"What was that?" Siam hisses, grabbing Eric's hips.
Eric smirks at her and gives her an innocent look. "What was what?" He asks.
"The touching and shit? You being all over that initiate?" She questions, glaring at him.
"I hung an initiate over the chasm and the only thing you noticed is the touching? Aren't you going to tell me that I'm an asshole and how unnecessary that was?" He wonders, raising an eyebrow.
"It was unnecessary and stupid and you're a fucking asshole. You happy? I want to know why you felt it was necessary to touch her like that, hm? You wanna fuck that initiate?"
"Of course not."
"So you did it to piss me off, hm?"
Siam pulls Eric closer to her and looks up at him. He smirks at her and looks pointedly at her lips. "So what if I did?"
"If you wanted my attention, babe, all you had to do was ask."
Eric places his hands on her waist and licks his lips. "Give it to me then."
The next morning, Tori comes into her office with an amused look on her face. "You have a very upset initiate looking for you," She tells her.
Siam groans and puts her equipment back into the drawer. "Can you just tell them that I'm not responsible for Eric's actions and that yelling at me isn't going to stop him from being a major asshole?" She asks.
"You decided to date a sadist. Deal with the consequences," She tells her, laughing.
Siam groans even louder and motions for her to let them in. Tris and Christina walk in, Christina looking very much like she doesn't want to be there. "Can I help you?" She asks.
"Why'd you let Eric hang Christina over the chasm?" Tris asks.
Siam raises an eyebrow. "Why did I let Eric hang Christina over the chasm?" She repeats.
Tris nods and Siam actually laughs at her. "I'm sorry, what did you want me to do? Scold him like his mother? I don't control Eric and he's a major asshole. It sucks that you had to do that, seriously, but Eric's a cruel guy and you did give up. It would've been better to just let that truck of a girl knock you out," Siam points out.
Tris looks horrified and Siam shrugs. "That's the truth and I know how you Candor's appreciate honesty."
"I don't really want to be here, honestly. Tris just thought she could get you to curb Eric's nasty behavior."
"You said you'd watch out for me!"
Siam gives Tris a cold look. "I said I'd watch out for you for a very specific reason. Not when you decided that you don't like that your trainer was mean to you and your friends. This isn't Abnegation and we don't all look out for each other here, princess. You bled over our stones, you chose this life, you chose Eric. It's not my fault you weren't prepared."
Tris opens her mouth to say something, but Christina stops her. She looks at Siam who raises an eyebrow. "You think you could help me fight better? I heard from the Dauntless born initiates that you're really deadly in a fight. And that you beat Eric up once."
Siam smirks and thinks about it. "I could, if you think you could handle it."
Christina nods and Tris crosses her arms. "Isn't that against the rules? Getting training from a member?"
Siam shrugs. "You gotta do what you gotta do to survive, kid."
Christina grins and the two of them leave. It's a shame Christina wasn't Divergent, because she was a lot more interesting than Tris.
One night while they're laying down, Eric asks, "Are you training Christina?"
"What? Of course not," Siam denies flippantly.
Eric scoffs and rolls his eyes. "Don't get caught," he warns.
"Oh? You're going to let me get away with it? Big bag leader is gonna let me break the rules?" She asks.
Eric glares at her and pulls her closer to him. "Want me to punish you then?" He asks quietly.
"No, of course not." She objects, faking a giggle.
Eric shoves her away from him, making a disgusted noise and Siam bursts out laughing. "Tell her to be more discreet, because it's obvious she's gotten better somehow. I don't want you getting in trouble for some initiate," He tells her.
"Aw, you worried about me?" She teases, poking at his chest.
"I just don't want anyone knowing I let you get away with this," He argues.
Siam rolls her eyes and kisses him chastely on the lips. "I'll tell her, babe," She agrees, moving closer to him.
