Fractured | Tobias Eaton ✓

11 | Broke My Nose

Christina is buzzing as she shows off her tattoo to Will and begs to see mine and Tris'. "Let's go get some clothes! You two desperately need a makeover."

"Hey!" I exclaim and she says a quick sorry before once again dragging us behind her. "I like my clothes."

"New head scarf perhaps?" Christina asks, throwing a piece of fabric around her head. I hadn't really thought of that. I only brought black ones save for one which is my most prized possession. A beautiful floral patterned hijab, a gift from my mother.

"Maybe," I said but that was enough for her, she led Tris off into another part of the boutique as I marveled at everything. I'd never been inside a clothing store before. So many options, I see colors of every variation. Mostly neon and black but I notice a stunning red piece of fabric.

It's the prettiest red I've ever seen. "Can you get that red fabric down for me?" I point at it, hoping the clerk would oblige.

"Sure." I half expected them to scale the shelf just because, but they use a large stick to free the red fabric from its hanger. I catch it as it flies down to me half of the way. "That's a half-point, might as well get another."

Huh, I decided to take their advice and get another scarf. I find a nice pink silky piece of fabric and get them both. Then I look for some pants and shirts to train in. They gave us short-sleeved shirts and I won't wear them, Eric gave me a dirty look today just for wearing a longer shirt under the training one.

When Christina and Tris return the latter looks way different. Her eyes are surrounded by dark eyeliner–kohl, perhaps? I also take in the dress. A little immodest for my style but she looks better than before.

"What do you think?" Christina spins Tris and the dress lifts several inches. Tris pushes it down with a blush. She turns red a lot.

"Striking."

That response seems to please Christina, "I told you so! Lemme see what you found." Christina examines the scarves with a pleased smile. "Wear these during training tomorrow, you can distract whoever you fight by looking dazzling."

I can't help but roll my eyes at her, "I'll wear this one, okay?" I hold the red one up and she nods with a bright smile.

"You have to let me do your makeup, Rita!"

"I've never worn it before," We're walking back to the dorms. "Non-essentials are nonexistent in the factionless grounds. Essentials were even hard to come by."

She falls silent but Tris nods, "My old faction's government would have us go and give clothing and food out all the time. It never seemed to help."

A nasty reply works its way up my throat but I just squeeze my new training clothes in my hands to stifle the urge. "Let's go get some sleep, yea?"

—

Compared to Baba's training, this feels like nothing. As I throw calculated punches at the bag, I overhear Eric call us to join him. I drop my arms and reach for my canister of water and walk toward the gathering group of initiates. "Now that you're all warmed up, it's time to put what you've learned to the test," Eric announces, I look at Christina in confusion.

"What we've learned? Everything I know my cousin taught me," I say aloud, (before I can stop myself) my voice isn't nearly as loud as Eric's, but I assume he heard me because of the way his face turned bright red. I know it's not from embarrassment but rather from anger. He's angry I opened my mouth.

"What was that, initiate?" Instead of Eric, it's Four who questions me. I don't know when he moved beside me, but his sudden closeness startles me. I can't find it in me to respond, the look in Four's eyes tells me to stay quiet, to shut my mouth as he said to Christina just two days ago even though it feels like months ago. "I said," Four speaks louder, the group of others farther away from me than I thought as he asks once more, "What was that?"