"Up, up." Someone shakes my shoulder and coos at me in a whisper voice. I groan and open my eyes to find me not in bed, but sitting up with my head in my hands in a meeting room. The sunglasses blocked anyone from seeing my eyes, so no one knew I just slept through the entire meeting.
"Ok, and that wraps up today's meeting. Hope you all get back to your faction's safely." Jeanine smiles at all of us, and exits out of the room. Isaac waves at me from the doorway and follows behind Jeanine.
I glance around the room to see Jack Kang, Johanna Reyes, Andrew Prior, and Marcus Eaton. We all start picking up our stuff and head out the door towards the main entrance. I groggily walk down the hallway, holding onto Eric's hand.
"Were you asleep in there Vana?" Johanna asks and my face reddens.
"No, I was just bored like always." I lie.
"You're lying." Jack says and I roll my eyes.
"Jack, I thought you were my partner in crime!" I say teasingly.
"Of course I am Vana. Since birth ride or die." He ruffles my blue hair.
"Um, excuse me I am partner in crime." Johanna argues playfully.
"Um, who was the one who dropped everything to see her birth? Oh yeah me." Jack says.
"You know that I tried but all the buses were closed that day Kang. Who was the one who gave her the peace serum to put in the cafeteria's food? Oh yeah me." Johanna say throwing her arms around me and pulling me away from Jack.
"I gave her the truth serum for her teacher!" Jack says pulling me towards him.
"Actually, who got her out of all the trouble she got from those pranks? Oh yeah, me." Max pulls me towards him.
"Actually, I made her so really I'm her partner in crime." Pops jumps in a yanks me from Max.
"Ow dad." I say, and rub my arm.
"Sorry baby girl." He says, pecking me on the top of my head. I shrug off his arms and walk ahead of the bickering adults.
"Hello, Vana. I hate to ask you this question again but, how's Tobias?" Marcus asks me. He always asks me this after our monthly leader meetings. It's always weird hearing Four's real name.
"He's the same as always. Passive aggressive, and sassy." I say. I think harder, and a smile spreads across my face at the memory of last night.
"Actually though, he is becoming quite fond of one his initiates. She also transferred from Abnegation this year. I think her name is like Kris?" I say trying to recall blondie's name.
"Beatrice? My daughter Beatrice." Andrew says.
"Does she have blonde hair?" He nods and smile.
"Oh yes Andrew, I almost forgot that your daughter was in initiation. She's doing really good right now, first in rankings if I remember correctly-" Andrew cuts me off with a dismissive shake of the head.
"I don't want to hear about how she's doing." He says.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, faction before blood" He says, opening the door for me to go outside. I open my mouth to thank him but Pop's voice interupts me.
"If I ejaculated my sperm to create Vana, she is my little girl." Pops yells.
"Dad!" I scream, and my head aches more right after.
"Paul, that was uncalled for." Jack says, walking away shaking his head.
"What? It was the truth! Your the leader of Candor aren't you all about the truth?" Pops tries to defned himself.
"Not cool dude." Max says shaking his head.
"Guys! Why am I the bad guy all of sudden?"
~*~
"Finally, after this I can go home and take a fucking nap." I say setting down my plate and laying my head on the dining hall table.
"You still hungover from last night?" Sara says, petting my hair.
"Yes." I groan.
"Oh I'm sorry." She says in a motherly voice and my eyes heavy with sleep.
"I'm just glad that after eating I can go home and take a nap. By the time I wake up and pick up Ada from school, I should be sober enough." I say shoving a fry in my mouth. I ignore the nauseous feeling in my stomach and force myself to eat at least half my lunch. My friends talk among themselves as my eyes grow heavier and heavier.
"I wouldn't fall asleep just yet, doesn't seem like work is over." Hunter says patting my head. I look up to see Four taking determined steps in my direction. I mutter some unpleasant words as he grabs my upper arm and forces me to walk with him. As we pass Eric, he starts to stand up and stop Four but I stop him.
"Down dog." I mutter to him and Everret snickers beside him. We walk quickly towards the leader's meeting room and closes the door behind him.
"Look Four, I'm tired as hell right now so whatever you have to say is going to have to wait-"
"Tris is divergent." He says flatly.
