Beating Heart Chapter 4: Beatings, a divergent trilogy fanfic

AN: I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY! I WAS SICK FOR THE PAST WEEK AND A HALF AND THEN MY DAD HAD TO TRAVEL TO CHECK UP ON MY MOM WHO JUST UNDERWENT AN OPERATION. Add to this school, exams, projects and blah.

Anyways I hope you guys enjoy this chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent, or the songs used in this chapter (Road Between by Lucy Hale and Dark Side by Kelly Clarkson!)

Chapter 4: Beatings

I was stopped abruptly when someone held me from the back, stopping my run. I could still feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins while I caught my breath quiet easily. I looked up to see who had held me back and was surprised to see Tori. She smiled at me sadly, like she knew the reason behind my run, the real reason. Her expression was one that of concern, sadness, and I think it was recognition, I'm not sure. She kept me still in her arms, holding me back, afraid that I might sprint into a run anytime soon.

It felt weird, being in a woman's embrace who wasn't my mother, but I found myself enjoying it, letting my walls down, knowing that she won't hurt me or leave me just like my mother did. I think that Tori could fill in my mother's place, but I knew even if she filled it in, no one could replace her place in my heart. I sighed and wiggled in her arms, assuring her silently that it's ok to let me go and that I won't run off again. Tori hesitantly dropped her arms from around me but stayed behind me. I heaved a heavy sigh and ran a hand through my hair. I turned my head and threw her a small smile and then walked to the bench.

"Prior! What was that out there?" asked coach.

"I..i…um.." I didn't know what to say, I knew that I disappointed him, that I will never reach the other girls' level.

"That was amazing! You are the best runner that I have ever seen! You bet everyone in your class and everyone that I had ever taught. You certainly made it on the track team that is if you would like to join." He exclaimed excitedly with a sheepish grin at the end.

I looked up at him shocked, all I thought that was he would be mad with me, Four, who I didn't know was there, upon seeing my expression stated. "Tris, your time for the 10 laps is 43 seconds."

I turned my shocked expression to him, only managing "are you serious?"

He and coach nodded eagrley. I then grinned widely and said. "Coach I would love to join the track team if you would have me."

"YES!" he said high-fiving Four then Tori. I rolled my eyes at his childish behavior but kept grinning nonetheless.

"Well then, you can go shower but be here tomorrow after school for practice. Oh and you certainly made the basketball team too. I saw some of your games that were filmed in your old school and I'm sure I want you on the team." Coach said stopping me in my footsteps

I looked back to him shocked again because only dad and I know of these videos as he was the one who filmed them. I sighed and nodded my head and then started walking to the girls' locker room while gazing at the sky absent mindedly.

I showered and changed into a dark green sweater and black jeans and black boots. I slung my bag onto my shoulder and headed to my car.

On the way there I found myself taking a little detour and found myself in the doorway of one of the music rooms in the school. I looked onto the corridors, making sure they are empty before entering the room.

I didn't bother locking or closing the door behind me as the school was empty and everybody went home. I threw my bag into one corner of the room, but not before making sure that my phone was in my pocket. I walked hurriedly to the grand piano that was sitting in the middle of the room, it's surface looked to be shining brightly under the setting sun's light that was entering through the big window on its left.

I sat down and ran my hand absentmindedly on it, smiling at the soft sound it made. Then I started playing the song that has been stuck in my mind all day with a small smile.

I don't have any answers
I'm not short on questions anymore
Still choosing lost causes,
Defending battles and hopeless wars

With the right heart
Wrong decision
Keeps you blinded
Tunnel vision
Oh the road to
Love is paved with good intentions

And I'm still getting to the good part
The breaking down
Learning how to write my story
And I'm in the middle of the madness
The living loose
Finding who I'm gonna be
From the start til the end
I'm still learning the road between

I'm gonna need to borrow patience
A shot of courage for letting go
Rent a little wisdom
Until I can afford my own

With the right heart
Wrong decision
Going slower
Tunnel vision
Oh the road to
Love is paved with good intentions

