Pretty Little Divergent

Chapter 23 - Grab a Gun

FREYA POV

What I don't understand is how it's harder for me to talk to Daniel than it is for me to stand at a target whilst I'm being shot at..

I did something stupid. The guy - Zeke, I think his name was - told me he wasn't available. Of course, I didn't care about that.

And why should I have cared? I just needed some relief. A break from being discarded by someone I'm so into.

"Well go on, then.." Tris says and I realise I've been staring. The last thing I want to do is stand in front of that target, but I can't back down now. I didn't leave myself the option. I start to weave through the pool of initiates, but they see me coming and open up a path for me.

I walk towards the target and see Ellie in the small crowd. She nods at me. I try to smile encouragingly, but I can't manage it. Not when I see Daniel next to her. A little too close for my liking.

I stand in front of the board, and my head barely reaches the centre of the target, but it doesn't matter. I look at Four's knives. One is in the right hand, and two in his left. My throat is dry.

"What happened to the gun?" I manage to say through the dryness.

I try to swallow, and look straight, trying not to acknowledge Daniel whispering to my best friend. Trying not to acknowledge her whispering back.

"What, you'd rather me shoot at you?" Four asks. I don't say anything. The man's got a point.

I will not flinch. If I do flinch, I will prove to my instructors that I am a coward and that I was wrong. The only reason I was rude to Tris was because I feel like shit. No one knows, and will never know, because I try to hide it. I mask my feelings with insults and the twirl of hair in my fingers because no one can know who I like, how I feel or my weaknesses. That way, no one can get to me.

Four's eyes are still on mine when he lifts his hand, pulls his elbow back, and throws the knife. It is just a flash in the air, and then I hear a thud. The knife is buried in the board, half a foot away from my cheek. I close my eyes.

"You done, Candor?" Tris asks.
What? There's more? Four only threw one knife at Tris.

I imagine what everyone would think of me if I gave up now. "No."

"Eyes open, then." She taps the spot underneath her right eye.

My attention turns back to Four. I press my hands to my sides so no one can see them shake. Daniel moves closer to the front of the crowd, his posture so rigid it looks like someone replaced his spine with a metal rod. What has he got to be nervous about?

The sight of him makes me feel like all the air in the room is heavier, bearing down on me. At least when he was slouched casually without his eyes on me, I could pretend he wasn't here. Right now I can't pretend.

Four turns the knife in his hand, his fingers moving painstakingly over the metal edge. He passes it from the left hand to the right hand, and I see nothing but Daniel's eyes as the second knife hits the target above my head.

Next to Daniel, Ellie mouthes something to me but I don't pay attention to her. I see a glint in Daniel's eyes as they watch mine before he awkwardly looks away.

Four pulls his arm back and lets the knife fly. It comes straight at me, spinning, blade over handle. This time, when the knife hits the board, blood tickles my skin and my ear stings.

He smirks at Tris and says, "Deja vu." She smiles, playfully slapping his arm. I watch them for a moment. They're so close you'd think they're a couple. If they're not one, they should be.

"You meant to do that?" I ask Four, walking towards everyone. Four nods, still looking at Tris hungrily. I would ask why, but my eyes train on the way Ellie speaks to Daniel, twisting her hair in her fingers.

Hair twisting? That's my thing.

But then something magic happens. Daniel turns away from her, ignoring her completely. First me, and now Ellie? I'm starting to wonder if he does that with everyone.

But once his attention leaves Ellie, he looks at me and I look away, only to realise everyone else is looking at me too. Oh. Right.

Tris puts a small, warm hand on my shoulder, and says, "I should keep an eye on you." Fear prickles inside me. In my chest and in my head and in my hands. I feel as if I have the word 'DIVERGENT' written on my shirt, and if she looks close enough, she'll be able to read it. But she just lifts my hand from my shoulder and addresses the others.

I move towards my place on the other side of Ellie, the ghost of Tris's hand still radiating warmth through me.

"Tomorrow will be the last day of stage one," she says. "You will resume fighting then."

"Today you will practice your aim. You've already seen a demonstration of knife throwing. However, you will no be using knives." Tris lazily gestures to the table behind her. "Grab a gun."

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A/N

Yes, Freya is Divergent! She's going to have a bigger part in this then you all think 😉🌚

Comments make me smile! (Just saying 😂)

Have a nice day💗
-Tayah