My eyes are so wide I'm thought they would fall out my head. Not surprised that Tris was divergent, it was pretty obvious, but the fact that he was telling me this.
"Don't say that word. Ever. That word gets people killed." I whisper sternly at him as if someone was watching us. I knew there were no cameras in the room, but I remember the time Jeanine used that word on me. My cheeks flame up as he rolls his eyes.
"I'm serious Four. You want to get her killed? Do you want to die?" He shakes his head. "Then don't say that word. Are you stupid Four? You know I'm a leader. I know how to make people disappear easy. I've made people disappear because they were divergent. "
"No you haven't." He says firmly. "I know you haven't killed anyone so don't try to lie."
"Why would you tell me this?"
"Because you're the only one I can trust. And you might be able to help me." He says folding his arms and leaning on the table.
"How do you know she's divergent?"
"She was drowning in a tank of water, and she broke the glass. It couldn't be anymore obvious." His eyes stared at the cement floor. A frown stayed permanent on his face.
"Did you delete the footage?"
He nods.
"Did you tell her that you know?"
He nods.
"Well there's not much you can do. You have to wait now." I say.
"Wait? For what?" He says and I think of my words carefully.
"For things to unravel. Everyone knows that there is some massive tension between Erudite and Abnegation. It's just a matter of time before someone snaps, and everything changes. For now, make sure Blondie doesn't attract too much attention. She doesn't want a front seat ticket to this show."
Four sighs and runs a hand over his abnegation haircut.
"It's just, I kind of yelled at her. I didn't mean to take it out on her it's just that I'm so frustrated. Everything is getting so confusing and-"
"Ever thought of being a leader Four?"
"Not this again."
"Look Four, you just said everything is getting confusing. It would make more sense if you were a leader. I know you don't know what is about to happen, but if I were you I would take this offer."
"I don't like to be surrounded with people I can't trust." He says and I frown.
"You trust me don't you?" He nods.
"Well I trust Pops, Max, Everret, and Eric. Isn't that enough?"I raise my eyebrows.
"I would say yes, but I can't bring myself to trust someone like Eric." He says and I roll my eyes.
"I don't get why you guys hate each other."
"Who doesn't hate him? He's sadistic, and rude, and agitating, and creepy, and-"
"And you're condescending, and bland, and frustrating, and blah blah blah. Eric has some words for you too."
"I'm not condescending."
"I'm too hungover to argue about this. Just make sure that Blondie doesn't kill herself." I say opening the door and walking out.
"I'm not condescending!" He yells before the door closes behind me.
~*~
I lean into Eric as we wait for Ada's school to let out. I feel his chest rise and fall with each breath against the back of my neck. His inked arms stay wrapped around my shoulders and I can feel the stubble on his chin on the top of my head.
"Still sleepy?" He mumbles dipping his head into the crook of my neck. I shake my head no and he breathes into my neck.
"You really shouldn't have drank so much last night." He scolds.
"You tell me to go out and drink and then you reprimand me when I actually do it? You confuse me Newman." I say and he chuckles, kissing my shoulder making my stomach lurch.
"I confuse everyone. Do you know what day is coming up?" He says referring to our anniversary.
"I thought I would've murdered you by now. Geez, everyday with you for a whole year." I turn my head to see his nose in my neck. "Are you smelling me?"
"I like how you smell." He says taking a deep breath of my scent.
"You're a creep."
"Don't act like you don't smell me when I sleep." He mumbles.
"Do you do that to me?" I ask and his cheeks turn red. I grin at his embarrassed facade. "Don't worry I do that too."
"I knew it!" He says. I scan the crowd of parents waiting. Some were dressed in black with tattoos, some in blue glancing at their watches. Others were smiling lovingly in red and yellow, or are quietly arguing in black and white. People in gray stay silent, staring at the large building expecting. I grab Eric's hand and press my lips to each of his bruised knuckles.
"What have you been punching lately?" I ask.
"I found Bryan. He quit this morning. Factionless." He states casually, and my head snaps toward him.I notice that his eyes avoid my purple orbs.
"Eric."
"Bryan came to me saying that he wanted to be factionless before I beat the crap out of him."
"I told you to leave him alone."
