Ordinary Acts of Bravery [A Divergent Fanfic]

Chapter 31 - The final rankings

"Courage doesn't mean you don't get afraid. Courage means you don't let fear stop you."

There had been complete silence in the accommodation that afternoon as we all waited for dinner to arrive where we would all get to know our final rankings. Tonight would be the last night as initiates. It was a frightening thing but also something exciting. The next chapter would start tomorrow.

I was the first to leave the accommodation. Casting a quick glance towards Luke and Roxy I felt another surge of jealousy but also loneliness. Everything that had happened lately had kept me away from them. Luke had been discarded from the infirmary yesterday, and every moment, Roxy had been at his side. They no longer hid their relationship, kissing and showing affection in public.

I felt happy for them and often wondered if they would accept that I had chosen Eric. Feeling tears swell in my eyes, I quickly turned away from the sight. I left the accommodation in silence, walking down the somewhat empty hallways on my own. My tears kept flowing and I occasionally dried a few away with the back of my hand.

I kept my head low, moving close to the wall. There were quite a few times I had experienced multiple dauntless come sprinting down this hallway towards the dining hall, and more than once I had been in the collision course with them, barely avoiding them in time. I smiled at the image, it could have looked good if it did happen.

When a hand suddenly grabbed my wrist, yanking me down another hallway on my right before I was pinned against a wall. I was ready to fight my attacker off by jamming my knee up between their legs, aiming for the tender spot there. Somehow my attacker had guessed my intention and a hand grabbed my thigh, keeping it from rising up further than a few centimeters.

Then Eric's grinning face came into view. "There would have been real trouble, had you done that." He chuckled before he pulled me into a tight embrace. I willingly returned his embrace and raised up onto my toes to accommodate his height. My heart was fluttering because I had truly missed him.

"It would have been your own fault. You scared me—" I snapped at him. Eric groaned and cut me off by placing his lips on mine. Light at first before quickly deepening the kiss. It was filled with longing. I felt how his hands moved down over my back, down to my rump where he grabbed onto the soft part. "Eric!" I warned against his lips, but he ignored me, crashing his lips against mine again.

"I hate you." I grumbled when he finally released me.

"No you don't." Eric laughed and placed a kiss on the part of my neck that met my shoulder, brushing against the tender injection site. I shivered when he tightened his embrace, almost lifting me of the ground when he straightened into his full height.

"I've missed you." I blurted out when the silence became too much. Eric released me and I sunk to my feet when his surprised expression found me. His brows had both been raised, creating small wrinkles on his forehead. "Was that weird?" I asked insecurely. Eric only shook his head and smiled to me.