Enmeshment

Another day another phase of practice began. Four woke us up early and he wanted us to meet him at the Pit in two minutes. We all jumped quickly from our beds, wore our uniforms and ran to the Pit. Eric and Four were already there.

"Today we're going to run across the city. As you run, you have to start remembering all the corners of the city. In case you'll become patrol squad in the future," explained Four.


"Four and I won't stop at any circumstances! I don't care if you were tired or get lost. I won't bother to help you! I won't take any excuses! And runners finish first will get more points!" Shouted Eric.

I cursed quietly. Eric knew my ankle was hurt and now he wanted to make us run around the city. This wouldn't be good for me. I stomped my foot a little and it didn't hurt. So I guess it was good news. I knew it supposed to be resting for another more days but it won't be my excuse to finish last.

Four and Eric then climbed using the ropes that stretched above the top of the Pit. All initiates stared open-mouthed when they saw them climbing to the reach the glass building above the Pit. I looked at my friends before running to another rope and climbed up. The rest of the initiates followed me. It didn’t fear me and I was actually pretty good at climbing, so it wasn’t a problem for me at all. Jack catches me up and we climbed together. I kept up my pace and finally catch up with Eric and Four.

Four stopped for a while to check on the other initiates, but Jack and I kept climbing up and Eric didn’t want to loose from us obviously. I climbed up as fast as I could but Eric was faster and he reached the top first. He looked me down and grinned. I shrugged and continued. Jack reached the top before me and helps me to climb myself over the window. I thanked him and gave eyes to Eric as I reach the top.

“Not so bad, initiate!” he said.

“Thanks…”

We waited for a few minutes for all initiates to finally reach the top. We were gathered around and waited for the train to arrive. As soon as the train arrived Four and Eric ran over to jump inside. All other initiates started to run after the train. One by one jumped over and pressed the button to open the door. I ran and I get onto the forth carriage. I looked back to the door and found Tris was the last runner.

“Come on Tris!” I shouted.

Christina, Will, Al, Jack and Jen were also looking out from another carriage and courage Tris to run faster. Eric stood behind me and looking at Tris as well. Four was in the last end of the train and he grabbed Tris’s arm and brought her inside.

“That’s pathetic!”

I wasn’t ready to argued with him, so I just walked passed to reach the last carriage. My friends congratulated Tris for catching up the train.

“That was close!” said Al.

The train brought us to the city center and Four gave us signaled to prepare to jump out from the train. We all jumped easily because this was nothing compared to when the first time we jumped to a high building in our first day of initiation. After everyone was already on the ground, Four told us to run in three lines behind him. Eric ran on our sides, sometimes he fasten his run and went to the front and sometimes he slowed down to checked and made taunting faces toward the guys in the very back.

"Hey, by the way you won't guess what happened to me yesterday!" Jen smirked mischievously at me.

"What happened?" I asked blankly.

"Can you see it from the satisfaction on my face?" She giggled.

"I don't wanna hear about how much liquid you swallowed last night!" Replied Jack with disgust in his voice and I couldn't help to laugh.

"Eww!” Jen stick her tongue out to Jack. “Don’t you ever do it?" She nudged my waist.

"Do what?" I replied.

"Oh come on! Really?"

"Cut it out Jen!" Snapped Jack

"Oh you're just jealous!" Jen stick her tongue out and she punched Jack like a little girl. “You should make a move or that muscle man will get it first.”

“The fuck Jen!” Jack slapped Jen’s head.

I tried to make them stop but it was useless. Jen was a like a spoiled baby every time she gets annoyed she won't stop expressing it. Suddenly someone grabbed Jack collar shirt and threw him out of the group.

Four stopped running when he heard the noise from the middle group. He turned back and so did the rest of the group, while the group behind us finally arrived. Jack was slammed to the asphalt road. Jen and I were shocked. I wanted to help Jack but Jen held me back and shook her head.

"You think this is a game! I could just throw you out right now and you'll become factionless!" Eric growled and punched Jack’s face.


Jack got up and he hit back. Both of them wrestled on the ground and kept punching each other’s faces. I could see Jack’s was bleeding from the side of his mouth.

"Ok stop! Enough Eric!" Four steps up and held Eric.

Jack was about to jumped over to Eric but I ran and pushed him back. Will and Al were also holding Jack back. Jack was breathing fast and I knew he was fed up with Eric but he shouldn’t do anything more than this or Eric will threw him out.

