Transparent: A Divergent FanFiction (Book One) ©

Chapter 29

                “Now, for the last fight of the day, Sage and Banks.” Amar announced loudly.

                Finally. The moment Dan and I had arrived at the training room, my eyes had gone to the board and seen that what I’d predicted had been true; next to my name, in bold letters, had been Banks. Our fight was last on the list, and I’d waited impatiently, shifting my weight from foot to foot.

                The fights probably didn’t take as long as I thought, with most of the outcomes predictable; but nonetheless, I felt like it was years until we were called up. As I made my way to the arena, I saw out of the corner of my eye that Max had just arrived. He saddled up next to Amar and muttered something before turning and grinning in our general vicinity.

                Banks stood across from me, his expression somehow wild and controlled at the same time. His eyes shone with hunger for blood, and I couldn’t help but note that I felt the same way. Had I been faced with anyone other than Banks, I might have felt bad and even ashamed at my dark intentions, but that wasn’t the case here.

                I clenched my hands into fists, Banks mirroring the motion, and then shifted as I made my way around the circle of the arena, trying to get closer.

                “Scared?” Banks asked with feigned concern, quietly so only I could hear him.

                “I’m sure you are, but you shouldn’t be telling your opponent that.” I sneered.

                The corner of Banks’ mouth twitched as he suppressed a grin. “You won’t be feeling as proud in a few minutes.”

                I was about make another sarcastic comeback, when my eyes scarcely managed to register the slight shift in his posture. With barely a second’s warning, Banks whirled and lashed out at me.

                Throwing all his weight into a punch, I managed to duck and avoid his hit, using his own momentum to shove him roughly to the side. Then as he stumbled, I skirted around to face him. There wasn’t time to think, barely any time to act, adrenaline was pumping through my body and everything around me was a frenzied mess.

               Banks was smart and recovered easily; he pivoted on his heel, and came at me again. I raised my forearm and was able to shield my face in time; though little daggers of pain ran through my arm where he’d managed to land a blow. As he shifted forward, preparing to strike again, I bent my knees and took him by surprise as I barreled forward.

               He was heavy, but I was strong enough that it didn’t matter; knocking him off his feet, I slammed him into the ground. His head made a sickening thud as it hit the floor, but he either didn’t register the pain, or he was choosing to ignore it. He twisted and turned wildly, trying to break my hold, and I was shocked to find that I was finding it impossible to keep him down.

                With a grunt, Banks managed to breakaway away for an instant. His free arm swung, and then pain was radiating through my jaw and spreading across my face. God, did he have a right hook. I clenched my jaw and managed to pin his arm back down, but not before he got another good solid hit. My ears were starting to ring, and something warm and wet was dripping down my forehead.

               Blood. How was I already this injured? I tried to wipe it away when I felt it running into my right eye, but didn’t get the chance; the moment I loosened my hold, Banks had slipped his other arm loose and managed to hit my side. I trapped that arm again, but inside I knew it didn’t matter; he’d break free in a matter of seconds.