"Come on Alice, you won't get through initiation with those arms. Punch harder! Use your elbows!" Ryan urged as he held my punching bag steady.
"Stop fucking teasing me Ryan!"
"I'm building you up"
"Don't worry Alice. You can just fuck your boyfriend to get past initiation" Jake laughed darkly.
"Fuck you!"
I clenched my jaw and moved to go punch Jake when my brother held me back.
"Ooh dirty mouth! Oh but I bet your boyfriend likes it, especially when he's shoving his-"
My brother yanked Jake close by his shirt collar.
"Not. Another. Word." Ryan threatened.
Jake resembled a small child compared to my brother.
"Hey, everybody's thinking it" he laughed cruelly.
That was Jake's mistake. Ryan sent the first punch at Jake's face. I ran. I bumped into something hard. I didn't bother to look up. I knew who it was by his hands.
"Alice. Alice, look at me"
He lifted my head but I didn't dare look him the eye.
"Why are you crying?"
"Eric, I just want to be alone"
"No, you're obviously distraught. I'm not gonna leave you like this"
"Please. I just need to be alone Eric. Please!"
He stared at me for the longest time. His silence told me it was okay to leave, so I did.
I sat on the rooftop for a while before Four came along.
"Hey"
"Hey"
"Can I show you something?"
"Yeah"
He reached out his hand to help me up.
I was surprised when he led me out of the compound.
"Four, where are we going?"
I don't think he heard me because right when I spoke, the train rode in. He got in first then gave me a hand.
"Four!" I shouted over the loud roar of the wind. He leaned in closer so he could hear me. "Where are we going?"
"The fence"
Considering I'd been in Dauntless my whole life, I'd never once been to the fence before. I'd heard others talk about it before but that was it.
The train reached the end of the line so we jumped out. The fence was humongous! It was hard steel and as tall as the largest building in the entire city. Dauntless guards with large guns patrolled the fence. I followed Four all the way up to where the guards stood making their rounds.
The view was amazing. I'd never before seen the Amity farms. I was glad I did because boy are they something! The word beautiful came to mind. They went on for miles, never seeming to end. I'd never seen such vibrant colors in my life. The wind blew my hair back gracefully. I shut my eyes and opened up my arms as to give the Earth a giant hug. I let out the happiest, loudest scream of my life. My lungs felt alive. Every cell, every fiber, in my body was tingling with light. Breathing this fresh air made me wonder how I'd been able to stay alive in the past.
As I saw the Dauntless compound grow larger and larger as the train neared it, I leaned in closer to Four and pressed a kiss to his stubbly cheek. It wasn't a kiss like the ones I shared with Eric. It was a kiss that a friend would give a friend for showing them a brand new way of life.