"What Four!? Want to play hero now? So you can brag if front of your girlfriend?" Eric mocked him as he glanced to Tris.

"I know you are frustrated with this whole situation..." Four stopped and glanced at me.

“What are you trying to say huh number boy!?” Mocked Eric.

"Well... The point is you can't just beat up everyone!" Answered Four calmly.

Eric definitely didn't like Four lectured him like that but shockingly he didn't fight him back. "As you wish!" replied Eric.

"Ok Jack you run beside me!" Instructed Four. Jack wiped the blood that dripped from the side of his mouth. He walked and followed Four to the front line but he bumped to Eric purposely. Eric immediately threw him onto the ground again.

“Enough Eric!” Four now stood in front of him.

I helped Jack to stand up but he refused my hand and walked to join the front group. Both Jack and Eric starred to each other like if there were no rules apply; I bet there would be bloody fight. Jack's figure might be smaller than Eric but I saw him fight against Four when we were in the gym. They both tied. If Jack already became the official member of Dauntless, Eric better stop being a jerk to him.

“Ok back to your position!” Shouted Four.

We were back to our position but Eric shouted at me. “Roxy you move to the back!”. Separated me with Jen. I was running beside Al, his face was so red and sweat dripped all over him. Eric was now running behind me.

We've already run for almost three hours straight now and some of us already feel fatigue. Al took off his jacket because the sun is started to feel too hot to handled and we all did the same. Eric was in his vest and I was surprised that he didn't sweat. Well maybe a little but he didn't show any exhaustion at all. My ankle was started to hurt but I kept on going.

"Is it you ankle?" Asked Al when he saw me grimacing in pain. I nodded.

Al slowed down a little to stay beside me but Eric yelled at him. "Don't let others drag you to the bottom, initiate!" before he ran faster.

"Just go!" I told Al. "I'll be fine, just go catch with the others!"

"Sorry..." He said.

I tried my best to keep up with everyone but as much as run as fast as I could, they kept getting farther away. I accidentally stumbled upon a big rock and crashing down with my face hit the ground first.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" As I tried to stand up when someone put my arm around his neck. He was Eric. I thought he already gone with the others. "I don't need your help!" I pushed him away and stupidly made myself tripped to another rock.

He exhaled harshly and helped me stand up.

“I don’t need you to pity me!” I ran acted up like my ankle was ok but it didn’t and it getting worse so I slowed down. He jogged slowly beside me and said nothing at all but then grabbed my arm and wrapped it around his shoulder again.

"I thought you said you won't help us!"

"They weren't you! So shut up and hold on to me. We are still three kilometers away!"

I hold on to him and started to walk as fast as I could. "I'll be the last runner right? Shit! My score this week isn't going to be good is it? I'll be out soon!"

"It isn't going to happen."

"Oh yeah? Let me think. Hmm... I guess all you did to me were for sure trying to get rid of me." I grimed.

"Are you gonna keep talking or shut your mouth stiff!?" He stopped at the corner of a street and I saw a lot factionless was looking at us. “I can just leave you here now!”

I looked at the factionless and some of them exchanged eyes with me. The memories about my childhood strikes back and I didn’t realized I clench my palm so hard and my teeth chattered until Eric pulled my hand to start walking again.

“You’ll get your time, now just focus on your training!”

"Ok fine…"



After lunch break, we were going to practice our gun training. Shoot an object from a far. On the other side of the rooftop in the next building was a wall with targets on it. The targets were made up of one square of plywood with three red circles. The targets line one wall and a table with guns is located on the other side. Everyone got a real gun with real bullets. Four kept warned us to keep the safety on whenever we weren't shooting.

I took a post beside Edward and a Dauntless-born initiate. Looked like this time both transferred and Dauntless-born were trained together. Four asked Jack to helped him reload the gun and he would get his turn after everyone finished. Seemed like Four tried to make Jack stay away from Eric for today.

My shoot was a bit off at first round. I asked Edward who was so good at this for any kind of tips, and all he said was, just luck. I rolled my eyes and back shooting the target. The Dauntless-born girl on the other hand was so bad and couldn't even stand properly. Her elbow always nudged me and it made me couldn't hit the target properly.


Eric walked around me but I ignored him. I didn't want to interact with him in any kind of interaction right now. Eric stopped and teased me again, "now, initiate! The deer will grow old, have his massive horn, and yet still alive and you will end up starving to death in the woods if you keep shooting like that!"

