Divergent UNIVERSITY ✅

chapter 39

The June and July fly by quickly as the group work and play. Things start to change quickly for each of the friends as their life choices start to pull them apart or drive them closer together.Shauna applied for a masters in social work program at the University of Pittsburgh. She received the letter in the middle of July, but never could seem to find the right time to tell Zeke. About a week before she was scheduled to leave for Pittsburgh, she finally decided it was now or never. She had to tell him."Zeke we need to talk," Shauna tells him one Saturday morning as they were getting ready to meet with their friends.Zeke stops and looks at her. He doesn't like the way this sounds. She has been drifting away from him lately and he can't figure out why. Things were going so well, then there was a sudden change. "What is it?""I was accepted into the masters program at the University of Pittsburgh. I'm scheduled to be on campus for orientation next week."He smiles at her. "I'm so proud of you. I'll go with you, we can get an apartment together and I can apply for the police academy in Pittsburgh...""Zeke stop, just wait," she says with tears starting to form in her eyes. "I think we should break up. I don't want to pull you away from your brother and friends.""Shauna, my life is with you. I'll see my brother and friends."The tears flow out of her eyes and stream down her cheeks, "I don't want you to go with me. I want to go to Pittsburgh and make a new start. I can't do that with you."Zeke looks at her completely dumbfounded. How could this woman that he has spent the past three years with just throw away their relationship like this. Anger, sadness, and sorrow start to fill him as he tries to carefully choose his words. "You are breaking up with me? I thought you loved me. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. How could we be on two completely different pages?""Zeke, I do love you. But I need to do this by myself for now. Look at what happened to my sister and Kenzie. Kenzie followed her to New York and now they are broken up and Lynn is coming back to Chicago. They haven't talked for about a month. If we are meant to be together then we will. But fate will bring us back together.""Fate?! You want to leave our lives to fate? Do you know how ridiculous that sounds? Shauna, there is no fate. We make our fate from the decisions that we make. I'm ready to go to Pittsburgh with you right now.""I... I don't want you to go. I want to do this on my own. I'm sorry Zeke. I love...""Don't you dare! Don't even say those words to me. If you loved me then there would be no argument here. Clearly you don't love me as much as you think," he stops for a moment and turns from her. Tears in his eyes he turns back and glares at her, "I'm going to Bud and Natalie's for the weekend. Get out of my apartment. I don't want you here when I return.""Zeke, please listen...""There is nothing to listen to. Get out."Zeke turns and leaves the room. Marlene and Uriah stand in the small living space and stare at Zeke. They don't dare say a word. They didn't mean to hear everything, but the apartment is small."I'm going to hang out with Four for the weekend. I'll see you later," Zeke tells them. He gathers some clothes, throws them into a plastic bag, and walks out the door.Shauna comes out of the bedroom and sees Uriah and Marlene standing there looking at her. Uriah walks out the door to follow his brother and try to talk to him. Marlene stays and just looks at Shauna."Mar, don't look at me like that. I had to break up with him.""Really? Why? He was wanted to go with you. He wanted to be with you and you won't even give him a chance. Shauna, you are like a sister to me but you are being ridiculous right now."Shauna looks down at her shoes, refusing to make eye contact with Marlene, "I don't think I love him anymore." She says these words almost inaudibly.Marlene just stares at her in shock. "How long?""I don't know. Just one day I looked at him and I just didn't feel the same anymore.""Shauna you aren't right. Do you know that he pulled Uriah out to go shopping about a week ago? He was looking at engagement rings. He wants to marry you and you suddenly break up with him. How long have you been leading him to believe that you love him?""Since we were in the middle of our seasons things haven't been the same. I thought it was just because of all of the separation and that when we started living together things would get better. But it's not. He does things that make me so mad. I can't seem to let it go.""Well, I'll help you pack your things. You should probably stay with your parents until you leave for Pittsburgh. I'm happy for you and all, but you did this the wrong way."