Fine Line Between Love and Hate (Peter Hayes)

                                    

                                          
The train rattles on its tracks, swaying slightly from side to side as more Dauntless initiates jump on. You can see a few poor souls too scared to attempt the first jump, factionless before they even made it to their choice of home. You sliced open your hand, you made the jump, and now here you stand, watching the world rip past you as the train picks up speed.
                          
Two girls just manage to make it onto the traincar in time. You extend a hand to them, helping them up. They take it gratefully, introducing themselves as Tris and Christina. You smile back at them. "Y/N. I'm Y/N." The three of you stand, watching the distant lights and buildings of Dauntless draw ever nearer. "Think it'll be hard? The initiation process?" A mocking voice echoes out from behind you. "If you have to ask, I think it'll be brutal for you."
                          
You turn around slowly to see a Candor boy with dark hair staring at you, a smirk toying on his lips. You raise an eyebrow. "Who said I was talking to you?" The boy's smirk just broadens. "You spoke loud enough that it seemed like anyone in the entire city could answer." You roll your eyes. "This might come as a surprise, Candor, but just because you can talk doesn't mean you should."
                          
The Candor boy remains, well, undaunted by this. He takes a step forward, gesturing lazily at your sapphire clothes. "And I suppose you'd know all about that, wouldn't you, Erudite? I bet you've studied enough to have a perfect understanding of how to talk to people." You let your gaze turn judgemental. "I'd certainly know more than you." With that, you turn back around, letting Candor's gaze fall securely on your back.
                          
Beside you, Christina is chuckling softly. "Barely a couple of minutes, and I can already tell you're going to be excellent to be around." You give her an incredulous look. "You had better be joking about that. I can make fun of two Candor as easily as one." Christina holds up her hands in defense, but she can't seem to shake a laugh. "Hey, I'm a Dauntless now. Same as you. I'm just saying that I think we're going to be very good friends."
                          
You smile at that, letting your gaze return to the receding horizon. You have a feeling that Christina is right- she seems nice, so does Tris. The only person you don't feel friendly towards is Candor, the one boy who's already challenging you before you've even stepped foot in Dauntless. Everyone is supposed to have a different motive for choosing their factions. You chose Dauntless to feel strong, to challenge your body just like you've challenged your mind all your life. Well, Candor's motive seems like he just wants a chance to be as antagonistic as he can and be able to back his words up with his punches.
                          
A Dauntless training leader shouts to you, already moving to the door of the train. He announces that you'll be jumping again, much to the dismay of Christina and Tris. You don't have time to complain, though- you're already jumping, feet soaring through the air, free as a bird. You feel a laugh ripped from your chest, and then your feet hit the ground in a rush. You stumble, coming to a stop in a neatly contained roll.
                          
You go to stand up but suddenly, the sun is blocked out from above you by a silhouette looming in front of you. You sigh in irritation when you realize it's Candor. He offers you a hand. "Need some help? It wouldn't surprise me." You stand up on your own, tossing him a glare as you go. "I doubt I'll ever need help from you. The other way around, well, I could see that happening a lot." You give him one last look then walk away to Tris and Christina, letting Candor's offended complaints fade away like music to your ears.
                          
The only problem with all this is, of course, that Candor isn't exactly going away. You're both Dauntless initiates, and you'll have to deal with him for the rest of your life, or at least until initiation ends. So, when you're all directed to begin your first few sparring matches and you happen to be paired with Candor, you can do nothing except curse your bad luck.
                          
You stand opposite him in the ring, eyeing him warily. He tosses you a smile, about as charming as a wolf. "If you're scared, I'm sure you can back down." You laugh once. "As if, Candor. I'd be more worried about yourself." He takes the first swing, intentionally low so he can feint at your arms. You were expecting this and dodge easily. "I have a name, you know. It's Peter, not Candor." You slide to the ground, sweeping his legs out from under him. "I didn't ask."