Venus Eaton is desperate to escape the abuse of her previous faction although she is unaware and unprepared of the ordeals of Dauntless initiation. She is a stranger to her own brother until he accuses her of murdering their mother, and finds out th...
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VENUS
ERIC WAS gone by the time I left the Control Room, so instead, I headed straight for the cafeteria. I hear the chatter from outside the room on my approach, and once I step inside I hurry over to Emily and Harmonie's table.
They don't notice me until I sit down, and Harmonie glances across at me. Emily gasps, tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, guys," I say with a wide grin. "But I'm sticking around for a while longer-"
"Oh, my God!" Emily screams, leaping out of her seat and dragging me to my feet, hugging me. Harmonie's mouth drops open, and then she lets out a giggle and embraces me.
"How'd you do it?" She says, raising a brow.
"I..uh, found Eric and told-"
"You spoke to Eric?" Emily widens her eyes at me. "Are you being serious?"
"Yeah!" I say. "Four uhh, forgot to add the points from Capture the Flag last night." And he didn't want me around, but I'm not telling them that.
"Oh my God, oh my God!" Emily squeals again. "We've got to go shopping-"
"Shouldn't you be packing, stiff?" I hear a voice behind me, turning round to see Rhett. He scowls down at me. I roll my eyes.
"I'm staying, whether you like it or not." I say, and Rhett narrows his eyes. A smirk crosses his lips and he looks over his shoulder once, before heading away.
"That was... weird," Harmonie says as he leaves the cafeteria. I watch him go before getting to my feet with a shrug.
"He has always hated me," I tell them matter-of-factly, and Emily murmurs in agreement. We head out toward the shops in the Pit, on a shopping spree I hope to enjoy.
***
"It's beautiful, Vee!" Harmonie squeals, bouncing up and down in front of me, admiring the nose piercing I got moments ago. I try to see past her in the mirror, admiring the new addition to my face.
Marcus wouldn't approve, I think, staring into my own eyes. But why should I matter to him?
Harmonie got a cartridge piercing and Emily got the initials of her family on her lower back. We also bought ourselves new clothes, including those for the celebration party tonight.
We head back to the dormitories to see Lucy's empty bed, and my stomach drops.
Lucy is Factionless.
I saved myself, and forgot to save her.
Emily taps my shoulder, and I break into reality again. My thoughts are somewhere else as most of the dormitories proceed to get ready, although I just stay on my bed with crowded thoughts.
