Disclaimer: I own nothing, only Avery. All characters are displayed as I saw them in both the books and the movies, this of course if how I feel about them and are in no way a reflection of how they really are in the book. Also my stories are usually rooted in music and adds to the essence of the story. I will have a song posted at the end of each chapter to help establish a feel for the chapter and story. Also it's just good music I would like to share with you guys too! Let me know what you think, I'm open to reviews and suggestions always!
Chapter 9 More Questions
"You're the light, you're the night
You're the color of my blood
You're the cure, you're the pain
You're the only thing I wanna touch
Never knew that it could mean so much, so much
You're the fear, I don't care
'Cause I've never been so high
Follow me through the dark
Let me take you past our satellites
You can see the world you brought to life, to life"
"We have a faction meeting tomorrow." He said softly. I had made my way to his apartment after I had finished my bath. We had ate and shared apologies about what had happened that day. He did have more mood swings than most men. It was like whiplash. I was leaned up against him on the couch. I was stretching my legs out as he played with a strand of hair. This was relaxing. Just being with him, alone, in silence was perfect.
"Where at?" I knew that faction meetings happened at least once a month and at a different faction each time. It was to share information and to see if the factions needed anything from each other. I remembered seeing people around when I was a child. I paid no attention to it until now.
"Your favorite place." I groaned. I did not want to go back to Amity. He laughed. "You will go voluntarily but not when you are required to." I shook my head. I did not want to go to the place of no answers.
"I went for different reasons." I whispered. My fingers played with the back of his hand.
"I would like to know those reasons." I rolled my eyes.
"Why so you can tell Max?" I felt his intake of breath. I sighed. "I'm sorry." I sat up and ran my hands through my hair. I was having a hard time trusting him. Jeanine knew about me, he always talked to Max about me.
"I only tell if he asks, I cannot keep information from him Avery." He turned to me. I knew that he was obligated to share information with Max just as much as I was.
"I know." I stood, stretching some more. I was sore and in pain. Looking to the clock I sighed. "I got to go." I made my way to the door.
"No goodbye kiss?" He asked sweetly and approached me. I smiled. It was moments like this that made me love him more. Kissing him I groaned. The need was still evident between both of us to complete our desire with one another. It wasn't time. I still had yet to ask him if we were in a relationship. Honestly, if we were to this point I would say yes we were. "Stay with me tonight." He said as he broke the kiss. I shook my head no, I knew it could lead elsewhere. He sighed. He was trying to be patient and I only hoped he knew I felt the same way. "I just want to be with you." He whispered before claiming another kiss.
"You are." I didn't ask it, I stated it. He smiled down to me and nodded. I reluctantly left. We would have to leave early to make it to Amity on time tomorrow morning. Sleep came slow and we were all soon on the train headed to the Amity village. All the Dauntless leadership shared conversation with one another. Four had the initiates going over weapons today. He was an expert and did not need too much of our help. The walk to Amity was long and hot. I flung my jacket over my shoulder and most of the leaders followed the example. We reached the Amity village and saw that most of the other factions had made it there as well. Erudite pulled up in their fancy cars. I noticed that Eric's father stepped out of one of the cars. I had forgotten that he was and Erudite leader as well. We entered the meeting barn which was cooler than outside. An Amity boy was offering water to everyone.
"Don't drink the water." I whispered to Eric before he took a sip. He gave me a questioning look. "Wait take a sip, I want to see your true happy self." He set the glass down. I was just as thirsty as he was but I did not trust Amity one bit.
"Avery!" A voice called out from across the barn. I looked to Eric with a pained expression. My step mother approached me and instantly pulled me into a hug. "It is so good to see you darling!" I groaned and stepped back. "How have you been and who is this hansom man." She motioned to Eric. She was one of the favored in Amity, considering that they do not have any leadership.
"Victoria, this is Eric another Dauntless Leader." She looked between the two of us and smiled wide.
"Don't be so formal dear, it's obvious but we can talk about that later, so you a leader!" She gripped my hands in excitement. She was overly perky today, I knew her true self away from crowds of people. I turned to Eric and saw that his father had come to greet him as well only a bit more formal than my step mother. "I will see you after the meeting hun ok?" I nodded reluctantly and she dashed off. I could hear her voice greeting other people. I walked up to Eric and his father.
"I do not believe we have formally met, I'm Michael Eric's father." He held out his hand. This was a part of the faction meetings, meeting everyone else.
"Avery." I said simply and took his hand. The room was called to order soon after. The conversation with Eric's father was brief. I stood near the back of the barn, the head leaders stood on the platform in the middle. Each faction brought about their issues and solutions that other factions could aid with. I leaned against the back wall and sighed. This was slightly boring. Eric had moved toward the front to stand with Max. He put a lot of effort into being a better leader. I didn't blame him. A hand gripped my hand and tugged. Without knowing it I was outside the barn face to face with my step father. I took my hand back. "What do you want?" I did not favor him, he was worse than my step mother. I wish I had known why my parents had left me with them to begin with.