After the first stage, a Candor transfer stabs another initiate in the eye. It's cruel and sadistic, sending a wave of caution through the initiates. It's obvious that this year's initiates are willing to do anything to not become factionless. Eric thinks the initiate is a coward and that stabbing someone in the eye while they're sleeping is a coward's escape. Siam has to agree with him on that. She's sitting in the parlor when Tori comes in, looking a little confused. "What?" Siam asks when she doesn't say anything.
"There are some people looking for you," Tori tells her.
"Who?" She questions, narrowing her eyes.
"Some people from Amity," Tori answers.
Siam's blood runs cold and she bit her lip. "How did they even get in here?" She hisses.
"It's Visiting Day," Tori reminds her.
"God, I forgot that was a thing."
Tori looked at her sympathetically and Siam groans. "Why do people always interrupt me while I'm cleaning my tools?"
Tori chuckles and Siam gets up. She stops short when she sees the familiar colors of red and yellow. Her stomach turns and she feels like she's at the Choosing Ceremony again. Siam wrings her hands together and bites her lip. She sighs and takes a deep breath, crossing her arms over her chest. She walks toward the three of them and a pair of brown eyes widen in surprise as they notice her. "Siam!" The woman calls out.
Siam tenses for a second before walking towards them. "What are you doing here?" She asks.
"We came to see you!" The older woman tells her.
"Why?" She questions, narrowing her eyes.
The tall man behind her steps forward and Siam glares at him. "Siam," He calls out in a deep baritone voice.
"Zak," She responds.
"We just wanted to talk to you," The woman tells her, speaking up again.
"What for? You didn't need to talk to me for the past few years," She snaps, shifting her glare to her.
Another tall man with graying hair and hazel eyes steps forward. "Please," He pleads.
Siam looks away from his gaze and sighs. "Wait here," She orders.
She pokes her head into the parlor again and groans. "I'll be back. If I'm not back in a hour, please make up an emergency to get me out of this," She whispers.
Tori snorts and nods. "Alright," She agrees.
They pass the cafeteria and Siam hopes that no one notices them. It's a futile hope, especially with the bright Amity colors. "Hey!" An excited voice shouts.
Siam lets out a small groan and turns towards Christina. "What?" She questions, crossing her arms.
"Is this your family?" She asks, surveying the group.
Siam pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs. "Yes, they are. Is that all?" She questions.
"Wow, your family has like, really good genes," she whistles, looking Zak up and down.
"Alright, get out of here."
Christina smiles and winks at her before jogging away. Zak looks at Siam with a raised eyebrow and she rolls her eyes. "She was in Candor," She explains.
Zak nods, because that explains everything. She opens the door to her apartment and immediately notices that the shower is running. She tenses and her eyes dart towards the bathroom. "Fuck," She mumbles under her breath.
Ruby barks loudly and runs towards her. She smiles at the large dog and pats her head. "How are you doing, girl?" She asks softly.
Ruby rubs her nose into the palm of Siam's hand before licking it and coating her hand in spit. Siam laughs quietly and wipes her hand on her pants. When she's satisfied with Siam, she turns towards the other three and sniffs around them curiously. She jumps on Zak who grins and pets her enthusiastically. She snuffles and eagerly licks Zak's hand. She bounces between her mother and father excitedly. She sniffs at the two of them before jumping on the couch and looking at them expectantly."Sit down wherever," She offers, pointing towards the couch.
As soon as she sat down, Ruby climbed into her lap and got comfortable. "Who's in the shower?" Zak asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Why'd you come here?" She ignores Zak's question, looking pointedly at her mom.
Zak narrows his eyes at her and she hides a grin. Her mom sighs and moves closer to Siam, putting her hand on her knee. Siam moves away from her and shifts her legs into a more comfortable position. "Why did you come here?" She repeats.
"Siam," Her mom sighs, pulling her hand back. "We come to warn you about Jeanine Matthews."
