Aberrant

Twenty-One: Brooke

The tension from yesterday is building. Ever since Edgar lost that fight against Dex, Isaac has been giving him the silent treatment, and the fights show that the others are feeling the pressure too. 

It's clear that Cassie is on the verge of giving up completely. In her combat against Sam, she barely fights and literally lets him beat her. April refuses to concede in her fight against Isaac and she is knocked out. Sam and Cassie have to take her to the hospital wing. 

The fight between Jo and Phoebe is quick, with an obvious win for Jo. The fight between Amy and Plato is slow. It takes several minutes for him to finally grind Amy down until she submits. But all four are reluctant to fight each other. 

Before my fight with Edgar, he begs me to go easy on him as he has done calculations and has figured that he's the only person who hasn't won I fight yet. I refuse, knowing that if I let him win, I'll look weak in front of the others, Isaac included. 

By the time the session is done, I'm feeling sick from the tense and uneasy atmosphere. As we stand up to go, Isaac nudges me and gestures to Plato. 

"Fall in front of him." I'm curious but Dauntless soldiers don't ask questions and I just nod. Stumbling, I pretend to trip in front of Plato, and I grimace in pain. It's humiliating but it looks realistic. 

"Here, let me help you up," he says, outstretching a hand. And then I realise why Isaac asked me to do this. This behaviour isn't normal Dauntless behaviour. After everyone I've beaten up, after my record as a bully, most Dauntless would just walk right past. Just like all of his friends are doing. 

His brown eyes lock onto mine, warm and genuine, as I tentatively reach out to take his hand. 

"Plato! What are you doing?" snaps a voice I recognise to be April's. She's standing there with her arms folded, her eyes blazing with fury.  Plato just shrugs, smiles, clasps my hand with both of his and pulls me up. 

He helped me up. Abnegation. And he stood his ground. Dauntless. Which means...

I feel my eyes widening in shock and force myself to retain my neutral expression. Instead of thanking him, I turn on my heel and join Isaac and Edgar. Edgar seems confused but Isaac is smirking triumphantly at Plato, and I know then that he too has figured it out. 

Great. Another Divergent. But one who's not good at hiding it. I remember Natalie mentioning that there were several Divergents this year, but I didn't think anyone else would be stupid enough to go to Dauntless. It appears I was wrong. 

Isaac, Edgar and I file out behind Plato and April, with Isaac's eyes trained coldly on Plato's back. Plato is talking to April, seeming not to have a care in the world, clearly not having realised that his deadly secret has been uncovered. 

"I feel like having a drink tonight," Isaac nonchalantly announces, as he leads the way towards the Pit.

Edgar blinks, "No training tonight?"

"No point," Isaac explains carelessly, waving a hand, almost accidently hitting a Dauntless coming past us, "I reckon the rankings are practically fixed by now."

"Oh," says Edgar, seeming disappointed, but then he tries to pretend to not care and says, "A drink with friends, why not?"

"I only want one though," Isaac says, with a touch of menace in his voice, "I don't want to become senseless just because I feel like celebrating tonight. So don't try and get me more."

"Of course," Edgar says hurriedly. 

We head, for the second time since we've arrived at Dauntless, into the Pit. The noise is almost deafening, and I resist the urge to put my fingers in my ears.