I'm only able to stay around my mother for so long. Sometimes, like now, I find myself unable to handle her politics.
So I let myself walk through the ravaged Erudite headquarters. It's not really Erudite's anymore, but I can't help but see it as it once was. I find myself employing the same strategy with a certain Erudite leader.
She's not the same now. But her appearance connects her to the cold Jeanine who would use anyone to reach her goals.
I find it hard to accept the exhausted Jeanine with no fight left in her eyes. Her hair is messier, like she hasn't put a ton of product into it. She hasn't worn makeup for a few days. Her wardrobe has become slightly more casual. I just don't think she can be bothered with all of the appearance right now.
Tris's death broke her, oddly enough.
Almost in the same way it broke me.
I'm interrupted in my thoughts by the sound of a glass bottle being set down. I stop, and backtrack to where I heard the noise.
It's like I summoned her.
Jeanine Matthews is slumped against the wall at the end of this hallway. Next to her is a brown bottle that no doubt contains alcohol.
That explains the bottle. It doesn't explain why she's drinking.
"Jeanine." I call, and she looks up.
Okay, now it looks like she's been crying. I'm beginning to regret walking down this part of the faction.
"Good evening, Four."
She picks up the bottle again and takes a long sip.
As I walk closer, I realize she's drinking straight liquor.
"What are you doing?" I ask, stopping about five feet away from her.
She makes eye contact with me.
"I'm drinking liquor. I thought you were more observant than that." She says, raising an eyebrow.
Her words are slurred just enough to let me know that she's been drinking for a while now.
"That's uncharacteristic of you." I say, watching her carefully.
I get a feeling I'm about to be in charge of her.
"When have I not been uncharacteristic in the last week?" she says, lifting the bottle to her lips again. There's not a glass in sight. She had every intention of drinking it straight from the bottle.
"You really need to stop. You shouldn't even be down here alone." I walk closer so I'm next to her now.
As soon as she takes another sip, I grab the bottle and take it away from her.
She frowns.
"It isn't fair for you to take away my job and my faction and my liquor." She says, narrowing her eyes at me.
I feel a sudden surge of anger.
"It wasn't fair for you to take Tris from me. But you did that without a second thought." I snap.
She goes silent.
"Get up, if my mother's people find you alone here I guarantee that you're going to end up in a prison cell." I say, maintaining a tight grip on the bottle.
As amusing as it is to watch her struggle to get up, I eventually hold out a hand and pull her to her feet.
As soon as she tries to walk, it's clear that the alcohol is too much for her to handle.
I hold her by her shoulders and walk her towards the living quarters.
"I think I'll go inside and finish that bottle." she reaches for it, but I hold it away.
"Jeanine, I don't know who you are anymore. But Jeanine Matthews is not the kind of person to drink her problems away. So get over yourself and go to bed." I say, looking her in the eye again.
"I'm done being Jeanine Matthews." she says, reaching for the bottle again.
I push her back, almost knocking her over completely.
"You're drunk. Go to bed." I repeat, opening the door for her.
"Thanks for nothing." she mutters.
She walks inside of her own accord, but I follow her in.
It's neat here.
I walk to her kitchen and dump the remaining alcohol down the drain. I'm still shocked she even drank the amount that she did.
I watch her stumble to the bathroom, and watch her walk back out in pajamas.
"You can go now. Thanks for taking away the alcohol. Give your mom my best." She says, and I watch her practically collapse onto her bed.
I turn away, thoroughly weirded out by this person who looks like Jeanine but acts nothing like her.
"Do yourself a favor and stop drinking." I say, before I walk out of the door.
I do my best to ignore any lingering thoughts of concern or otherwise for her.
She's nothing to me but the Erudite woman who tried to kill me and did kill my girlfriend.
And as far as I'm concerned, it will stay that way.