Dauntless Born: Tris Pedrad

Chapter 25

Edited: 8/10/2020

Tris POV:

Today is the first day of stage 2. I'm nervous to go through my fear simulation, but I need to be strong. I sit next to Uriah with Lynn on my other side across from Christina waiting to be called in. I am in first and I am not talking to Marlene. 

A transfer that I think is named Molly comes out very pale. Tobias is standing holding the door she came out of.  He looks at me. I don't see any doubt in his eyes, but I do see concern. I know it is my turn before he calls out "Tris." I stand up and walk towards the door. Another transfer Peter sticks his foot out to trip me, but I easily jump it.

I walk into the room and I see the a chair like the one we sat in for the Apitude test. I shudder a little. I still walk foward anways and I sit down in the chair.  Tobias fiddles with a needle and presses somethings on a computer. "This will just be one of your fears and I will be able to see it." He says looking at me. I manage a nod before he inserts the needle. "Be brave." Tobias says before my eyes close.

They open and I am in the middle of an empty feild. It looks so peacful. A couple of seconds later a bunch of crows come flying towards me. One lands on my shoulder and digs into my skin. I swing at it trying to get it off, but being unsucessful. I look around and more crows are coming. I start to run, but only manage a couple of steps before my feet sink into the ground. 

I start to panic. I can't get away and there are more crows coming after me. I need to get them away, or calm my heart rate down. They fly by me and start to attack me. They all claw and scratch me. I scream out hoping they will just leave me.  I see a puddle on the ground by my feet. I bend down towards it and let myself be absorbed by the water. I go in farther and the crow isn't on my shoulder anymore.

Then the simulation ends. I lurch foward in the chair. Four stops me and places his hands on my arms. "It's okay. It's over now." 

I breathe and shake my head. "That felt so real." I say. Breathing harder. I brush my arms and legs because they still feel like the crows were attacking them. I try and remind myself that it is over. 

"You did really good for your first time. Much faster then everyone else so far." I nod and stand up. 

He looks at me. "Do you want me to walk you?" He asks. 

I shake my head "Everyone will figure out we are together. I'll be around somewhere when you are done." I say. He nods and I head out the same door I came in and Molly came out. 

I open the door and everyone heads turn to look at me. I am sure I look calmer then Molly did when she came out. I walk by everyone and I make sure I don't look at Marlene when I pass her. When I get to Christina I say quietly, but don't make it to where I whisper. "I'll be around when your done. Okay?" 

She nods. 

"Good luck." I say and walk out the door. 

I wander the compound hoping that Christina will be done soon. I do not like this stage. I have never been prepared for it and being in Tobias's was different. I wasn't scared of the things he was, so it was much easier to act. I don't know why the birds bothered me that bad. I jog home to my apartment. Nothing new is happening and I don't think I am up to do a shopping thing or something like that, so I just head up to my room.

Hopefully when they finish they will decide to check here. I put my hair up into a bun and take off all my makeup and wash my face. I just want to be able to relax. I turn on the TV and I remember when Marlene and I were in here after my breakups with ice cream. Or having a sleepover or a hang out. Are all those nights really over? I want to be back to normal so bad. If things go back to normal than it still won't be the same, but I miss her. 

I guess I had been in thought for a little while because I hear a knock at my door. I run downstairs and open the door revealing Christina. I open the door wider to let her in. She smiles a little she looks a little paler then when I last saw her. Before she went into her landscape. 

"How bad was it?" I ask her. 

"Horrible. I don't want to go through that again." She says. 

"Me too. I want to be Dauntless though, so I guess we have to." She nods. We head to the living room. I turn on the TV, but we pay little attention to it. 

"I need advice." I say to her. 

She looks at me "Let's hear it." She says. 

"I want to make things okay again with Marlene, but I feel like I want her back again. I don't want her to act like that again if I forgive her and I also feel like it may still be to soon." I say.

 She listens and thinks for a minute. "I think you should wait a little while. You guys may need space and it does hurt, but you may be back stronger than you were before." She says. I nod. 

"Thank you. I really needed the advice." I say. 

"No problem." She says and then someone knocks at the door. I bite my lip. It's most likely Tobias. 

"Were you towards then end?" I ask as I stand up. 

"Yeah. How come?" She asks. 

"No reason." I say. As I reach the door. 

"Your lying." She says. I try not to smack my forhead. She was Candor. "Who's at the door?" She asks. 

"I don't know." Which is kinda true because it might not be Tobias. I need to open the door. It won't be that bad.

I open the door and there is Tobias. I smile and then I remember Christina is right behind me. "Four? What are you doing here?" She asks. He looks at me and then looks at her. He opens his mouth to answer, but Christina talks before he can. 

"You are Tris's boyfriend." She gasps. I bite my lip again. She knows. I slowly nod. "I should have guessed. The way you looked at her when we were at her own table. The concern you showed her when it was her turn to go in. Then I couldn't be here when your date was about to get here." Christina says. I nod again. 

"Please don't tell anyone." I say. 

She shakes her head. "I won't." 

I open the door for Tobias to come in. He says "I have to get going, but I will see you later." I nod and he kisses my cheek and walks away. 

When I close the door Christina bursts. "I should have guessed, but you guys are a really cute couple. He isn't giving you extra points right?" She questions. 

I shake my head. "No I earned my rank. I would be mad if he gave me an advantage." I state. 

"Where is he going?" She asks. 

"I don't know. He may not like people knowing, but you won't tell. Or maybe he really did have to go and just was stopping by to check on me." I say. 

She smiles. "How long have you two been together?" 

"About a year, but we both had feeling for each other before that, but never said anything because we were friends." I say. She nods.

We sit back on the couch in the living room and she asks me more questions. We talk for a long time and I feel more and more concerned that he doesn't want anyone to know. I don't mind Christina knowing and I trust she won't tell anyone, but what if he does care. I shake my head and calm down. He won't leave me over something so small. I just have a lot going on and I am thinking the worst. Right?

***********************************************************************************************

Hey guys!!

I am so sorry!! I have not updated in a long time and hopefully it will be better soon. I have had a lot of work and school is finally over. Even though I have some summer classes I will be less busy and should update more.

Hope you are enjoying the story so far. 

Thank you everyone who is still reading even though I haven't been updating as much.

You guys are awesome! 

-Addison :)