Revenge is Near

Chapter 5

"Okay, everybody quieten down!" Max yelled across the Hall. 

He was finally making his final statement. He would be letting everyone know of his leave and he would most likely be letting everyone know who the new leader was going to be. I was hoping it would be Eric. For if it weren't him... He would be crushed. 

"Now, I know there have been a few rumours about myself leaving this faction. And I am here to confirm these rumours to be true" Max pronounced, but before he could say anything else a blast of gasps erupted throughout the Hall. 

Max just stood there, emotionless. Just simply waiting for everyone's attention to be back on him. And when it was, he continued talking. 

"Now, this shouldn't shock you at all. For you all know, once you approach a certain age here in Dauntless, you can no longer stick around... I have the choice to either go and live among the Factionless or... I can leave this life" he paused for a great deal of time. Letting the big choice he had to make sink in. 

Then all of a sudden, a burst of questions and voices exploded within the walls of the Hall. 

"What are you going to do Max?"

"No Max, don't leave us!"

"Who will take your place Max?" 

I stood next to Eric, holding onto his arm. We watched and observed in silence, for we already knew the answers. 

Max slowly raised his hands to calm everyone down. "Do not worry I will be leaving you in good hands. And as to what I will be doing... I am choosing not to speak about that".  

"So who will be our new leader?" a male voice uttered. 

Eric looked down at me, with a big grin on his face. He was obviously pretty confident he would be getting that position. I smiled back at him. I just hoped he would get what he wanted. 

"Well, I have chosen two candidates who will compete for the position of Dauntless leader" Max explained. 

As soon as Max said the word 'two' Eric's face changed, completely. His grin was replaced with an expression of wrath. His smile was gone. He looked as if he could kill someone. Immediately I was frightened. What was he going to do? I couldn't let him hurt Max and I couldn't let him make a fool of himself in front of the entire faction. 

I looked into Eric's eyes with warning and heed. Trying to stop him from exploding right then and there. I squeezed his hand tight as I did this and he fortunately seemed to understand what I was hinting at. 

We then both looked back to Max who was about to announce the two candidates... 

"The two people I have elected to fight for my position are... Eric Coulter and Four". 

The crowd was silent at first as they watched Four and Eric eye each other off. I was guessing everyone knew about the dislike they had for each other. But eventually the crowd of Dauntless began to applaud. It must've seemed polite. 

Afterwards, a few of the leaders approached Max and gave a massive speech. About his leadership skills and about how he served Dauntless well. They also wished him luck on whichever path he would decide to take. 

Today marked the day of Max's final goodbye. 

As Eric and I were saying goodbye to Max he told Eric to meet him in his office later that night. He was going to inform Eric of the way things were going to take place, to decide whether him or Four would take the leadership position. Eric just simply nodded his head and walked off, gently pulling me away with him. 

As soon as Eric closed the door of his apartment he began to yell. He was beside himself. 

"What the hell! How could that bastard do that!? Huh?" he hollered as he looked to me for reference. 

I was going to bring up a reason as to why Max could of done this but Eric didn't let me speak. 

"Does he not know how much I have done for him!? I have been by his side this whole time, doing whatever he needed me to do, and for what!? For him to not elect me as leader!?" he rambled on. 

Again, I was going to add of word of advice but he continued to fume. 

"And why Four? He hasn't even had the experience of being on the leaders panel!? It's almost like Max is comparing me to Four! A stiff!" Eric shouted. 

Before he continued on I raised my voice as well. "Ok, Eric! Eric!" I called, getting his attention. "One; you need to tone it down, by how loud you are being, I wouldn't be surprised if the whole faction had heard what you just said. And two; you beat Four once... You can beat him again" I explained. 

Eric just groaned from exhaustion and slumped down on the couch. I could tell his brain was ticking away for some sort of devious plan to get rid of Four. And I could most definitely tell he was still pissed off. I sighed as I looked at the state he was in. Fists balled up, breathing quick, eyes fixed. I decided to stand behind him and try take some of the tension away by rubbing his shoulders. 

It seemed to relax him a little, because he tilted his head back, relaxing. 

He looked up into my eyes as he sat on the couch. 

"You know what... Sure, Max is a bit of a jerk for doing this to you. I mean I know how hard you have worked for this. But maybe it will all still work out for you" I advised. I paused for a little at the end before continuing on. "You do deserve this job more than Four does, which means you will probably get it. And you know what, you never know. Four has never been into leadership much, from what I have seen. So maybe, he won't even accept the offer. Which would make you leader". 

Eric sat up straight, letting his mind ponder over what I had just said. He just sighed in sadness. 

"Oh c'mon Eric" I pleaded as I took a seat next to him on the couch. He didn't look at me. Instead he just stared off looking at the apartment. 

"Eric" I said again, pulling his face, so he was looking at me. I got up on my knees so I was basically the height of him sitting down. "This is ridiculous! I know you'll get through this and I know you know as well". 

He still looked very sad. And I guess I would be too. If someone who had seemed to have trusted you for years suddenly dropped you, as if you weren't anything special. Eric's whole life here; his work, his training, was all for him becoming leader of Dauntless. Even Max knew of Eric's ambitions. But still Max practically made out like he didn't trust Eric with Dauntless. And Max had also shunned their friendship in a way. Which obviously had to hurt as well. 

Eric still hadn't said anything. He just looked at me glumly. He didn't seem angry anymore. It seemed as if he wanted to just give up. I could tell he was thinking; 'If Max didn't choose me now, then maybe I will never be fit to be the leader of Dauntless'. 

I could tell more talking from me wouldn't help him right now so I proposed something else...

"Do you want a kiss?" I said in a semi mocking tone, as if I was talking to a sad child. I smiled at him sweetly, still cradling his face. 

Then, I leant in and gave him a kiss on the lips. 

And he kissed me back.