“SINCE THERE ARE an odd number of you, one of you won’t be fighting today,” Four says loudly walking away from the board that held our names. I'm hoping I'm the one that doesn't have to fight hoping I don't have to fight a friend or someone like Edward. He's good and we've not even fought each other yet. Tris' name is the one next to the blank spot. I look to see my name and it's next to Kai. Kai used to be in Erudite but he was caught 'acting out' several times. He was also in 4 of my classes in school. He was scarier than Edward and if anything he's like my arch nemesis already because he hated me in school. I always called the Erudite stuck ups because it's true but apparently Malakai didn't like it because he tried to get in a fight with me and Lily, one of my abnegation friends. I'm not really sure which faction she went to. Probably Amity or Erudite. She wanted out of abnegation like me but she also was really smart and kind. The board read:

Al vs Will

Christina vs Molly

Brooklyn vs Edward

Kai vs Charlotte

Max vs Hazel

Jade vs Zane

Drew vs Samantha

Myra vs Jasmine

Yume vs Peter

Tris vs

Of course it was him as long as it wasn't someone else like Zane I'd be fine. The breath I didn't know I was holding escaped my lips. "This isn't good" Christina said, bumping into me and Tris to get our attention. She must've been talking about her fight with Molly. "Ow" Tris says. She was probably still sore. "Sorry, but look I'm up against the tank" I laughed at Christina's use of giving Molly a nickname. I'd have to use it more often. Tris looks confused still. "Look at the board Tris" I said. "The tank. Isn't that a little I don't know judgy?" She said laughing. She looked at Molly and realized how much the description fit the girl. “Yeah, Peter’s slightly more feminine-looking minion,” I say laughing. Molly is by Peter Kai Zane and Drew. "Those five” Christina points at the group “have been inseparable since they crawled out of the womb, practically. I hate them.” Will and Al being the first people on the board begin fighting. They put their hands to their head protecting themselves. Since I missed some of practice I'd most likely fail but maybe if I payed attention to the fights before mine I'd get it. They move around each other in a circle. Will is smaller than Al meaning he would have to be smart to win. "What's wrong with them?" Tris asks. I follow her gaze to Peter and his group. "Peter is pure evil when we were kids, he would pick fights with people from other factions then when and adult came to break it up, hed cry and make up some some story about how the other kid started it. And of course they believed him, because we were Candor and we couldn't lie. Ha ha." Christina said. I made a judgy look towards the group. "Drew is just his sidekick. I doubt he has andy independent thought in his brain. And as far as I know Molly is the kind of person who fries ants with a magnifying glass to watch them dance" she finished. "Kai is an Erudite; he also likes to pick fights. Mainly with the people he doesn't like. Tris, did you see him when I called the Erudites stuck up two weeks ago?" I asked her. She nodded. "Probably not the best time considering he's your opponent". "Yeah probably not. Zane was also from Erudite and to me they're all just minions" I said. I look back to the fight and see that Al punched Will in the jaw. I look at Eric and Four. Eric's smirking. Will falls to the ground catching himself with one of his hands. Al punched him again. Christina turns towards the group of five again as do I just to get out of watching the fight. The five are looking at us with looks that say it all: they heard us. "I think they know we're talking about them," Tris says. I nodded, grimacing at the sight of the five staring at us. “So what? They already know I hate them" Christina says. "I second that" I chimed in. “They do? How?” Christina puts a fake smile on her face and waves at the five. I look towards them and just roll my eyes. I look back towards the fight Will gets his foot around Al's leg and pulls it back making All fall Al gets to his feet hurriedly. "Because I've told them" Christina answers Tris' question her teeth were gritted as she spoke. I chuckle. "I got in a fight with Zane when we were 14 he knows and i'm pretty sure the two boys have already spread rumors about me" I said looking at Peter's grin as he looked towards me. What rumors had been spread about the notorious Charlotte Eaton now.

“We try to be pretty honest about our feelings in

Candor. Plenty of people have told me that they don’t like me. And plenty of people haven’t. Who

cares? I like to think I’m helping them by hating them,” she says. “I’m reminding them that they aren’t God’s gift to humankind.” Tris giggles but I'm too focused on Will and Al's fight. "Charlotte and Kai you're up next" Eric said in the middle of Will and Al's fight. I scoffed. "We're not supposed to go for another 2 fights," I demanded. I just realized Will and Al who had pretty much stopped fighting and had just been staring at Four or me. They were waiting for him to let them go.

I laugh a little at that and focus on the arena again. I was more nervous than I was before considering Eric had probably put me against Kai for a reason and not to mention he moved out fight up. The two boys are still staring at Eric and Four. Four stands with his arms crossed and Eric checks his watch, annoyed. They circle each other for a few seconds before Eric intervenes. “Do you think this is a leisure activity? Should we

