'He leave because he wasn't smart enough or something?' I ask, intrigued.
'No, he was wickedly smart, even for a Erudite. He was always too wild, especially after his mother passed when he was fourteen. We were kind of friends. I mean, neither of us were short of other friends but he helped me with school work and I taught him how to climb a tree and run fast'.
'You helped each other out then?'.
'Yeah, I was struggling at school and he already knew he was going to be Dauntless, even at twelve it was obvious. Then at thirteen he beat up the fifteen year old who made his younger sister cry. That's her over there, she's the same age as Ben, her name is Eleanor. She's his favourite, there's five of them, two boys, three girls, one transferred to Amity, the second youngest, same age as you. His mother was hit by a train. I never found out what his real name actually was, he's gone by Eric ever since I've known him'.
I glance over to him, to find him staring at Bella like he's seen a ghost. I guess in a way he has. Bella stands and he walks over to where we were sat, before glancing at me and smiling slightly, 'Jasmine, Bella, can't believe I didn't make the connection earlier'.
'Been over a year since we've seen each other Eric, Dauntless suits you'.
'Thank you, are you happy you stayed in Amity, rather than transferring like were going too?'.
Looking at Bella, I asked her, shocked, 'What? You were going to leave?'.
'We'll talk about it later, Mina. And I am very happy, thank you Eric. Abigail is doing well in Amity,'.
Eric cuts her off, 'She transferred?', he asks, clearly unaware that she was going to,
'Yes, she's doing well in her initiation. Although she goes by Abi now, and has caught the affection of a Amity boy, Noah, she's very smitten'.
'She attracts attention wherever she goes'. Listen to them talk, I remember Abigail from some of my lessons at school. A very pretty pale girl with bright red hair and the same eyes as her brother Eric, no wonder she's caught Noah's eye, an old neighbour, he's attracted to pretty things.
Eric introducing his younger sister to Bella snaps me out my trance, 'This is Eleanor, my youngest sister'.
She laughs, before adding, 'The youngest, the best, his favourite. And, I go by Ella now. It's nice to meet you'.
'Sorry, but when did you start going by Ella, and when were you planning on letting your older brother know?'.
'I thought you would have guessed'.
'Yes, because every time I see you I think about whether you still have the same name'.
'Brother dearest, shut up' Ella says decisively, but grinning at the same time.
Eric grins back, before turning back to her and saying, 'Come on, let's leave them alone. I have a meeting in twenty minutes and you have work in forty five. Goodbye, Bella, it was nice to see you, and I'll see you back initiation, Jasmine'.
He retreats with Ella in tow and I turn and look questionably at Bella, before saying 'Isabella Louise Ann Clark, you tell me the meaning of you thinking about transferring'.
'Jasmine, I need to tell you something before I tell you why I was thinking about leaving. What happened with you, He did it to me as well'.
'What the fuck! Why didn't say anything when I told everyone?'.
'Because I didn't want...'.
'You didn't want mum and dad to treat you the same way they treated me, right?'.
'I'm so sorry, Jasmine, sorry I let you go through it on your own'.
I sink back down in my seat, processing the information and ignoring the tears escaping from my eyes 'Where were you going to go?'.
'I was thinking Abnegation, regardless of the fact I loved Amity, I couldn't stand to be near Him for longer than I had to be. Then He died and that's why I stayed. I could finally be free'.
For ten minutes I cried into her t-shirt and she cried into my dress, 'What happened to your face? I wondered earlier, but never got around to asking'.
'The physical stage of training'. Bella nodded like she understood and I guess she did, I guess she was happy I was learning to defend myself. Bella and Ben left soon after and I retreated to the dorm to just sit quietly, only to open the door to find Kaily sat all on her own, tear tracks glittering on her cheeks.
'My parents didn't come'. That was all she had to say, and I held her while she cried and for the first time in my life, I felt like I had a friend who meant everything to me.
'Initiates, it's lights out time, tomorrow we are going on a field trip and you will be woken later, you will got an hour extra sleep, you don't need to worry about practical clothing, just wear whatever will be comfortable for you'. Eric and Four are stood on the stairs by the entrance of the dorm, giving us instructions at half ten for the next day and then they quickly turn and leave, putting the lights on a timer of twenty minutes. Both Kaily and I showered just after dinner, somewhat awkwardly for me, with my tattoo still covered in bandages. I tied my long hair into a thick plait and we climbed into bed, sleepy from the news of the day and the extra training Kaily and I did after my family went.
When we climbed out of the train the next day, I felt sunshine on my face for the first time in what felt like forever. We climbed the stairs of the wall, Kaily in front and Andy behind me. While I wore black ripped skinny jeans and a black t-shirt with a maroon hoddie, a Dauntless girl wore a party dress, and stood complaining loudly she was cold. I stood facing out on to the Amity farms where I spent a lot of times of the last sixteen years, and from this distance I could see my mother, looking the same as always, her Dauntless still recognisable even after twenty years. I didn't miss her, she was never quite on the same page as me.
Kaily's voice cuts through my thoughts. 'What do you think you would find? If you went past the farms and just carried on'.
Hunter comments from where he's stood next to Kaily, their shoulders touching, 'Aliens' he says, smiling.
I smile back, before looking out thoughtfully, 'The rest of the world'.
I know I said there would be answers about that kiss in this chapter but I'm sorry there isn't. There won't be another chapter for about a week, schools super hectic and I've got a lot to do so I'm not promising anything. So next chapter, answers about the kiss and who He is.