Everly Wood | Divergent

Family

Slowly, I wake up to find the worst kind of aching in my shoulder. Damn, that shit hurts.

"Hey, how's your shoulder?" A voice asks. Rubbing my eyes with my good side, I answer back.

"Like it's just been impaled by a knife." I smile. I finally open my eyes to be greeted by Eric's eyes. His blue eyes are normally icy and sharp but right now, they're calm and soft. "Oh, hey. What are you still doing here?" Eric's posture goes from tense to uncomfortable.

"I need to talk with you, Ace." As soon as the words came out of his mouth, both of our eyes go wide. Did he just call me Ace? As in the nickname, my parents called me.

"What did you just call me?" I demand, my voice is harsh and strident. I'm sat up straight now, not even caring that he is a Dauntless leader. He takes a deep breath and sits down at the end of the hospital bed.

"Long story, short. Your father is Erudite-born. He knocked up my mother then transferred to Amity, where he obviously had you. Our dad, for some reason, kept in touch with me and told me about you." Well, I think it's safe to say I wasn't expecting that. Wait, OMFG! ERIC FUCKING COULTER IS MY HALF BROTHER!! Talk about a plot twist, am I right?

"Okay, that's a lot but I'm just gonna pretend everything is normal. Still gonna quiz you though." I warn before firing questions. "How old are you? Do other people know? Do we tell them? Holy shit, I flirted with you when I first met you! Oh god! That makes me want to throw up now. Great."

"You talk too much." He chuckles, it's warm and hearty- not the kind of chuckle I'm used to from Eric. "I'm twenty-four. No one else knows. You can tell them if you want, I don't really care. Finally, the flirting thing is to never be spoken of again." He makes sure to glare at me when he says the last part. Suddenly, I go quiet at a thought that I wouldn't be surprised if it was true.

"Eric...do you hate me because Dad left you and your mother?" I ask before biting the inside of my cheek. Unexpectedly, Eric sits closer to me before pulling me in for a hug, careful of my shoulder.

"I hate him for leaving my mother all alone to raise me. I could never hate you. You had no part in his decision." He whispers into my ear before sitting back. I sigh a breath of relief. "As for the intense battle we had the other day, well, I just want you to get better. And what other way is there to getting better than fighting the best?" He smirks, causing me to smile. I stand up, noticing it's the next day from the sunlight. As my shoulder is all patched up, I better go back to the dormitory and change out of these smelly clothes from yesterday.

"I'm gonna head back and change." I say, looking back at Eric. "Thank you...for telling me everything." I smile.

"Yeah, and now that you know we are related, I can be even harder on you in training." He smirks, playfully. "I'll walk you back. Don't want you to collapse or anything."

"How nice." I joke, smiling. The two of us walk down a few of the many halls of Dauntless. Honestly, it amazes me how no one ever seems to get lost around here. It's silent, but not an awkward silence- more of a comfortable one. Suddenly, Tris comes running passed us wearing nothing but holding a dress to cover herself. How could I forget about Tris and her towel incident?

I run into the dormitory to see Peter, Molly and Drew laughing their heads off. In a flash of anger, I forget all about Eric and charge at Peter. I pull his head down onto my knee, knocking him to the floor and ultimately giving him a concussion. I turn to Drew and kick him in the balls before smashing his head against a bedpost. Molly runs at me, obviously going to punch me but I dodge her, letting her trip over Drew, who is in a fetal position on the floor. The sound of Molly's face hitting the hard ground sends a wave of satisfaction through me. I run passed Eric, whose mouth is hanging wide open, and try to find Tris. It's no luck, though, so I go back to the dormitory and change, glad that the three assholes are gone.

Quickly, I make my way down to the pit see everyone already there, Molly, Drew and Peter all with an ice pack somewhere on their face. The sight makes me chuckle, causing all eyes to land on me. I turn to Eric, who is wearing the biggest, proudest smirk I've ever seen. I'm actually very late seeing as the first 3 fights have already happened and Tris is about to step into the ring with Molly. Everyone's attention goes back onto the square as the 2 girls (if you count Molly) get into their stances. Just by looking at Tris I can tell she wants revenge.

"Was that a birthmark I saw on your left butt cheek?" Molly says, smirking. "God, you're pale, Stiff." Everyone moves closer to watch the fight and I find myself next to Al.

Molly starts toward Tris and throws her weight into a punch. As her body shifts forward, Tris ducks and drives her fist into Molly's stomach, right over her bellybutton. Tris slips passed her before Molly could do anything. She's not smirking anymore. She runs at Tris like she's about to tackle her.

Tris blocks her punch with her forearm. Molly grits her teeth and lets out a frustrated groan, more animal-sounding than human. She tries a sloppy kick at her side, which Tris dodge, and while her balance is off, Tris rushes forward and forces her elbow up at her face. She pulls her head back just in time, and Tris' elbow grazes her chin. Molly punches her in the ribs and Tris stumbles.

Tris aims an uppercut low, below her bellybutton. As Molly gasps, Tris sweep-kicks her legs out from under her, and she falls hard on the ground, sending dust into the air. For luck, Tris kicks her in the ribs.

I feel like a proud mother.

Tris continues to kick Molly until her face is bloody and Four has to physically pull her back.

"YES, TRIS!!" I scream, smiling and laughing, causing everyone to, yet again, stare at me as if I was crazy.

~~<>~~<>~~

It's visiting day. I already know no one is going to be there for me as I told my parents not to come. Although, I might just spend the day with Eric and get to know him better. It's so weird to think that someone, who is seen as one of the most vicious people in the book, is my brother. Well, half brother. No matter how nice he is to me, I have to remember that he is the bad guy here. I never realised it back when I was living with Lily, but I, unknowingly, yearn for my real family: my blood family. Yes, I owe Lily, Luke and everyone else so much for what they have done for me but I couldn't help but feel different than the rest of them.

As of right now, I'm dressed in a simple pair of black leggings and a black sweater, sitting on the end of my bed, trying to not fall back asleep. As I stand up, about to talk to Tris, the door opens and Eric walks in.

"Attention!" he announces, though everyone was already looking at him. "I want to give you some advice about today. If by some miracle your families do come to visit you..." He scans our faces and smirks. "...which I doubt, it is best not to seem too attached. That will make it easier for you, and easier for them. We also take the phrase 'faction before blood' very seriously here. Attachment to your family suggests you aren't entirely pleased with your faction, which would be shameful. Understand?" We make eye contact and he seems to soften his gaze. Although, he looks to the side of me and glares. "I'm sorry, is Amity's ass more important than advice on how to survive here?" Eric bellows. I turn to the side, along with everyone else, to see Peter, indeed, staring at my ass. Leggings leave practically nothing for the imagination of young, horny males such as Peter. I look back at Eric, steam practically coming out of his ears. Everyone could see he was fuming but they all thought it was because he wasn't being paid attention to when really, he's being a protective older brother. In that aspect, he reminds me of Luke. With a final glare, Eric walks out of the room.

HEY GUYS!

So, I've been thinking and I'm not going to continue this story. I've lost the passion for this book. I'm sorry but I might start a new book about one of my favourite shows called Peaky Blinders (it's on Netflix). It's an English show so it will be easier for me to write seeing as I am English. I won't have to keep thinking of the American spelling.

I hope you understand, love you all,

Kaitlin xxx