"You Stiffs are so selfish," says Cassie to Amy, as we eat in the Cafereria after our first day of fighting, "Couldn't let me even win my first fight, huh?"

"We all have to fight each other at some point," Plato points out quietly.

"Shut up Plato," snaps Cassie, "I was talking to Amy here- and hey! Are you even listening to me?!" It's pretty clear that Amy isn't. She is instead staring over Cassie's shoulder with her spoon halfway to her mouth.

"Oh great," Cassie scoffs, "She's now choosing to ignore me," But then turns round to see what Amy is looking at-the Dauntless girl with red hair who saved Amy on the roof. 

"You Stiffs are weird," declares Cassie, just as Amy decides to come back to earth. 

"I'm not a Stiff!" retorts Amy, flushing "I'm Dauntless! And I don't know why you've got a prob-" She stops suddenly. The Dauntless girl with red hair is approaching our table.

"Hi," says the girl, while Amy goes somehow even redder than before, "I'm Lyra."

"Hi?" says Sam.

"No offence," begins Cassie.

"But why are you talking to us?" I finish.

Sam's eyes widen and Plato gasps, "Dex!"

"Ignore our friend here," says Sam, "It's seems they have no manners in Amity."

"Just asking a question." I mutter.

Ignoring all of this, Lyra says, "I figured I'd just say hello, considering that we're going to have to become acquainted at some point." Her grey eyes dart to Amy's and smiles. Amy smiles back before lowering her gaze to the table. 

"Well, nice to meet you," says Sam, and then he spots something on her wrist, "Hey, is that a tattoo?"

"Yeah," says Lyra, and tilts her wrist so we can make out the shape of a lion, "You like it?"

Sam stares at it, and then, beaming, turns to the rest of us, "Who here wants to get a tattoo?"

"No," I say decisively, "Just because I'm Dauntless, I don't need to get a tattoo." Maybe I'm against them because of my Amity upbringing but at the same time, I don't want to get a tattoo just to prove that I belong. I just want people to see me for what I am: Dauntless. 

"They make your skin look ugly," agrees Cassie, "and it could lead to your skin getting infected."

"And, besides," adds Plato, "I need to do some extra training."

Sam stares at us in shock, "Wow," he says, "You three are a real bunch of killjoys aren't you? You know, Dex," he says turning to me, "I expected this from the boring Erudites but I didn't figure you would be boring as well."

"I'm not saying tattoos aren't fun," says Plato placidly, "I'm just saying that I need more training. I'm surprised you don't want to come too."

Sam bristles at this, "What, because I lost my fight against Dex? I may need the training but I'm not going to let that get in the way of having fun. Your Erudite upbringing is getting in the way."

"Hey!" says Cassie, "I'm from Erudite too and I'm not going to get extra training!"

"Yeah?" retorts Sam, "But you still don't want to get a tattoo!"

"Wow," Lyra interrupts, "Only one day of training in and you guys are already at each other's throats? Just chill, all of you." There's an awkward pause. 

"Alright," Sam relents, "So who's coming to the Pit?" All of us, except Plato, put out hands up.

"It'll be cool to see the Pit." I say. 

"So let's go," says Sam, "See you around Plato?"

Plato nods, looking a bit betrayed, "Yeah, see you later." 

"Wait," I say, remembering something, just as he's about to walk off, "Isaac and Brooke were in the training room yesterday."

Plato smiles, "Then I'll go to Amar's office, and see if he'll do some extra training with me."

"Amar has an office?" I ask, stunned. 

"You didn't pay attention on the tour?" He asks. I shake my head, and he grins, before heading off in the direction of presumably Amar's office is. 

As the rest of us head off towards the Pit, I fall into step beside Lyra and I can't help but voice my thoughts, "So Lyra, you've said 'hello' to us. Why are you going with us to the Pit rather than spending time with your Dauntless buddies? Ow!" I wince as Sam jabs me in the back.

Lyra laughs, "I've known my Dauntless friends all my life. It's time to make some new ones too." And she looks behind her at Amy and smiles. 

This answer doesn't satisfy me, but before I can ask another question, we enter the Pit. It's full of Dauntless, who are chatting and showing off to each other. A lot of them are drinking and some are dancing to the so-loud-it-can-burst-your-eardrums music that is playing in here.

"Welcome to the Pit!" Lyra says loudly, in an effort to be heard over the music. We make our way to the tattoo section.

"Wow," Sam breathes, when he sees all the different designs.

"All I see are numerous ways to get your skin infected," sneers Cassie. She's trying to be disdainful as if to show her disgust, but she can't help but keep the awe out of her voice.

There are rows and rows of them. All kinds of different creatures and designs-from 3 birds and a butterfly to the Minotaur out of Greek Mythology. As well as animals, there are all sorts of different symbols. I see the factions symbols, as well as trees and short elaborate messages written in different designs.

