The Unlucky Ones

[8] - Dare

[Tobias]

I WATCH MORE AND MORE DAUNTLESS do their dares. Almost all of them are drunk. I have a warm tingly sensation spreading through my body but my head is clear. I am the only person to not have done a dare.

" Who hasn't been Dared yet? " Lauren asks, stumbling over her words.

I lift my head, looking at her.

" Oh, the numerically numbered stiff, Four. Does anyone have a dare? " She asks.

A boy stands from his seat next to Amar.

" A stiff? Generally, stiffs are uptight. But for a stiff to be so selfish as to leave his home and join Dauntless. Never heard of. So, I dare you to get a tattoo. " He says, tossing the flask.

I catch it one-handed. These Dauntless people are painted with colorful ink. They are pierced and carved with studs and hoops. But I am not like them. I should remain scarred and carved apart. I should keep these as memories. But I can't back down. And I want to fit in. I uncap the bottle.

" Done. " I say.

I press my lips to the rim, draining it. People cheer as I finish the remaining alcohol. It stings like poison as it glides down my throat. But it makes a warm feeling rise throughout my body. Amar stands, and so does everyone else. We are getting close to the Pire. We are almost to the location for my dare. We all leap off of the train, stumbling forward. I watch as some of the drunker Dauntless fall onto their faces as they land.

We start to walk towards the Pire, growing closer to our location. When we arrive at the Pire, we walk into the pit, a loud, rambunctious group of teenagers and adults who obviously refuse to grow up. Amar leads us to Tori's apartment, pounding on the door. When she appears at the door, her hair is a mess and she's wearing a loose t-shirt and men's underwear.

" Why the Hell did you Assholes wake me? It's the middle of the night! " She exclaims.

It's obvious she was having a well-deserved rest.

" It's for a game of Dare! My good friend Four is getting his first tattoo. " Amar says.

She sighs, running a hand down her face. She looks at me.

" You sure you want this, Four? You really want a tired woman to tattoo you? This ink doesn't wash off if I mess up. " She asks.

I nod.

" I do Trust You, Tori. " I say.

She sighs.

" You're lucky I'm one Hell of a Dare player. The things I do for Dauntless tradition. " She says.

She turns around, grabbing some pants. She slips them on, then leads us through her apartment. I stop at the coffee table. She draws the tattoos herself. I spot one with all of the symbols embedded together in one design. I walk away, stepping into the tattoo parlor. There are neon signs lighting up the parlor.

" If I get in trouble for turning in lights at this hour, I will give out names. " She says.

I nod. I stand by the chair. The Dauntless surround the chair, leaning on the other chairs, sitting against the wall. Another flask makes its way through the group.

" So, what are you thinking of getting? " She asks.

I look over at the wall. I spot a set of flames. I stare at it and she notices it.

" That one? " She asks, pointing to it.

I nod. She nods in return.

" The fleshier the area you get tattooed, the less painful it is. " She says.