A/N: Hey guys, I'm back with another story (short story most probably). This idea just popped up in my head one day and I instantly knew I had to write about it. I hope you guys enjoy. I think I should also put out there that updates will be EXTREMELY SLOW, so don't read if you don't like that.
Notes for the story: Harry Potter will be mentioned continually throughout this story (but no you don't need any prior knowledge on this to understand the story). Please note that while I have read Harry Potter, I don't exactly remember much about it, so I'm sorry if anything is incorrect or doesn't make any sense at all. Also, all of the characters are the same age in this story. Your typical ships: Will and Christina, Marlene and Uriah, Zeke and Shauna. Four and Tris's ship will be developed in this story.
Disclaimer: I don't own any Divergent characters or plots, just my own ideas. In this chapter there are some of VR's quotes that I paraphrased. You'll be able to recognize them.
Another A/N: When I first came up with this story idea, it didn't really connect with me on a personal level - I loved the idea and thought it would look great to occur between Four and Tris, but I don't know anyone personally who got published or even writes in their free time. Everyone I know are centered around grades and STEM and whatnot, and I was like that at one point too. But now my views have changed. Now I think it would be amazing to get published (it's actually on my bucket list) or co-author or, in the best situation, become a best selling author. I guess I'm just waiting for that moment where I come up with a novel idea that could start this career. But for now, writing fanfiction and hanging out with you guys is good too :)
Star-crossed Writers
Chapter 1: DauntlessTheBrave
I sigh, collapsing onto my wooden seat by the desk in my room and opening my laptop. I check the time. 4:58 PM. Just enough time to finish my homework and upload the latest chapter to my story.
I open Word, then click on the icon that represents my pre-written four thousand word chapter. I read it over, making adjustments here and there to where I see fit. Suddenly, an idea invades my editing state and I start typing furiously, letters and words rapidly appearing on the screen as I add one — no — two thousand more words to the document.
"Beatrice! Time for dinner!" My mother calls from downstairs. Dinner, already? I look at the time on my computer screen. 7:32 PM? I didn't even start my homework yet!
I rush down the stairs, jumping the last three as my actions work in time with the speed of my thoughts. This isn't the first time that this has happened, and I know that Dad won't be happy if he finds out.
"Hey, Mom," I say, chuckling nervously. Caleb, who was setting the table, sends me a look, quirking his eyebrow. I glare at him playfully and he shrugs, smirking and resuming his chores. Being my twin brother, he knows everything that's going on with me, even without me having to say it directly. It's like we have a tacit understanding over everything.
"Hey sweetie." Mom says, throwing the oven mitt on the counter and glancing at me, her face slightly red from cooking over the hot stove. "Can you get the table mats and set them down, please?"
I do so, taking them from their spot near the sink and place them on the table, bumping into Caleb on purpose. He rolls his eyes as I wear a triumphant grin.
"Actually, Mom," I start, clutching the mat that was supposed to go on my place in my hand. "I was wondering if I could eat in my room today? I've just had a lot of homework, lately, you know..." I trail off, not failing to notice Caleb shaking his head slightly.
Mom sighs, this time looking up from the peas and to me. "Beatrice, you've already missed family dinner twice this week. You have to eat with us today."
Caleb, who is now placing the last fork on the table, whispers in my ear: "Busted." I roll my eyes, but I know he's right.
When we all sit down to eat, my mother leads us in saying grace, and then they begin to eat. They because rather than eating, I shovel the food down my throat. I'm the first one to excuse myself from the table, finishing my food in a record time of ten minutes.
Once in the sanctuary of my room, I open my bag for the first time since I've come home and start with my homework, which happens to be math homework. I don't happen to take a liking to math, but I love word problems. It's amazing that you can create an entire character, place, and problem, in just five sentences or less.
Call me a nerd, but whatever. I love it.
By the time ten rolls around, I've finally finished my all of my homework. Ignoring the nagging thought telling me that I haven't finished the homework to the best of my ability, I open up my mail on my phone, stalling until I feel the need to go to sleep.
Fanfiction. Chapter: Friends Ch43 by DauntlessTheBrave. New chapter from...
Ecstatic that DauntlessTheBrave has uploaded a new chapter to their story, I open the fanficiton app, clicking on my favorites before I can finally read the master piece of a chapter.
DauntlessTheBrave's story is one of the most popular in the Harry Potter fandom as of this year. I like to think that my story is also an important story to many people, but I try not to dwell on the fact that his or her story has more reviews than mine. Instead, I write a review of my own at the end of the chapter, letting him or her know my likes and dislikes of the chapter.
I re-read the chapter once more before posting the review, in case I forgot to write anything in the review. Then I notice the A/N at the beginning of the chapter that I had scrolled through the first read through.
Thanks for all of the reviews, favs, and follows that you all have added to this story, they really mean a lot. I'm sad to inform you guys that this is the last chapter of the story. I hope you enjoyed the ups and downs of the story as much as I did. It was so much fun to write and read all of your kind reviews.
