On Sunday, Tris was thankful that her mom had taken her shopping for more than just the press conference dress. She pulled out the new grey wrap dress and paired it with ballet flats. She wore simple earrings and a bracelet, and put a pin of the Dauntless flame logo over her collarbone. The pin was her little way of honoring Eric and Four at their graduation. Okay, she was really thinking of Eric, but she wasn't going to admit that out loud.
Andrew was grateful that his daughter was willing to attend the graduation with him. The students he would speak to were young enough to be his children, so having one of them along helped him feel more relevant. Tris assured him that he looked nice in his suit and tie, and he helped her into her black wool coat on their way out the door.
Graduation included a host of activities on the university campus. The first event was a brunch that for the students graduating with honors. Winter graduation was always smaller than spring, so the group of honors students was fairly small. Tris and Andrew sat at the head table in the university ballroom with other dignitaries like the university president and his wife, the heads of several departments, and the dean of students and her husband.
Tris was deep in conversation with the university president's wife, discussing Tris' upcoming high school graduation and her plans for the next year. Everyone at the head table was pleased to hear that Tris had applied to their child development program.
"Tris?" a deep voice said in surprise. Tris turned with a smile that broadened when she recognized Eric. He was dressed in dark slacks, a button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled, and a black tie. His graduation gown was draped over one arm, but his honors tassels hung around his broad shoulders.
"Eric!" Tris said brightly, standing to reach for his hand across the table. "I was hoping I'd see you today."
"Are you here for graduation?" Eric asked, clearly surprised to find one of his students at the university head table.
"My dad is speaking at commencement," Tris explained, gesturing to the man beside her.
Andrew turned from his other conversation and stood to greet Eric. "Andrew Prior," he said as he offered his hand.
"Eric Coulter," the trainer said as they shook hands.
"Eric is a Dauntless alum," Tris said proudly. "He has been doing his student teaching at Factions."
"Congratulations," Andrew said cordially.
"To you as well," Eric said respectfully. "I heard about your Senate campaign."
Andrew barely had a chance to acknowledge Eric's comment before he was pulled in another direction by yet another well-wisher who wanted a moment of the probable future senator's time.
"Is your family here with you?" Tris asked, making polite conversation.
"No, um, I don't have any family," Eric admitted. "I was an only child, and my parents passed about a year and a half ago."
"Oh," Tris said, startled and sorry that she brought up what could be a painful subject. "Your girlfriend then? Is she here?"
Eric sighed. "That didn't exactly work out," he admitted, glancing around to make sure the adults around Tris were busy with other conversations.
"Well, I'm here," Tris said. "I guess I'll have to cheer loud."
"And you wore your Dauntless pin," Eric pointed out.
"I was thinking of you and Four when I got ready this morning. I thought I should represent," Tris replied with a smile.
"I'm glad you're here, Tris," Eric replied with a gentle smile. "I have some friends among my classmates, but I'm glad to know you'll be out there for me as well. I almost didn't participate in today, but… but I knew my parents would want this. I'm doing it for them."
Tris grabbed her purse and pulled out a scrap of paper and a pen. In a burst of bravery, she scribbled down her name and cell number, and handed the paper to Eric. "You're not my teacher anymore," she said, biting her bottom lip, "so if you want to be friends…"
Eric took the slip of paper as she trailed off. "I'd like that," he said sincerely.
For a minute they just smiled awkwardly at one another. Tris noticed that Eric was blushing a little as he spoke again. "Um, Tris? Um, how old are you?" the trainer asked.
Tris blushed furiously, wondering if he might be interested in more than friendship with her. "Seventeen," she said quietly. "But I'll be eighteen in January."
"January," Eric repeated. "Friends it is, then."
This made Tris' blush even deeper. Eric said that he would text Tris his number, then said goodbye.
Tris thought she was going to faint. Her crush - the impossible, crazy crush - liked her back! He wants to be friends, she thought to herself. Or at least he said he wants to be friends. He seemed sincere about it, not like he was just being nice and would throw my number away and laugh at me later. Oh, I hope he wants to be friends for real!
"Beatrice?" Andrews voice cut into Tris' thoughts.
"Da-ad," she scolded. She hated being called Beatrice and was terrified that her dad would call her that in public. She really didn't want the Senate campaign telling America that her name was Beatrice.
"Sorry, Sweetpea. Are you ready to go now, Tris?"
.
