Chapter 37

"So," I say "Where are we going?" I ask the group.

"We'll probably hang out around the compound somewhere. Don't know though yet" The girl says, handing around a metal flask.

She tries to hand it to me but I reject it and say "I don't drink, thanks"

"Aren't you Marcus Eaton's kid?" The girl asks

"Yes, why?" I say

"Nothin' I'm just asking. This is Dauntless, isn't it? Don't you want to fit in?" The girl says, trying to hand me the flask again.

"I don't drink." I say straight up "and I don't have to get drunk in order to find a place here," I say looking her in the eye.

She glares at me but I keep my stare. After a few moments of silence, she says "Fine. Suit yourself kid" she says getting up "Funny how the daughter of an Alcoholic won't even take a sip"

"Look where it got him," I say.

She ignores me and says "Let's hang out at the pit"

Everyone gets up, and Jake, Katherine, and I glance at each other. Both of them have worried looks on their faces.

We all walk to the pit, and Tobias and his friends are already sitting there. Tobias sees me and we nod at each other before I go to where the group is.

I sit down and I see the girl from earlier looking over at Tobias is with everyone.

"Four's kinda cute, huh," The girl says

I try my hardest to keep my face straight.

"Don't you think so, Ro?" She says

"Uhh no, no I don't think so," I say quickly

"Oh please, you're telling me you've never liked him. Even for a second?" She says

"That's exactly what I'm saying," I say, smiling to not make it seem too serious

I see Jake and Katherine, smiling, trying to hold in laughs.

"Well I don't believe you," Another girl says smiling, drinking from the flask. She seems nicer, I think her name was Caitlin.

"Ah well," I say looking down trying to hold in my laugh "He's my brother"

"What?" The girl from earlier says "Are you joking?"

"Nope," I say

"Prove it," She says

I wave over to Tobias and when he sees me I wave for him to come over. He walks over and says "What's up?" Putting an arm across my shoulders

"Guys this is my brother," I tell them.

"Is Ro really your sister, Four?" The girl asks

"Yes, she is. Why?" Tobias says. It's obvious he doesn't like this group of people. Especially the girl he's talking to.

"Just proving a point," I say to him

"Okay then," Tobias says "I'll be over there if you need me". He walks back to his friends, and we continue our conversation.

"Wait, so that means he's also the son of Marcus," The girl says

"Mhm," I say

"You two were abused, right?" Caitlin asks

"Yup," I say quickly

"Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up" Caitlin says

"You're fine," I tell her

"So," The girl says. I think her name's Jess. "I'm guessing your brother doesn't like us very much"

"Well, he's not the fondest of some people," I say looking at Liam. He glares at me which confuses me, but I continue, "But he doesn't mind with everyone else" I lie.

"Your a terrible liar, Rose," Jess says "I was Candor, I can still tell when someone lies you know."

"Ah, I thought I recognized you from somewhere" Jake finally says.

"Ya, you too kid" Jess says. After a few moments of silence, Jess says "How bout' we play a quick game of Candor or Dauntless?"

Everyone who was at the last Candor and Dauntless game with me glances up at me quickly before looking down again.

I guess Jess notices because she says "What's wrong Stiff, too scared to play?" while smirking

"Last time I played it didn't end very well," I say

"That's because you were so dramatic about it. If you had just lied it wouldn't have ended so badly for you" Liam says coldly. He's way different from before. I think this group has changed him now. He's suddenly not sorry for what he said to me before.

"Ya, because lying in a game of Candor and Dauntless is completely allowed" I snap back sarcastically.

"Well it could have been if no one had known," Liam says

"What is your problem, Liam? First your all sorry and now this?" I say

"Oh please stop acting like you hate me, Ro. We all know you would've dated me if you and Jake weren't together" Liam says

"Don't flatter yourself, we both know that's not true" I say.

"Oh but it is. I think even Jake knows it too, don't you Jake?" Liam says, looking at Jake

"Don't bring him into it Liam" I say.

"Jake, don't you agree?" Liam says ignoring me

"Drop it, dude," Jake says calmly.

"I'm not going to drop it, bro. You know, that I'm right." Liam says, quieter this time so it hits him.

Jake just shakes his head and walks away, back towards the dorms. I know some part of it believes what Liam said.

"What the hell is your problem?" I tell Liam

"I'm just saying the truth-" Liam begins to say

"No, you know what, I am done with this stupid crap of yours," I say walking away towards where Jake went.

I don't find him in the dorms, so I decide to go to the door that leads to the bottom of the chasm and see him sitting on the rocks.

"Hey" I whisper

"Hi," he says

I sit down next to him and say "You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Jake says, clearly lying, although not very good at it. His face is kind of red.

"No your not Jake. It's ok not to be you know?" I say

"I'm fine," he says again.

I turn towards him and say "You don't actually believe him, do you?"

"What if he's not wrong though," Jake says, wiping his face a little

"He is though," I say putting my hand on his shoulder "You have to trust me when I say he's wrong"

"But even you admitted that you liked him once, and was thinking about dating him," Jake says

"That's because he was faking being nice. Everyone likes someone who's always nice to them. But at the end of the day, it's not real" I say

"Yeah," Jake says quietly while looking down.

"Hey," I say. He looks up at me. "I love you, Jake. I won't let people like Liam convince you otherwise, alright?"

He nods and smiles a little, then looks back down.

"Come here," I say, hugging him.

He hugs me back then let's go saying "We should head back up"

"Ya, just not around Liam," I say grabbing his hand. We walk back up the stairs and go to the chasm this time where I know Liam, and that group won't be.

~Katherine~

Jake just left, and Ro followed him out, so that left everyone standing there. No one says anything, and I feel a little uncomfortable without Ro or Jake there.

Then Jonathan whispers "Hey Kath can I talk to you?"

"Sure," I say, knowing he's going to talk about earlier tonight.

"So, before I zip-lined today you said you loved me," Jonathan says. I nod and he continues. "Did you mean that?"

"Yes. I did" I say

He smiles and says "I love you too Kath".

This time I smile, and I give him a hug. We leave, and no one seems to notice and head to the chasm to see Jake and Ro standing there.

We walk over and I ask, "You guys ok?"

"All good" Jake says.

We stand next to them and just talk for the rest of the night. It seems more simple than having to get caught up in other friend groups. We have each other, that's all that matters.