Into the Night

Chapter 26 - Tris POV

**From my account and original updates on Fanfiction, I held a contest for some OC's to be entered into the story, a male and female:

And onto our winners.... Congratulations to... *pause for dramatic effect*

4roses's Lily (dancer name = Sapphire), and Dorian Havillard's Trevor Cross (dancer name = Slade)!**

Friday, December 12th

Christina has been uncharacteristically silent since yesterday when she found out about my past, and failed, suicide attempt. To be perfectly honest, I had even forgotten about it myself. It was a dramatic, heat of the moment decision – my parents were just killed, the police didn't believe that I heard someone in the house, Caleb refused to talk to me... I was completely alone. I'd grabbed some pills from my parents medicine cabinet, not caring what they were and began swallowing. More and more filled my stomach, until a numb warmth spread throughout my body. It felt nice, almost inviting. I laid down in their bathtub and closed my eyelids. There was an occasional squeezing feeling in my stomach, lungs and my heart jolted once or twice. But then I could see my parents' faces. They were disappointed in me, but I didn't care because they were with me again. Sometime in the process of my hallucinating, Caleb found me and called 911. He shoved his finger down my throat, and I vomited all over the tub, and myself before finally passing out. I was in the hospital for a week for bedrest, and another week for suicide watch in the psych unit. Caleb still didn't talk to me, and left for school a couple of weeks later.

It was around that same time that Eric found me wandering around one of the old abandoned buildings that looks over the pier. There was a paintball game going on. I wished I could join them, but I couldn't get my feet to move. Eric was on his way to Dauntless at the time, and seemed nice enough. He offered me a ride, and my mind was still so numb from shock that I willingly followed. We came to Dauntless, he had me watch from the back, and offered me a job. He called me initiate which sounded like a cute pet name at first, but then I learned about who Eric really is, and it wasn't so cute anymore. I watched the other dancers – Tori, Shauna, Lynn and Lauren were part of the group at the time. And a few others whose names I can't remember. Maybe I never even learned their names. I liked the power and control that came with being a dancer, so without a second thought I accepted. Eric took me to get my first fitting the next day, Tori was sent to show me around and get a tattoo that night, then Eric took my picture to hang on the wall with the others, and Raven was born.

Because it's Friday of finals week, campus is nearly deserted. Many people have already gone home for winter break. There's even a Santa Clause running up and down the main courtyard outside of one of the three Starbucks on campus. I remember this guy from last year, except last year he was throwing candy-canes at people like they were knives. He got cited by campus police for hitting someone in the face.

I'm grateful not to have to see Thompson anymore. Though in a way, not seeing him unnerves me because now I don't know what he's up to.

There's some carolers on the Stairs That Lead to Nothing sculpture in the middle of the PM Lawn (ever so cleverly named, because the surrounding buildings keep the sun off of it during all four seasons until the afternoon). A snowball fight seems to have also broken out on the other side of the lawn. The fight is composed entirely of guys, and all of them are wearing swim shorts with shoes and nothing else. Many people are standing around videotaping them or cheering them on. If I were a normal person, I would stand and enjoy the sight of half-naked men freezing their butts off, and maybe even take a picture hoping to gain some short lived internet fame. Unfortunately, I'm not normal.

Amar's class is one of the only rooms in the building with its lights on. About half the class is already sitting down waiting for the final to start. For many, if not all, it's our last final before the break.