Invergent

Chapter Fifteen

McKell's Perspective:

After lunch, Three leads us to a training room where punching bags are set up at even intervals. He shows us how to punch and lets us practice for a while on our own. I enjoy it more than I expect. My heart pounding in my ears, the sweat in my eyes, the burning in my muscles. I'm so in the zone that I don't even notice Three has dismissed the class until Parker taps on my shoulder.

"Dinner time," he says. "Unless you want to stay here and practice more. I'd be cool with that, too, as long as you don't get so good you completely destroy me in the rankings."

I grab the towel he hands me and wipe my forehead. "No, sorry, let's go."

After dinner, we head straight back to the dorms to shower. My arms ache as I lift them to rub shampoo in my hair. I dry off and change into a long-sleeved black shirt and black pants. I tie my long brown hair up in a knot, then head back to the dormitory to meet Parker. We decided that we want to spend the afternoon with just the two of us.

When Parker sees me, he grabs my hand and holds it up to the light, examining it closely. "It looks pretty scraped up, but it should heal fine," he says.

"How are you holding up?" I ask.

"I'm fine. Good. Okay."

"I get it," I say with a smile. "Come on, let's go."

We walk around the Pit for a while, trying to see everything there is to see. The sun has gone down, meaning that the only light is coming from blue lanterns hanging above the paths. People are shouting and laughing, but they feel distant from us. We stop in a few shops and look at the clothes and supplies for sale. We decide to buy desserts at a small shop on one of the higher floors. Apparently, Dauntless is known for their chocolate cake, so we each order a slice. It costs one of our Dauntless credits, but it's totally worth it. It's moist and rich and I think it's the best thing I've ever had.

Eventually, we find ourselves at the chasm. We sit with our legs hanging over the edge, just like we always used to at our spot back in Candor.

"This was nice," I say over the roar of the river. "It feels like ages since we've been able to just relax."

"I'm glad you can relax. I still feel stressed about the rankings. You know the top-ranked initiates get to pick their jobs first. I would hate to end up with an awful one like janitor, or Erin's errand boy or something."

"There's that competitive streak I know and love."

"Come on, you're just as competitive as me, admit it." He bumps my shoulder lightly with his.

"Okay, you got me. I can't turn down a good challenge."

"Remember that time we were having dinner with my family and they wanted to play a board game?"

"Yes! The time they picked that 'team game,' and I got so upset I practically yelled at your mom."

In a high-pitched voice, he says, "There's no point to the game if there isn't one winner!"

I laugh and continue, "I'd rather play a game and lose than tie with someone!"

We laugh until my face hurts from it and I can't breathe. 

After a while, I take Parker's hand and lean against his shoulder. We sit and listen to the sounds of the river mixing with the sounds coming from the Pit behind us. 

"We can do this, right?" I ask in a quiet voice.

He rests his head on mine. "Yeah. We can do this."

That night, I have another dream. This time, I'm at our family Christmas party. People are singing carols, mistletoe hangs from the mantle, and a tree sparkling with decorations sits in the living room. I'm standing in the kitchen, refilling the punch bowl. My mom is decorating cookies with icing presents and snowflakes. No one knows where these holidays come from, or even what they mean, but we celebrate them all the same. They're tradition.