"I did, he came up to me." I roll my eyes.
The school bell rings loudly, and kids in black clothes come sprinting out. Thank god preschoolers get released an hour before the rest of the kids, or else they would get trampled. ge The kids in other factions walk out of the doors calmly, but the dauntless kids come out shrieking and laughing.
We were definitely the rowdy faction.
Ada walks out with a ginger boy in blue. He wipes blood from his nose and a few tears from his cheek, and Ada is taping up blue rimmed glasses. She quickly finishes her work, handing his glasses back. Ada touches the bruise on his cheek, says something and he hands her a book. When they near us, they quickly hug and part ways. He walks towards a grown man in blue with a short ginger cut.
The man crouches in front of the young boy and wipes tears from his face. He scoops up the little boy, and they start the walk back to Erudite. I notice that Ads watches them for a second before turning to us.
"Aunty!" Her face lights up and she runs into my arms. I lift up and sit her on top of my shoulders.
"Hey there munchkin." I say looking up at her.
"What am I, chopped liver?" Eric says. I let Ada off my shoulders and she tugs his face toward hers. After glancing around to see if her friends were looking she quickly kisses his cheek.
"Ew, your face is hairy!" She wipes her mouth with her sleeve.
"Sorry, Uncle Eric forgot to shave this morning." He says.
"So who's the boy you were talking to? Your boyfriend?" She immediately shakes her head.
"It's ok if it is. I had tons of guys adoring me when I was your age. They wanted to hug, and hold hands, and kiss-"
"Ew!" She screams, giving me a disgusted look.
"There better not be boys ask over you, or I won't hesitate knocking a few 4 year old's heads off." Eric says.
"His name is Theodore, I call him Teddy. We were just talking. At free time he was reading the book Eric gave me and some candor boy knocked my book to the ground. Sorry I got it fell in mud Uncle." Ada says holding up a muddy book.
"It's ok. What happened next?" He says stroking the top of Ada' s head.
"He said that reading was lame and that Teddy's glasses looked stupid. Then he threw Teddy' s glasses on the floor and stepped on them. Teddy said that at least he wanted to expand his vocabulary and not end up like some simpleminded Candor who picks on Erudite boys. The boy punched Teddy and I told the Candor that my Uncle was Eric Newman, leader of Dauntless and he was not afraid of beating the crap out of any Candor." Eric grinned at her, but I was not amused.
"Why would you say that about Eric." I didn't like the idea of Ada thinking of Eric like he's some person who likes to hurt people.
"Eric said that if someone messed with me to say that he would beat the crap out of them." She says innocently. Eric chuckles.
"He was joking." I tell her.
"The boy didn't think so, because he ran and told the teacher. Mr.Marvin put us both in time out for the rest of free time. I was just telling Teddy that his bruise made him look tough. Remember when Dally told Ponyboy that?" Ada questions Eric and he nods.
"Ponyboy?" I ask confused.
"You'd get it if you read The Outsiders."
"You know Ada, Eric was picked on when he was younger." I say carrying her book bag. I hear a faint train whistle and prepare for the train to come.
"He was?" She turns to Eric. "You were?"
"Yep. Ok on my back." He crouches down to her height so she can jump on his back. "I used to be a janitor at Erudite for extra money. The kids picked on me alot."
"What did you do?"
"Beat the crap out of them." I roll my eyes at him. I see the train coming fast in the distance, and kids jump onto their parents back. They were all too young to jump on the train, you needed to be at least 7 to start jumping by yourself.
"Make sure you hold on tight." Eric instructs as he watches the train.
"I might choke you."
"I don't care, choke me a little. Just make sure you're holding on tight." He says before we all take off running. Eric jumps in gracefully with me right behind him.
After Ada hops off Eric's back, she looks up at him.
"I think I want to be just like you when I grow up." She says and I smile at the two of them. I think Ada reminds Eric of his little sister a lot. He'll never admit it, but he misses sister a lot.
"No you don't want to be like me." He says looking down at her. She pauses, and then smiles as if she knew something we didn't.
"Yes I do."
"Hey Ada!" A boy with spiky blonde hair waves her over to 4 other kids.
Eric leans over and whispers into my something that makes me smile.
"I really like that little rascal."