Tris and Andrew went from the honors brunch to the hooding ceremony at the College of Political Science and Public Policy. There Andrew presided over the event where the students earning their master's degrees received the hood to their academic regalia.
From there, he and Tris were whisked away to the auditorium for the commencement ceremony. Tris was seated in the front row with several other family members of the dignitaries on stage. The students filed in from the back of the auditorium in long rows, arranged by the university programs they were graduating from. All of that took place behind Tris, but she watched the processional on the big screen mounted above the stage.
While the graduates were seated in neat rows on the auditorium floor, their families and supporters were seated up around the sides of the large arena. Tris smiled as the families cheered when their graduates appeared on the screen. She looked for Eric, Four, or any familiar faces, but didn't see them by the time the ceremony started.
The beginning of the program was boring to Tris. This person and that stood up in their academic robes and droned on about the memories everyone made in college, and why it was so important to stay connected after graduation. There were songs and readings mixed in with the speeches, too.
When they introduced the keynote speaker, Tris smiled at her dad and watched him take his place at the podium. Andrew explained that the originally scheduled speaker had taken ill, and that he would keep his remarks short. He spoke to the students about how many people had helped them reach this milestone of graduation. He commended them for all the hard work and sacrifice that they had put in as well. Then he encouraged them to be that support for the next generation - to help others as they themselves had been helped - and to make the world a better place.
"I am honored to be with you today as you celebrate your tremendous achievement," Andrew said as he closed his remarks. "I see an entire room filled with the energy and potential that will change the world, and I look forward to seeing great things from you all. Congratulations!"
The audience applauded his speech, and Tris cheered for her dad. With the orations out of the way, it was time to award diplomas. Tris sat quietly as one-by-one the students filed across the stage. The PhD candidates went first, followed by students receiving their masters' degrees.
As they transitioned to the graduates receiving bachelors' degrees, Tris felt her phone buzz. She pulled it out from under her leg where she had tucked it to hide it after snapping a few pictures of Andrew on stage.
I had no idea this would go on and on, the text from a strange number said. I'm starting to regret attending. - Eric
Tris smiled and surreptitiously hit a few buttons to store Eric's number in her contacts before she replied.
T: It's your graduation. How do you think I feel?
E: Proud? Your dad did a great job. I bragged to everyone sitting by me that his daughter is a friend of mine.
T: You may regret agreeing to friendship with me. I've been sitting here thinking of ways to embarrass you when they call your name.
E: You wouldn't…
Tris didn't reply right away. It was more fun to let him worry a bit.
A few minutes later, the professors on stage switched out, and the College of Education was announced. Tris watched for Eric, ready to cheer loudly for her friend.
"Eric Coulter, summa cum laude," the announcer called.
Just as Tris was about to cheer, she heard voices from the balcony to her right. "Daunt-less! Daunt-less!" they began. Tris threw a fist in the air and joined in the faction chant. "Daunt-less! Brave!" she called out with the other voices.
Eric whipped his head around, and his face lit up when he saw the other Dauntless coaches in the balcony. Tris felt her eyes well up with tears as she waved at Coaches Max, Amar, Tori, and Lauren. Tori waved back. Eric may have believed that he had no family, but Dauntless was a family.
When the college of Education finished and the next group began, Tris texted Eric again.
T: Where's Four?
E: Family conflict
Tris didn't know what to say about that. For a few minutes she just sat quietly and clapped politely for the graduates.
E: Do you have plans tonight? Want to get food to celebrate with me?
Tris chewed on her bottom lip. She really wanted to say yes to Eric, both because she liked him and wanted to spend time with him, but also because he was alone on his graduation day. But Caleb was coming home this afternoon, so she needed to be with her family.
T: I want to, but my brother flies home from college this afternoon, so I don't know if I can.
E: That's okay. Some of the graduates are going out tonight. I just thought I'd check with you first. Another time?
T: For sure. I don't have gymnastics on Wednesday nights, and my mornings are open now that my college classes are done for a while.
E: I don't think we're sleepover friends, Tris.
Tris blushed deep red.
T: That's not what I meant and you know it.
E: I know. But I'll bet you're bright red right now.
T: Shut up
E. (blushing smile face emoji)
The graduation ceremony ended, and Tris waited patiently while the graduates filed out of the auditorium. Andrew was surrounded by people who wanted to shake his hand, congratulate him on his speech, or talk about his campaign. Tris sat quietly in the front row, texting pictures of Andrew to Natalie. She texted Eric a picture of himself receiving his diploma.
