Periods In Fanfiction

Beatrice Prior

I dodge a punch from Drew and kick him in the thigh.  He jabs me in the stomach and I fall backward clutching my lower abdomen where I was hit. I try to kick him again but he jumps out of the way and whacks my jaw with his fist.  It stings but I manage to get up and hit him.  Out of the corner of my eye I can see Christina biting her lip staring at me.  She worries that I'm going to be defeated.  I can't blame her though, I'm not confident about my fighting today either.  Drew punches my stomach again realizing I'm sore there and weaker than usual.  I fall to the ground again, moaning in pain.

"Tris!  Are you okay?  You're bleeding!" says Christina.  I wipe some of the gore from my face.  "You're bleeding."

"Just go to the infirmary Stiff.  Your friend can help you over."  shouts Eric.  Christina helps me up and I clutch my nauseated stomach.

"You're bleeding." she says again as we approach the infirmary.  I lay down on a cot.

"I know." I gesture to my face which has blood dripping from the side.

"No, not there." I scan myself to see what on Earth she is talking about, and my eyes widen when I see my crotch covered in blood.

"Oh my god." I say.  "Oh my god!  What do I do?"  Christina rummages in the infirmary cabinets for something.  I can only assume it's pads that she's trying to find.  She is empty-handed when she comes back.  The door creaks open.  I look over and see Four walking in.

"Tris?  You alright?" he asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Actually, Tris is-" I shoot Christina a nervous look and she shuts up instantly.

"Tris is what?"

"Nothing."  Four raises an eyebrows looking worried.  "I'm just a little sore from fighting."  He glances toward the window rocking on the heels of his feet.

"I should get going now."  He starts to walk away and pauses momentarily halfway to the door.  His hand floats to the doorknob to twist it.

Christina and I look to each other.  When Four leaves the room he chats briefly with Lauren.  Lauren comes in and sits on the end of my cot.  We wave at her quickly before looking back to the door.

"Congrats Tris!"  My face turns bright red.

"Um, thanks?"

"Four said he thinks you started your period.  Is that true?"  I nod, to embarrassed to say anything.  "It's nothing to be ashamed of, we can just get you some pads and you can lay down for a bit if you want."

"Sure, thank you."  Although Lauren is very sweet, this should have been my mother talking to me.  And she should be the one getting me pads and comforting me.  But I guess this is the best I'm going to get right now.  I smile just a little when she hands me the the pink box and I go into the bathroom to put one on.  All of a sudden I can't help myself and a quiet sob escapes me.  I really do want my mom here.  I don't feel like being Dauntless right now.

Christina knocks on the door.  She says that she brought me some new clothes and a small piece of chocolate cake.

"It's small because Four took most of it." she jokes after I come out.  At least I think she is joking.  We laugh.  Four walks back in.

"Christina, you're fighting in one minute.  You should probably start heading back." he says.  She leaves reluctantly leaving me alone with him.  Honestly, even though I'm technically a woman now, I feel like a little kid.  

"Hey Tris."

"Hello."

"How are you feeling?"  I get another bad cramp.

"Not too great."

"I'm sorry Tris.  But at least you get cake."

"Did you steal my cake?  Christina said you took some of my cake."

"Maybe a few bites.  You know I can never resist cake Tris.  And on the subject of cake, are you going to finish the rest of your slice?"