A/N: The ending is surprising :)
The next day, it was time to find out what our rankings were. I was standing beside Mai, leaning against the wall, while Amar was explained how the ranks were decided, it wasn't really useful for us to know now...
"After the first fight that you did, we ranked you according to skill, like... if you were a really good fighter and won in the first fight, you were one of the top ranks, and if you weren't a great fighter and you didn't show much promise in the fighting department, then you were going to be low ranked. After that you earned points depending on how you improved and the skill level of the person you beat, for example, if you beat someone that was a good fighter, you earn more points than you would have if they were a bad fighter. But, if you were a high ranked person, you lose points for losing to a low ranked person." Amar finished his speech and looked around at us all. "So, with that said, I think that maybe all of you can guess where you are going to be on the board. " He tapped a black board that was facing away from us beside him. "The cuts will be made tomorrow, at it could be any mixture of Dauntless-born and transfers that get kicked out. There could be more of you leaving or more of them leaving. There could be none of you or none of them. I know it sounds unfair, but it really isn't." He looked around at us again. "I'll let you see what rank you have come in now." And he turned around the blackboard so that all of us could see.
1. Tobias
2. Eric
3. Marie
4. Mai
5. Nicolas
6. Andrew
7. Sean
8. Theresa
9. Connor
10. Shane
11. Percy
12. Ella
13. Xavier
14. Shantelle
It looked like we were all going to pass this part of the initiation.
"I'm fourth!" Mai squeals, bouncing around and hugging me. "I can't believe it! I don't think that any of us are going to get cut!" Then she lets go of me and makes Tobias and Andrew join her in their group hug, despite their discomfort.
I am second. Tobias beat me. If he hadn't have won in that last fight, then I would have been first. Me not him. I tried to push the bitter feelings away, we are all staying in Dauntless, for now at least.
I smile at Mai as she does a cartwheel in the middle of the room in happiness, and Amar just rolls his eyes.
. . .
The next day we have a day off, but it wasn't really that great because today, seven people were going to get cut, and tension and nerves were running high. Even though Mai, Andrew, Tobias and I couldn't get cut even if all of the Dauntless-born were ranked above us.
"It's so mean, kicking people out to be Factionless..." Mai whispered sadly. "I mean, they tried their best, and I don't think that this happens in any of the other factions."
"Your Amity is showing," Andrew reminded her, and Mai didn't answer. She just tugged nervously at the sleeves on her wrists.
"It's okay," I tried to comfort her. "At least we all have each other, right?" Mai nodded slowly.
"It's just unfair..." I tried to give her a sympathetic look from across the table, but she was looking at her hands. Andrew put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer, and I clenched my hands in jealously.
No Eric, they are just friends... just friends... just friends...
. . .
We sat down waiting for the cuts to be made. Mai was sitting beside Andrew, she had been hanging out with him all day, and pretty much ignoring Tobias and I. Andrew had been comforting her, and telling her not to let her Amity show too much - she was Dauntless now. They were just friends, but that fact didn't help to simmer down my jealousy.
George and Amar walked into the room, carrying a blackboard, and Max was standing at the threshold of the door, a smirk on his face.
"Here are the cuts," Amar said tonelessly. Amar wasn't cruel, he didn't like this part of the initiation at all. None of us liked this part of the initiation, except maybe Marie, who was smirking in the corner.
George turned the blackboard and sure enough there was seven names with lines going through them. Five transfers and two Dauntless-born. Shane, Percy, Ella, Xavier and Shantelle from the transfers, and Melanie and Kate from the Dauntless-born.
"Clear out." George told us all. "Dinner is ready."
. . .
After dinner we went to the dorm room, where five beds where stripped and emptied. There was no sign that the other five transfers had ever been there. I decided to go for a walk to clear my head, and Andrew decided to follow me, much to my displeasure. Mai wanted to stay with Tobias because they were in the middle of a very interesting conversation.
As soon as we were a good distance away from the dorms, I began to get onto Andrew's case.
"Do you like Mai?" I asked him.
"Of course I like Mai," he replied. "Who doesn't like Mai?"
"I meant do you like her like her?" I glared at him. He glared back at me.
"Eric, you have to stop being so protective and jealous. I am her friend, nothing more. And I will never be anything more, do you hear? I don't like... I don't like, umm... well... girls." Andrew spluttered, his ears growing red.
That took me by surprise.
"You... don't... like... girls?" I repeated slowly. "So that's why you are always really awkward around Tobias... oh God... I'm sorry Andrew..." I mumbled.
"Yeah, okay, well... don't tell anyone alright? Just, stop being so stupid about people hanging out with Mai." And with that he walked off, making me feel stupid and awkward.