Dauntless

Part 2

“You call that throwing?” I bellowed. “Again! You’ll be throwing these knives until your fingers are bleeding, do you understand!?”

The initiate cowered, bobbing her head, her fingers slipping on the hilt of the knife.

.She actually wasn’t that bad for a newbie.

But she could do better.

Dauntless had too.

I walked down the line, my boot heels loud against the concrete floor, letting the initiates know I was behind them. I loved making them nervous, making them sweat.

I got way too much of a kick out of it.

My eyes landed curiously on the stiff, a nickname for those from Abnegation; those in Abnegation lead simple, ‘selfless’ lives, completely dedicated to helping others. I suppose being selfless got them off or something, most of them were pretty quiet and reserved; stiff.  They run the government, although Erudite, the ones who value intelligence, think they shouldn’t.

It was a big rivalry.

Way too complicated.

“You know yelling at them only makes them more nervous.”

I crossed my arms as Four came to stand beside me, watching the initiates.

“I think it gives them motivation.”

He didn’t respond, his eyes landing on the stiff again.

Huh.

“What’s so special about her?”

“What?”

“The stiff. You and everyone else seen very interested in her. She’s pretty, but doesn’t really seem your type.”

I think I made him blush.

“I’m not interested in her.” he shrugged. “Just watching her progress. She’s very low on the boards.”

“She’ll probably get cut,” I agreed, noticing him tense slightly; I’d always been blunt, no matter whose feelings it hurt. What difference did it make to Four — was it because she was a stiff too?

I bet it was.

Abnegation buddies.

I sighed, shaking my head.

“She’s doing better then in the beginning,” I said after a moment, leaning back on my heels. “If she keeps improving she might just make it over the line. And if she’s good in simulations, she might have an actual chance of getting in. So long as nosey over there,” my head tilted in the direction of the black haired initiate who’d also been in the meeting the other night, “doesn’t best her up in the ring again.”

Four eyed him.

I liked Four, as much as I hated to admit it. He was a good guy, kind of cold and distant, but decent from what I’d seen. He took his job training seriously, and I could see him grading everyone in his head as he watched the knife throwing.

And he wasn’t bad to look at; tall, broad shouldered, black tattoos running up from beneath the neck of his shirt. I didn’t know what they were, I’d never asked or seen him shirtless. But I supposed it was something meaningful to him. He kept his hair short, but it was dark, and those ridiculously blue eyes of his were always serious.

I’d heard he’d also turned down every Dauntless who’d ever shown an interest in him.

Was he waiting for the one?

“Tighten your grip, initiate,” I hissed as I saw the girl I’d yelled at earlier fumble again. “Or you can spend the rest of the time collecting everyone’s knives while they throw them!”