To Try Again | Divergent (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 6

Tris POV

"Since there are an odd number of you, one of you won't be fighting today," Tobias says. I don't have to look but I do anyway. Yep, not fighting.

Al and Will are first. They get in the ring and stand there doing nothing. They look at Tobias to call off the fight, but he stands there with his arms folded. Eric checks his watch. I feel like I am about to watch two ghosts fight.

After they circle each other for a few seconds, Eric shouts, "Do you think this is a leisure activity? Should we break for nap-time? Fight each other!"

"But..." Al straightens, letting his hand down and says, "Is it scored or something? When does it end?"

"It ends when one of you is unable to continue," says Eric.

"According to Dauntless rules," Tobias argues, even though he knows it won't work. "One of you could concede."

Eric narrows his eyes at Tobias. "According to the old rules," he says. "In the new rules, no one concedes."

"A brave man acknowledges the strength of others," Tobias replies.

"A brave man never surrenders."

They stare at each other for a few seconds. I know that I am looking at two completely different types Dauntless. The honorable kind, and the ruthless, Divergent hungry kind.

Al wipes away the beads of sweat on his forehead and says, "This is ridiculous. What's the point of beating him up? We're in the same faction!"

"Oh, you think it's going to be that easy?" Will asks grinning. "Go on. Try to hit me, slowpoke."

The fight goes the same way as last time, and once again, Al comes out the victor. But what happens next is different.

"Edward, carry Will to the infirmary. I'm going to stay here and watch the fights," Tobias says. He looks me in the eye and then straight at Christina. What?

Christina and Molly's fight is next. They fight for a while and then it happens. "Stop!" Christina wails as Molly pulls her foot back to kick her again. She holds out her hand. "Stop! I'm..." she coughs. "I'm done."

That's why he stayed. How could I forget? Eric walks up to her and asks, "What did you say? You're done? "I just hope that with Tobias here, he won't make her do it.

Christina pushes herself to her knees. When she lifts her hand from the ground, it leaves a red handprint behind. She pinches her nose to stop the bleeding and nods.

"Get up," Eric says. I look at Tobias, and he nods reassuringly. Eric grabs Christina's arm, yanks her to her feet, and drags her out the door. "Follow me," he says to the rest of us. We do.

We near the chasm and my heart is pounding. I can't watch this. Not again. I feel breath against my ear. "It's okay," it whispers. Tobias.

Eric shoves Christina against the railing and says, "Climb over it."

"What?" she asks the question like he is going to relent, but her wide eyes and ashen face suggest otherwise. Eric will not back down. I know he won't.

"Climb over the railing," he says again, pronouncing each word slowly. "If you can hang over the chasm for five minutes, I will forget your cowardice. If you can't, I will not allow you to continue initiation."

"Is this really necessary?" Tobias interrupts. "All this proves is that you're just a bully. She could die, Eric!"

"Oh, Four, you have remember who has authority here. Max as given you many opportunities to become a leader, but you always refuse. Do you not? You can't tell me what to do." Eric turns back to Christina. "Now, you have three options. Hang on for five minutes, come up, and I forget your cowardice. You attempt and fall. Or, you refuse and become factionless. The choice is yours."

"Fine," Christina says, her voice shaking.

From the corner of my eye, I see Tobias full of rage. I hide behind him, because I can't watch. She climbs over and Al sets his watch. I don't see it this time. I just hear my best friend's screams. When the five minutes are up, Tobias and Al help her up.

I run over and hug Al. "Thank you so much," I say. The only reason I hugged him, is so I could hug Tobias. I do. He stiffens, but I know he's faking. "Sorry Four. I'm just glad she's okay." Then I hug Christina. She hugs back, but doesn't take her eyes off of Tobias. Does she like him? No, she belongs with Will. Then her eyes drift to me and she smirks.

She leans down and whispers in my ear, " Tell your boyfriend that I said thanks for trying to protect me." She runs off before I can reply. I feel myself stiffen. How does she know? Then it hits me, it was Christina in the training room yesterday. I have to tell Tobias. The rest of the fights go the same, and soon enough I am walking back to the dorms.

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That night, I dream, but soon the dream turn into a nightmare.

I am standing outside of the compound surrounded by my friends. We are laughing when all of a sudden, it goes dark.

I hear crying from behind me and turn around to see Christina. "It's all your fault!" she yells at me through her tears. "You killed him!" I then see a bleeding Will on the ground in front of her.

"No I didn't," I reply with tears forming in my eyes.

"Yes you did. I can't believe we were ever friends!" Then she and Will disappear and I am standing at the chasm.

I see Al standing on the ledge. I try to move forward to hold him back, but I can't move. He jumps yelling, "You're the reason for this, Tris!" Then the scene changes and I am standing on the roof of the Hancock building.

I see Marlene standing on the edge. Once again, I cant move. "I have a message for the Divergent," she says. Then, she jumps and I am left screaming.

Soon I see Caleb. My parents are lying lifeless on both sides of him. He says, "You killed them because they didn't want you to die."

I wake up with a jolt and find myself running. I end up at the chasm. I go to my favorite spot and just cry.

Tobias POV

After Al and I help Christina, Tris runs over and hugs Al. I feel a pang of jealously in my chest. "Thank you so much," she says. then she hugs me. I want to hug back, but I decide against it. "Sorry, Four. I'm just glad she's okay."

She hugs Christina. Christina keeps staring at me and I get a little uncomfortable. I have a girlfriend and she's standing right here. Then she looks at Tris and smirks.

She whispers something in Tris's ear and runs off. Tris stiffens. I'll have to ask about that later.

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That night I can't sleep, so I go to the chasm. When I get there, I see Tris sitting on our rock crying.

"Tris?" I say. She jumps, but continues crying when she realizes that it's me. I walk over and sit beside her. "What's wrong?" She just hugs me and sobs into my shirt. After she calms down a little, I ask, "Bad dream?" She nods. "You wanna talk about it?" She pulls away and tells me about her dream. "Tris. Listen, none of that is your fault. You did what you had to do and it isn't going to happen again. Got it?"

"Okay," she says. "Thank you. I'm so lucky to have you. I love you Tobias."

"I love you too. If you don't mind me asking, what did Christina say?"

Her eyes widen and she says, "She said for me to tell my boyfriend that she said thank you for trying to protect her."

"What? How did she know?"

"I think she was the one I saw in the training room. Tobias, we have to tell her."

"That's fine with me. When?'

"I'm not sure. I'll let you know. Is you're apartment okay?"

"Yeah. That'll be good. Just make sure that she swears not to tell anybody any of it," I say.

She snuggles into my chest and I kiss the top of her head. we stay that way until she falls asleep.

I carry her to my apartment and lay down next to her. I fall asleep thinking about how much I love her.