A/N: Thank you all for your patience! Things have been pretty hectic this summer and now I'm officially back at university. Good luck to any of you who are back or going back to school this year! Thank you, also, for the numerous amount of reviews that I've received! They definitely helped me make time to work on this. A huge thank you to Sarah, my beta, who makes this good. I hope you guys like it. Enjoy!
Chapter Fifteen
Riley comes as an after thought. In the wake of Eric's kiss, I forgot about him and what will happen when he hears about it. I scowl at my computer. Eric is affecting me already. I shove the thought out of my mind before plugging in the tablet to charge.
"Amelia," I freeze at the sound of Jeanine's voice. Her office door had been closed and she had scheduled herself to her lab for the afternoon. I didn't expect her.
She stands in the doorway to her office. "We need to talk." She turns away, going back into her office. I stand up slowly, steeling myself for what's to come. She can't possibly know already, can she? Do rumours travel that fast? Or was she monitoring me? Either answer is problematic. I don't need her focus on me.
She motions for me to sit across from her. Her hands are clasped together, resting on the desk as she looks at me. Her glasses glint in the light, her eyes like steel behind them. I feel exposed, but I clasp my hands together and wait. I cannot falter.
"I'm told there are congratulations in order."
My throat feels dry. "Yes ma'am. Riley proposed and I've accepted."
"I trust," her voice is hard, "that this...engagement will not be an obstacle in our plans."
"No ma'am," I say. "I've explained to Riley that my work comes first. No exception."
"Excellent," she smiles. "I know, Amelia, that you pride yourself on your work as I do. How are the preparations coming in Dauntless?"
"Very well," I say. "The computers are fully functional and in sync with ones in Erudite. The lab at Dauntless needs to be set up before we bring in scientists, but it shouldn't be long."
"Good," she says. "I want everything in place by the next year. We may need to move quicker than originally planned." She doesn't explain why and I don't ask. Jeanine prefers that everyone except her to be on a need to know basis.
"Yes ma'am."
She turns towards her computer, seemingly satisfied with our conversation. "One more thing," she says with a pause. "If any aspect of your life affects our work, it will be terminated immediately. Understood?"
Fear rushes through me. I'm not sure if she's talking about my family, Riley, or even Eric, but I have no doubt that she would remove any obstacle in her way. That included me if I tried to relegate my problems onto her and distracted her.
My voice, surprisingly, doesn't shake. I don't know whether or not to be proud of that. "Yes ma'am."
"That's all."
The rumours take a day before they start reaching me. It would have taken longer, but Catherine isn't one to waste an opportunity. She strides up to me when I'm alone, making my way towards the sociology department.
"Amelia," she greets.
"Catherine," I nod. "Can I help you?" Despite the polite smile I give her, I am busy. I don't have time to talk if it's not going to lead anywhere.
"I heard that you were at Dauntless." She watches me carefully, as if looking for something she can pounce on.
"I was. We're upgrading their systems." It's a small form of the truth and part of an established cover we've created for those Jeanine doesn't trust yet. My heart is beating erratically. I knew when Eric kissed me in sight of the trucks that it would cause a stir. I had expected more time though.
"Is that all?" She raises her eyebrows at me and smiles. It looks cruel, but nothing like Jeanine or Eric. "Because from what I heard, you were fraternizing with one of them. Very closely."
I try not to sigh. "Despite what you heard, I was there to do my job, one that Jeanine trusts me capable of doing." Using Jeanine was a shot at Catherine, but I needed this over with quickly. "What they saw was a Dauntless trying to intimidate me for his own enjoyment. I am engaged to Riley Givens. There is no reason why I would waste my time on a Dauntless."
Her eyes narrow on me. "Indeed," she says. "Why would you?" She steps closer to me and I have to look up slightly to meet her eyes. "I cannot wait for your dalliances with Dauntless to be aired. When you're factionless..."
"In the rare circumstance that should ever happen," I cut her off, "it will still be up to Jeanine to chose my replacement. She didn't chose you before...why would she now?" I can hear her inhale sharply. "If you'll excuse me, I have work to do." I push past her and continue to the sociology department. I know she's watching me so I keep my pace steady until I'm out of sight. Only then do I breathe a sigh of relief. One down, who knows how many to go. Hopefully that will be the end of it.
Riley sends a request to meet him for dinner, but due to conflict between both of our schedules, it doesn't happen right away. I have little doubt that he is going to ask about any rumours he may have heard.
He meets me in my office, arriving promptly at the scheduled time I finish work to pick me up.
"Amelia," he greets, leaning over my desk to place a kiss on my cheek once I stand. I try not to flinch. The contact is unnecessary.
