The Other Prior: Candice Prior || Divergent Fanfiction

Chapter 6: Friends?

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I exit the fear landscape room with Amar at my side. I wish he wouldn't keep looking at me with a weird look on his face. I wish I had done better in the fear landscape. I wish I wasn't different.

We reach the Pit, which is in its full glory. There are people bustling about, and long lines to get food that I have never seen before. People sitting on lunch tables like the ones in my school cafeteria laughing and talking loudly. The Pit is the center of Dauntless life. Meals are eaten here, social events are held here, and all the tunnels that make up the Dauntless compound eventually lead here. The structure of the Dauntless is much like the sun, a ball of energy at the center, with rays emanating outwards. I walk in unsurely, my Abnegation trained eyes are not used to the commotion, especially since even the craziest get-together in my old faction would be calmer and quieter than that of a normal Dauntless day.

I pick up a 'burger' from the food line wearily, which is the only thing that I recognize, having seen it before in my school's cafeteria, and a bottle of water. I move towards a relatively empty table, dodging my way through the bustling crowd. I can't shake the feeling of growing apprehensiveness inside of me.

No Candice. My brain chides: Call it what it is. Fear. You're scared.

And it is true. I am scared that they will find out what I am. Scared that I will not be able to make it through Dauntless. Scared someone will find out that I couldn't complete my fear landscape.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I see Tobias Eaton, or as I'm supposed to call him, Four, sit down beside me. The first thing I notice when I turn to look at him is how out of place he looks. Even though the Dauntless tables are scattered with the colour of other factions as a result of the choosing ceremony, nothing looks more out of place than a stiff in Dauntless. But I suppose that I look just as out of place as he does.

As he sits down, all the self-pity, fear, and timorousness melts away, and I put on, like I have so often done in Abnegation, a mask. I'm not sure for whose benefit the mask is on, but nevertheless, I act like the Candice I wish I was – Brave, Strong and Dauntless. Even though the fear landscape proved I didn't possess any of those qualities. I shoot him a smile as soon as he settles into the seat, which he takes as an invitation to initiate conversation.

"So, what's your name?"

I'm a little taken aback by the question because I expected him to know me. I was in the same faction as him for the past 16 years of our life, even though I only know him because of his dad. I've never seen him other than at school, a few Abnegation council meetings and his mother's funeral. His posture is different somehow now, his eyes, which used to be filled with fear and uneasiness are bright, and a little bit overwhelmed, and he holds himself with more confidence. I suppose my posture has changed too.

"It's good to know that sitting in front of someone for 10 years of their life in faction history class leaves no memory of you in them whatsoever." I comment, picking at a 'burger' with my fork. "I'm Andi"

He ignores my quip, probably for good reason, and replies, "Isn't that a guy's name?"

This guy is really starting to push my buttons.

"Oh, I don't know. Isn't Four a number's name?" I shoot back, now observing that I'm eating the burger wrong by looking at a Dauntless born a few tables down. I put the buns back on the patty and hold it in both my hands and take a bite. It tastes good.

"Fair enough." He replies, going back to his plate, which is filled with the plainest food you can get here, indicating he hasn't yet parted with his Abnegation eating habits.