near north side//peter hayes

11

I'm standing in the transfer dorm waiting for people to start trickling in. The blackboard is leaning against my leg so no one can see it yet. I see Drew shoves Tris into the wall to get past her. Her shoulder scrapes on the stone, but she keeps walking.

"For those of you who just came in, I'm explaining how the ranks are determined," I say. "After the first round of fights, we ranked you according to your skill level. The number of points you earn depends on your skill level and the skill level of the person you beat. You earn more points for improving and more points for beating someone of a high skill level. I don't reward preying on the weak. That is cowardice." My eyes linger on Molly at that last line, but they move on quickly enough that no one should notice. "If you have a high rank, you lose points for losing to a low-ranked opponent." Molly lets out an unpleasant noise, like a snort or a grumble. I have to try hard to keep myself from rolling my eyes. "Stage two of training is weighted more heavily than stage one, because it is more closely tied to overcoming cowardice," I say. "That said, it is extremely difficult to rank high at the end of initiation if you rank low in stage one." I look around the room, seeing Peter's eyes already on me. As soon as he sees me looking at him he looks away.  "We will announce the cuts tomorrow," I say. "The fact that you are transfers and the Dauntless-born initiates are not will not be taken into consideration. Four of you could be factionless and none of them. Or four of them could be factionless and none of you. Or any combination thereof. That said, here are your ranks." I hang up the board on the hook and step back so everyone can see the rankings.

1. Edward

2. Peter

3. Will

4. Christina

5. Molly

6. Tris

7. Drew

8. Al

9. Myra

I'm proud of Peter. I'm also proud of Tris. She has come a long way since her first days in Dauntless. The room is eerily quiet. The kind of quiet that is uneasy, like it is rocking back and forth on a ledge. Then it falls.

"What?" demands Molly. She points at Christina. "I beat her! I beat her in minutes, and she's ranked above me?"

"Yeah," says Christina, crossing her arms. She wears a smug smile. "And?"

"If you intend to secure yourself a high rank, I suggest you don't make a habit of losing to lower ranked opponents," I say, my voice cutting through the mutters and grumbles of the other initiates.

Here is where Four would walk out, but I know Molly is about to try something and I'm not gonna let her get away with anything. I slip to the back of the room near the door, but I don't leave.

"You," Molly says, focusing her narrowed eyes on Tris. "You are going to pay for this."

I expect her to lunge at Tris, or hit her, but she just turns on her heel and stalks out of the dormitory. I grab her shoulder on the way out.

"I don't appreciate people gossiping about me Molly," I spit at her.

"I uhh..." Molly stutters, "Don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb Molly. Don't dare talk about me to anyone else, initiate or not. If you do, I will make sure you don't make the next cut," I say, venom in my words. Before she can reply I turn on my heels, and start walking back to my apartment.

When I get there Ryan and Jude are waiting outside.

"You're late," Ryan says.

"I know. I had a transfer to deal with. She told everyone about me and Eric and me and Four." I groan. I open my door letting them in.