Venus Eaton is desperate to escape the abuse of her previous faction although she is unaware and unprepared of the ordeals of Dauntless initiation. She is a stranger to her own brother until he accuses her of murdering their mother, and finds out th...
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VENUS
I DON'T remember the funeral Abnegation held for my mother. When I was five, my brother told me how she died. She died giving birth to me, and when I was old enough to understand hate, he told me it was my fault she died.
I imagine an Abnegation funeral to be quiet. Hushed voices, gentle conversations, not much of a big deal otherwise that would be self-serving.
But Dauntless has a completely different definition of a funeral.
The smell of alcohol overwhelms my senses as soon as we reach the Pit, and the smoke from cigarettes fills my lungs. The inebriated sound of music floods into my ears, and I purse my lips.
This can't be a funeral. This must be a party.
"Are we in the right place?" I say to Harmonie in a joking way, and she grins at me.
"Nope. This is definitely the Pit!" She looks around, before pointing across at Tris, Christina, and Emily. "Shall we get shots with them?"
Shots. Alcohol. Probably one of the most addictive things in Dauntless. It wasn't allowed in Abnegation, so I've never tried it. I've always wondered what it would taste like, but I've never wanted to try it. It makes people do crazy things, but Dauntless do crazy things anyway. It wouldn't make a difference.
Tris pulls me into a hug, and I hear her light giggle over the music. "This is horribly tragic, isn't it?" When she pulls away, the way she smiles reminds me of her mother, Natalie. I've only seen her once, and that was by accident, but her smile reaches her eyes and makes me smile, too.
"I know, right?" I reply. "Shall we get the drinks started?"
Christina hands me a shot, and I wriggle into a seat next to Emily. A grin stretches across her lips as she downs the shot, and I follow shortly after.
I hold the liquid in my mouth. I can't spit the alcohol back out now, I'll look like a Stiff. I watch as Tris swallows the alcohol and splutters, holding her throat, before bursting out laughing. It nearly makes me laugh, so I swallow it quickly.
The alcohol burns down my throat, worse than a hot drink. I realize it won't go away, however much I cough, so I keep a straight-face until the taste has diminished.
And then I take another.
By the time I'm at my fourth shot, the floor is spinning and the ceiling is collapsing. Tris and Christina wave like flags in the wind in front of me, but I feel free. I finally feel free.
By the eighth shot, the floor is a whirlpool, swimming, and dipping, and we're singing along to the music, making up lyrics to it. My body feels light. Like I'm walking on air. Like I can fly if I tried.
Eventually, we run out of shots. One of us has to go and get more, and I figure it has to be me - the Stiff, the first jumper, because I really want to stretch my legs and see if I can actually walk straight.
I stagger toward the bar like I'm wearing heels and I suddenly imagine I'm wearing heels, so I walk delicately like I'm wearing them. Then I let out a giggle, realizing I'm wearing combat boots as I look down, nearly crashing into somebody, stumbling to the other side.
Am I really intoxicated? I think as I lean against the wall. I suddenly look around, wondering how I got so far from where I needed to be, wondering how I let myself have so many drinks.
"Venus?" I hear a voice. Looking up, I make out the figure of Rhett. Stocky and muscular, he would appeal to most girls (especially drunk) but not me. I still remember the day he beat me on the mat, and I still look at him with anger in my eyes.
But now, that anger is only replaced with vulnerability.
"You know I only beat you on that day because Eric told me to," Rhett says slowly, and I wobble into the wall, my fingertips pressed to my temple.
"Yeah, Rhett. Anyonecansaythat." I slur my words without meaning to, and I suddenly see four Rhett's standing in front of me. I blink, and in those milliseconds my eyes are closed, Rhett is closer to me. I stare up at him.
"So you aren't mad at me?" He says, reaching his hand toward me. He tucks a strand of dark brunette hair behind my ear and nuzzles his head into my neck.
I giggle, "What are you doing?" although my seriousness kicks in as I realize he is kissing me. His hands trail over my body, his body pressed against my body, his breath fanning against my cold skin.
Somewhere inside my fuzzled brain, logic floods over me. I try to push him away once, but he doesn't budge. Instead, I feel his teeth clamped around my earlobe. I let out a gasp and sharply elbow him in the gut. He doubles over and I quickly make my escape - running away, trying to tell myself I'm not in heels, trying to stop the tears from glossing over my eyes.
What was he doing? What was he trying to do? Why would Rhett try such a thing on me? I should be stronger than that but I'm not. I try to be, but intoxicated thoughts take over. I nearly let that happen.
Suddenly, my ankle gives in. I doubt if I'm actually wearing combat boots or heels as I fall, although someone grabs me just before I hit the ground. I grab onto them, pulling myself straighter, falling into their chest when I realize I really can't hold myself upright anymore.
I meet his steel-grey eyes, clutching tighter onto his muscular biceps. Not an ounce of fear paralyzes my mind. I actually fall into him, elated to see him, I feel safe with him, even though he is the reason I'm here.
[a change of pov in the next chapter along with a little more smut. thank you sooo much for reading so far, guys<3 i'm excited to write the next couple chapters<3]