As she says that, the bathroom door opens and Ruby's head picks up at the noise. Siam didn't even notice that the shower had turned off until Eric steps out, towel wrapped around his waist. Siam chances a look at her mother who is looking at Siam with a surprised look on her face. Eric doesn't take notice of Siam or the other three people in the room. He walks directly into the bedroom, unaware of the eyes watching him. Zak turns away from Eric and glares his eyes at her. "You have a boyfriend?" He hisses.
"Yeah," She responds, shrugging.
Eric walks back in, wearing pants this time. He turns towards them and his eyes widen as he freezes. Siam almost laughs at the look on his face. He looks like a deer caught in headlights mixed with horrified. "Uh," was all he seems to manage to say
"Who are you?" Zak questions, glaring at Eric.
Siam rolls her eyes at him and Eric raises an eyebrow. "Eric," He introduces.
"Why are you here, Eric?" He asks, voice filled with venom.
Siam rolls her eyes even harder as Eric narrows his eyes. It's like watching two animals surround each other in a turf war. Siam's father looks at her with an exasperated look on his face. "I live here. Why are you here?" Eric questions, crossing his arms.
"He lives here?" Zak wonders, looking at Siam.
"Yup," Siam answers, smiling sweetly at him.
"Why?"
"What do you mean 'why?' I think it's pretty obvious."
Eric smirks and Zak glares at him. "I'll come back later," Eric suggests, heading back into the bedroom.
He comes back wearing a shirt and sneakers. He kisses Siam on the cheek and gives Zak a smug look. Zak glares at him and Eric walks out. "Don't you think you're a little young for a boyfriend?"
Siam stares at Zak for half a second, wondering if he was kidding. "Zak, sweetie," She says softly.
Zak looks at her, confused by her sweet tone. "What?" He asks.
"I'm twenty three years old, I think I'm old enough for a boyfriend," She tells him, rolling her eyes.
Zak rolls his eyes and she smirks. "Speaking of your age, how old is he?" Her father asks.
"Eighteen," She answers.
"That's a little young, don't you think?" Her mother asks.
"Nope." She responds, hands running through Ruby's short fur.
Her mother shrugs, sighing and her father smiles at her. "We have quite an age difference too, honey," He points out
"Yes, but we're both adults. He's barely a man!" Her mother objects.
Siam snorts and refrains from making a crude joke about Eric's manhood. "I thought you came to warn me about something, not lecture me about my life. Thought I got away from that," She grumbles.
Her father gave a sympathetic look and she focuses on top of Ruby's head. "I know you think we were too hard on you, but it was for your own good," Her mother assures her.
"Yeah, whatever. Say what you have to say already," She orders.
"Jeanine is up to something," Her mother says quietly.
Siam tenses and Ruby looks ups at her, snuffling at her chin. "We can't say much now, because we don't know enough, but I want you to be careful," She tells her.
"What does Jeanine have to do with me?" Siam asks, narrowing her eyes.
Her mom rolls her eyes and pins her with an icy stare. "Siam, I'm not an idiot. We know what it has to do with you. We just want you to be careful. When we learn more, we're going to send you a message," Her mom explains.
Siam narrows her eyes before sighing. "Alright. Is that all?" She questions.
The three of them look at her before nodding reluctantly and standing up. As Siam opens the door for them, her mom turns around and looks at her, a stern expression on her face. "Listen, I know we didn't have the best relationship in Amity. We thought it'd be safer for you if you acted the 'Amity way.' It just pushed you farther away from us and into an even more dangerous faction, but we do love you and your father and I are so proud of what you've done for yourself. Even if I don't approve of that baby faced boyfriend you've got."
Siam stares at her mother, unable to find the correct words to respond. "We love you, Siam. We just wanted you to be inconspicuous and we didn't deal with it the best way. Your father and I are both special and because of that, it was almost a guarantee you'd end up like us. We handled it poorly and it's a surprise Zak didn't leave too. We think it's because you were so small and looked up to him that he stayed and I know he feels so bad about not visiting you. Please just let us help you."
Siam takes a deep breath and nods. "I got it. I-I'll wait for your message."
Her mom gives her a small smile and kisses her cheek.