After Dark • Peter Hayes

Reunion's can be awkward

Pipers POV;

"Who do you think will come to see you?" I could hear them all talking back and forth while brushing their teeth.

It was visiting day.

I knew someone would appear for me, I just didn't know if my brother would. I'd hoped he would but I hadn't really spoken to him much since he moved to Candor last year. He'd been too busy for us it seemed.

"What about you Piper?" Chris smiled nudging my shoulder.

"Oh, mum and dad probably"

"I've not seen Catherine and Martin in forever" Will added after spitting out his leftover toothpaste.

"I'm sure they'll be ecstatic to see you Will" sarcasm laced my words.

"What about Wren?" He asked ignoring my comment.

"I don't think Wren will show, you know what he's like" I shrugged running the towel over my face after soaking it. He nodded. He knew it got to me that Wren had been MIA, we were always incredibly close. "Oh well, faction over blood right?" I added, knowing that's how my brother believed it to be.

"Yea something like that"

——————

While eating breakfast a couple of parents had flooded through early.

A lot of crying. A lot.

"William? Is that you?" I heard a sweet voice coming from behind. Cara. God, I'd missed Cara.

"Cara! You're here" he gushed standing up to hug her tightly. She laughed, he looked happy. I knew he was as close to Cara as I used to be with Wren. She'd chosen to stay in erudite.

"Piper Canning! Get up here and give me a hug!" She called laughing.

"Canning?" I heard a mutter of who I thought was Peter but I'd ignored it.

"Cara! How is life in erudite?" I squeezed her tight.

"So so, they're busy talking about divergents as usual, but besides that not much" she giggled, my heart sank a little as a reminder of Tris. A reminder of more than just Tris.

"You know I'm your sibling right?" Will pouted from beside us. "Besides, someone's here for you too sister stealer" he pointed to the doors.

Mum and dad.

I walked over to them smiling as wide as I had done in a long time.

"Piper, you look so grown up" mum started crying immediately. God I loved her. I hugged her straight away, dad wrapped his arms around us both.

"I missed you guys"

Dad chuckled pulling mum off me after what felt like a ten minute hug.

"How's dauntless?" Dad raised a brow, looking around to take everything in.

"It's good, I'm 7th on the leaderboard as of today" I smiled realising they'd have no idea what I'm talking about, "never mind that, it's going well, I'm starting to settle in" I wanted to reassure them. If I hadn't mum would be overthinking this for years probably.

"Good to hear Pip" dad patted my shoulder.

"Did Wren.." I stopped talking when I realised dads lips had now formed a straight line. "Ah"

"We haven't heard from him in a year Pip. I'm sorry", I hadn't either.

I don't even know what I expected.

"Besides that, where William?" Mum changed topic. I walked over to where Will was sat with Cara, both equally as excited to say hello to my parents again.