Tris Pedrad: The Dauntless Divergent

Chapter Nine

Tris POV

"But first," Four adds, "you need this." He slips a blindfold around my head and takes my hand.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

He laughs. "It's obviously a surprise. Why else would I blindfold you?"

I think. "I don't know, to help me block out the haters? Or to keep me from killing innocent people with my beautiful gaze?"

At this, I'm pretty sure I kill Four. Once he regains his breathing, he chokes, "Wow Tris. Just wow." I smile and Four continues leading me to wherever it is we're going.

After what feels like an eternity, I feel hands on my head. The blindfold is lifted from my face and I blink a few times before looking around in awe.

The secluded spot by the Chasm has been transformed. Candles light up the area, and a rock serves as a table. I see plates of spaghetti, bread, and of course, Dauntless Cake. There is also a bottle of a clear, bubbly looking liquid.

"Welcome to Chez Four, my lady." Four says in a strange accent.

"Why thank you, sir." I reply in the same accent. We sit on opposite sides of the rock, and Four starts serving the food.

"Sorry if it's cold. I'm not the best cook in the world," he says sheepishly. After that, we eat and make small talk, his job or my interests. When we get to dessert, I ask Four what the drink is.

"I have only had it once. After our initiation we threw a party and someone brought it. But I really don't remember that night very well, so I can't explain it," he says opening the bottle. Once the drink has been poured into plastic cups, I cautiously smell it before taking a sip.

I feel my face curl up in disgust. "It tastes funny. Like bubbling lemon. But then it tastes bland, so I can't tell."

"Yeah. It's not very good." Four says, frowning. "But I guess it fits. I mean, the Erudite are pretty lame, so to have a drink like that kind of represents them."

I laugh but he just stares at me seriously.

"Tris, we need to talk."