~oOo~Uriah catches up with Zeke outside. He climbs into the car with him, but doesn't say a word. He knows his brother, if he wants to talk he will. If not then this will be a silent ride, either way Uriah is okay with that.When they are about a mile and a half away from the apartment, Zeke decides to talk. "How could I have been so blind? How could I not see what was happening. She's been pulling away since we were in Omaha. This season was so busy, we hardly talked. Four and I were both worried about how little we were seeing the girls. We just figured it would get better once the season was over. It did for Four, I guess I thought if I kept trying it would get better. She has been so distant though. I don't know what is going on.""Maybe if you just take a break..." Uriah starts."A break? This isn't a break, she's moving half way across the country. This is the end."Uriah doesn't say a word, he knows that Zeke is right. They drive a little while longer. Uriah finds himself back in front of the apartment building."Uri, thanks for coming with me. But I'm just going to head to the beach house now."Uriah gets out of the car and Zeke pulls away. He goes back in to find Marlene helping Shauna pack."Shauna, how long have you been leading him on? Why didn't you do this two months ago if you knew something was wrong? He said you haven't been acting right for months.""I don't know Uri," Shauna says with tears streaming down her face. "I guess I just didn't want to admit it wasn't right. I just kept hoping that things would get better, but it never did.""Well, he's going to be gone for the weekend so you have a little time to get packed and move out. Where will you go?""My dad is coming for me tonight. I have almost everything packed already. I want to say goodbye to everyone though.""I'll call Tris and Four, although I'm sure Four will be with Zeke," Marlene says."I'll call Chris and Will too," Uriah says taking out his phone.Marlene goes off to call Tris. She explains the situation to Tris and hears Four in the background sounding irritated, but they both agreed to meet at a coffee shop near the apartment."Alright," Marlene begins once she is back in the room. "Tris and Four are on their way. They are meeting us in thirty minutes at the coffee shop down the street.""Will and Christina will be up here in a few minutes, we will start down the street when they get here."~oOo~"Tris I don't want to go to meet Shauna. Zeke is my friend and she just destroyed him," Four tells her."We don't even know where Zeke is at the moment. Marlene said that he was headed here, but he's not here yet. So maybe you should stay here and wait.""I don't want you going by yourself. Things have been quiet but I'm not going to tempt fate.""Then come with me. We won't stay long, we need to get to get back and finish with the wedding plans anyway.""Speaking of which, when do I get to see your bride's maid dress?""In two weeks," Tris says with a smirk.He pulls her into him and crushes her lips with his. He pulls back slightly, "You, Miss Prior, are not nice.""But you love me anyway," she says as she pulls him back in to continue the kiss.~oOo~Four and Tris pull in front of the coffee shop and climb off of Four's motorcycle. They can see their friends sitting inside at some tables talking. Tris sees the group and is saddened because they are quickly falling apart as people move on with their lives."Four, Tris," Uriah waves from the tables. They walk over to greet their friends. Tris notices that Shauna looks like she has been crying for hours.They take their seats around the table. "So, what's going on?" Four asks."I was accepted at Pitt to do my masters. I'm leaving in two days. I'm moving out of the apartment and am going to spend my last day here with my parents before I drive to Pittsburgh," Shauna explains."Why did you wait so long to tell us what is going on?" Christina asks."I don't know. I guess I was just trying to...""Lead my friend on and completely crush him with the news?" Four chimes in.Tris takes his hand and squeezes it."Four, I didn't mean to hurt him. I just... I don't know what I was doing. I feel horrible that I hurt him.""We have established that she did this all wrong. We are just here to say goodbye and..." Marlene says but Four cuts her off."Well goodbye. Have a good life," he turns to Tris. "I can't stay here. I'm going out to the motorcycle. I'll just wait for you there. Take your time." He kisses her cheek and walks out the door."He's upset and worried about Zeke. He isn't at Bud's house yet and he's not answering his phone," Tris explains."I understand," Shauna says. "I've got to get going anyway. My dad will be here soon."Tris stands and hugs Shauna, "Good luck. It was really great getting to play ball with you for the past three years.""Thanks Tris. I hope to keep in touch." With that Tris goes out to Four and they take off immediately.Next Shauna hugs Chris and Marlene in turn. "You girls were as much my sisters as Lynn. Please watch out for her when she comes back. She acts tough, but she really isn't.""We will," Chris assures her.Shauna turns to Will, "Take care of Chris, she's a great girl."Then she looks at Uriah, he has a scowl on his face, but his eyes show sadness and worry, "I'm so sorry Uri. Please forgive me. I really did love your brother with all of my heart, but... I don't know."Uriah hugs her, "Be safe in Pittsburgh."With those words, she walks out of the coffee shop and disappears into the crowd.