Devotion (Four/Theo Eaton x OC) [COMPLETE]

Chapter 6: The Cut

The next few nights were spent the same way. Each evening I trained Tris until she finally succeeded in catching me off guard. My hand went to my split lip and a streak of blood appeared when I pulled it back. I stared in silent disbelief at the red liquid that stained my finger.

"You okay?" Tris asked hesitantly.

Her voice indicated concern, but I didn't respond and simply continued staring at the blood on my finger. Eventually, I wiped my hand on my pants, "Yeah." I then became deep in thought as I turned slowly and walked away down the hall. No one had given me a wound that drew blood in six years.

I felt as if someone had stabbed me in the gut with a knife. Disappointment and doubt filled me. Was I getting weak? Slow? Had I lost my touch? Something convinced me I wasn't strong enough.

"Hey," Four ran over and grabbed my elbow, leading me to where the other initiates were gathered in front of the ranking board. His eyes glanced at my lip. "What happened?"

"Nothin'," I mumbled. Before Four could press me on the matter, a voice from above the ranking board spoke.

"If you ranked above the red line, you'll move on to the second stage of training," the leader of dauntless addressed the crowd from a ledge. "If you were below it, we'll waste no more time on you. Here are your rankings."

The board lit up with the list of names and there was mine. "Swift Marisol" appeared at the top next to the number 1. No joy filled me at my ranking until I scanned the other names and saw "Tris" above the red line. She was going to be a great Dauntless, I knew it.

Tris looked back in the crowd, searching desperately. When she spotted me, a smile lit up her face to show she was grateful for the extra training. I nodded in acknowledgment.

"Congratulations, Swift," Four grabbed my neck in the crook of his elbow to pull me in for a hug.

I promptly wriggled out of his embrace and punched him lightly in the shoulder, "Hey, don't crush me."

He raised an eyebrow with a funny twinkle in his eyes. It was a new expression he had adopted so I was unable to recognize exactly what he was thinking. I was wary of this new face because I didn't like being unable to read his thoughts. Four and I knew each other better than we knew ourselves. If I couldn't understand him then I was truly alone and lost.

"What?" I crossed my arms.

A smirk twisted his lips as he chuckled quietly, "Nothin'."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head as I walked away. Once again, he gave me no clue how to decipher that look.