Resurgent: A Divergent Story//editing

Chapter 23

- Hector -

.

.

Al hasn't talked to me in a day, and I don't really have anyone else to talk to. The Kevin kid from candor is an honest version of my douchebag cousin. Together, he and Tommy have hit on Al probably 50 times since we first go to dauntless. Al has even flirted back a few times, but I think, and hope, that she is only doing this to make me angry.

I wake up, in the room filled with beds. I look around, and see everyone is still sleeping. Just as I sit up, Tris walks in and turns on the lights.

She says, "Wake up! Be in the pit in five minutes!"

There are many groans, and everyone slowly wakes up. In five minutes, everyone is standing at the pit, most of us only half awake. I look over at Al, and her head is rested on Jo's shoulder, and her eyes are closed. She looks so beautiful when she sleeps, so innocent, so pure. I am snapped out of my thoughts by Tris beginning the initiation rules.

"Today, we begin your initiation. We will start by fighting. Half of you, the dauntless born, have an advantage. They have learned how to fight, and are physically trained. The others will have to work just as hard to try not to be on the bottom. Follow me to the training room now." She says

We follow her to a hallway that I've been down many times before. We enter the room that we would play truth or dare in years ago. I smile, I missed those days, but hated them so much.

"Remember the good old days, cous'?" Tommy whispers in my ear.

"Shut up, Tom," I say back.

He smirks, and walks away. I tune my intrest back to Tris. She explains how today, and the rest of this week, will be doing basic training. Then, next week we will be doing fighting against each other. Then, we will be doing knife throwing and shooting. Then, we will be ranked. We will have a break week. Then, we will do labor work for dauntless. The next week, we will begin stage two.

"The details of stage two cannot be shared with you, until you pass stage one," Tris says.

"Why?" Jordan, the erudite boy, asks.

"Because, it cannot be shared, that's why." Tris says.

"Why?" Maci, Jordan's sister, says.

"You are dauntless now, not erudite, so stop asking questions." Tris says, and we all laugh.

We each go to a punching target, and show Tris our stance. I am right between Jordan and Al, who still hasn't talked to me since our fight.

"Al?" I say, but she ignores me, and throws a punch at the traget.

"I know you can hear me Al, and if you aren't going to listen, then whatever, I'm still going to try to talk to you." I say.

"Hector," she says, speaking the first word she has said to me in what feels like forever, "You got mad at me for something I couldn't help."

"Al, I'm so sorry. I was just scared and confused." I say.

"It's fine, Hec," she says, and a wave of relief flows over me.

"Can we just get back to the way it was before the choosing ceremony?" I ask, and throw a punch at the target.

"I'd like that." She says, and a beautiful smile apears across her face.

.

.

- Al -

.

.

We all sit at the tables in the dining hall. I sit between Hector and Kevin, who are both somewhat close to me. There are probably three inches on either side of me, giving me barely any room to move. I reach for a hamburger, and try to put ketchup on it, but I can't reach the ketchup because Kevin is in my way.

"Can you pass the ketchup, Kevin?" I ask.

"Sure thing, Al." He says, and he hands me the bottle, and our fingers touch. I stare into his eyes, and he stares back into mine.

Then, Hector rudely coughs, to get our attention.

"Thanks," I say, in an embarassed tone, and I look away.

I put the ketchup on my burger. I pass it to Hector, and our fingers touch too, but this time, I instantly look away. I don't know why I told Hector that I forgive him, because I am pretty sure that I haven't.

After dinner, the girls and I walk around a little bit, to show Jenna and Maci the compound.

"Hey Claire," Jenna says, "I think Jordan likes you."

Claire turns bright red, which makes all of us laugh. "Well," Claire says, "That would make him the only guy who doesn't like Al."

"What?" I ask.

"You didn't realize?" Jo says, laughing to herself.

I look at them, having no idea what they are talking about.

"Okay, so obviously Hector likes you, saying you two kissed and all." Claire says.

"And Tommy always stares at you, and you are so oblivious to it." Jo says.

"And just the way that Kevin has looked at you in the past few days," Maci says.

"It must her blonde hair," Jenna jokes, and we all laugh. I am the only one with blonde hair. Claire, Jo, and Jenna all have brown hair, and Maci's is a dark red.

"Definitely." I say, and flip my hair, recieving laughs from the whole group.

We walk back towards the initiates room, and I go straight into my bed. As soon as I take off my shoes and jacket, I get under the blankets. When my head touches the pillow, I instantly fall asleep.

.

.

- Hector -

.

.

Days later, we start fighting. We all stand around the mat where the fights will take place. Tris stands in the middle, holding a binder filled with papers.

"Okay everyone!" Tris says, "We begin fighting today. First fight is," she stops and stares at the sheet in the binder, "First fight is Hector and Al."