Enigmatic - Divergent/Eric Fanfiction

Chapter Nineteen

Dinner passed quickly. A few of the Dauntless-born initiates asked me if I was okay, and I only answered bluntly, preferring not to talk about it. Isla also came over and checked if I was okay, and as much as I appreciated how much they all cared, all I really wanted was to be left alone. But not completely alone... I wanted to feel safe with someone nearby, but not talk to them. Kind of like how I had with Eric.

I'd eaten a hamburger and fries, then devoured tonnes of Dauntless cake, before losing my appetite as James entered the dining hall. He looked tired, with dark rings under his eyes, and a glum expression on his face. His hand was tightly wrapped with a bandage, and I tried to block out the memories of how his hand became injured in the first place. Gaz, one of the Dauntless-born's, stuck his foot out and tripped James as he passed him, and the table erupted with laughter. Except for me.

"Nice trip?" Gaz called out, and I could have sworn that I saw a look of hurt flash across James' face.

I felt the strangest pang in my chest, and quietly asked Gaz to stop, getting some rather choice reactions. A few people told me that he deserved it, others questioned why I would want them to stop, and the small remainder told the others to shut up and just listen to me.

I wasn't exactly sure why I wanted Gaz to stop being horrible to him, because they were right, he did deserve it. Yet at the same time, I couldn't bring myself to treat him the way he had treated me earlier on. Sinking to his level would haunt me.

At half past seven Talulah and Nathan walked me up to the infirmary, before telling me that they'd visit Freddie whilst they waited. Eric had already been in there, talking to the middle aged Dauntless nurse, who I assumed was Lizzie.

They took me into a dark closed off room, and flicked the lights on... and they were brighter than any that I'd seen on the compound so far. Lizzie asked me to remove my shirt and sit on the bed, then she looked at all of my injuries, and asked a few questions, before having a hushed conversation with Eric beside the door. It was clear that they didn't want me to hear, so I tried not to listen, instead I watched the hand of the clock go round for a few minutes.

"Put the shirt back on. We can go." Eric told me, and I did as he said.

I slid off of the bed as I pulled the shirt down over my head and followed him out into the main room.

I glanced over at where Freddie's bed was, and my three best friends were sat looking up at us. I started to walk towards them, but a hand grabbed my upper arm.

I frowned and paused, before twisting to look at Eric.

"A word." He ordered, his eyes flicking over to Freddie's bed before back at me. "Outside."

I nodded and walked towards the door, Eric following close behind. I pushed open the door, and he reached up to hold it for me, then pushed it shut behind us.

I noticed that he had a book in his hand, which he hadn't had in the small room. It was Peter Pan.

He held it out to me. "There's no point in this being at mine. Take it with you."

I gently took it from him, and looked down at it, slightly confused. "I thought that you wanted to read it..."

"No, you did." He replied.

For some reason my heart sank... It felt almost like rejection. He'd been trying to read over my shoulder, that's why we'd started reading to each other. He did want to read it.

"I'll leave you with that lot in there." He said. "Lizzie's examination was what we were hoping for, by the way. James will be punished."

I watched as he walked away without waiting for any kind of reply from me.