A quote until next time: "Don't cry that it's over. Smile because it happened."
~ DauntlessTheBrave
I read the note, once, twice, three times, not able to register the fact that the best Harry Potter fanfic has come to a close. Adding on to my review, I leave a rant to DauntlessTheBrave, yelling that they ended the story all while thanking them for creating it in the first place. I sigh, finally pressing the "Post review as DivergentForLife" button.
I proceed to upload my own story, adding in a quick note about how my story will also be coming to an end in a few chapters. Then I scroll through the fandom, trying to find another fantastic story that can occupy my time when I'm not writing. That's when I notice I have a PM.
I click on the Private Messaging button and notice that it's from DauntlessTheBrave. Clicking again, I read the note, which is thanking me for my continual support throughout Friends and how he or she is glad that it's made an impact to readers. They also write about how they are sad that I am going to be ending my story so soon. A little bit of deja vu there, isn't it? Is the first thought that comes to my mind.
I sigh, closing my laptop and turning in for the night, my head already churning with thoughts about the ways by which I can end my story.
...
"Beatrice!" I wake with a start, nearly knocking my head against Caleb's. Realizing that it's just him, I groan and I fall back against the mattress.
"No! Don't fall asleep again!" He whines, but I've already closed my eyes.
What feels like seconds later, he screeches in my ear, "Wake up!" I sit up in bed, knowing that I won't get any sleep this way.
"What was the point of that?" I say, rubbing my ear and feeling like he damaged my eardrum.
"We're going to be late! You still have to change your clothes, brush your teeth, eat your—" Whatever he says next is lost as I chuck my pillow at him, hitting him square in the face. Then I sacrifice the warmth of the bed for my survival, running for dear life and slamming the bathroom door shut as he still recovers from the impact of the pillow.
I meet him downstairs, where he's just finishing up breakfast. He notices my arrival in the room and sticks his tongue out at me, a gesture which I immediately return.
"Kids!" Mom exclaims, looking at the two of us. Sighing, she places a fresh chocolate chip pancake in my plate. "I swear, sometimes you two act like little kids."
Caleb scoffs. "It's more like Tris who's the little kid. She's barely even taking any honors classes, and yet she struggles to keep up with the homework!" My head snaps up from their gaze at my food, and when I meet his eyes I see a small smile.
Taking the maple syrup from the middle of the table I retort him. "Well at least I'm not the nerd who's taking all honors classes!"
He mimics me, talking in a high pitched voice and I do the same to him, our voices clashing to make a loud din.
"Enough!" Mom yells at us, but there's humor in her eyes. "Come on, you guys will be late if you don't leave now."
Caleb glances at his watch and gasps. "She's right, we have to go!" He says, springing up from his chair and rushing to get his school bag. I take my time — mostly just to spite him — and mumble nerd. He smacks the back of my head playfully in response. We smile and head out the door, our Mom chuckling behind us.
...
When we get to school, we both part ways. Even though we are really close at home, we don't usually associate at school, mainly because his crowd is not my crowd. Presently my mind is still thinking about my story. If Harry tells Hermione about his secret, then...
"Earth to Tris!" Christina, my best friend, says to me as I approach my locker. I jump back and place a hand on my heart, frightened by her sudden presence.
"Jesus, Christina, you scared me!" I say, entering my locker combination, then snapping it open.
"I've been trying to get your attention for, like, ten minutes!" She exaggerates. That's Christina: adding hyperboles to nearly everything that she says. But she wouldn't be Christina without them.
I sigh, pausing my search for my English materials and looking at her. "What is it?"
"Nothing really," She says, playing with her hair. "I was just wondering if you saw Will today."
I roll my eyes and successfully locate my binder in the mess that is my locker. "How would I know? I just got here."
"Well sorry, Ms. Sassy Pants." She says as we simultaneously begin walking towards our Honors English class.
"It's alright, Ms. Head-over-heels-in-love-with-Will." She shoves me playfully and we laugh, entering my favorite class of the day.
...
A hand slams on my desk during the last few minutes of class, showing me the result of a quiz we recently took on our reading.
15/15. Is written at the top of the paper in neat red ink.
"Beat that, Prior." The voice belonging to the hand says. I scoff.
"Back off Four, I haven't even gotten my paper yet!" Just as I say this, Ms. Moyer, our English teacher, hands the paper to me before hustling to the desk of the next student. Four snatches the paper out of my hands before I can even look at it myself.
He scoffs and wears a look of pure shock on his face. "How did you get 16/15 when there wasn't even any extra credit?"
I smirk, turning the paper over to reveal the back side and hidden extra credit question. "Consider this a lesson learned: Always check the back of a quiz before turning it in."
He rolls his eyes as I smile in victory. "Fine. What does that make us? You're 280, and I'm 279?" I nod in agreement. He glares at me before sulking back to his desk.
The bell rings and I wait for Chris to finish packing up before exiting the class.
