closer

supply closet

"I can get over sleeping in the same room as these animals but, showers with no curtains? That's just perverted" Christina scoffed as we picked out beds closest to the wall and sat on them, pulling off our shoes. I nodded my head in agreement, although the entire situation made me uncomfortable I knew that no one at Dauntless would care or do anything to make me more comfortable. I had to suck it up. Thankfully, Christina and Tris were kind enough to give me the bed furthest from everyone else without questioning me.

They were good people.

I sat down on the bed, sliding my jeans off of my legs and quickly pulling on a pair of black leggings. Thankfully most of my bruises had faded and the majority of my scars were either on my inner thigh or underneath the band of my underwear. They were high waisted and ensured that I could show part of my stomach without worrying about any marks being exposed. I pulled off my shirt, using one of my arms to cover my chest as the other reached out for my top. The black top landed just below my yellow sports bra, the fuzzy sip-up I pulled on over it ended a few inches beneath my breasts and only two centimeters above my belly button. A pair of black slip-on sneakers were on my feet and made my walk to the furnace more comfortable.

With a small smile, I extended my arms and dropped my yellow dyed clothes fall into the fire. They were engulfed in flames, a symbol of the person I was dying in the fire.

I would no longer be a delicate amity who bit her tongue.

We were instructed to go to the Pit after visiting the furnace and burning all traces of our previous life.

"Hey softie" an unfamiliar voice said from beside me.

"It's Willow" I corrected, ringlets of hair swishing behind me with every step I took. "Right, well, I'm Peter, in case you didn't know. I just have a few questions for you" he informed, suggestively raising his brow as he began to match my pace. He was persistent.

"Ask away" I shrugged, not having anything better to do.

"So I was reading a few articles about how two leaders have had their children transfer to other factions following abuse rumors. One of those kids was Tobias Eaton, did you know him?" he asked, tilting his head to the side as I inhaled sharply. "The name sounds familiar, I might have met him once or twice" I stated cautiously, not liking the direction this conversation was heading in. "Interesting. Do you know the other kid that transferred? Miss Willow Caldwell from Amity transferred to Dauntless, leaving behind her two parents and three older brothers. And it just so happens that your father was the second person surrounded by abuse rumors" Peter stated, watching me carefully for any sort of reaction.

My eyes went wide as I suddenly stopped walking, evidently giving Peter the reaction he was looking for. My mouth became dry as the color paled from my face and I become obviously uncomfortable, taking a step away from Peter.

"What's going on here?" a voice called out, making us both snap our heads towards the gloomy shadows the voice seemed to have come from.

"Four! Hey man, nothing's going on, I was just asking softie here some questions" Peter stated, trying to brush off the authoritative man. Four wasn't looking at him, his dark eyes were trained on me.

"I heard everything. Those questions were unnecessary and had you taken them a step further, could be classified as harassment. You are both initiates vying for a spot in Dauntless but should you both make it, you will be teammates and need to help each other, not tear each other down. Leave" Four advised, giving Peter a sharp glare which sent him running for the Pit. I stayed in my place, my vitals calming down as I was left alone with the older man. "Are you alright?" he asked, his gaze softening as he stared down at me. I slowly nodded my head.

"I'm fine, Peter's just trying to get a reaction out of me" I brushed it off, clearing my throat as I noticed the hall emptying.

"And it worked" he pointed out.

"I just need to grow a thicker skin, that's all. Besides, people make up rumors all the time. It doesn't mean they know anything" I shrugged, tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear. I saw a glimmer in his eyes, a sudden change in the atmosphere was upon us. He looked around, making sure no one was nearby before grabbing my wrist and dragging me into a nearby supply closet.

"What are you doing?" I asked, my eyes widening as I began to think the worst.

"I remember you. I remember seeing you the day I came to Amity" he said, his voice low as he spoke.

"We just met.." I said although it sounded more like a question.

"Marcus forced me to come on a trip with him, to meet someone who was joining the council. It was a treehouse with two boys waiting outside and a woman who had just climbed down the ladder. She introduced herself as Eden. The boys were Sirus and Finch. While they were talking, I was watching. Three more people came down from the ladder. First was a man called Cedar who went straight to talking to Marcus. Then was the third brother, Parker. His face looked full of regret and satisfaction. Then there was a girl who looked like she had been crying, her brown hair was frizzy and she had bruises on her neck. It was you, wasn't it? Willow what did they do to you?" he explained slowly, my eyes pricking with tears as I began to remember the occasion he had just described.

"I remember" I whispered, wiping a stray tear from my eye.

He nodded his head, gently shoving a piece of hair back behind my ear before readjusting his black jacket. "We'll talk soon, I promise. Just keep your head down" he said, giving me a meaningful look before turning and exiting the closet.

It took me a moment before I built up the strength to leave.

The strength to go and face the others.

I didn't know how to feel, how exactly to process the information. I had so many questions as I'm sure he did too.

I fixed my hair, wiped away my tears, and reached for the metal doorknob. As I flung the door open, my eyes went wide and an audible gasp left my mouth.

"E-Eric" I stuttered.

"What were you doing in there initiate?" he asked, his voice was calm but not in a soothing way. In a way that presented itself with anger and deceit. "I was just-" I started, trying to come up with some sort of excuse but he wasn't going to grant me the privilege to defend myself that easily. "Just in the supply closet with your instructor?" he asked.

"I swear it wasn't like that, you can ask Four about it yourself" I tried to explain.

"Oh, I will be. If you're lying to me the consequences will be severe. Do you understand initiate?" he asked, taking a threatening step forwards.

I didn't back down.

I didn't move.

My gaze didn't falter.

I continued to stare deep in his eyes, his familiar smell intoxicating me as I felt the tip of his black combat boot press against the edge of my flat sneakers. Our chests were merely inches apart and it was only then I realized how tall he was. I was decently tall, standing at the average height of 5'6 but he completely towered over me, making me feel as if I were a speck of dust beneath him.

"I'm telling the truth" I said softly, glancing down at his chest as it seemed to be moving just as heavily as mine before returning my gaze to his face.

His lips were pressed into a thin, firm line.

He pondered my words for a moment before swiftly turning his head and storming off in the direction Four had presumably disappeared in.