Ordinary Acts of Bravery [A Divergent Fanfic]

Chapter 8 - A day without training

"People think being alone makes you lonely, but I don't think that's true. Being surrounded by the wrong people is the loneliest thing in the world."

          When I woke up the next morning, it was to an unusually quiet room. The only thing disturbing the silence was the soft snores from some of the other initiates. Everyone was too exhausted to make much noise. I had barely stirred when I woke up, deciding it would be best to remain where I was, securely wrapped in my comforter while trying not to stir my aching body.

But I was still feeling strangely restless. Carefully stretching my arms over my head, I pushed myself further down, sinking even deeper into the mattress with a satisfied groan. The stretch had relieved some of the soreness in my muscles, but only to remind me of another fact. A dull throbbing remained at the center of my back where the neuro stim dart had buried itself in my skin. Even a bump remained from last nights collision with the wall.

The stinging sensation that had flared up when I moved, almost forced me upright into a sitting position. My body barely yielded when I forced it to execute just that. Slowly rising into a sitting position, I pushed a few strands of my golden hair out of my face before swinging my legs out over the edge.

The bed creaked underneath me when I shifted up onto my feet, stretching my arms over head again, reliving even more of the soreness from my body before getting dressed. I grabbed a new t-shirt and newer pants, richer in their black color than the others I had worn yesterday. I had barely worn these because it seemed everything got rundown rather quickly from the rigorous training we were doing. So I might as well use them thoroughly.

Pulling my hair into a high ponytail, I grabbed the band around my wrist a little to hard and it broke when I tried to wrap it around my hair. I released a furious growl and tossed the broken string back onto the bed, now a useless piece. I then grabbed a sweatshirt before leaving the accommodation completely. My hair was one thing I didn't want to deal with right now, so I let it hang down for the day.

I had barely gotten the shirt over my head when exiting out into the hallway, heading in the only direction I was somewhat certain off. The way that would lead me to the dining room. My stomach growled rather loudly, reminding me off a hunger I had not felt before. It had also made me turn to the watch around my wrist, it was almost lunch time, no wonder I was this hungry.

When I entered the dining hall, I froze in the doorway because I had forgotten how everyone I had always been seated with, was still sleeping in the accommodation. My eyes scanned the crowd before settling on the leader table. It was pushed up against the wall in the far end of the room and it always housed the five leaders, no one else were allowed there. Not unless you had a death wish.

Today it was completely empty beside a single person, sitting with their back turned towards me. It didn't take much of me to recognize Eric. He was eating alone, like he used too. It was probably something he preferred if I had to take a guess.