Visiting day is today. Edward and I spent the night in the infirmary. He's way worse off than I am, but I had to get stitches in my forehead and minimal pain meds for my neck. It's bruised so bad that it hurts to swallow. I'm well enough to walk to the dorms on my own, but Edward's laying silently in his bed as I slip out of the infirmary.
I make it just before Eric does, he lets me in first and I find my way to my bed to gather the dress I chose for today. It's long and flowy, with short lace sleeves and a long black undergarment. I roll my pants up as I pull long black socks up my legs.
"Attention! I want to give you some advice about today. If by some miracle your families do come to visit you... which I doubt..." His beady eyes land on me, "It is best not to seem too attached. That will be easier for you, and easier for them. We also take the phrase 'faction before blood' very seriously here. Attachment to your family suggests you aren't entirely pleased with your faction, which would be shameful. Understand?"
The threat is as clear as day. I wait for everyone to clear out, Eric waits behind, giving me a funny look. "You're doing well, fractured, didn't expect that from you."
"I'm flattered." I deadpan, already annoyed with him. He doesn't even try and I get annoyed. It's like magic.
Eric laughs and leaves the dorm, I change as fast as I can. Checking that I'm covered and I wear the scarf my mother gave me. Tammi's jacket lays at the bottom of my drawer, my arms are bare with this dress so I grab it and slide it on. It has a faint smell of him.
My feet carry me to the pit quickly, I run into Tris. "Hey," She nods at me and I walk in stride with her, "I hope someone showed up for you," I find that I really mean it and it surprises me.
"Thank you, I hope they let your family come."
"Chances are they didn't, everyone's been flaunting their factioned status but I'm still factionless at heart." The meaning behind my words dawns on Tris as she focuses on someone in front of her. "Is that your mother?" I see a woman who looks strikingly like Tris and her face lights up. "Go see her," I nudge Tris forward and begin searching for any of my family members.
I see Four and he sees me at the same second. That same look he gave me yesterday after beating Edward is there. He breaks eye contact this time. It takes a while of looking for me to see them, I don't even believe it for a second but then I'm running across the pit. Avoiding all the dangers and running right into Tamino's arms.
"Oh my, oh my, I didn't think they'd let you guys come." My voice is muffled by his chest as he holds me so tightly. "I missed you so much," I looked up at him before squeezing him once more. Then I see my ma and the tears finally win, I rush to her and somehow she seems smaller than before.
"My Rose," I didn't realize how much I missed the sound of my mother's voice. "Let me look at you," She holds my face in her hands, eyes scanning every feature. I can tell when she sees the faded bruise on my eye and the bright purple one on my cheek, "By Allah, what happened to you?"
I choke up, "Initiation, it's okay, I'm winning." David isn't here. I think I know why. But Baba is, I'm hugging him so tightly next then it's down to Ada Jane. "Hey, bubs." She's crying but I assure her I'm okay. I see that she's wearing a hijab, matching my mother and it makes it harder for me to contain my tears.
"Tell David that I'm in first, I've been in the top five since I got here and I was the first jumper. My team won the game too." I don't have to elaborate for my dad to understand, he just nods, squeezing the hand he's holding. "How did you get to come?"
Baba shrugs, "We received notice that we were allowed to come. Direct family only, David would have but–it's been too soon since he left, someone might recognize him." He speaks in Arabic and I understand why. There are cameras all over the compound. It's hard to avoid them.
"Okay, I understand, I'm so glad you all could come. Do you want to meet my friends?"
Tammi laughs, "Rita has Dauntless friends?" I push him and underestimate the strength I have, his jaw drops, "Ow." I don't understand how he seems to not be angry anymore. But part of me does. We have limited time, we have to savor it.
"They're all transfers like I am. One of them..." I pull at my scarf, "Is from Abnegation." That really sets him off, he towers over everyone as I lead them toward Christina and Will's families. My friends are respectful but I can tell that their families are struggling not to turn their noses up in disgust.
Christina has to crane her neck to meet my twin's eyes, "I thought you were joking about how tall he is, Rita."
Tamino seems to be loving the surprised looks he's getting. He's easily taller than everyone here, but he's skinny from lack of good food. But I think he's meatier than before I left, the new flow of money must be helping everyone. Ada's grown at least two inches.
"I think he may have grown some more, this is my brother, Tamino Amir. My sister, Ada Jane," Christina awes at Ada which makes her cheeks flush, "My ma, and my Baba."
"It's nice to meet you, this is mom and sister." They shake hands and I see that her mother might recognize my dad.
"Isiah?" She asks and my dad laughs, "It is you, isn't it?"
He nods, "I won't lie," Christina's mom laughs at the joke, "It's been a very long time, it's wonderful to see you also have a family of your own." It's weird seeing him interact with someone from his childhood. I can't imagine my dad as a teenager.
"I've heard great things about your daughter," She gives me a smile.
The meeting with Will's sister is brief because Erudite exhausts everyone in my family, "I'm finding myself more glad you chose Dauntless every second." Tammi mumbles into my ear. "Erudite are so much worse."
"They're just less violent, I've found–no actually they're not. There are two in my group that have been studying combat since the age of like–10. I did beat them both though." I have a smug smile that I know makes my mother shake her head.
"Pride in excess will lead to your downfall, Rose." Baba warns and I nod, "Though it is a wonderful feeling excelling here." He gets it.
I lead them to Tris and her mom, another brief exchange. Natalie Prior, I remember her face well enough. My parents know her too, my mom is genuinely nice but I'm turning them away before the conversation can get heated.
Four's still standing in that same spot, sporting a bored look. "That's my instructor," Tammi 'ooos' and I elbowed his side. "His name is Four."
"Four? That's funny, is there someone named Five?"
Baba is the one who walks toward Four, probably to get an idea of what I've been dealing with. "Four," I start, "This is my family–well some of it."
His expression changes as he shakes my father's hands–it's awkward for him, I can tell by the robotic way he does it. "Nice to meet you, Rita's been doing extraordinarily." I snort at the use of 'extraordinarily.'
I murmur an apology to my mother as she nods at Four, "I hear she's first place?" Baba pulls me to his side, I can hear the smile on his face.
"She came here quite prepared it seemed, I'd love to meet this cousin who taught her what she knows. She bested me in combat the second day." I'm startled that he'd admit to losing to me. But he is different than Eric, he's so much less egotistical and far more grounded.
"Woah, Ritty, you beat him?" Ada's doubt makes my lip twitch in amusement, I nod dramatically. "I'm Ada." She's normally shy but I find it adorable that she approaches my brooding instructor with ease.
Four's exposure breaks upon seeing my sister, I see him smile down at her. "Hello, Ada. How are you and your family?"
Ada shrugs, "I've never been in a faction stronghold before." I bet Tamino told her that this was some kind of stronghold, I pinch his arm and he glares at me. "It's kinda scary."
He chuckles, "Yea, it's a little dangerous. But it is Dauntless." That makes her laugh into her hands, still tucked into my mom's side. Four extends his hand out to Tamino who's a bit confused at first but then shakes it anyway.
"I'm Rita's twin brother, Tamino."
"The resemblance is uncanny." It's so odd seeing Four like this, he's... different. It's a good different.
I shake my head at them, "Funny, now break it up before you start conspiring against me. I'm hungry." I poke Ada, "They have cake." Her eyes light up, she's only had cake once or twice in her life before. "It's killer." I picked that up from Christina who must have heard some Dauntless say it.