The Dauntless-born girl burst into laughter while Edward giggled a little. Didn't Eric get it that I was still angry with him and still trying to get on my nerves today. I could just shoot him if I want to.

"Open your leg wider!" He pushed one of my feet with his foot roughly. "Put pressure on your front foot," he tapped my left knee. "Inhale and exhale slowly when you're about to shoot. Don't close your mouth, or it'll give you too much pressure to handle!" Eric instructed me while everyone listening closely.

I looked at him confuse since he didn't yell this time. "What are you waiting for, initiate!" He glared. Oh ok, I take back my words.

I back to my gun and put one eye at the viewfinder. I inhaled and exhaled slowly like he told me to do before I shot. It perfectly hit the chest part. I smirked and shot another one. It hit the lower stomach.

"The head, stiff!" Said Eric. I didn't notice that he still standing behind me. I aimed for the head but it landed to the chest again. I shot another and it still hit the same spot. The wind blow pretty hard today, it made it harder to shoot perfectly.

"I said the head! Which of my word that you don't understand!?"

"I'm trying ok!" I yelled back.

"Well you clearly didn't try enough!" His tone was getting higher.

I screamed of frustration and back to my gun. I aimed and shot three times until I was running out of bullets. "There! Happy now!!!" I pushed him with my gun and walked away from the shooting range.

I passed by Jack and Four, and Jack was about to reach my hand but I say don't. Eric didn't call me to stop and Four was clearly didn't want to make Eric more mad and ends up hurting any initiates, so he just shake his head. I then sat faraway from the group. Eric also left the shooting range angrily and started kick every drum and stuff that his feet could found on his way out. All other initiates started to gossip and I didn't care. Eric was already pushed too many buttons and I exploded.
Four yelled at everyone to shut their mouth and get back practicing. Fifteen minutes later Four dismissed all of us and sent us back to the gum. I immediately get on my feet and faster my walk back to the Pit. Jack ran faster to catch up on me.

"Hey you okay?" He grabbed my arm and he pulled me to the sidewalk.

Other initiates walked passing by us and I didn't want them to hear that I was arguing with Jack. I silent until everyone was gone and left me here just with Jack.

"I'm so angry right now. I don't wanna talk about it!"

"You know he always been that way. You should get over it!"

"You don't understand!" I snapped.

"Which part that I don't understand, Rox? He's a douche and you know that!" I just sighed and calm myself down. "Yeah you're right. I'm sorry I snapped at you..."

"Come here..." He hugged me. "We better go to the gym before Four noticed us gone," he said and I nodded.

We all went to the gym and gathered around in front of the scoreboard and I stood right beside Jen who gave me a little hug when I joined the circle. Our names rolling and then pop up one by one. I saw my name went straight up to number six from seventeen last week. My eyes lit up and jumped from excitement. I couldn't believe I end up at number six. Jack is up to number two, under Edward. He congratulates and hugged me. I blushed and pushed him away a little. Jen squealed in relieved when she knows she is number nine. Four then dismissed us for real this time. Everyone ready to left the gym. Jack's already held my hand and called Jen to go grab a dinner downstairs.

"You go first. I need to talk to Four. I'll find you guys in the dining hall!" Jack wanted to wait for me but Jen begged him to joined her to the dining hall, "please, I'm starving!"

"It's ok. Just go!" I told him before I jogged a little to Four. "Four, sir... Can I ask you something?"
"Shoot!" He nodded.

"How can I end up at number six? I'm pretty sure I was actually pretty bad this week," I asked.

Four rolled his eyes and laughed, "you don't get it do you?"

"Sorry?"

"Eric helps you get your spot." He explained.

"What do you mean? All he did to me were mocking me and taunting me every single time!"
"He screams at you to hit the target at knife throwing. Checked! He made you hit him hard and ends up with broken nose. Checked! You were the second one who reaches the glass building when we climbed up from the Pit. And last time he yelled at you to shoot the head at gun training. Checked! The last three bullets you shot hit perfectly to the head. Despite you finish last at the marathon. You already have a lot of points in your pocket." He stopped. "Satisfied? Or should I continue?"
I stunned and didn't know how to respond. My mind worked so hard tried to manage all the shocking info that I just got.

"I-I don't realized it..."

"You better go now. I don't want Eric saw you talking to me."

"Uh... Why?"

"You should just ask him." He patted my shoulder before leaving the gym. "Oh and one more thing. Rumors spreading. Some people won't like it, you better watch your back!" And he walked outside.