Rampant: A Divergent FanFiction (Book Two) ©

Chapter 18

               “I feel like a kid on Christmas,” Biff repeated excitedly as he popped his knuckles and hopped up and down excitedly on the balls of his feet.

                “You know, he could always choose option A,” Finn warned. He sat comfortably on his chair, a grin playing on his features at the sight of Biff jumping around. “I wouldn’t get my hopes up so high if I were you.”

                “Aww come on Finn, let the man dream,” Jude interjected. For once, his normally serious -if not slightly irritated expression- had been replaced by an eager one. “You never know. I don’t really peg the kid as a true dauntless. From what Wayne has told me, I’m almost certain he’ll pick option B.”

                “Yeah, I don’t know why, but that guy just rubs me the wrong way,” Dan agreed. “Guess we’ll have to wait and see though.”

                I turned from where I stood, chalk in hand, and gave the guys my most adult-ly I’m-the-boss-so-be-quiet look. They grinned mischievously, but dutifully settled down as best as they could; Biff tapping his foot impatiently, and Dan checking his watch every so often. Turning back to the chalkboard, I continued writing the initiates names so they’d see who they’d be fighting.

               After I’d gotten out of my fear simulation, I’d rushed to the training room to prepare myself for the day’s fights. Whereupon arriving, I’d quickly realized that Zane was again absent. Iris mentioned that he’d stayed in the clinic overnight to look after Ally, but that he’d be back the next day.

               I’d felt both happy and annoyed; I was glad that she’d had someone to watch over her, but it bothered me that it had been someone other than me. Shrugging, I had waved my hand casually, then continued with the fights. I knew that word of his continual absence would spread around the compound like wildfire, and if he came back and I didn’t punish him it would only make things worse. A punishment from me would never compare to something Banks could come up with.

               Like it or not, I had to make an example out of Zane.

               I’d made up my mind about a lot of things since my time in the fear landscape room; one of them being that I would try my hardest not to resent the time that Zane was spending with Ally. If he cared about her, and she liked him, who was I to get in the way? In a way, it was almost hard to be irritated with him; how could I hate someone that cared for her? That, however, didn’t mean I’d just let him off the hook so easily.

                Enlightenment had struck during dinner, when after a long conversation about how well my initiates were doing, the guys and I had somehow strayed off the subject.

                “I knew you’d be a good instructor,” Finn had said; a wide grin pulling across his face. “Bet the people down at the Cage miss you though, you put on quite the show Mr. Stronghold.”

                “I guess,” I replied with a shrug.

                “Do you miss it?” Jude asked.

                “Yeah, I do,” I admitted.

               Ever since I’d spilled my guts to Dan, I found that it was again impossible to lie as efficiently as I used to. Surprisingly, it felt good. I’d missed the candor side of my personality; the side that I’d drowned out with alcohol and guilt.

                “Once you’ve had a taste of that life, it’s hard to forget about it,” Biff added. “Trust me, I’d know.”