Innocence Lost

Chapter 6 (Feelings)

Mature Content

The next morning I made sure I was up by five, I wanted to start training outside of sessions. Fourteenth is just not going to cut it, especially after we start training with the Dauntless born. I need to step up my game and push myself up the board. I went to the mess hall to grab something quick. There were only a few people in there, no one I recognized.

When I got to the training room it was deserted. I walked over to one of the punching bags. I really need to get stronger, so I was hitting the bag as hard as I could, going over everything Four had taught us.  My mind kept drifting back to Eric, the electricity I felt when he touched me. I've never felt anything like that before, like a warm sensation radiating throughout my body. The stranger thing was I wanted him to touch me again. It infuriated me that he had to be the first man to make me feel that way. Ughhh what's wrong with me? I punched the bag harder and harder, picturing Eric's cocky face.

Back home I was never really into boys like most girls my age were; I was more into my studies.  Meghan and Jesse would always tell me of their sexual experiences and didn't quite understand why I never wanted to have the same experiences. Maybe it's because I've never seen my parents affectionate with one another or us kids for that matter. But the look in Eric's eyes were almost carnal. It both excited and scared me at the same time.  I thought he was going to kill me yesterday during our little bickering spat. He was like some sort of animal. I noticed my knuckles were turning red and slowly starting to peel at the skin. I'm  going to need to bandage these.

I hear the doors open and slowly everyone came pouring in, including the Dauntless born initiates. They were laughing and shoving each other around. I walk over to the kit where Four keeps all the hand wraps and start wrapping up my knuckles. Jesse walks towards me with Caroline and Thomas trailing behind.

"Hey Kate. What happened to you this morning? You weren't in the dorm" he asked.

"I couldn't sleep so I decided to get a head start" I say as I continue to wrap my knuckles.

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"I didn't want to bother you, you were sleeping so peacefully" I nudge him in his side smiling.

"Yeah, I guess I was just worried when I didn't see you"

"I'm sorry Jesse. We have fights to worry about in a few days, I need to step up my game if I want to make it here"

"Fights start tomorrow " Eric's voice came out of nowhere causing me jump "So you better give it your all princess" he mocks.

Jesse stuck his middle finger up at him as he walked off.

"Everyone hear that? You will be fighting each other tomorrow. Make it count" Eric yelled.

There was whispering between the initiates

"Look Kate, your going to do great. Your a strong person, I have faith in you" Jesse says.

"Thanks Jesse. I'm so happy I have you here with me" I give him a tight hug.

"So, did everything go okay last night? I didn't hear you come in" Jesse asked.

Suddenly I had a flashback of Eric from the previous night, his hot breath that smelled of peppermint, his warm hand touching me.  The warm feeling that he gave me returned, but this time in the pit of my stomach.