Faction Center: Dauntless High

Chapter 3: The Perfect One

I feel goosebumps on my skin, and I know it was caused by him. Four. I'm pretty sure that's a nickname. I think I've seen him before though. Max is talking, but I'm not really paying attention. Then, the bell rings out of nowhere. Wow, this class is short. I get out of my seat and walk to the door. Immediately after I step out, a strong and muscular arm grabs me.
"Do I know you?" he asks. I look at him and see sparkling eyes.
"I don't know, maybe." I reply.
"Where are you headed?" He asks, with a puzzled look on his face.
"Ummmm." I glance down at my schedule and see Art. "Art with Ms. Wu. why?"
"Because, I'll help you get there. That's where I'm going too. By the way, you seem pretty cool. Are you coming to my party tomorrow night?"
"What party?"
"Just come to my house tonight and you can help me set up. Then come back with a few of your friends tomorrow night." He smiles. "Sound good?"
"Yeah, I'll be there."
"Good. My address is 6446 Daunty Drive, floor 1, Dare Building. By the way, I'm Four. You're tris, right?"
I nod and return his smile. Those blue eyes are so mesmerizing, and the dark brown hair with blonde edges just helps them shine. And them it hits me: what am I going to wear? I need Christina. Thankfully, I have her next class too. And, my parents have all the money I could possibly need to find her and my friends nice outfits. I make it to my second period, art. I see an open seat in between Christina and Four. I sit down there, and Four smiles.
"Hey." He says
"Hi" I say.
Ms. Wu starts to talk.
"Good morning class. This year, I will be your art teacher. I work in the tattoo parlor on weekends, breaks, like summer, and sometimes even nights. Since it is the first day, and we have the longest period, and you can make your own choices now, I will give anybody who wants one, a tattoo. For free, too." Four and I look at each other. I just now notice the edges of flames coming over his shoulders and neck.
"You already have one?"
"Hmm? how'd you know?"
"I can see the flames. Did it hurt?" I ask.
"Not really."
"I'd like to see it sometime, if it's okay."
"Come to my place tonight. I'll show you." He says, smiling.
"Ok."
Christina ends up getting a leafy design on the inside of her upper arm. Then, it's my turn. I tell her 3 birds on my collarbone, preferably ravens, one for each member of my family I left behind. She cleans my collarbone, and I finally get a good look at her. She has deep, dark black eyes, and has a bird tattoo, I think it's a Phoenix, in between her shoulder blades. Her hair is naturally dark, but she has added light blue highlights. She looks good. She tells me it will sting a bit, but then it should be over. I feel the sting, and then it wears off a bit. She puts a bandage over it so it is protected, and then moves on. The bell rings.
Third period and fourth period go by fast. Then it's lunch. Four invites me to his table, so I take Christina with me. He introduces me to his friends. Uriah and Zeke are brothers. Shauna and Lynn are sisters. Marlene is dating Uriah. Lauren is just rude looking. I find out Shauna and Zeke are also dating. Then Will and Al come over. Will asks Christina out, and she says yes. Then they kiss as the bell rings.
5th period goes by just as fast as 3rd and 4th. Then 6th period comes. All the people I just met, including the ones I already knew, have this class. This will be fun.
"Today, we will be learning how to throw knives. Four, please be an example, and throw these knives at the target."
"My pleasure." he says. The first knife hits the center. The second one hits the spot right next to the last one. And the third knife splits in between the last two knives. He's really good at this.
"Now, initiates, it is your turn."
I start to throw them. It takes a few tries for me to hit the center, but I do. Somewhere in this time, a mean looking man with piercings in his face and greasy black hair walks in. I can tell he's older, maybe the same age as Four. He see's Al throwing knives pathetically.
"What the heck was that?" He asks him. I think his name is Eric.
"I-I-ii-i-It slipped."
"Well," he gestures toward the fallen knife. "Go get it."
"No. I don't want to get hit by an airborne knife. And what gives you the authority."
"You WILL do what I say."
"No." al replies simply. "I won't."
"Okay then. Everybody stop. Stand in front of the target board. If you flinch while we throw knives at you, I will make SURE you are expelled from this school. Got it?"
"Y-y-y-yes." I can't stand to watch this.
"STOP!" I scream. "Let me do it."
"Okay then, Stiff. Same rules apply." He states. "Four, a little help here?" He nods his head, and I can tell that he doesn't want to do this. I can also tell that Eric is not somebody you want to mess with. I walk up cautiously to the target board. The first knife flies towards the side of my head. I don't flinch. The second knife flies at the top of my head. The third and final knife jut barely nicks my ear. Either way, I don't flinch. Eric is REALLY mad.
He leaves as the bell rings, and so do all the other initiates, except for Four.
"You okay?"
"You cut me,"I say, still not making eye contact.
"I meant to. Do you really think he would let you go without a scratch?"
"I don't know, probably not." I say.
"Well, still come to my place tonight."
"Okay." I reply. Then he surprises me with a hug. I feel electricity surge inside of me.
The rest of the day whizzes by. Finally, the afternoon announcements come on, and the day is over.
I meet Christina by my car, the slick black mustang.
"O. M. G. " she says. "This is yours!"
"Yeah," I get ready to explain. "My dad is the part-time governor of Illinois, and runs the state with Marcus Eaton. He is also the part-time mayor of Chicago. My mom, on the other hand, is the famous author and model Natalie Prior. These jobs combined get our family a lot of money. I have a brother, too. His name is Caleb." I am finished talking.
When we finally get to the mall, we immediately go to Urban Outfitters, and I spot the perfect dress. It is blood red and black leather. The red part covers my upper area, and ends where short sleeves would touch on my chest. The rest is black. This dress is strapless, and barely reaches my mid-thigh. We buy it for only $145 and leave to go to Forever 21. That is where we find both of our shoes, and Christina's dress. Her dress is baby blue and has rhinestones that ombré to smaller rhinestones, and then plain fabric. It is also strapless. My shoes are blood red leather pumps, because you can never have enough leather, and Christina's shoes are silver with rhinestones. And then I remember that I'm supposed to meet Four at his place. I need another outfit! Luckily, I have the perfect one at home.