And I know it ain't gonna be easy, no
But I'm a fighter and you can't take that from me, no
This is just a page in the chapter I'm in

And I'm still getting to the good part
The breaking down
Learning how to write my story

And I'm in the middle of the madness
The living loose
Finding who I'm gonna be
From the places I've been
To wherever I'll go
From the start til the end
I'm still learning the road between

I had closed my eyes unconsciously while playing; it was a habit of fine that whenever I got into playing, I would close my eyes. I had felt a presence beside me on the bench when playing, but I thought that I was imagining, up until I opened my eyes and felt someone's eyes on the side of my head.

"You're really good, did you know that?" he said.

"Thanks." Was my curt reply. "Are you stalking me or something?" I added before he could say anything.

"No, but I forgot my car keys in my office and on my way back to the parking lot, I heard the piano and decided to check it out, I wanted to know who was playing after school, because nobody ever did. What can I say? I'm a curious person." He said shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Hm." Was my only response.

"Play something." He said with a serious expression.

"Why should I Four? I am not your personal entertainer." I scowled

"Because I told you to. Please." He answered right away. Looking at his pleading expression (which was weird considering I never thought that I would see this side of him) I relented with a silent sigh and a small nod and muttered "You owe me something." I said, looking at him directly in the eye. He nodded like a little kid on a sugar rush and said "Anything." I nodded one last time and turned to the piano.

I was hesitant at first, because ever since the accident, I hadn't played one bit and now here I am, playing for a person I know nothing of. What is happening to me? Was the only thing running through my mind before I shook my head, trying to get rid of the negative thoughts, and closed my eyes and started playing, but not before I felt his arms above mine on the piano.

Oh oh oh, there's a place that I know

It's not pretty there and few have ever gone

If I show it to you now

Will it make you run away?

Or will you stay

Even if it hurts

Even if I try to push you out

Will you return?

And remind me who I really am

Please remind me who I really am

Everybody's got a dark side

Do you love me?

Can you love mine?

Nobody's a picture perfect

But we're worth it

You know that we're worth it

Will you love me?

Even with my dark side?

Like a diamond

From black dust

It's hard to know

What can become

If you give up

So don't give up on me

Please remind me who I really am

Everybody's got a dark side

Do you love me?

Can you love mine?

Nobody's a picture perfect

But we're worth it

You know we're worth it

Will you love me?

Even with my dark side?

Don't run away

Just tell me that you will stay

Promise me that you will stay

Don't run away

Just promise me you will stay

Promise me you will stay

Will you love me? Ohh

Everybody's got a dark side

Do you love me?

Can you love mine?

Nobody's picture perfect

But we're worth it

You know that we're worth it

Will you love me?

Even with my dark side?

Don't run away

Promise you'll stay

I opened my eyes to look at Four's expression. It was filled with joy, pride and awe. I smiled at him and he smiled back. I shifted in my seat to look outside the window after a while, only to see that redish orange sky, which made me snap from my happy time. I quickly fished out my phone to look at the time only to curse at myself, I was panicking and that was making Four panic.

"Hey what's wrong?" he said trying to calm me down.

"Time." Was my reply before I jumped up from the bench, found my bag and ran out of the music room to my car.

I slowed down gradually to a stop in front of my car and was searching for my keys in my bag when I felt Four near me, calling my name.

"Tris wait!" he called after me.

"Yes?" I answered still searching for my keys.

"I..um…" he couldn't find the right words to say and that was making me more frusated by the second which made me snap.

"Look, I already am running late. Very late, so if you don't have anything to say, I have to leave." I said unlocking my car wirelessly.

"Well?" I said raising an eyebrow at him after I had thrown my stuff in the passenger side.

"I… can I have your number?" he said embarrassed.

"Um, isn't that illegal or something?" I asked.

"Tris we aren't dating, just acquaintances, there is no harm in that, and if it makes you any better, I promise I won't tell anyone." He said cautiously.