E: Are you still here? I met Max, Amar, Tori, and Lauren in the lobby.
T: Still waiting for my popular father. It could be a while.
E: Come out here with us.
T: Ok
Tris let Andrew know that she was going to say hi to her coaches out in the lobby and made her way out of the auditorium. The lobby space was packed with graduates and their families, and Tris' short stature didn't make it easy for her to locate the other Dauntless. She saw a tattooed arm wave above the crowd and made her way toward it, where she found Eric surrounded by the other coaches with a broad smile on his face.
"We're so proud of you!" Max was saying to Eric.
"Hey guys," Tris greeted her teachers.
"Tris!" Amar greeted her as Tori gave her a quick hug.
"Your dad gave a really good speech," Lauren said.
The others nodded, and Tris thanked them. "It was so last minute," she explained, "but I think he nailed it. And I was glad to come with him so I could cheer for Eric."
"I can't believe you guys all showed up," Eric said with emotion. "I thought I didn't have anyone, and look at this…"
Tori and Lauren took turns hugging Eric again while Max and Amar thumped him on the back. Tris gave him a hug as well, and when he was close she spoke to him in a quiet voice. "Dauntless is family, Warrior. Don't ever forget that."
.
That night, after dinner with the family and sibling time with Caleb, Tris got ready for bed and curled up with a good book. On the nightstand, her phone lit up, alerting her to an incoming text.
E: Was I dreaming, or did you call me Warrior this afternoon?
Tris blushed. She wasn't sure where that had come from when it tumbled out of her mouth. She had wanted to remind Eric of his strength and his permanent place in the Dauntless family, and it just came out.
T: Too weird?
E: No!
E: I mean, that might be the coolest thing anyone ever said to me.
E: It made me feel powerful.
E: You looked so good in that dress today.
E: Jack and coke
T: ?
E: Lol, I just texted you my order instead of telling the bartender.
T: Are you drunk?
E: Apparently more than I thought.
T: Just don't drive, okay?
E: No problem. We got a cab.
T: Good
A few minutes passed, and another text arrived.
E: I wish you were here
T: We'd get kicked out. I'm a few years too young for the bar.
E: I keep forgetting that.
E: Why aren't you at least 18?
T: Because I'm not
E: Jailbait
T: Drunk
E: Touche
E: I just wanted to celebrate
E: And forget. You know what I mean?
E: No, you don't know.
E: My ex. She screwed me over pretty bad.
Tris was worried. She hoped Eric had someone responsible keeping an eye on him. He was clearly getting drunker by the text, and now he had resorted to moaning about his ex. She hoped he wasn't too hung up on the girl.
T: You miss her?
E: God no!
E: We didn't make sense. But I stuck it out and she took everything.
T: Are you okay?
A few minutes later, she tried again.
T: Eric?
Tris didn't get much sleep that night. She kept waiting for another text or some word that Eric was okay. She worried that he would do something stupid and hurt himself. She wondered how often he drank.
Eventually she drifted off to a fitful sleep.
.
Tris was folding her laundry the next morning and getting ready for her afternoon at the high school and gymnastics when her phone rang. Seeing Eric's name on the screen, she accepted the call.
"Hello?" she said cautiously.
"I'm such an ass," Eric moaned. "Tris, I'm so sorry. I haven't gone out drinking in months, and apparently I have no tolerance. I regret pretty much every text I sent you last night, and I'm kicking myself so bad. You're my seventeen-year-old student, and I'm like a creepy old man!"
"Did you get home safely?" Tris asked, unsure what else to say. "I was worried about you when you quit responding."
"Ugh, I'm sorry," he said again. "I can't say that enough. I feel like sh-, um, crap."
"You can say 'shit,' Eric," Tris replied. "I'm seventeen, not seven."
"Fine," he replied with a groan. "I feel like shit."
"Take some ibuprofen, drink some water, and go back to bed," Tris instructed. "I'm going to delete the drunk texts my friend sent me last night, and then I have school this afternoon."
"Thank you, Tris," Eric said meekly.
"Goodnight, Eric," Tris replied.
.
As she walked to school for the afternoon, Tris thought about the text exchange and phone call with Eric. It was obvious they were attracted to one another, but she didn't know if they could work with their age difference. The fact that he used to be her teacher would always be an awkward thing between them, too. Maybe it would be best if the two of them didn't try to be friends until after she graduated from high school. Or at least not until she was eighteen.