Rency and I maintained a quiet conversation, mostly driven by her, during the time it took for us to get settled into our new living spaces. She'd already asked me a series of random questions that I answered out of polite kindness.

Favorite color? Silver. Age? 18. Favorite food? Breakfast food. How many siblings? 1.

I wasn't sure if she was actually that chatty naturaly or just nervous.

"Shoot, I already kind of miss my family. I wish I could have said goodbye to my brothers," Rency said nostalgicly. "What about you?"

"Me?" I asked.

"Yeah do you think you're going to miss your family?" She followed.

"No. Not really," I said back a little more coldly than I'd intended

She nodded and politely didn't press further. But she couldn't hide the curiosity in her eyes.

"I mean-... I'll miss my friend, I mean friends, I guess," I added awkwardly,  which still seemed to do little to sate her interest.

"Me too," Rency chimed.

I pulled off my white and black Candor shirt revealing a black bra and modest chest. A boy, I think named Frankfurt, from Erudite, with a beautifully sculpted jawline and wavy hair, wolf whistled.

I glared at him from the corner of my eyes.

"Fuck off," I said but that only caused his caustic grin to expand. Rency glared at him too but try as she might, she didn't appear all that intimidating.

I slipped on the black tank top and cargo pants provided by Dauntless that fit my athletic figure well.

About ten minutes later, the group of transfers decided to venture to the pit and get dinner. I followed the group with Rency beside me. I barely knew her but she was the closest thing I had to a friend in this unkown setting. And if I'd learned anything in Candor, it's that friends are hard to come by.

I didn't mind the quiet moment between us but noticed she looked increasingly anxious as unfamiliar and intimidating Dauntless members passed by. Many were tall and muscular looking with tattoos and all wore black or dark clothes. I decided to attempt a conversation to ease my new red headed companion.

"So, uh Rency... why did you pick Dauntless?" I asked randomly as we walked down to the Pit.

Rency looked at me, obviously happy to talk. "I just couldn't stay in Amity anymore. Being kind all the time and never being able to tell people what you really think is torture," She answered thoughtfully.

I chuffed at the irony. My torture was being stuck in a faction where I couldn't keep anything to myself. But that wasn't been the only reason I left.

"I can understand that," I said, offering a faint smile. "You might of fit in with Candor in that case."

"Thats true, but I don't really like arguing with others. My brothers and I used to always fight it out, especially when we were younger. And I still feel that way sometimes," Rency explained and I nodded in thought.

We fell quiet again as we slowly walked into the pit which was bustling with people. We quickly passed through the buffet and most of the food were greasy carbs and meat wrapped in more carbs. I like corn dogs and fried chicken as much as the next person but even then, my appetite didn't seem all that interested in anything the Dauntless pit had to offer.

Poor Rency, a vegetarian, almost gagged as she tried to put a hamburger on her pate. I chuckled as she quickly ran past the rest of the oily food to where the small supply of fruits and veggies was.

Even though I wasn't all that hungry, I snagged what I thought looked like a turkey burger, a handful of fries, and an orange.

Rency then found me with a haphazard salad on her plate and we looked around for a place to sit. I spotted Matius and another blond boy from Erudite, whose name I didn't know, sitting at a table across the hall. At the table next to them sat Eric, Max, Four, and two other men I didn't know who each looked equally intimidating and tought. Was everyone here like that?

I did my best to mask my nervousness and sat down right next to Matius before nodding hello.

Rency sat down next to the blond Erudite. "Hey Ryan, hey Matius " She greeted happily as she set down her tray.

Rency's plate was piled high with mostly fruits and vegetables aside from the single hamburger patty that lay discarded to live an uneaten and lonely life at the edge of her tray.

"Come on Rency, we aren't in Amity anymore. Live a little," Matius pointed out, looking directly at her tray. His own tray was stacked with copious amounts of fried and salted foods that were certainly not organic in any way. But no less delicious.

"So what? I'm still not touching meat," She replied, happily taking a bite of greens.

"See, real Amity don't bother with this kind of food. Too used to having everything fresh off the vine," the former Erudite, Ryan, said lightheartedly, pointing at Matius who grinned.

Upon closer inspection, Ryan was light blonde with hair that ended just above his chin and had a sharp nose. He was certainly a pretty boy and I couldn't deny that his sky blue eyes were dreamy.

"Food off the vine is better than food off the deep fryer," Rency jousted.

I say back and simply listened to them chat and bicker amicably while munching quietly on my french fries.

"But it tastes like dirt half the time," Matius pointed out, with a mouthfuls of potato chips.

Rency waved a strawberry infront his face. "And this dirt tastes amazing."

"Whatever, dork," Matius teased before taking a long drink from his soda.

Ryan glanced my way curiously.

"You know, for a Candor, your're pretty quiet," Ryan said and suddenly all the attention adjudted to me. Eighteen years of living amongst snappy Candors gave me a quick reply.

"And you talk just as mindlessly as other Erudites," I replied, not missing a beat before popping another fry in my mouth.

Ryan grinned, happy to gain the reaction he'd wanted. "There's that sharp mouth," he said, pointing at me with a grin that I couldn't resist returning at least a little bit. "I don't think I could ever be Candor. They're just... too much."

"What's wrong with being a Candor? At least we don't have books shoved up our ass," I said with a smirk making Matius snort. Not sure why I was defending my faction but for some reason, it felt wrong to concede to an Erudite.

"Well at least I'm not a rude-

"Stop talking about your old factions!" Four suddenly interrupted from the table next to us. I had nearly forgotten they were at the table next to us. We all went completely silent as we we stared at the Dauntless leaders with wide eyes. "You are Dauntless now."

My eyes were focused on Four but then drifted to Eric, who watched us closely. I was a little startled and didn't dare respond, but Rency had other plans.

"I heard you were a Transfer," Rency blurted out.

Four arched one of his thick eyebrows and turned his dark gaze to her. Matius quickly busied himself by taking a sip of soda and Ryan became interested in the end of his spoon. I could only stare helplessly at Rency who was quickly turing a bright red.

"You kidding me?" He asked, looking at her as if she was crazy. I gave her the same look from the corner of my eye.

"No," She answered quietly, her confidence deflating.

"What makes you think you can talk to me?" Four asked stoically, leaning forward dominantly.

Rency didn't know how to reply and hesitated for a few seconds but I stepped in with my Candor mouth to answer.

"Maybe it's because you're so darn approachable," I replied for her swiftly and nearly stabbed myself with my fork for not holding back.

Matius almost spit out his drink, some of it even dribbled down his chin, before hiding it with a napkin. Rency's eyes went as wide as saucers but I didn't dare look away from Four. To look away now would be taking defeat and I was already fo far in to go back now.

Eric snorted softly at my response and even Max looked subtly surprised. Four didn't have a comeback for that one and instead looked back at his fellow men.

"Tough one," Four said softly with a tone I couldn't recognize before a man came up from behind him and said something quietly in his ear.

I caught the eye of Eric again and accidently held his steely gaze for a second too long. It was like starring at a hawk. A predator watching his prey. It was unsettling even if he was good looking and built like a body builder.

I quickly finished dinner and took off with Rency to the living quarters. We didn't talk much about the brief altercation and instead conversed about what might come tomorrow. I then brushed my teeth quickly and went to sleep. Or at least tried to since the beds were about as comfortable as a sandpaper body wrap.

Eventually, I fell asleep having weird dreams about a tattooed blond man and this crazy place called Dauntless.