The Girl From Candor

Giavanni

5

I LEAVE JACK AFTER OUR date. I want to walk around the Pit for a while because I'm not tired yet. As I pass by the tattoo parlor, I catch movement. Inside I see Tori, cleaning up. I walk in without asking. Dauntless don't ask for permission.

"Hey, Tori." I greet her.

"I remember you. You're the Loud Mouth who wouldn't stop asking questions." said Tori.

"Giavanni. My name is Giavanni." I say.

"Fancy Loud Mouth name. What do you want?" she asks.

"I was just strolling, but since I'm here, maybe I'll get a tattoo." I say.

"What do you want then?" asked Tori, gesturing to the designs posted everywhere, not mentioning the late hour.

I look around for a bit when something catches my eye. I grab the design I want and hand it to her.

"Where do you want it?" she asks.

I lift my hair and point to the nape of my neck. She nods and tells me to have a seat, that it shouldn't take too long. As the needle stabs my skin over and over, I reflect on mine and Jack's conversation.

"Tori, I think I know another Divergent." I whisper.

Her hand freezes and she dabs at my neck,"Don't ever say that out loud again, you understand?"

"Okay." I whisper again.

"Who?" she asks.

"His name is Jack. We talked about thinking more than one way earlier. It was wrong, but I didn't care." I say.

"Jack? Pretty boy from Erudite? Yeah, I think I administered his Aptitude test as well. You're right, he is," says Tori,"Alright you're done."

I get up and go to look at my neck in a mirror. Down the nape of my neck is a dusting of black stars with bits of blue here and there.

"Why the stars? And why there? There's always a reason." said Tori, rolling her eyes.

"Stars are each unique in their own right and my mind is unique. It's a metaphoric statement." I say.

"Dauntless don't speak like that, Nose." Tori says, both teasing and warning me.

I nod and she tells me how to take care of the tattoo until it's healed. I bid her goodnight and head up to the initiates room. The moment I enter the dark hallway near the chasm, I know something is wrong.

Then a fist hits my jaw. I fly to the rocky wall and can't even catch a breath before a second blow is delivered. I cry out, but I don't back down. I catch a glimpse of my attacker and see that he is much taller than me. He comes at me again when I jump up and use the wall to support myself as I slam my boots into his chest. He flies back toward the edge of the chasm.

I ready myself, I know I can't overpower him, but I can move much faster. My attacker gets back to his feet and charges me again. I can almost see the steam blowing out of his nose like a bull who's seen blood. There is nowhere to go, so I take the blow and we fall to the ground.

He begins to punch my ribs, knocking the air out of me. I feel tears prick my eyes and grow enraged. I will not let this bastard, this coward who won't show his face, beat me bloody. No.

With a battle cry, I slam my elbow to his jaw. He dazes momentarily and I headbutt him as hard as I can. I don't get dizzy, my dad always said I was hardheaded. He pushes away from me and I slam my boots to his chest once more. He flips onto his back and I proceed to kick his ribs and then once between his legs.