and bounce off harmlessly. It makes me laugh and suddenly I'm back in the room with Tobias and Tori.
"Congratulations, Tris," Tori says. "Six fears in just over 12 minutes. That's impressive."
I nod and Tori leaves. I turn to Tobias.
"The rankings are going to be announced tonight after dinner," he tells me.
"Good, I'm ready to go back to Tris."
"You know, I could start calling you Six."
"No, Four." He winces at me using his nickname.
"You know, I really do prefer it when you call me Tobias."
"I know, Tobias."
And with that we're kissing. We kiss until my stomach growl and he realizes I haven't eaten anything today. He picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. He caries me to his apartment and sits me down at the table before he goes to get me some food. He comes back with a leftover hamburger, a glass of water, and a large slice of Dauntless cake.
"Tobias!" I laugh as I point at the cake. "It's only 9:30!"
"Yes, but you just went through your fear landscape and I think you deserve it."
"Well you're going to have to help me eat it!"
"Gladly!"
Once we're done eating I head off to Christina's. She wants to get me ready for tonight. This may be one of the only times I don't fight Christina over getting dressed up and she takes advantage of it. The only request I have is that I look intimidating.
By dinner time Christina has done my hair and makeup and has put me in a new black leather jacket with studs on the shoulders, a tight black v-neck, ripped black skinny jeans, and my beat up combat boots. My hair has three small, tight French braids on the left side of my head that lead into a ponytail. My makeup is light enough that it doesn't look ridiculous but it's enough that you can definitely tell I'm wearing makeup.
Christina and I head to dinner. People keep staring at me and whispering. I guess word that I'm back really has spread. In the cafeteria I sit next to Christina and Uriah. I would sit next to Tobias but I'm not ready for the other initiates to know about us yet.
After we eat Tori gets up on a makeshift stage and the names appear behind her.
1. Tris Prior
2. Austin Samrah
3. Pierce Delane
4. Thomas Wrights
5. Tamra Holk
6. Risa Juel
7. Weston Adams
8. Zach Keren
9. Dylan Laynne
10. Grant Christen
11. Grayson Dimore
12. Mark Folden
13. Laurel Owens
I can't help but wonder where Malachi would have been on that list.
"That's not fair!" Thomas shouts as he stands up and slams his hands down on the table. "She shouldn't be first! She wasn't there for the fear landscape! She was unconscious for days! She doesn't deserve first!" He points at me while he's screaming.
"Is there something you would like to say?" I ask as I stand up and turn toward Thomas. I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him. Out of the corner of my eye I see Tobias start to stand up but I hold out a hand to tell him to stop. I think he's worried because I'm not using my crutches and I'm not supposed to put weight on my leg. I may regret it later but right now my leg feels fine.
"Yeah, while I'm at it I may as well say it!" Thomas should. "You don't deserve first because you couldn't even save yourself when you were being kidnapped! Afterwords you couldn't even save yourself! Four had to save you! If you were so amazing you would have been able to save yourself!"
"Are you done yet?" I ask calmly. I will not snap in front of this many people.
"No! It's not even fair that we were competing against you! You've done all of this before! How were we supposed to beat a girl who came in knowing all of this?"
"I don't know, Thomas. How were you supposed to beat all the Dauntless born initiates? They knew everything too." He knows I've got him there and his face turns red. I think this is the only time I've heard complete silence in the Dauntless compound.
"If you two are done there's something I need to clear up," Tori states. We both nod.
"There was no favoritism shown to Tris Prior. She ranked first in initiation the first time as well. She had not done anything related to the skills taught in initiation in close to two years. It was determined that her skills were equal to those of the Dauntless born initiate's and therefore the final rankings stand. There will be no change." Tori leaves the room and people start muttering. I can't make out what they're saying and I don't really care. My leg still doesn't hurt so I ignore my crutches and walk out of the room.
I've only made it a few feet past the door when Tobias catches up with me. I stop and lean against the wall. At this point my leg hurts really bad. I see Tobias has my crutches and gladly take them when he offers them.
"I wish you would have used them in the first place," Tobias tells me.
I shrug. "It didn't hurt then."
"Where are you going?"
"I don't know; anywhere but the dorm."
"Good. I don't want you there tonight,"
I stop walking and turn to look at him.
"There's a fine line between between bravery and idiocy," I whisper as I wrap my arms around his neck.
"Really? Who told you that?"
"Only the smartest, bravest, kindest man I've ever met. Well, he's not so sure about kindest, but I've heard he's working on it, and I think he is very kind."
He smiles and then kisses me. After a second he picks me up and caries me to his apartment. When we get there he sets me on the bed and kisses me again.
YOU ARE READING
Starting Over
FanfictionTwo years after Allegiant Tris comes back to the factions. Nobody knows who she really is, even Tobias. She's not sure she's ready to tell anyone that she faked her death. Now she has to go through initiation all over again as a different girl who s...
