Defection to Abnegation

Chapter 4

I hope this was worth the wait! Special thanks to dragonmaster65 who amazingly beta'd this on Christmas for me :3

-o0o-ERIC-o0o-

I wake up, feeling light and content for the first time since my aptitude test. I still haven't decided what I will choose yet, but I decided to take Beatrice's advice to my heart and visit a very special girl.

She opens her door and smiles brightly at me as she gestures for me to come in. Her apartment is neat, with white sterile looking walls, a bedroom, guest room, bathroom and kitchen with a small living room. The Erudite value practicality and most apartments for one person are exactly like this one.

She looks smart as ever in her Erudite blue outfit and the smile reaches her eyes. I am pretty sure she knows I am taking her all in since there's a chance I wont see her again if I transfer to some other faction.

"Hey Eric," she says as she takes a seat on the sofa beside me. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Can't a person visit his favorite girl in the world?" I reply with mock hurt and she laughs lightly. Her laugh is refreshing.

"So?" she prompts.

"So?" I say back, wanting to prolong my visit with her.

"Have you decided?" she asks me, curiosity evident in her brown eyes as I contemplate my answer.

"What was it like for you? Were you nervous? Did you decide what you wanted to do or-" my verbal attack stops as I take in her expression. "What?" I ask.

"Eric? Is everything alright?"

"What are you insinuating?" I ask her.

"You are going to Dauntless right?" she asks nervously.

"I don't know?" I say.

"You can stay here in Erudite. I mean you would be closer to your family too."

"Cara?" I call out unsurely and I know she can read the inner turmoil I am going through currently. She had been there a year ago too.

"Do what you have to Eric." She pauses before asking, "What was your result?"

"I wasn't aware that we could share that particular piece of information with others," I retort, a little harshly. I know this may hurt her, but I can't bring myself to trust the faction which is pioneering in experimenting on my kind of people, which includes Cara too. I already told Beatrice in a spur of the moment decision. She seems like a genuinely sweet girl and talking to her made me feel lighter. I guess even if she reveals my secret, no one would believe her and I believe I won't see her anymore after I have chosen tomorrow so I guess I am clear.

"I just wanted to take some burden off your shoulders. Talk to someone, Eric. Don't let this eat you out. I am not meaning to come off as prying, but I am only trying to help."

"I love you," I say sincerely and she visibly relaxes. "And I already talked to someone about it," I whisper in hopes that she didn't hear the last part.

"I love you too." she says as she pulls me in for a tight hug, which I reciprocate.

"So, tell me about this person you spoke to. What is she like?" Cara says, clapping her hands excitedly as I feel my cheeks flush. This girl's life goal seems to be embarrassing me as much as possible. I don't even know why I am embarrassed, it's not like I had sex or something. It was just a conversation.

"What makes you think it was a girl?" I counter, hoping she would get the hint and drop it, but she doesn't. She wouldn't be Cara if she did.

"You like her!" she exclaims as my cheeks turn redder. What the actual fuck is wrong with me?