Stronger Than She Looks (Divergent Eric)

{11} Let loose

For the first time since joining Dauntless I'm afforded the luxury of a lie in. It's gone 11am before I wake, and the fact we now have a full week off before the second stage makes it all the more indulgent.

I'm the only one left in the accommodation and I slip out of bed and straight into the bathroom so I can take a quick shower.

The temperature of the water, as always, is little more than tepid so I don't linger. I'm out again as fast as I can, and I wrap myself in a towel while I brush my teeth and comb out my wet hair. There's no hair dryers, or any luxuries at all in our accommodation, and I know my long thick hair will take forever to dry if I leave it loose so I sit on my bed and start to braid it.

Automatically I begin to pull it into an intricate braid that circles my head, like so many women in Amity wear their hair, but I stop. I'm Dauntless now. I quickly comb the braid out with my fingers, and instead pull it into a loose and messy fishtail braid that falls over one shoulder.

In Amity, there are no rules as to what hairstyle you have to adopt, but the trend for intricate braids is so widely adopted anything else is considered an oddity. Other members would have probably offered to rebraid my hair for me, thinking they were doing me a kindness.

Sadly, I can't make the same choices about my clothing though. Just like every day, I pull on a pair of black skinny jeans, a black vest top and black boots. I can't wait to start receiving points so I can supplement my wardrobe a little.

Four informed us we'd get our points card with our first allowance loaded onto it tomorrow. On one condition. We had to get a piercing first.

Apparently, it was tradition in Dauntless that you got a piercing after the first stage, and then a tattoo after both the second and third stages. These were "on the house" as such. Once you were a full Dauntless member you were free to get as many as you wanted, so long as you paid for them with points of course.

I have no idea what I'm going to get pierced. Probably my ears. Boring I guess, but I don't want to rush into any big decisions when it comes to something like this.

I head down to the Pit and find most of the other Initiates are there, either eating or just hanging around chatting and generally chilling out. It's weird seeing everyone relaxing like this.

I smile and wave at Christina and Tris as I pass them and head over to grab myself something to eat. It's almost 12 and lunch is being put out. I hadn't realised how hungry I was until I see all the food. I'm tempted by a burger, after all I did sleep through breakfast, but I decide to go for a slightly healthier option and get a jacket potato instead.

"That looks way too healthy." A friendly voice says as I help myself to salad and a little cheese.

I turn and smile at Uriah who is stood next to me. "You should try it! It's nice!"

He pulls a face, and starts piling a burger and chips onto his plate. I can't help but laugh, it's like anything green might poison him.

"We're going zip lining tonight," He informs me as we head over to the table Tris and Christina are sat at. "You should come!"

"What the hell is zip lining?"

"It's fun that's what it is!" His brother Zeke interrupts as he joins us at the table.

"Are you coming?" I ask, as I make a start on my jacket potato. The butter and cheese I've put on probably negate any health benefits, but damn it tastes good like this!

"If I can get off work I am."

"And then you're going to buy us all drinks before we go get our piercings done right?" Uriah nudges his brother, and winks at me.