"I guess tattoos really define who you are," I say.

Sam raises his eyebrows at me, "Sure you don't want to get one?" He smiles teasingly.

I frown, "I'm sure," I say decisively.

"Me too," says Cassie, but then she spots a dragon tattoo and grabs it off one of the shelves, "This one though, doesn't look too bad-for a tattoo."

As Lyra and Amy go through a book full of different tattoos, Sam picks one off the top shelf and shows it to me.

"What do you think?" he asks. It's a dinosaur, "I think of getting it maybe on my arm?"

"It doesn't suit you," I say bluntly. And it's true; it doesn't. It's probably the most ridiculous idea he has ever suggested.

Sam looks hurt by this and Lyra and Amy are clearly shocked, but they brush it aside and continue looking for a tattoo. After a while, Amy admits that she probably won't get one.

"You mean, you took us all the way here, only to say you won't get one?" sneers Cassie, "You're even more selfish that I thought."

"None of them suit me," says Amy, "and anyway, are you getting one?"

"Actually I am," says Cassie, holding up the dragon design, "Unlike you, you coward."

"Coward?" repeats Lyra, going to stand beside Amy, glowering at Cassie, "You didn't want a tattoo at first. It takes bravery to stand up for you believe in. Amy never said she was going to get a tattoo. But you made your opinion very clear, and now you've changed your mind. So what does that make you? A coward. Because you're not brave enough to stand by your beliefs."

There's a stunned silence. Cassie throws the design onto the floor, where it smashes into pieces, "I didn't want a tattoo anyway," she snarls, "I'm going to go and get my hair done." She begins to walk away. 

"Cassie?" begins Amy.

"I've meaning to get my cut for ages" Cassie says with a sniff to no one in particular before stopping and turning back to Amy, "What, Stiff ?"

"Don't call her that," says Lyra, "She's as much an Abnegation as you are an Erudite. Or should I start calling you Nose ?"

"It's none of your business," spits Cassie, then she stops, "Wait...what did you just call me?"

"A Nose," replies Lyra evenly, "It's slang for Erudite because they're know-it-alls."

"Dauntless are weird," says Cassie.

"And you're about to become one," retorts Lyra.

Cassie ignores her and turns back to Amy, but this time she amends her question, "What, Amy? "

"The hairdresser area is over that way," Amy points in the opposite direction she was heading in. 

"Thanks," spits Cassie.

I wait around whilst Sam gets himself a Dauntless tattoo on his shoulder, and Lyra and Amy continue to look through the book of tattoo designs, even though neither of them are getting one. 

Eventually, Sam re-appears with his Dauntless tattoo, "What do you think?" he grins. 

"Unimaginative," I reply. 

"Oh shut up," he says. 

"You should be used to my bluntness by now."

Sam smiles, "True." He turns to look at Lyra and Amy, and then touches my arm, "Come on, let's go and get a drink. I want to give those two some privacy. "

"Why?" I ask, as Sam leads me over to a bar. 

"You're so oblivious Dex," he laughs, and refuses to explain further. 

As Sam gets us a couple of drinks, Cassie joins us, having evidently decided that she didn't want a hair cut after all. Once we've finished our drinks, we meet up with the others and head back to our dorm. 

Lyra and Amy stop to talk as we reach the stairs that divide our dormitories but the rest of us continue along and come across Plato, who looks sweaty from training.

"Hey," he says, when noticing us, "Nice tattoo Sam."

"Oh thanks," says Sam, clearly pleased.

There's an awkward silence, which I decide to break by asking the obvious taboo question, "So how was training?" Sam and Cassie grimace as if they feel guilty for not coming along. 

"Yeah, it was great, thanks Dex," says Plato, and he, himself, seems awkward about answering. Then, as he catches us looking at him, realises that maybe more information might be in order, "There wasn't much space in the office but a one-to-one session with Amar was really helpful. You guys should come along next time."

"Trapped in a small room with Amar?" shudders Sam, "No thanks. You've put me right off." And he and Plato laugh nervously.

That night, I find it hard to sleep. The bunk bed moves as Sam tosses and turns in the bunk underneath me. There are other sounds too- I hear Cassie sobbing in the darkness.

Hearing her cry, makes it really hit home how much I miss my family. I feel my eyes prickle when I remember the family party my dad and father held. We will never be together again. 

I bite my lip to stop myself from crying. I am Dauntless now, and judging from the fight today, I'm confident I will pass and become a member. And then I can have the life I've always dreamed of having. 

As I drift off to sleep, I hear someone moving about in the dark and the unmistakeable voice of Plato, whispering to Cassie softly. And then I'm asleep...