"Are you sure that there's nothing going on with you and Four?" She asks tentatively. I grimace.
"No way. Nuh-uh. It's just a friendly competition." I say, explaining that Four and I have been rivals since the day he stacked the foam blocks higher than mine in elementary school. It's fun at times, because he pushes me to work harder in my classes, but sometimes it can be pure annoying, like when he has to rub it in my face.
Christina has this notion that it's more than just being friends, and she insists that there's more going on between us. And I always find myself countering her.
She sighs knowingly, as if she knows that we'll end up dating at some point. "Whatever you say, Tris."
We then head our separate ways: me to math and she to art.
...
The sound of the school bell brings me out of my "crazed writing state", as my friend Uriah likes to call it. I've gotten a solid two thousand words this free period, which is way more than I thought I would.
Sighing in contentment for my accomplishment, I close my laptop and stash it in my bag, then sling it over my shoulder as I walk to the cafeteria.
I take my normal seat at our table, with Christina on my right and Uriah on my left. Then I take out my homework from my bag and start working on it while I'm eating.
"Tris, when will you ever learn to do your homework during your free period?" Marlene, Uriah's girlfriend, chastises.
Through a mouthful of macaroni and cheese, I say, "Never," though it comes off as "Neff-r." She shakes her head at my behavior but wears a small smile.
Just then, Four sits down. Four is best friends with Zeke, who also happens to be Uriah's older brother, and since they both get along we all have to sit together. I usually try to contain myself during lunch, but we can never know when I erupt. Or when he will, for that matter.
"What will she never do?" He asks, missing what Marlene had said at the beginning.
"Do homework during her free period." Christina supplies, already bored of this conversation. By the looks of it, she's itching to let me in on the latest gossip.
Four furrows his eyebrows. "Then what do you do during your free period?"
I blush. My close friends know that I write fanfiction, because I know they won't judge me for being a nerdy fangirl. But Four, on the other hand... well, it's a surprise that I've been able to keep it a secret for this long.
"She writes fanfiction." Uriah says, popping a french fry into his mouth. I give him a sideways glare and he stops chewing, realizing what he's done.
"No! What he means is..." I look around at my friends for help, thinking of words that rhyme with fanfiction. "I read fiction. You know, because I during free period I'm at the library and there's so many books, I just lose track of time..." I look into Four's eyes and I can tell he's not entirely buying it, but I just leave the topic there.
"Oh! Speaking of fiction, have you read the new book that came out last month? They're thinking of turning it into a movie..." Shauna starts.
My friends carry on their conversations, at one point laughing at Uriah's addiction to cake to another moment talking about how Four is so quiet. At this time I decide to contribute to the conversation.
"Don't worry, guys, he's just being a sore loser." I say, looking at him. He meets my eyes with a steely glare, but I don't back down.
Zeke sighs. "What was the competition this time?"
"The English quiz from a few weeks ago." I respond, still not taking my eyes off of Four. "I beat him, just because he was stupid enough to not look at the back for the extra credit." Another perk of the competition: I can rub it in his face.
His hand slams down on the table, startling everyone. "Careful, Tris." He says, walking off to throw away the aluminum foil that held his sandwich.
"You know what, Tris?" Christina says. "I have a theory."
I raise my eyebrows at her. "Wow Christina, I didn't know you were smart enough to come up with a hypothesis, let alone a whole theory!" I say. She settles for the eye roll.
"It's that you my friend, have a death wish."
In some ways, she's not wrong.
THREE WEEKS LATER
I sigh, publishing the final chapter of my story just as the shrill sound of the bell goes off.
I plop down into my seat in the cafeteria. I need to write about something else now. As an aspiring writer, I use fanfiction to give me practice at writing. JK Rowling is my role model, so I know that I want to keep writing about Harry Potter... but my ideas are running dry.
Four gasps from the seat in front of me. All eyes at our table turn towards him. He looks up from his phone, blushing slightly.
"What happened?" Zeke asks.
"N-nothing. It's nothing." He says, dismissing the topic with the wave of his hand and immediately glueing his eyes to his screen again.
I raise my eyebrow in Zeke's direction, thinking that he might know, but he just shrugs and goes back to his food. I eventually do the same.
...
At home, I finish my homework, then steal a glance at the time. 6:30. Now that I've finished my story I have so much free time that I don't know what to do with.
I open fanfiction again, logging in and clicking on my favorites. Nope, nothing there. The latest update was from DauntlessTheBrave, and he or she has already finished the story.
They've finished the story, and so have I...
I get an idea and decide to send a PM to DauntlessTheBrave.
Hi DauntlessTheBrave,
I was wondering that since you've already finished your story and I've recently finished mine, if you would like to do a collab story with me? I need something new to write and I'm guessing that you do too. If you are interested, then please let me know.
Thanks,
DivergentForLife
It couldn't hurt to send the message.
Right?
Review if what happened to Tris at the beginning of the chapter has happened to you before! ;)