Eyes Wide Open

6.

Four led us to a brightly lit room that was off the Pit. It was crowded with people all clothed in black with a variety of bright hair colors. It was impossible to hear anything besides the sound of clattering silverware and the loud, excited screams of Dauntless.

When our group entered, everyone stood up and clapped. It was annoying. What were they cheering at us for? Jumping off a roof? Cause that's all we've done so far. There was no need to celebrate. No one would have celebrated so soon in Erudite.

 I glanced beside me to see Quil with a faint smile on his face, and for his sake, I smiled too. I tugged on his arm and guided him over towards the table the Abejation girl had sat at. It'd be a good idea for him to make friends with her.

We plopped down at the end of their pretty much abandoned table besides our instructor and the loud ass from earlier. Quil didn't start up a conversation with the blonde like I predicted him to, but instead stuck to babbling at me. 

Olivia had quickly joined us as well, shaking the table as she hopped onto the seat across from me. I don't think we're going to be able to lose her. 

As the two talked carelessly about whatever they thought of, I stared in disgust at what was in the middle of the table. "Thats beef, you know?" The Abejaction girl besides me stated with her mouth full even though it was clear she had just learned that herself.Her loud ass friend had stared at her with horror filled eyes. At least one of them had common sense.

"Yeah. I know." I replied, picking at my nail and paying her no attention. 

"Do you not like it? I think it's pretty good." She stated with a small smile. 'She's to nice.' I thought to myself. 

"It's disgusting." I glared at her. "Did you know that's a cow cut up into pieces in your mouth?" The girls face turned shocked. 'Of course, she didn't.' "What makes you think that your life should be valued more than theirs? I mean, I know you're just a stupid stiff," That was when her face turned sour and she started to glare at me furiously. Struck a nerve, I think. "But I thought you're to be selfless." I concluded with not a ounce of emotion on my face. 

"Who do you think y-" Her candor friend had started but was quickly interrupted by Four. 

"Shut up. You're all annoying." He stated in a deep voice which caused me to smirk just a tad. 

Stiff had turned around harshly and ignored me for the rest of the meal. 'Sorry, Quil.' I looked over at the boy who had a deep frown sketched on his face. 'I may have just ruined your chance of a friendship.'

The dinner had carried on uneventfully till the cafeteria doors were thrown open dramatically. The room turned silent and the previous cries of joys felt long gone. I felt a shiver travel up my back as I glanced over at the door. 

There was a young man with buzzed off blonde hair and more tattoos than skin. He carried himself with a sort of pride and sureness that everyone cowarded away from him. Just the look of his eyes that shined with a harshness that would make even the toughest of men cry in fear. But he had a familiar part to him that I noticed. I could only assume that was my brother. 

"Who's that?" The Candor girl had hissed at our instructor.

"His name is Eric," Four said. "He's a dauntless leader."

"Seriously? But he's so young?"

"Age doesn't matter here." He grunted out with a grave look.

He stalked over towards our table, loud footsteps following as the silence dragged on. I had quickly looked away, locking my eyes onto the table in front of me. Thoughts were exploding in my head, not a single one of them positive. 'What if he recognizes me! That would blow the whole plan!' I thought as I chipped away at the pink nail polish that coated my nails. 'What if he doesn't notice me? That means he's already moved on.'

Eric dropped down into the seat next to four with no greeting to any of us. I could only hope that he couldn't see me from there. 

"Well, aren't you going to introduce me?" He said, nodding to the table. 

I prayed Four wouldn't mention us, or at least me. For once i was glad I was so mean earlier. Maybe he won't acknowledge me because he doesn't like me. 

Four said, "That's Christina and Tris." 

'Thank God.' I let out the harsh breath I was keeping as they continued to talk.

"And you aren't interested?" I was pulled back to the real world as the air had grown far more tense than it already was. 

"I haven't been interested for two years." Oh, so he was in Erics class,

"Well," Eric started. "Let's hope he gets the point, then."

Eric clapped Fours shoulder, the harsh way he always would with people who picked on me. 'He does not like Four.' I thought as he walked away, not sparing me a single glance. 

After dinner, Four had disappeared, and Eric was back. He was leading us down a series of hallways, all dimly lit. I was confused as to why he was here. Eric was a dauntless leader, why was he in charge of a group of transfers. 

It was getting harder to hide behind Olivia but if she continued to let me without question, I may reconsider my blinding hatred towards her. To be honest I didn't have to worry about hiding, it was too dark to truly notice anything, especially not you're baby sister who you haven't seen since you were 16. But I needed the distraction.

Eric had stopped in front of a wooden door, which stood out compared to the cave walls and metal interior. He folded his arms as we gathered around him. I stayed in the back, safely hidden behind the tall red head. 

"For those who don't know, my name is Eric," he said. "I am one of the five Dauntless leaders. We take initiation very serious here, so I volunteered to oversee most of your training." By the way he stared at Four earlier, I call bullshit on that reason. 

At that thought my stomach grew weak. It would be hard enough avoiding him on regular circumstances, but with Eric always around training, it will be impossible. 'I guess we have to rely on the idea that I've changed so much in appearance. ' I thought to myself. 

"Behind this door is the room where you all will be sleeping for the next few weeks," his voice boomed in the small hallway. "You will notice that there are thirteen beds and only twelve of you. We anticipated a higher portion of you would make it this far."

"But we started with fifteen," protests Christina. 'Shut up.' I thought. As much as I disliked her, I didn't want to witness how cruel my brother had become.

"There's always a couple transfers who don't even make it to the compound," Eric said, picking at his cuticles, a nasty habit we both inherited from our mother. He shrugged. "Anyways," He continued on about rankings. That was something Jeanie had warned me about. That was one of the reason I was the person chosen. Fuck rankings. 

"What do you think they're going to make us do?" Quil asked with wide eyes from the bunk below me.

"I don't know." I stated blankly. Yes, I did. 

"Well, do you think I'll make it?" He continued. I frowned when his tone turned sad. 

"Of course I do." No, I don't.

"I've always wanted to be brave," He continued.  "I hope the training will teach us how to do that. Don't you, June?" He asked.

No. I don't want to be brave. "Go to sleep, Quil," I stared at the grey, concrete ceiling. "You'll need the rest for tomorrow."

I could feel his positive smile from up here and it hurt my heart. There was no way he was going to make it. "Thanks, June. Night." I could hear him turn over and quickly drift away. 

I should be going to sleep too. Just because I knew exactly what we were going to do, didn't mean I wouldn't need the energy. But I kept thinking back to my brother. He was so cold, harsh, sadistic. My own brothers smirk was pledging my nightmares before I had even gotten a wink of sleep. 

Oh, what was I going to do.