break for nap-time? Fight each other!” He yells at them. “But…” Al breaks his stance letting his hands down “Is it scored or something? When does the fight end?” he asks. “It ends when one of you is unable to continue,” Eric says. That's just great Kai gets to beat the shit out of me. “According to Dauntless rules, one of you could also concede.” Four says. Eric stares at Four as if he had said something he shouldn't have. “According to the old rules,” he says. “In the new rules, no one concedes,” he says. “A brave man acknowledges the strength of others,” Four replies. They were arguing with each other. “A brave man never surrenders.” Four and Eric stare at each other for a few seconds. "The difference between two dauntless members. Ones honorable and the other is a dick" I whispered to Christina. She Bursts out laughing, bringing several eyes my way. "Do you have something to say Stiff?" Four says. If all eyes weren't on me then they sure are now. "Christina you ass" I giggled. That didn't get rid of the fact everyone was still staring at me. "We're waiting," Eric demanded. Erg they weren't going to let me go on this one. I lifted my head up high and said the one thing I probably shouldn't have. "Well the conversation between me and Christina was meant to be private but since you all would like to know that bad what I said was the difference between two dauntless members was just demonstrated in front of our eyes. One is a dick and the other one is an honorable person" I was not just saying that because Four was my brother nor was I saying it because I got in a fight with Eric that I didn't even know about. Eric's eyes bulged out of his head and Four shook his head trying to hide his laughing. Their reactions were killing me even though I knew Eric would give me a hard time later. His authority didn't scare me. Him being the youngest dauntless leader didn't scare me either. "Good one stiff," someone murmured behind me. Christina looked scared and I followed her gaze back to Eric who was walking towards me. "If you have something to say, STIFF say it to my face next time" he said, pushing me to the wall slightly. "Gladly" I said through gritted teeth. Restrain yourself Charlotte he wasn't worth it. "CONTINUE" he yelled walking away from me and going towards the ring. Al and Will were both really sweaty. "This is ridiculous" Al says as he shakes his head in defiance. “What’s the point of beating him up? We’re in the same faction!” Will gives Al a look. “Oh, you think it’s going to be that easy?” Will asks, grinning. “Go on. Try to hit me, slowpoke.” Will puts his hands up again. He'll win, he's not as tired as Al. Al tries to punch Will but he ducks Will dodges another punch thrown by Al and goes around him kicking him in the back. Al went forward. He gets up charging at Will. Al grabs his arm and punches him in the jaw. Will had lost as his eyes rolled back in his head. I was picking at my nail polish

which I'd painted before the choosing ceremony. Christina took one of my hands while Tris took the other. "Don't be nervous, just beat the shit out of him," Christina said. “Get him up,” Eric says. He stares at Will and Four turns to the chalkboard. He circles Al's name. "Next up Christina and Molly" Eric says. Huh? A weight lifted from my chest. "Actually you said me and Charlotte would be going after Al and Will" Kai said playing innocent. I rolled my eyes. "Mmm thank you for reminding me. Charlotte stay after training." Eric said. That same empty stomach feeling comes up again. I shouldn't be this nervous usually I wouldn't be I'm stronger than Eric thinks or for that matter Four too. Kai makes the first move trying to kick me in the stomach but I grab his foot and pull it out from under him, making him fall. I was going to stomp on his head but he jumped up too fast and punched my jaw. "Shit" I whispered to myself. I charged at him punching his jaw. "Come on Stiff, that's all you got" someone yelled. I screamed hitting Kai enough to knock him to the floor. He didn't get back up so I kept kicking and stomping until I was dragged away. Despite my attempts to get out of the pair of muscular arms I failed. "Get off of me!" I yelled. He gripped my wrists harder. "Stop fighting. He almost died" Eric said. I paused. "What?" I asked. He let me go. "Kai is almost dead. You almost beat him to death" my mouth opened. "I- I wasn't trying to kill him I just got mad and I don't know what happened" did I kill him is he actually dead. What pissed me off this much Eric Marcus Kai or just stress in general."it's fine he's not going to die he'll just be in the infirmary for a while" Eric said. I beat him and Kai up. Both fights were reckless and I know in both I wasn't using my full ability. "What am I going to do?" I asked. Eric still had his arms around me. I looked up to him. He didn't like me but he knew I needed help. "I" he paused

"I don't know," he said. I was already exhausted from beating Kai near his death. "Thanks Four" my older brother had come back from the infirmary handing something to Eric. I couldn't see what it was nor did I care until Eric stabbed me with a needle. I hissed at him. "What the hell!" I yelled trying to shove him off me. The needle was in my neck but whatever was in it wasn't injected into my bloodstream yet. "Four a little help" Eric said to Four who had started walking back to the training room. Fighting two trainers was funny considering they could easily overpower me. Especially when one is your brother. Eric's grip on me was tight and I could feel bruises forming. "Calm down Charlie!" Tobias said. He would never hurt me so whatever was in the syringe wasn't going to hurt me. I stopped fighting, letting Four push the top of the syringe releasing the liquid in the syringe. "I'll take her Eric," Four said. He shook his head. "You've got a room full of other initiates. I'll only be a second," he said. It only took a second for my body to go limp in Eric's arms. Please do not drop me I thought to myself. Four nods and leaves. Eric picks me up in his arms. The sedative they had given me had knocked me out in five minutes which is honestly surprising because I'd been fighting it and I didn't think it would knock me out for another 2.

Tris' pov:

We all gasped at the sight of Charlotte beating Kai. Zayn was all but trying to get to the ring but Peter and Molly held him back. Eric must've not registered what was going on because he only stepped in to get her off him when he was nearly dead. "I didn't think she was capable of that" I said to Christina. I mean she did try and fight Eric yesterday it could be something to do with Marcus abusing her. I was the only one who knew the rumors were 100% true. I've seen the wounds, scars and bruises caused by him and I'm glad she got out. "Someone use that phone on the wall and call the infirmary" Eric shouted to people next to us. The girl who I recognized as an Amity was the one to call. I believe her name was Brooklyn. Charlotte's face was smothered in blood and she wasn't calming down. Even after Kai was down, even after everyone was freaking out. "Take five" Eric told us. I watched as he walked out with her in his arms.