To Try Again | Divergent (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 4

Tris POV

After lunch, Tobias leads us to the training room again. Our names are written on the board in alphabetical order. Hanging at three-foot intervals along one end of the room are faded black punching bags. I breath in the smell of sawdust and smile. I. Am. Home.

We line up behind the bags and Tobias stands in the middle, where we can all see him.

"As I said this morning," he says. "next you will learn to fight. The purpose of this is to prepare you to act; to prepare your body to respond to threats and challenges- which you will need, if you intend to survive life as a Dauntless."

Before, I couldn't even imagine life as a Dauntless. Now, it is all that I can think about. I wonder what it will be like without the war. That is, if we can stop it.

"We will go over technique today, and tomorrow you will start to fight each other," says Tobias. "So, I recommend that you pay attention. Those who don't learn fast will get hurt." It's true. I remember my first fight with Peter. So much blood.

Tobias demonstrates, but I don't pay attention. I know how to fight already. I just focus on his muscles as he demonstrates the different punches.

We practice for a while and Tobias walks behind us. He stops when he gets to me, a small smile playing on his lips.

"You don't have much muscle," he says. I look down at my Abnegation body. "You're doing it right though." I know what he's talking about. I'm using my knees and elbows just like he taught me. He places a hand on my stomach and says, "Remember to keep tension here." I think that he just wants an excuse to touch me, but I'm perfectly fine with it. He smiles at me brings his hand down slowly.

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We are soon released for dinner. I am walking out when I feel something grab my shirt and pull me back inside. I turn around and see Tobias.

After he is sure that everyone is gone, he asks, "What should I do about the fights?"

"What do you mean?" I ask

"You're obviously doing good. You should fight, but last time, you didn't. I am afraid that if I change it up, the rest of initiation will change, and all of the rankings will be different. We can't afford to mess anything up. What should I do?"

"Keep them the same. It's fine. I promise."

"Okay," he says and kisses my cheek. "I love you." He leaves the training room. I am about to leave when I see something, no someone, run out the door. I didn't see a face, and they are to fast for me to catch them. Whoever that was just saw and heard all of that. This isn't good.