Daring to be Dauntless (A Divergent Fanfiction)

Chapter 17- Welcome to the Elites

I woke up at five am to practice with Eric.  

He'd brought me some extra sweats and took me through a pre warm-up.  

"Punch!" He yells.  

I thrust my arm out at him. He catches my fist in his hand and twists my arm behind my back. I wince at the stinging in my shoulder as he kicks out my foot and my cheek hits the floor. He sits on my back and presses my arms to the floor.  

"That is a sure way to get yourself killed."  

"Sorry," I mumble, trying to wiggle my way out from under him. His mouth comes close to my ear. For a minute he says nothing but stares at me.  

"I still cannot believe you're related to Four."  

I snort. "You'll get used to it."  

He lets me up so I sit in front of him. Strands of hair fall into my face and Eric smiles at me. He brushes back a few locks and cups them behind my ear. I smile sheepishly as he keeps is hand on my cheek, his thumb stroking back and forth. 

I don't know how to respond but all I know is that Tobias and Ash were not as enthusiastic. Tobias' boot connects with Eric's chin as he reaches him. As Eric's head reals back Ash kicks him in his stomach and Tobias pulls me to my feet.  

He yanks me into his side as Ash finishes Eric off with a right hook and an elbow to the jaw.  
"Stay away from her!" Tobias yells at Eric, pushing me into the hallway. 

"What was that?" Tobias scowls pushing me towards the chasm. It seems like everyone is watching us as we jog by.  

We pass a couple kids from the group of initiates Tobias is teaching. Beatrice is the first to see us. Her lips tug down as she watches us walk past. The girl beside her is talking with another boy that towers over her. She turns to say something to the Beatrice but stops and watches when Tobias begins shouting again.  

"If I ever see that again I will personally toss him into the chasm!"  

"Would you calm down," I whisper, glancing at the group.  

They now all stare at us.  

"No, I will not calm down! Ria that piece of trash was just about to kiss you and all you do is defend his actions!"  

"I'm not defending anything," I hiss. His eyebrows knit together and he runs a hand through his hair.  

"I love you, this is why I do these things."  

"I know," I whisper, a smile eating itself through my stern mask. "I love you too, that's why I don't want to make a big deal about it in front of everyone."  

He nods, simultaneously looking around. The initiates still stand watching us though most of the others had moved on or went to check out the chaos that Eric (conscious again) was creating.  

"You ever pull something like that again Ryder I'll make sure you're on the tracks next time the trains come through!" Eric comes out pointing, all bloody faced and limping.  

Ash crosses his arms smirking. "Eric if I thought you actually could, do you think I'd mess with you?"  

"You're stupid," he hisses and spits out blood. Mumbling something illegible he limps off with Max and Lauren slithering behind him. He gives me one look over his shoulder, an almost pitiful looking face, before turning down the hall out of sight.  

Uriah and Zeke come up and slap Ash on the shoulder, clamping down and nodding their heads with slight smiles. The air had gotten cold since Eric left, this just added to the feeling in my gut that something was going to go terribly wrong.  

It is around ten before Tobias said he was heading out on trainer duty, unfortunately for him, with Eric.  

After the commotion, Tobias and I hugged the shadows all the way back to his room where we laid next to each other on the bed staring at the ceiling. We had nothing better to do and nothing much to say so we just watched the ceiling, then each other and back again.  

Ash came by, pushing into the room without knocking. His hair was wild and a bottle clenched between his fists was pressed up to his lips. His Adam's apple bobbed as he sucked the liquor bottle dry and wiped his mouth off with a sleeve.  

"Missed the party," he slurred smiling.  

Tobias glanced at him only for a second before shrugging and telling him that he shouldn't be so careless when Eric is waiting for the perfect moment to nix him.  

Smiling, he let out a burp and stumbled forward, kneeling in front of where my head dangled off the bed.  

He ran his hand over my forehead as he leaned close to my ear. At first I thought he was going to kiss me but he just froze, his eyes wandering over the words FEAR GOD ALONE on the wall.  

"Did he hurt you?"  

I shook my head.  

His fingers trailed down my face to my lips. "Next time kick him where it counts."  

I smiled catching his eyes. "I'll try," I nod.  

"Promise you'll join us."  

I looked up at Tobias, he was staring at the wall pretending not to care but I could see the hurt in his eyes.  

"I promise."  

Both boys looked at me, one hard with his lips pressed in a thin line but his hand on my knee and another with his fingers pressed to my cheek and his eyes glossy.  

"Welcome to the team," Tobias said.  

Ash nuzzled his head into my neck and whisperd. "Welcome to the Elites."