Chikara (Divergent Fanfic)

Chapter Nineteen- No Backing Out

You know the pressure feeling you get when you've held in a story for such a long time, and feel relieved when you finally tell someone else that isn't family or a partner and you feel the pressure come off your shoulders?

Well, that's what I felt when I told Four about the tattoo. Even though my father, who still hadn't reached out to me after the meeting, and Lucas knew, there was something different about the way I told Four. I didn't know if it was because I was comfortable with telling him, or that I just happened to spill it out. Either way what's done is done, and I didn't regret it.

After I got redressed Four and I decided to go have a relaxing lunch in the Pit. Even though I insisted that he went to bed since he had another night shift, he shot me down and basically told me to shut up and follow him. I swore that I didn't think Four would be so assertive.

As we made our way to the Pit it was kind of awkward to say the least. And it wasn't because he was, it was because people saw we were holding hands and were met by everyone's stares. Most were of interest, but I saw a couple here and there that were filled with jealousy. There were times when I tensed up because I didn't know if it was a good or bad sign. However when Four rubbed his thumb over my knuckle I calmed down.

As we ate, I tried to retain any information I could twist for Eric to put towards the mission. There was only a small amount of progress that was made with Four for the mission. I only got what I already knew, except for that Four worried about Tris's progression into stage three. I took the hint that he wanted to help Tris hide her Divergence throughout the stage until the final examination that she had to go through on her own. There was only one question lingering through my mind.

Why was he so set on helping Tris?

Other than that, the day passed by with a breeze. We ate, we laughed, and we went back to my apartment so Four could sleep before he went back to working his night shift again. He told me that his shift would be shortened since he was running simulations again tomorrow morning. While he was asleep, I decided to waste some time and write, adding and editing the final draft of one of my chapters. Every once and awhile I looked over to see Four's calm figure sleeping in my bed, his head resting on one of the pillows while his arms grasped onto the black quilt I bought from one of the Pit's stores.

I smiled every time I saw him. He looked so calm when he slept.

As I went back to write once again, a sudden realization popped into my head: I had to turn in my first log to Eric today.

I decided to get it taken care of right away and turned in, since I knew Eric would be expecting one, regardless of it being a day off. Not wasting time I quickly ran over to my underwear drawer and opened up Four's manila folder and ripped off the first lined paper on the top of the stack and returned to my desk to write a quick report.

October 16th: Second Stage Free Day

Waiting to do any further progress on Tris, since I believe that the third stage will be the best time to judge her suspected Divergence. It will give me a better sense of how she gets through the sequence, and how fast she can get through all of them in a sitting.

On the other hand, there has been little progress with Four's suspected Divergence. While eating Lunch today, he mentioned quite a few times that he was worried on Tris's progress throughout stage three, suggesting that he may be insisting on helping Tris throughout the next stage. However, he has not confessed or hinted at his Divergence.

After I finished writing I looked over at the clock to see it was four in the afternoon.

Maybe he is at his apartment.

~~~~~~~~~~

I stood in front of a blank, white door with letters spelling the name 'ERIC'. Knocking twice, I heard heavy footsteps on the other side of the door.

The door swung open to reveal a tired, yet attentive Eric. His hair was disheveled and spiking up in some areas, especially the longer side in which flopped in front of his face. He looked at me with half-lidded eyes before sucking in a breath and rubbing them. He was wearing a black tank top and black gym shorts that slightly sagged, showing the band on his boxers.

"Good afternoon sleeping beauty," I teased.

He replied with a grunt, "What do you want?"

"I decided that I just wanted to get the log done and over with, since I wasn't able to speak with Tris today and Four will be working a night shift."

I pulled the white piece of paper out from my jacket pocket and held it out in front of me.

He took it with one fellow swoop, "Thanks. Wanna come in?"

I nodded and shrugged, pushing past him and taking a seat on his couch while he quickly scanned the paper in front of him while rubbing his eyes in fifty different directions.

"So, he is worried about her?"

I nodded, "He said it quite a bit during our lunch today. I don't know if it will serve any purpose, but I thought it would somewhat lead us in the right direction."

He nodded and ran his fingers through his hair, "It's a start. But we are gonna have to start getting more leverage soon."

"That may not be able to happen until the third stage, since that's when the stress starts to come up."

He just slightly nodded and disappeared into what seemed to be his bedroom. I took the liberty just to look over the apartment again, seeing that he rearranged some furniture and added another bookshelf.

"Adelaide?!" Eric yelled.

"Yes?" I yelled back.

"You will not be doing any simulations on the first day of the third stage."

"Why?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

"In the morning, there is a mandatory meeting with Jeanine. She has proposed that there is a way we can control Divergents in the near future. More information will be handed out on that day."

I sighed. Oh no. This isn't going to end well. I need to let Four know about this upcoming slaughter soon.

"Do I have to?" I asked.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, the last time I talked to her it didn't end on a good note."

"She'll get over it."

I sighed, "I just don't know."

Eric came out of his room, looking at me with concern, "Are you going to back out?"

"I didn't-"

"I know you didn't say that. However, if you try and back out, I will have no choice but to make sure that the information you know isn't shared after you leave."

"So you mean you'll have to throw me in the Chasm."

He nodded silently.

I sighed. To be honest I was thinking about trying to get out of this situation. But now I know that I can potentially die if I do, now I know I have to go through with the plan.

Try to get Eric on board with helping the Divergents instead of slaughtering them, and secretly letting Four know about the destruction they plan on giving out.

There was a problem: I don't think Eric had any intention on helping anyone but himself.