Aberrant

Twenty-Seven: Dex

"Plato!" Sam shouts, as we make our way into the hospital wing after training, "How are you feeling?" 

We all crowd round the bed and Plato smiles as, grimacing, he tries to sit up.  "I'm doing alright. How did training go?"

"Jo here thrashed me, " I cut in first, elbowing Jo, who just smiles awkwardly.

"Brooke did a number on Amy," Sam says, laying a hand on her shoulder. 

She looks up at him and smiles, "Yeah, shame no one can beat her. Except for Jo, that is." She flashes a smile at Jo, who grins. 

"Except for Isaac," says Sam, "But they haven't fought yet."

"Now that's a fight I would love to see," I grin, and the others nod in agreement.

"But that was the last day of training, right?" asks Plato. 

"Yeah," Sam says, "You were lucky to have missed it." 

"I had an excuse!" Plato protests, there's a lull in the conversation. I can still vividly picture that knife entering Plato's body. Sam shivers and I guess he's remembering the same thing. 

Cassie breaks the silence, but saying awkwardly, "Hey Amy, can I have a word?"

Amy glances at all of us confused and Sam even raises an eyebrow, but she shrugs. "Sure." The two girls head over to the other side of the hospital and Cassie begins gesturing to Amy. 

Sam nudges me in the ribs and I turn to face him. "What?"

"Don't stare!" he hisses. 

"Why not?" 

"It's rude!" 

Plato coughs and says, "So what have you guys going to do tonight?"

Sam looks at him slyly, "Well...now that you mention it, we're going to have a party!"

"We're what?" I ask, "Who's birthday have I missed?"

Sam ignores me and turns to Phoebe, "I was thinking that this might be your penultimate last day. And Cass's too. So would you mind if we threw a party in your honour?"

"A goodbye party?" I ask, remembering the party my Dad and Father threw for me, Mazie and Riv. 

"Exactly," beams Sam. 

Phoebe smiles, "That's really sweet of you! And I'm sure Cassie would appreciate it too."

"But where will we have this party?" Jo interjects softly, "In the Pit?"

"Well, yeah. We get food, go to the Pit and do whatever Cass and Phoebe want to do. And then head back here and party." Sam replies. 

"But you can't have a party in the hospital wing!" says Plato aghast. 

"Why not?" Sam asks. 

Plato looks horrified. "Because it's against the rules!"

"Who cares about rules?" I grin. "We're Dauntless!"

"And besides," says Sam, "You're one of us. We can't have you missing out on the goodbye party!"

Cassie and Amy return just as Plato is about to find a new line of argument. Both girls are crying, yet have big smiles on their faces. And have their arms around each other. Weird. 

Cassie takes a deep breath, and says, "I just want to apologise to all of you guys. I know I haven't been the nicest and that the stress has been getting to me. But I wanted to make peace with all of you before I left for Factionless. Especially with Amy." Amy gives her a nod in recognition, and they both smile at each other.