"You never change do you?" He said with a smile. He was drinking too much water.
"I could say the same." I crossed my arms over my chest waiting for the reason he pulled me secretively from the barn. He handed me an envelope. "What's this?" I rolled my eyes at him.
"Take it and keep it secret." He said a smile still on his face but I could tell that there was something else behind all of it. "Johanna told me you were asking questions, this may direct you to the answers." With that he turned and left me standing outside the barn, dumbfounded. I looked at the envelope in my hand. It had my name written across it. My real name. The envelope was old. As I moved to open it Eric called out from the barn. I jumped. Tucking the envelope under my jacket in my hand I re-entered and found everyone staring at me. Eric stood by the door as I entered. He gave me an irritated look. I had done something again.
"Avery, glad you could join us." Max said and motioned me over to him. I tensed but did as I was told and was followed by Eric. "The leaders would like to know how the initiates are doing?" I rose an eyebrow at him. He could have told him or even Eric. "Since you are in charge of initiate training, would you care to share with the group?" I was in charge? What was going on here? Yesterday Eric was in charge. I groaned and looked around the room at the rest of the leaders who looked on expectantly.
"They are doing just fine." I said simply and everyone exchanged glances. I looked to Eric a bit irritated myself.
"Has anyone been cut yet?" The question came out from the group. How did they know about that? I turned to Max and he did not appear happy.
"No." I wanted to ask questions but I felt like it would did a deeper hole.
"So it's true, if our children that deflected from you do not pass will be factionless." How did they know about this? Who was sharing the information to the public? Faction information stayed within the faction. The whole room began to chatter and soon the noise became unbearable. I left the barn out the back and into the orchard. I was followed by the rest of the leadership.
"How did they find out about that?" I asked Max. They had put me on the spot.
"We don't know the question stemmed from Amity." What?
"No one deflected from Amity." I said and another leader approached me.
"Not since you." I turned to him with a glare. I was not responsible for the information making it out of the faction. Anyone who is now factionless from the last year of initiates could have done the same. Someone is making my life hard and I wanted to know why.
"Are you questioning my loyalty?" I stepped up to the man who was taller than me but I was too distracted to care. I wanted to see what was in the envelope.
"That's enough!" Max called over us and Eric stepped in between. The man only smirked and walked away. I had yet to be introduced to him but I knew it would be an unfriendly relationship. "Let's get back to the compound." I walked at the back of the group. Max put me on the spot. Eric didn't help. It was all my fault. Wait. How was it my fault? I stopped walking and watched the group continue on. Eric turned back to face me. "What's the hold up?" I heard Max call out. Eric waved him on and approached me. Lucky for him to be a full blown leader to do that.
"What is it?" Eric asked as he came to stand in front of me. I looked up at him, emotion was boiling over. "Come on, let's go home." He motioned for me to start walking again. He nudged me with his elbow and I groaned. He did it again. I looked up at him with a glare. His eyes smiled at me. This whole thing was stupid to be mad over, he was trying to get me to laugh. He nudged against and shove his arm causing him to laugh. He wrapped an arm around my waist as we walked together, kissing my neck. It was the first public display of affection he had given. I smiled to myself. "You did well, Flower girl." He whispered into my ear and I jabbed him in the ribs. There was that name again and he would not be safe from my wrath. We made it back to the compound and to the training area. Four had finished with weapons and was going over more hand to hand. You could never have enough. I held the envelope in my hand as I sat down on a nearby bench. Four and Eric were exchanging some conversation.
"What's that?" I shoved the envelope in my pocket and looked up. Eric eyed my pocket curiously. He said to keep it secret and I was failing.
"Nothing." He knew I was lying but let it go. "What happened in the barn, what was that supposed to prove?" I asked.
"It was to prove that you could keep your mouth shut instead of making excuses." I chuckled. I knew it was good not to explain my way out of that one. "It happens to every leader at least once, you cannot get yourself out of their questions every time." I nodded. So I had done what was right but, someone thought that I had spread the information because of my original faction of origin. "Don't worry about the info getting leaked, we will find out who did it and why." He said giving me a small smile before returning to training. Looking around the complex I saw everyone occupied and took my chance to disappear. I had to read what was in the envelope.
A/N: Love me like you do – Elle Goulding. What does everyone think!? Sorry for the delay, my computer broke and had to get a new one. I'm back though ready for more. Whose seen Insurgent and who is upset like me? I read the book so it was expected but I was hopping for a little change in the story but hey a girl can wish huh? See everyone soon!