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Twenty-Seven

I wake up with my heart in my lungs, brushing my hair back. I felt like throwing up. I realize I am filled with nerves, and I shift onto my side, closing my eyes to sleep for a little while more.

I hear the beating of a pole against a pipe, and I raise up, seeing Lauren standing next to Four.

"Get up!" Lauren orders, "I need you all in the dining hall by eight! Final tests start at ten, but we're going to be there a quarter before. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," We mumble, and scramble to get dressed.

I slip on a tight pair of my uniform pants and a tight black vest, easy with my stitches.

I slip on my boots and Mason, who sits on my bed, raising his brows.

"Where'd you go last night?" He asks as I feel the weight of the watch on my wrist.

"I couldn't sleep. So, I went to get some air." I calmly tell him as lace up my boots.

Mason stands to his feet and we walk to the Transfers' accommodation, only for Zella to run over and hug us.

I laugh and Mason kisses her temple.

"Morning!" She chirps brightly.

"Morning," I reply, grinning.

"Can you believe this is our last day as Initiates?" Mason asks.

I laugh and shake my head, "It's real, but it doesn't feel like it."

Mason throws his arms around both of our shoulders, and we walk down to the dining hall, five minutes to eight.

We idly eat, but I eat absent-mindedly, stopping after I realize that I was too nervous to eat.

We casually make conversation, and Zella fiddles with the necklace around her neck until she sees Eric's watch wrapped around my wrist.

"Where'd you get that? It's nice." She comments.

"It's not mine. Eric let me barrow it." I don't think twice about my response, but it makes Zella furrow her brows.

"Hm. When were you supposed to give it back?"

"Last night. But he hasn't asked for it back or anything... so, maybe he forgot. I did too."

"Maybe he let you keep it." She suggests.

"Maybe," I reply, watching out for our instructors.

When Lauren and Four come for us, it feels too soon. We don't file into any kind of order as we got to the top of the compound, back to the landscape room. I look down to stare at the compound beneath us, and I swallow, resting my head on the nearby wall.

Lauren clasps her hands together, before she looks over her shoulder. I follow her eyes to see Eric, my father, Katherine, Harrison, and Colton heading into a room right next door. They put wires to their head, and I can only assume it's to see our fear landscapes.

On the wall, by the door, are three screens, the first with dots to be a clock, the second to monitor our heart rates, and the the third as a counter of fears.

I swallow nervously, and cross my arms over my chest, tearing my eyes away from the spare room and back towards Lauren.

"Today is your final testing," Lauren says, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear. With each one of her words, I feel my heart pounding against the bones of my ribcage. "You're going to go inside, be injected, and the leaders will observe how you go through and handle your fears. Dauntless-born, you'll be going first. So, arrange yourselves in a line, top ranking initiates first, and you know the rest. Lian, Mason. Both of you are neck and neck in ranking, so which of you wants to go first?"