The Fear She Couldn't Face

Chapter 2

Today was no different than the past few days. Except that I now had to train with two Stiffs instead of just one like before.

Four walks up to me, as if to ask me something. “No,” I say before he can even speak. “You’re training the Stiff. I’ll be training the ones that are actually worth dealing with.” I tell him, patting his cheek before walking off.

“That wasn’t what I was going to say Ana.”

“Ok,” I say, stopping, turning to face him. “What were you going to say Four?”

“The nurse told me that Eric is feeling fine today, so I need you to go get him.”

“With pleasure.” I say smugly, and walk out of the Pit towards his apartment.

“Eric?” I call out as soon as I walk through the door.

“Yeah?” Eric says, and by the echo of his voice, he’s in the bathroom.

“Nurse says you’re feeling better today and to come to training.” I tell him, leaning against the wall next to the door.

“Can do missy.” I can practically hear his smirk as he talks.

He walks out of the bathroom, with a towel hung around his waist, his hair still wet with tiny water droplets from the shower.

I can feel my face heat up as my eyes scan his torso, the tattoos on his neck and arms, and finally meeting his eyes.

He laughs a bit, and I immediately look at the ground beneath me as he walks back into the bathroom. “Could you get some clothes from that pile and toss them to me? I don’t usually have company after I get out of the shower, so I didn’t bring them with me.”

I shouldn’t be looking at my friend that way, but I mean, if he looks that good, it’s hard not to. I smile a little at the thought, but calm it down immediately so he wouldn’t see the red in my cheeks. Walking over, I pick up the clothes that were hanging over his chair and walk back to the bathroom. I toss them to him and without even looking, he catches them.

“How do you do that?” I ask, leaning against the wall again.

“Talent my dear friend. Talent.”

Chuckling, I cross my arms over my chest and sling my right foot over my left, my head laying back on the wall just a bit too hard and a little too far to the left, hitting the doorframe. “Ow.”

“What happened?”

“I hit my head.”

“So a Stiff can hit you…nothing. And then you hit your head on what?”

“The doorframe.”

“And it hurt. So that explains it perfectly. Stiffs are weak.”

“Agreed.”

“So let’s get to training, Four’s probably wondering where we are.” Eric says as we leave his apartment.

“And we care…why?”

“That’s my Dauntless girl.”

“Yeah, exactly like that. Great job Drew.” Eric says beside me as I work with training Peter.

“I love how we train the ones that actually matter and Four deals with the ones who will most likely fail initiation.” I tell Eric, blocking Peter’s punch.

“They don’t really deserve the effort even Fours giving them. The Stiff and that Candor girl will never make it.” Peter says, as he blocks my attempt at hitting his gut.