Sighing I held out my hand and handed him my phone. I quickly added my number and handed him back his phone and jumped into my car. "Text me! See you tomorrow." I said as I left the parking lot, I saw him nod through the rearview mirror and wave slightly, making me smile.

10 minutes later I pulled up in front of the house and gathered my bag and was about to enter the house when I noticed my father's red Ferrari in the garage. Sighing I looked at the dark, cloudy sky and entered the house, hoping that this night ends well.

"Where have you been?" he asked as soon as I stepped into the house after I took my coat, shoes and hung my bag by the door.

"School, I was catching up on assignments that I needed to turn in as I came late." I lied, hoping he would fall for the half lie.

"Do you think I am a fool?" he asked. I didn't answer directly, looked around the living room to see what has he been upto and all I saw was beer bottles and broken glasses on the floor.

"ANSWER ME! YOU W****!" he roared.

"No sir, I swear it's the truth." I said quietly.

"I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!" he screamed. "WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN TOWN FOR A WEEK AND YOU ARE ALREADY SCREWING SOME GUY!"

"I SWEAR I'M NOT!" I screamed back. Big mistake, was all I could think of as he slapped me with a huge force that it knocked me down to the floor in an instant.

He started beating me, punching me in my stomach and kicking me in the hips and lower back and abdomen. He then sat down in one of the corners in the room and began drinking again. After a while I tried to sit up and clean his mess, hoping that he won't notice me. Unfortunately he did.

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING?" he yelled in a drunken tone. "To clean up." I said calmly.

"YOU DON'T DESRVE TO CLEAN UP OR DO ANYTHING YOU W****! YOU DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO MAKE ME DINNER!" he yelled again while smashing the now empty beer bottle on my head.

I started getting dizzy. "GET OUT OF MY SIGHT YOU IDIOT!" he shouted at me while yanking me up by my already inured arm, twisting it and pushing me out of the room.

I didn't think twice about my decision. I took my car keys, phone and sneaked out of the house. I was shaking with pain and cold under the chilly rain, I was bloody and I was 100% sure that I had a consciousness so I couldn't drive. There was no way that I was going back in there so I started walking with no sense of direction.

30 minutes later, I found myself in front of a small café, 24-hour service. I walked in and headed directly to the ladies room, ignoring the sudden wave of vertigo that hit me. I cleaned up as best as I could, but couldn't do anything about the bruise on my cheek or the bruises on my stomach, abdomen as well as my back.

I tried to clean my hair from the broken pieces of glass without touching the bump on my head. I did the best I could and went and ordered some hot chocolate. I sat in the café for 30 minutes, staring blankly at the wall in front of me and drinking my hot chocolate, trying to warm myself a little.

I paid my bill silently and left the café, started to walk home, then decided against it. Knowing he will be even angrier if he knew I was out, and knowing him he won't be asleep yet.

I walked around the block, and found myself again in front of the café. Sighing, I did all what I could think of at the moment. I pulled out my phone, ignored the time and called Four.

It rang 4 times and when I was about to end the call, he picked up, and my breath hitched.

"Hello?" he answered his voice heavy and thick with sleep.

"I…" was all I could say through the nerves and the cold that was eating me slowly.

"Tris?" he asked, immediately, his tone was alert, on guard and had a hint or concern.

"I… yeah, it's me…." I answered slowly.

"What's wrong? Why are you calling me at," he said worriedly and paused a moment (most likely looking at the clock, searching for the time) then he continued "2:10 AM"

"Can you pick me up? I promise I'll answer your questions." I said hesitantly, not sure if I wanted to drag him into my mess, but he was the only person that I could trust right now, him and Tori.

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Where are you?" he asked urgently, while fumbling around.

"75th street, in front of the 24-hour service café near the corner." I replied.

"I'm on my way." He answered and hung up.

Not 10 minutes later, I saw a silver 2014 E-class Mercedes pull up in front of the café and I instantly knew it was Four. I walked slowly to car, opened up the passenger side door, and jumped in. sighing I said

"Thanks for picking me up."

"Tris… What the hell happened to you?" he asked seriously and I gluped.