Divergent One Shots (Eric & Tris)

Twelve-Queen Bea 3.2

Eric (10 years old)

"We need a word, son," my dad tells me gently as I watch Beatrice get taken aside by her parents in the orchard.
I nod and follow him away from the crowd of Amity and other factions that were starting to gather around the scene. We get a distance from the crowd and he turns around and takes a seat under a peach tree. I sit beside him.
"Uma Lawson came up to your mother and said you were at the duck pond kissing an Abnegation girl. That's not exactly what she said. Her version was much more colorful, rude, and disrespectful," he tells me.
I frown and nod.
"Were you kissing Beatrice?" he asks.
"I was," I admit.
"Well..." he sighs. "You've always favored her."
"I do," I reply.
"This faction separation makes things like this difficult. I suggest you wait for her and decide where you both want to go together in the future," he advises me.
"I will, Dad," I respond.
"She's Abnegation, though. The touching can't continue or she'll be in worse trouble... How do I explain?" he says thoughtfully. He's always been fair, kind, and understandable. "Each faction has their own serum. If you don't want any harm to come to Beatrice, you can't continue with the physical contact or she'll be punished worse than you could ever imagine. Abnegation aren't cruel despite what some people are saying as of late. But they do have their methods to force conformity to those within the faction until their Choosing Ceremony. Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and even Erudite have their own serums as well. All factions promote conformity and it's something we must respect and abide by. When you become of age, if you still love her, decide together and choose where you want to be. Then you'll be free to have the girl you love forever. Until then, we must be patient and bide our time."
"Yes, sir," I reply. "Thank you for explaining that. It helps."
"Do you have any questions for me?" he asks.
"Everyone was teasing me for liking her..." I say.
"That's the nature of the Erudite crowd nowadays. They're becoming cruel and hateful towards Abnegation. The hate is unwarranted and the reasons behind it completely untrue, unjustified. You must read between the lines and see what is real and what is false," he advises.
"Thanks, Dad," I tell him appreciatively. I'm honestly surprised I'm not getting scolded and I say as much.
"I think you heard enough from Natalie," he tells me honestly. "And any further guilt will be the reminder of what could possibly happen to Beatrice if this continues. Don't risk it. Abnegation's ways... are not something I could ever agree with. They're far too... severe for my taste," he admits and I get worried. "This was the first kiss, right?" he confirms. I nod guiltily. "Then it should be alright."
"Okay," I say relieved wondering what kind of serums her faction uses for discipline. It sounds horrendous.
We spend the rest of the day in Amity and I'm quiet and missing her. They sometimes stay longer than through lunch, but they'd always pack a picnic—usually bread, cheese, fruit, and water. I messed up and missed my chance to spend more time with her. We make the long drive home when the sun sets. I help carry the apples and other goods my parents bought today into the house. I start to head up the stairs but my mom calls for me to join her in the living room while my dad takes Lizzy upstairs for bed. I take a seat on the sofa while she sits in a chair.
"It's alright, Eric," my mom consoles me. "I honestly couldn't have picked someone better for you than her. I adore her and so does your father. You know we were friends our final year of school—the four of us. Natalie... she really wasn't so concerned about you. It was more about the Erudite finding out about her. Tension has been heightened lately between our two factions and this incident could be used as fuel for something terrible. I'm not saying what happened is terrible. On the contrary, I find it beautiful and I'm so pleased with your choice. She's the sweetest girl. It's just that... I don't want our city to make a spectacle of your relationship. I find it beautiful. They will see it as an opportunity to twist the situation into something else entirely. Love is a wonderful thing and should be celebrated. But in these confusing times, we must wait and follow the rules our society has established. We have to put our feelings on hold for a more opportune time. Do you understand?"
"I do," I nod.
"Just wait sweetheart. She's worth it," she says comfortingly.
"I will mom. Thanks," I say trying to force a smile.
She hugs me and I go upstairs.  I brush my teeth before changing and going to bed. I wake in the morning and get cleaned up, pouring myself a bowl of cereal and eating an apple for breakfast, reminded of my time with Beatrice yesterday. It was both the best and worst day of my life. My parents are so kind and understanding and I'm so grateful to have them.
Several weeks pass and everything is back to normal. My family is on our basic schedule. I come home from school one day and I wait for Lizzy to be brought home by the bus. I do my homework in the solarium and I'm surprised when my parents haven't come home yet. When it gets close to dinner time and they're still not here, I call my grandma. Her response is to sit tight and she'll see what's going on.
Another hour passes and I decide to make Lizzy and me grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner. We sit down and eat. I clean up the mess and we wait in the living room. It's dark and almost bedtime when Aunt Jeanine arrives. She informs me that there was an accident this morning.
"What kind of accident?" I ask worriedly.
"They're gone," she says simply. "There will be a Last Will and Testament reading tomorrow to find out their wishes for you and your sister. My mother will be here shortly to watch you tonight. Here's the address of the reading tomorrow. You, Elizabeth, and Mother will attend. It'll be after school and I'll send a car for you. It will be in Candor at their lawyer's office. In the meantime, get your sister ready for bed. Mother will be here within the hour."
I nod as she turns on her heel and walks off. I'm in shock that my parents are dead and they're deciding what to do with us. I'm just so stunned and in disbelief about this. I take Lizzy upstairs and awkwardly give my little sister a bath. I've never done this before. She mostly knows what to do so I stand just outside of the door while she handles herself. I hear splashing and playing eventually.
"Are you finished?" I ask.
"Uh huh," she replies. "I'm just playing."
