Divergent: An Untold Love Story

Chapter 10: The Loss

*Third person*

Eric sat staring through the glass at Sierra's unconscious body. She was so beautiful. Her black hair, bright green eyes that shot fear into the new Initiates that had arrived this year. Her face was a masterpiece, a rounded nose, almond-shaped eyes, and perfect lips. Eric caught himself grinning at the thought. Ever since the first day, she had him twisted. She had only been living at Dauntless for a month, and Eric barely knew her, but he couldn't deny the strong force that was driving him toward her. It was impeccable. Eric had never made a strong connection with anyone. And he wasn't about to start. But he couldn't describe the way Sierra lured him to her. But as Eric stared at her body, small but strong, deceiving but deadly, he thought, "Maybe I could let her in." He pushed the thought to the deepest part of his mind and decided not to press the issue. Besides, he had to do what Jeanine said. Or she would destroy the walls around him that he took years to build up. And she would reveal his darkest secrets. And he was going to avoid that as much as he could. But Eric had known she was different. He could tell from her eyes. You could tell a lot from a person's eyes. They held an emotion so powerful that one look could possibly change the world. And in Eric's perspective, one look from the green eyes of Sierra could shock the world back to the way it was. And a question remained in his mind: was Jeanine ready to uncover the real Sierra? And more importantly: was the world ready to uncover her?

<•>

I'm in a white room. The light above me was bright and it stung my eyes. Tears ran down my cold cheeks, making me wince. I closed my eyes again and tried to relax as voices came into play.

"It's fine, Eric, leave it be. Her symptoms were minor snd showed no signs of defection." Erudite woman. Again. Wait! Jeanine. She was talking to Eric! He tried to kill me twice.

"I told you that there's a possibility that she's aware. She might be able to hear us talking," Eric said. Oh gosh, what now? Of course, I trust Jeanine. She's probably running a test on my body for the life-threatening events I went through.

"No, I am fully aware that she is not. The tests we ran proved positive, and that's why she's even here," Jeanine stated. "And, my dear subject, means that she's the one." Huh, that was a first.

"Do you honestly think that she could be the first Rogue?" Eric asked in a high-pitched voice.

Jeanine laughed. "Eric, I thought you understood. After the final test, she won't be able to deny orders. And then, we'll erase her mind, just to make sure she isn't aware." WHAT?! I couldn't believe this! Jeanine was actually doing something to me that wasn't for the greater good. I tried to scream, but no sound came out. My lips wouldn't even open. I tried to open my eyes, but they wouldn't. I couldn't move, either. My hands and feet were held down by, metal? What was going on?

"So, anything we do right now, she won't remember when she wakes up?" Eric asked with, surprisingly, emotion.

Jeanine once again laughed. "There, the final test completed. And yes, she won't remember anything." I heard Jeanine's heels click the ground, and a door slide open. Only Eric was left beside me. His fingers traced my jawline. It sent shivers down my spine. He tried to kill me. But now, his touch seemed intimate, focused. Mhm...

"I'm sorry, Sierra." For what? Trying to kill me or that my memory was going to be erased? As the questions made a maze in my mind, I felt Eric's breath on my face. His lips brushed mine. "I don't want you to remember this, but, in some ways I do." Oh my gosh, he was going to kiss me. And sure enough, he did. Eric's lips made my inside tingle, and it was breathtaking. They were soft, like rose petals. Maybe he did have feelings. Maybe he had feelings for me. But after the next few minutes, I wasn't going to remember this. And it made the tears flow. Eric must've felt a tear, because he broke away from me and gasped. "S-Sierra. She's aware." Just like that, Eric ran out, me hearing his shoes thud on the floor. I could hear muffled conversation.

"She's aware, Jeanine! You knew this, didn't you?" Eric said.

"Yes. It proves that she's the Rogue." Jeanine sighed. "Now, to erase her memory." NO. No no no no no. I don't want to forget...

"Jeanine! She needs to remember! She has to!" Eric screamed.

"I don't know what you want Sierra to remember, but I sure as heck don't care. I have the information I need, and I don't want her to know." Jeanine let out a proud sigh.

"Don't. Erase. Her. Memory," Eric said through gritted teeth.

"Don't forget that I am your Superior Commander, Eric Braden Neman. I can strip you of your job. Even your life. Now, let me continue." Eric was silent.

No. Fight her, Eric. She's using you.

"What would you like Lemmings, Sierra. R to remember?" A computer voice asked.

"I want her to remember going home on June 18, 2034. I want her to remember that Eric Neman tried to kill her twice. I DON'T want her to remember the last six hours of today, June 27, 2034," Jeanine told the computer. I heard a few "clicks" and "beeps."

The computer said, "Confirm that you want Lemmings, Sierra R. to forget the last six hours of June 19, 2034 from 8 o'clock." I heard Jeanine say "confirm." The computer buzzed a few times. Oh, no, please. I DON'T WANT TO FORGET! I DON'T WANT TO FORGET THE FEEL OF ERIC'S LIPS ON MINE. I was chanting "remember, Sierra, remember, Sierra" in my mind when I drifted through a rainbow tunnel.

<•>

I awoke on a leather couch that smelled like lavender and honey. But the faint scent of tobacco smoke ruined the comforting essence. This wasn't my room at Dauntless Headquarters, that's for sure. I struggled to sit up on my own. Once my back rested on the back of the couch, my head spun in numerous directions. I grabbed my forehead and groaned. My temples throbbed and my brain was pounding. Slowly, the events came back to me: I was took back to the Fence to find out that Que was a murderer. Eric tried to kill me, in the women's bathroom. Pst. Typical. And I blacked out, now I'm on a leather couch with smoke drifting through the air beside me. I coughed, making someone stir.

I turned myself around only to see him. Speak of the devil. Eric the emotionless one. Why was I even here?

"Why in gods name am I here?" I asked him, not even bothering with an awkward greeting.

Eric tensed when I spoke up. "Well, after you blacked out, I decided to mend my mistakes by asking Max and your newfound buddy Tris to forgive me. I'm not going to harm you again, by the way." His words put pure and utter shock on my face. What?

"Um, sure. Whatever. I need something to eat." I stood up and swayed to the right.

"Not so fast, Sierra. You're not doing so good." Eric said, reaching for my arms. What in the name of god? I must've been out for a century because that's how long it had to take for Eric to be able to touch me without trying to throw me into a deep chasm or cut my circulation off.

"You're acting different. Did you smoke a little too much?" I said sarcastically. But it was true.

Eric chuckled. "No, I've just realized that I've been a jerk to you and that we can stay as co-leaders." But I don't want to stay co-leaders, I whined in my mind. Where did that thought even come from. No matter what Eric said, I still hated him for what he did. "But I still hate you. And I'm never going to stop." There it was. The REAL Eric. He was probably just letting me recover my strength so he can take another attempt at killing me. And if Eric did, I'd want to die. Because living with his hatred, all the issues of living here, were too much. Even for me. Snd that was saying something.