DAUNTLESS (Divergent sequil, no war)

chapter 21

(Tris' point of view)

I just let him stand there, I don't say anything. I have nothing to say. I think about what I just saw as I walk back over to the training room. Zeke will be there on his own trying to teach all of the initiates. It's not fair on him or them.

When I get there they are all working hard, kicking at the bags that hang from the ceiling. Only a few of them look round when I walk in. I find Zeke helping a girl with short hair, he shows her how to make a fist properly to avoid damaging your thumb.

"It does nothing to save your knuckles though." I chip in. They both turn to look at me and then look down at my hands, I took off the gloves earlier to assess the damage, I must have left them when I followed Tobias.

"Well they still look better than his face did." Zeke replies then pulls me to a corner so he can talk. "What the hell was that? He tapped out Tris! You're supposed to stop when someone taps out!" his hushed voice still carries his anger.

"I know, but I didn't see him tap out, or didn't register it or something and I really want to fix things with Four. I know it's what he wanted me to do, I had the choice, let Four beat me half to death or do it to Eric. I love Four, I would do anything for him..." I stop and a shudder runs through me. I suddenly feel naked. I'm not exactly wearing too a lot of clothing and I've just admitted something that I couldn't even admit to myself.

I would do anything for Tobias.

He knew it.

"Look Tris, I know that you two are going through something, but it can not affect the training any more."

"I know," I can sense that he is about to start some form of lecture so I stop him. "I'm not going to let it get in the way, that's why I'm here. Who do you think needs some help?" I shift my weight from one leg to the other, I don't like the way he is looking at me, like I'm a child who has disappointed him again.

"I don't really know, it's hard to keep an eye on everyone. Just circle round and help anyone who looks like they are struggling."

That's what I do. I show a boy with short ginger hair how to put up a semi decent guard whilst punching with the other hand.

"You can't let your guard fall." I explain, ignoring Tobias as he walks into the room. "Even when you're punching you need half a guard up, or they will get you when you pull back." He nods along as I talk.

"What if I'm down?" His voice is too high for his age and size, I suppress a giggle.

"If you're down you need to try to get up. If you don't get up you're pretty stuffed, but then yeah, just try to guard your face and belly. A kick to the gut can hurt as much as one to the jaw." He nods so much I'm scared his head might fall from his shoulders. I watch him throw a few more punches, changing punching hand and guarding hand remembering to return to a full guard before each hand change, then I move on.

"You're never going to win a fight if you don't hit something." I stand next to the last jumper. She lifts her loose fist and feebly hits the bag that hangs from the roof. It doesn't even sway. "What's your name?"

"Jessica." She shuffles her feet and hunches her shoulders, trying to hide her hight. She could be strong, if she wanted to be.

"Okay Jessica, why won't you train?" She bites her bottom lip but doesn't answer. "You either give me a really good reason or you start punching that bag like you mean it." She sighs and manages to hunch over even more.

"I didn't come here to fight, I heard everything hear had changed, I though it would be facing your own fears, not beating people up, or being beaten up." She baffles me.

"Things here have changed, last year only 10 initiates got in at all, this hole first section was spent fighting, there was no obstacle course and the fights counted for everything. Now we have a mix, emotional and physical training from the start. Last year you would probably be out by now. You will have a chance to face your fears but to do that, you have to get through this. If you want to be dauntless I would suggest you suck it up a bit, stand straight and learn how to fight. You won't be cut if you loose your fights but you will be cut if you don't try." She gives me a look I can't quite place. I sigh. "Make a fist." When she doesn't move I walk off. I won't help someone who refuses to let me help.

At lunch I sit with Christina. I shrug when she asks what's wrong, but she doesn't mention it again. When Eric walks over to our table I feel the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, like static pricks of energy along my skin. I narrow my eyes when he stops behind the chair next to Christina.

"Keep walking." I snap.

"Why?" he runs his toung along his bottom teeth, I see the scar left from his fight with Tobias, he hasn't worn a lip ring since. His neck is already a deep shade of purple, but other than that and a few minor cuts on his face he seems fine.

"Because if you don't I'll shove this fork so far down your throat..."

"Wow! Tris, calm down!" Christina grabs my arm as I start to shake with anger. How dare he do this? He knows what this has all been about. How could he do this?

"I knew he would get to you. You're just too weak to be without him aren't you. Too weak to see what he does." He shakes his head and walks off, leaving me sat shaking in anger and frustration.

"Okay, now you have to tell me what's happened. What happened to his neck?"

So I tell her.

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please vote or comment

sorry it's so short and so bad and that it took so long, but I'm kind of stuck for ideas (can you tell) and really short of time. I'll try to update as soon as but exams start on Monday and I've so far done no revision and I'm panicking about it all, this is my little time out but I have very little time for even little time outs. So yeah, bare with and I'll do what I can. Thanks for getting this far and thanks for checking out "involved," if you did, if not have a look? Tar.