"It's time to get out," I tell her. I turn my head as I hold a towel out for her. She mostly dries herself but I squeeze the dripping water out of her hair with another towel. I try to help her comb it but it's full of knots. I remember there's a spray for her hair and I put that in thinking it helps. I have her dress herself and we brush our teeth together. I take her to bed and she asks me to read the story Dad had been reading to her. I pick up the book on her bedside table and read a little until I see she's asleep. I kiss her forehead and go back downstairs in my pajamas to wait for Grandma. I pace the room and then sit bouncing my leg. Then I pace some more until I hear her arrive.
I stand at the door letting her in. Her eyes are red like she'd been crying.
"I'm sorry it took me so long, Eric. I was at the site of the accident. This was all that was left of them," she frowns giving me their wedding bands. They've been cleaned but they are slightly charred. "I heard the detective say that it appeared as if the breaks were cut. That's all the information I was given."
My heart sinks as my grandma breaks down and cries. We hold each other and I cry for the first time, clutching onto the last part I have of my parents.
I rise in the morning and try to go through the motions. Lizzy asks where Mom and Dad are and why Grandma is here. I let my grandmother break the news to her because I just can't. Lizzy cries the rest of the morning and I can only get her to eat a couple bites. We go to school and come back home. My grandma left a note saying she went home to get ready for the meeting and that she'll meet us there. The car arrives to take us to Candor and we get in. I comfort my sister who can't stop crying on the drive. I have to be strong for us both. We're taken up to the meeting and wait beyond the time for my grandma but she never shows up. Jeanine arrives late and informs us that her mother was injured and in the hospital. They read the Will, us being given into my grandmother's care. Since she's currently unable, Jeanine takes us.
The lawyer informs us that she's the new head of Erudite, but my mother was given the position first before her untimely demise. I purse my lips at the abrasive manner of the Candor.
We go back home and pack our belongings. I get a few of my things, some clothes... Jeanine tells me she won't allow my video game system in her home so I have to leave that. I go up to the attic and pull out several family pictures and even a few of me and Beatrice through the years. I tuck them into my bag and then help Lizzy pack hers since it's full of only stuffed animals. We go to Jeanine's new home—Norton's previous residence. Apparently, he had a heart attack. Then my parents died. Then my grandma was hospitalized. This just seems like a nightmare.
We arrive and get settled. Anything I need, Jeanine tells me to buy giving me my own account. Soon after settling in, she tells me I'm to go to Dauntless at my Choosing Ceremony. I'm completely confused and I tell her no. I'm going to take after my father. She actually threatens Lizzy, holding a serum syringe full of unknown contents to her and I relent. I tell her I'll do anything she wants.
The next day at school, I happen to see Beatrice outside of the building waiting for the bus while I'm walking to baseball practice. I see a few Erudite around and I whisper for her.  She's in a daze or something.  Maybe she can't hear me.
"Queen Bea!" I shout.
Nobody else pays attention but she's searching for me. I wave for her to come up to the building and I hide between the building and the bushes. She comes over joining me and smiling from ear to ear.
"I've missed you," she says gently.
My eyes soften, "I've missed you, too."
There's a pause as we just stare at each other.
"You know how you mentioned changing factions on Choosing Day?" I ask her. She nods in response. "Choose Dauntless."
She smiles at me. "That's where I really wanted to go," she whispers. "We've got to think up a Dauntless name for me, though. Eric is fine... but Beatrice? I'd sound like a grandma there."
I chuckle lightly and rack my brain for something, anything that sounds good... Bea, Bee, Trice... Tris. "How about Tris?" I ask.
"I love it," she grins.
She gravitates toward me and kisses me. I can't help but kiss her back, my lips reacting without my head allowing them to do so. I deepen the kiss and she puts her arms around my shoulders. I've needed affection so much lately and I'm craving it, craving this. 
"I'm telling, Eric!" Uma Lawson yells.
I close my eyes and wince.
"I'm so sorry," I apologize to her. "I never wanted to get you in trouble."
"It's okay. There's no point in running. Erudite has already come to my house before and complained at the headquarters," she says bravely.
"There's my Dauntless girl," I smile. She grins in response through the nerves.
I take her hand in mine and walk inside the school with her. We're both taken to the school office and we sit side by side giving each other support.
Tris is called back to the principal's office first. I wait and she never comes out. After a while, the vice-principal steps out of his office and tells me to go home. What he says is scarier than any other school figure—Ms Matthews will deal with me.
When Jeanine finally speaks with me, I'm given an ultimatum—either I never go near another Abnegation again, or Elizabeth... I can't even remember what she said. I instantly agreed.
The next week I notice Beatrice in the hallway, which I've never seen before. I say hi to her... but she looks as if she doesn't even know me.
"Oh, don't worry, Eric. I had my dad make sure they gave her a good dose," Uma taunts.
I can't help but take the bait... "A dose of what?" I question.
She laughs manically, "A giant dose of the Abnegation memory serum, of course. She doesn't even know who you are. She'll be lucky if she even finishes the school year out. She may get held back because she doesn't remember anything from the last several months."
"You are evil and cruel. Do not ever come near me or her again," I say threateningly.
"Or what?" she laughs. "I'll tell my dad and he'll tell Jeanine."
"Just stay away from us," I sneer.
I walk into the restroom and splash my face with cold water. I step back out as the bell rings and school is over. Many people are scrambling through the hallway leaving. I see Beatrice still standing where she was a moment ago and she's staring out the window at the Dauntless climbing onto the train.
"Choose Dauntless," she whispers to herself.
... and I have hope for the future. I'm determined. I will go to Dauntless and I will see her there. We will be together in the end.