Alexander Eaton || A Uriah Pedrad Love Story

Chapter 7

The next day began the same as the previous two.  The only difference in today was that we learned knife throwing instead of fighting or shooting.

“Alright, I need a volunteer,” Four said at the end of the day.

“For what?” Someone asked.

“I just need someone to volunteer,” he said.

“I volunteer,” Tris said.

“Go stand in front of the target,” he said. She did and he picked up three knives. He threw the first one and barely missed her arm. He threw the second and just missed the top of her head. The third one nicked her ear, causing her to bleed slightly.

“By the end of training you will all be at least this good,” he said. “Now go eat.”

And so it went for four weeks. Every morning we got up and started in on PT at five o'clock sharp. Then after three to four hours of PT, we started in on specialized training: shooting, fighting, knife throwing, or something similar.

After training, Uriah and I always sat together during dinner. And then, on nights when I was up to it, Uriah gave me extra training in my weakest areas. Other nights we played games as a class. Capture the Flag was our favorite although there were other games like Dare and tackle football.

Through our extra time spent together, I started to develop what I would call a crush on Uriah. Every time I thought about it, all I heard was my father's taunting words about how I shouldn't feel this way towards other dudes.

The first time my father heard about it I was 5. I had been in school for a year, but I had just made my first friend. Caleb Prior.

"Tobias," I said softly as we headed to bed. Tobias had taken to caring for me since our mother passed two years ago.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly.

"I made a friend today," I said.

"That's great buddy. Go to sleep. We can talk tomorrow," he said.

"But I like him a lot," I said as my father made his way into our room.

"You what?" My father spat.

"Dad, c'mon. He's only five," Tobias said. My father dragged him out of the room and, I would later learn, that Tobias got beat that night because of me.

“Four, can I talk to you?” I asked as we walked back to the dorms on the last night of Phase One of initiation.

“Yeah, what's up?” He asked.

“Um, so Dauntless members feel differently about gay people, right?” I asked.

“Yeah, why? Do you have a crush?” He asked, softening into my big brother.

“Yeah sort of,” I said.

“Let me guess, Uriah?” He asked.

I only nodded in response.

“You can be yourself here. No one's going to judge you or treat you differently because you're gay,” he said. "Just because you're weak."

“Very funny, but seriously thanks,” I said, “for everything.”

“You're welcome,” he said. “Now go get some rest.”