"Riley," I say. My voice is polite, but not fully welcoming as it should be. He doesn't seem to notice. I put on the dark blue jacket that hung on the coat hanger and grab my bag. I catch him glancing at Jeanine's office but she's not there. She was in her lab once again. "Shall we?" He looks fairly surprised that I am ready, but I had closed and sealed everything before I knew he would arrive. I don't need him seeing things he's not supposed to.
"Of course." He turns to walk out of the office with me. "I thought we might eat in my apartment instead of the cafeterias. What do you think?" He must want our conversation to be private. There are few places to have a private conversation in Erudite.
"Certainly," I agree. I'd prefer to be out of sight from others. I had caught glances at me throughout the days as I walked by. This was fairly typical as I usually travelled with Jeanine, but there was something different about them. It felt like Jeanine just picked me as her assistant all over again. The Erudites were scrutinizing me.
The walk to his apartment is mostly filled with his voice. He asks about my days, but there is little I can tell him, so he tells me about his. He enjoys teaching Erudite the most because they strive to learn, but the Abnegation children are the most polite. The Dauntless children are the most rowdy, causing the most trouble with Candor being second. It should be nice to have a normal conversation without fearing for my safety, but it's boring. There's nothing to learn from it. By the time he finishes telling me about the other educators, he's nearly finished preparing dinner.
"Do you enjoy working for Jeanine?" he asks, after finally sitting down at the table. I take a bite of the fish that he's prepared as I think about how to answer.
"It's a dream," I say, despite feeling the opposite. "She strives for knowledge, and I am a part of that. By helping her, not only do I learn more than any where else, but I am helping our society thrive." It sounds almost clinical but Riley nods at it.
"Of course," he says. "Everyone has their part, and she must have seen something in you that she hasn't seen in anyone else." There's a gleam in his eyes. "I saw the same thing. That's why I chose you." I doubt he saw anything except my position but I give a small smile and nod. It's a false compliment and I feel like I'm going to be sick. I make a mental note to avoid more of these dinners. "I have to ask though," he pauses as if trying to decide what he's going to say. "I've heard rumours about an altercation at Dauntless that a couple of the technicians were privy too." He's watching me carefully but I sigh.
"Yes, I've been aware of them. Despite what the men think they saw, it was simply what it was." I meet his eyes. "A Dauntless thug trying to find enjoyment in tormenting Erudite. I'm afraid I did not give him the reaction he was looking for, therefore causing him to react...well, almost violently. I hope you weren't seriously considering that I would have anything to do with them." I force myself to look concerned.
Riley's eyes are wide before he replies. "Of course not! I merely wanted the whole story. I knew, as your fiance, you would tell me the truth." He scowls at his drink. "How dare he lay his hands on you. You are certain you're okay?"
"Yes. It won't happen again." It seems far too easy to convince him to believe me but he smiles at me and I can see his body relax.
"Good."
Unfortunately, Riley insists on walking me home.
"You can't be too careful with all the factionless," he says. "You never know what they're capable of." I try not to roll my eyes but don't contradict him. He seems far too adamant to listen to the reminder that the Dauntless patrol to ensure that there are no factionless outside of their area.
In one night I have discovered that Riley abhors silence. If he can fill it, he will. Most likely with his own voice. Despite having attended the same lessons as he did, he tells me the history of some of the buildings that we pass.
"This building was rebuilt in the ten years, after near destruction..."
"This is my building," I cut him off. "Thank you for dinner."
"Oh, of course," he pauses for a moment. "I thought I might walk you to your door."
"That's unnecessary," I say. "Despite your fears, the factionless haven't been seen around here in over a year. I have work to do, therefore, I must leave you here." The truth is I'm exhausted. I'm tired of dealing with people. My apartment is the only sanctuary I have left.
He steps forward until he's in front of me. "We must meet again, Amelia."
"Yes," I reply before remembering that my parents wish to meet him. "My family meets for dinner once a month. You're invited. I shall send you the details when I know them."
"Excellent," he says softly. "I look forward to it." He looks at me carefully before he asks, "Can I kiss you?"
It takes me by surprise, but I slowly nod. After the events at Dauntless with Eric, it would do me well to further establish this relationship as being the prevalent one in my life. He raises a hand and rests it on my cheek before he dips down and presses his lips against mine.
He presses his tongue against my lips to get them to open, which I do, but it's clinical and cold in comparison to Eric. Riley knows what to do to get a specific reaction. Eric demands a reaction, leaving you no choice but to respond.
I pull back in surprise. I shouldn't be thinking of Eric, especially about kissing him. Luckily, Riley hasn't noticed. Instead, he smiles at me and kisses me quickly again.
"Goodnight, Amelia."
"Goodnight, Riley," I say before turning and entering my building. My mind reels over the comparison I made. This is bad.
[tbc]
