Dauntless

Chapter 20

I rubbed my eyes and opened them. I was looking up at a ceiling, for a moment I forgot where I was. Then last nights memories came flooding back. I smiled and bit my lip.
I propped myself up on my elbows and looked around, in the corner of the bedroom, Rico was pulling on a t shirt.
I got up and walked over to him. All I was wearing was a baggy t-shirt of Rico's.
I put my hand on his back and he turned around to me, he smiled and wrapped his arms around me. I stood on my tip toes and pressed my lips to his.
He pulled away and looked down at me.
"What time is it?" I asked.
"About 7." I groaned.
"No wonder I'm tired then."
I trudged back to the bed and lay down on it, Rico followed me and crawled over me.
He traced kisses up my body until he reached my lips, where he kissed me tenderly, his hands running up my bare legs.
I reached to pull up his top, but he stopped me and pulled away. He was on his hands and knees over me, protecting my body.
He pressed his forehead against mine.
"I'm sorry babe. But I have to go. I've got a surprise anyway." He smirked.
"You do?" He nodded.
"But don't ask me tell, coz I won't."
I heaved a sigh and I watched him get up and open the door.
"I can trust you to get there at 8?"
"Course you can." I smiled. He smiled back, then left.
The door closed and I lay back in the heap of duvet on the bed.
After a couple of minutes I got up and went to the bathroom, I washed my face and I put my hair up in a high ponytail, I put on my leggings and black top from yesterday.
I looked in the mirror, I didn't have any make up with me now but I looked OK, I was fresh and excited from my time with Rico.
I walked out and I closed the door behind me.
Walking down the corridor I remembered Ella, she would be so worried about me because I didn't turn up last night at all.
I quickly walked to the mess hall, I saw Ella sitting alone eating breakfast and I rushed over to her.
"Ella! Oh my god I'm so sorry!" I apologized, sitting down next to her.
She just looked at me, then went back to her food.
"Ella?"
"It's ok, I get it." She said.
"Get what?" There was nothing to get.
"You'd prefer to spend time with your boyfriend rather than me."
"Wha-?!"
"Ever since we came here, you hardly spend any time with me! You're either off with Jonathan or Rico or-"
"Ella!" I thundered, I'd had enough.
"You've been my best friend for my whole life! Nothing's changed now! I left once with Joe, and once with Rico. That means I have left twice, in 16 years, I have left you twice. And you're saying that's too much?"
Ella's back slouched and her head dropped.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. "It's just... I was so worried about you! I didn't know where you were! I guessed you were with Rico but how was I supposed to know what he was going to do to you. I just... missed you."
"Hey it's fine! Don't worry ok! I completely understand." I pulled her in for a hug. "Just never say I don't care about you ever again. Or I will through you off the roof." She laughed a little.
When pulled apart, Zack and Adrian came along. Zack came to the table, saw me, and then walked away, scowling.
"What's wrong with him?" I asked. Adrian shrugged.
"Probably jealous."
"Jealous?" I asked.
"Yeah, of your boyfriend. But it's fine. I'm gonna go get some breakfast." He walked off and I turned to Ella.
"You told them?!"
"No! They just guessed! They don't know who it is though." I sighed. I grabbed a muffin from Ella's plate and I stood up.
"Hey!" She said but I ignored her.
She joined me as we walked to training and she asked,
"Without any detail, what did you do?"
"Well, he came over and spoke to my parents, which really helped, because I don't think my father was very pleased about me coming third. Then afterwards we talked, laughed and..."
"No!" She cried. I looked at her.
"Ok I guessed that was what you were doing but really?" She asked. I nodded.
In Dauntless, sexual relationships weren't strange.
It was considered unusual if you weren't sexual.
In Abnegation, couples hardly touched each other. In Erudite, they talked about a lot of things, but not usually about their partners. In Candor, it was hard to imagine who could ever go out with such jerks. Amity, no idea, they were just free with everything. But in Dauntless, all you were told was to use protection.
We walked in the training room and Rico was there, we smiled at each other.
Zack and Adrian walked in, I looked over but Zack completely blanked me.
"Ok, so. Tonight is the night where we play the traditional game of 'capture the flag'." Our group cheered.
"You will be joined by the transfer initiates, the rules will be explained on the way there. So lucky for you, today there's nothing planned. We will meet at 11 pm in the mess hall. See you then."
Everyone filed out except for me.
"So this is your little surprise?" I asked.
"Uh huh! D'you like it?" He asked, walking over to me.
I "mm hmm" a reply as he leant down to kiss me. I run my hands through his hair, short at the back and long on top.
I bite his lip lightly to make him open up, he groans and I slip my tongue into his mouth.
His touch is magical, and everywhere his skin brushes mine, I feel a tingling sensation that lingers.
I pull away.
"I'm sorry but, I spent yesterday with you, and I think I should be with Ella today." I said.
"Yeah, of course." Rico smiled, pecked me on the lips and let go of me.
"What will you do?" I asked him.
"I have to prepare stuff for tonight."
"Oh! You better put me with Ella." I threatened jokingly. He laughed.
"Sure thing. Now go find your friend."
I smiled then ran out of the door.

+++

"Ella!" I shouted for her through the crowd. She turned around and smiled, when I reached her she said,
"I thought you were going to stay with Rico."
"I was, but then I decided that maybe there might a certain someone who's missing me." I said.
"Oh really? Who? No one I can think of." She joked. I nudged her.
"So, what are we gonna do?" I asked. She smiled like an evil genius would when their plan had all come together.
"I think it's time we pay our friend Ira a visit."
We ran to the tattoo place.
"Hiya girls!" Greeted Ira. "More tattoos?"
"Yep!" Replied Ella.
Ella went first, she got a sun on the side  of her ankle. I got a pair of wings on the small of my back. We also bought some more earrings. Ella got a feather and I got an arrow.