Rat (A Divergent Prequel and Eric Love Story)

Chapter 22- The Past In The Past

Three weeks as an official Dauntless member have passed, being the busiest three weeks of my life. Through all the wedding preparations and the renovation of Anastasia's nursery, work has become my safe have away from all the chaos of my life. I'm hilarious, right? The infirmary at Dauntless is even busier than the tattoo parlor and that is really saying something.

However, all the havoc and panic of planning has finally paid off because today was finally today. Today, I was no longer Rose Matthews, a name I've despised my entire life, but I would become Mrs. Rose Mary Kallian, wife of Dauntless Leader (and father of Anastasia Kallian) Eric Kallian.

A week before I had went with Shauna, my maid of honor, to pick out my wedding dress. We had gone to Candor to pick it out, because I didn't want the traditional black dress. Eric and I loved to read, especially books from before the war. Those books were where we had gone to escape the harsh reality of our childhoods. It was one of the things that had drawn us together. So, as every bride in these books had, I wanted a white wedding dress. However, the dress that I had picked out had one major flaw. The back was cut out, showing the scars of my childhood that filled my back, and were now outlined because of Edwin.

But I had an idea. So, here I lay now, on my stomach in the tattoo parlor. Tori's machine was humming away as the needle protruded into my back over and over. I wanted to do this now, so at my wedding, I could make a statement. Angel wings would soon cover my back, covering the scars of my past. Eric had once told me to wear these scars like a badge of honor, but now I can't help but disagree. My life as Rat had scarred me, and haunted my dreams. It was all I could think about and I couldn't help but thinking that every time someone would look at me that they were seeing through my shirt and gazing at my scars, judging me. The only way to stop this is to move on and to leave my past in the past. Yes, some things hurt so badly that you think nothing in this world can ever fix this, but you have to want to fix it. You'll never be able to forget what hurt you, but staying strong and never dwelling is to only way for things to get better. I'm not trying to cover my past up, forgetting about it in the process. I'm proving to myself that I am strong because I've overcame so much, but now it's time to look toward the future, my bright, happy future with my smiling husband and daughter.

But after she finished the tattoo, I wasn't quite done yet. Not only have I rid myself of the burdens of my past, but now it was time for the bright future part. On my left wrist, Anastasia was written in a fancy script and on my right, Eric.

I thanked Tori and made my way to Shauna's apartment, where I would be getting ready for my wedding. She lived near the chasm, where our wedding would be taking place.

As I opened the door, I heard a shrill "Where have you been? Your wedding is in a damn hour and you're not even ready yet!"

"I was getting a tattoo." I told Shauna. "Well, three."

"You got three tattoos an hour before your wedding?! Do you realize how red you're going to be?" She screamed.

"It's worth it, trust me."

My hair had been curled perfectly, if you ask me. My makeup just the same, perfect. The dress hug my form, making me seem more elegant than I had ever dreamed. Tears started to prick in the corner of my eyes.

"Aw, honey." Shauna said, wrapping her arms around me. "You can cry after everyone has seen how radiant you are. Until then, don't mess up your makeup or I will kill you."

I laughed, but stopped short when a knock came at the door.

"Please tell me you're ready. Eric is having a hissy fit because he can't see you and I'm not sure how much more I can handle." Four called from the other side of the door. Four was the best man, my choice, not that Eric had anyone better to be his best man.

I laughed loudly. "I'm ready!"

Eric wasn't allowed to see me before the wedding and he wasn't taking it too well. I had no problem with him seeing me, but Shauna would have had a heart attack.

"We're starting." He said, coming back five minutes later.

I started to become very nervous. "What if I fall? What if my dress falls off? What if Eric changes his mind? What if-"

"Eric will love you no matter what happens and he's not going to change his mind. We can still postpone this wedding, but if we wait too long, your dress won't fit anymore, pregnant woman."

I laughed, trying to shake off my nerves but failing. Some type of cloth had been strewn over the cafeteria's archway, shielding me from the chasm and giving me some type of an entrance. I could hear the roar of a chattering crowd and my heart sank.

Eric was already standing out there with Zeke, who was conducting the ceremony. Who knew that he was a certified minister? Shauna and Four linked arms and parted the curtain and stepped out.

I counted to ten, and then while shaking, the curtains were parted for me and I stepped out and then slowly walked out, bouquet in hand. I looked around me at the large crowd. Every person we invited had arrived, anxious for a Dauntless wedding, which was very rare. Even Jeanine and Elise Kallian sat in the crowd. I wondered how she had known where to go without the invitation. Even people who weren't invited filled the seat, and I was thankful that Max had suggested adding more chairs just in case.

I looked up and locked eyes with Eric, who stood at the chasm in a black tuxedo with a wide grin across his face, looking as handsome as ever. I heard a few gasps from behind me as eyes gazed at my new tattoo. But, I could not have cared less. All I wanted to stare at was my soon-to-be husband, tears forming at both of our eyes.

I stopped beside and he took my hands, whispering so quietly that only I could hear, "You look beautiful enough to be my wife." I laughed to myself at the remembrance of when we had pretended to be engaged and he had told me that I look good enough to be his fiancé.

Eric had opted out of the entire speech of religion, saying that he wanted to be declared husband and wife as soon as possible. Zeke complied and began to recite the basics.

"Do you, Eric Kallian, take this woman to be your wedded wife, under Dauntless? To have and to hold, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

"And then on." He said, smiling so wide, I was sure his face would crack.

"And do you, Rose Matthews, take this man to be your wedded husband, under Dauntless? To have and to hold, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live and then on?"

 "You bet I do."

"I now pronounce you man and wife."  He looked at Eric, and I noticed that Zeke was crying as well as Eric and myself. "You may now kiss the bride."

Eric grabbed my cheek and pushed his lips sweetly against mine. I smiled into the kiss. The crowd clapped happily, making me blush.

Nothing in this world could ever go wrong now.

We then went on to the reception, which was in the cafeteria. An enormous stack of Dauntless cake was in the center of the room and the crowd flocked around it, trying to get a piece. I laughed to myself, Eric's arms around my waist.

Eric had hired a pianist to play, and he began to play a soft melody. "The bride and groom's first dance." Someone called out.

Eric began to push me to the dance floor. "Oh god. Eric, I've never danced before."

Eric laughed softly. "Just relax and trust me."

He wrapped his arms tightly around my waist and placed my hands on his shoulders. He began to lead me into complicated steps and twirls, but moving slowly so I could at least kind of keep up. It turned out to be a beautiful moment of our bodies moving in sync, our first act as husband and wife. Halfway into the dance, I began to cry really hard. Eric had taken a hand off my waist and gently wiped my tears away and kissing my cheek where they had laid.

"What's this?" he said, when he grabbed my hand during the dance, looking at my tattoo.

"Proof that life really does get better."