Arabella Eaton (Eric x oc)

(16) The test

Arabella pov~

I wake up shuddering as the cool morning breeze brushed over my shoulders. My body had become accustomed to having warmth behind me when I sat up here so the cold that racked through me was foreign. I sat up noticing how close I was to the edge when I had fallen asleep. Looking down I notice erudite trucks lining the parking bays in the back most corner of the compound. I keep my eye on the groups of people from both dauntless and erudite noticing them moving crates of something I couldn't make out from the distance I was sat at. I look at the surrounding rooftops to where Eric and fours balconies are and notice my brother stood with tris huddled down watching the same scene unfold that I am. They have a much better view than me, I'll have to ask them about it later.

Today was test day and my normally calm facade was nowhere to be found. I stood outside the small testing room bouncing my leg as one by one my fellow transfers came out shaking and crying. The states they left in where far improved compared to when we first started this part of the training. I knew I would be called last as I was the closest to the top of the leaderboard here. Tris had been taken to the main room to be observed. No doubt so they could discover whether she was a threat or not. Eric would be administering our tests and two people would be invigilating. One from dauntless and as we had just been told one from erudite.
"Bella, you're next." Eric's cold voice spoke out into the empty room. I nod shifting from my seat. I hadn't heard anything about tris's test so I just had to hope she did well and is still alive.
Eric's presence was cold beside me and his posture was withdrawn. When I stepped into the room I saw Max hovering at the back of the room alongside an unfamiliar woman who bore the erudite uniform. I took a deep breath as I made my way completely into the room and before I could move any further a large hand met with my lower back guiding me to my seat. I shuddered at the contact but only Eric seemed to notice. The erudite woman introduces herself as Teresa as she begins sorting out the syringe. Eric and Max being talking amongst themselves keeping their tones in a hushed whisper.
"Are you ready Bella?" Max asks and I nod as a sharp sting punches my neck.
"Good luck." I hear Eric mutter before everything blacks out. I wake up in an open field.

I knew if I wanted to make it through this I had to act like a dauntless would. When my mother tries to swing I dodge and take a second before tackling her to the ground. When we hit the ground she disappears and I fall straight through. I'm met by a sea of hands and I'm slowly being pushed down what seems like a well. The hands become tougher as I hit the floor. I need to codons a way out. I notice small gaps in the hands that look like foot holders. I have to jump to grip the first holder and with ever ounce of strength pull myself up. The hands keep pushing me down but I refuse to fail. I reach the top eventually and find myself in a room. A small room. Claustrophobia. The walls slowly started closing in on me as I scramble to find something to stop them. I notice three screws on the floor and jam one under each wall. I turn to the last wall and notice and opening. I climb out and onto the roof of dauntless. Our spot. I know Eric is watching this but this one is new to me and I don't know what to expect. I sit down the way I normally would and watch the sunset.
"Hello initiate." The cold yet familiar voice spoke.
"Eric?" I asked trying to figure out what fear this would be. He slowly walked up to me and he rested his hands on my hips. I notice how dangerously close I am to the edge and I notice his weight slowly pushing me closer.
"Eric?" I ask with a little more urgency. He looks down hiding his eyes.
"I don't want to do this." He speaks before leaning me over the edge. I look to him before doing the only thing my mind can think off. I kiss him. My hands reach into his hair and I catch him off guard. He wraps his arms more fully around me like a hug as he deepens the kiss. I use this to turn us around. I break the kiss as he goes to try and turn me close to the edge again.
"I'm sorry." It comes out as a whisper before I step back and reach my leg up.
"You were going to kill me first." I use my leg and kick as hard as I can sending him over the edge. I turn around and run toward the door to the stairs but open it and find myself in an all to familiar room. I shudder as I hear his footsteps. I look around the shared bedroom for something to defend myself with.
"Arabella. Where is your brother." Not this night. Anything but this might. I'm shaking violently by the time he enters the room. Alcohol is all I can smell and the belt in his hands appears to be his only weapon. He lunges for me and swings landing a punch hard across my jaw. I hit the floor before turning around and swiping his legs from under him. My father is a heavy man and it took all my force to catch him off balance. He hits the floor hard and I use this opportunity to grab a small item from the mantle in the room. Our house in abnegation was bare. This was one of the few possessions we had. It was our mothers family heirloom. A tall pyramid shaped glass item none of us knew the true origin off. Without thinking I brought the glass down on his chest. I closed my eyes as a sickening crunch sounded. I opened them to see Eric and the room I was being tested in. I was finished. I didn't give it away. At least I hope not. Eric nodded to me as the erudite woman read my identification and time. 9 minutes and 14 seconds. Enough to put me safe into the ranks of dauntless.

After the tests we all met in the mess hall. I spot Tris instantly stood next to Christina and Will on a table in the centre of the room. I make my way over and hug them all giving Tris and extra squeeze.
"How'd u guys do?" I ask and Will is first to reply.
"19 minutes 58 seconds." He spoke before tapping Chris.
"18 minutes and 34 seconds." She replied noticing Max enter the room.
"7 minutes 6 seconds." She replied just as the room burst into cheers with Max raising a jug of beer.
"WELCOME TO DAUNTLESS!" He called and we all screamed back.

The party began shortly after and lasted until midnight hit. We were all told to move to the pit for a graduating procedure.

"Line it up." A leader called.
"What's happening?" Tris asked me but I shrugged looking to Eric who was stood on one of the side staircases looming over everyone.
"Alright listen up! Before you leave tonight, I want you all in four lines. Everyone gets a tracking device." He spoke his eyes scanning the crowd. His gaze meets mine before he keeps moving his eyes around the room.
"Don't ask questions just a precaution." This sends alarm bells rattling through me. Something isn't right. I look to Tris who seems to be sharing my thought. The room lines up and as we hit the middle of the line Tris speaks.
"Can you see four." She asks but Christina replies saying she can't. Murmurs fill the room questioning what's happening and Tris breaks the line presumably to go looking for my brother. Just as she gets clear of the lines Eric catches her. I move toward them and catch the end of the conversation.
"I'll make it easier for you." He says as a man comes up behind Tris and injects her with the tracking device.
I stand beside her looking to him.
"Hurts like a bitch huh. Now you're really one of us." He says tauntingly. Just as the man moves to do my device Eric stops him.
"I'll do hers." He speaks taking the device from him. Tris looks as to me looking for permission to go find four and I nod. My brother will know what's going on here.
Eric gently moves my hair to the side and brushes his hand over my neck.
"This is gonna sting." He says before the needle is pushed into my neck. I refuse to wince and just hold eye contact with him. The needle is emptied into my neck and withdrawn and he runs his hand over the small mark it left.
"Sorry." Is all he mutters before leaving. I stand there mouth agape. What just happened. I set off in the same direction as Tris did hoping to come across either her or four but neither can be found.