Walking down the pristine halls of the Erudite compound, the clacking of her heels echoed throughout. Swinging by her side, securely in her hand, was a folder containing classified information she was sent out to get by Erudite leader: Jeanine Matthews. Minerva was her unpaid, overworked, intern, what any other Erudite youth would call a dream job. Her parents agreed, saying Minerva was lucky to have been hand picked by Matthews herself, after being at the top of her class year after year. Matthews quote-on-quote, "saw herself in Minerva", just thinking about it had shivers running down Minerva's arms, and not in the good way. The bright Erudite youth, always saw the cold calculating look in Jeanine Matthews' eyes every time she looked at Minerva; the greedy need for absolute power. Minerva wasn't like every other Erudite youth, with the choosing ceremony less than a week away, Minerva was probably the only 16 year old on the compound that was unsure of what she was going to do. Being raised as an Erudite, she had an unquenchable curiosity, and the Erudite lifestyle just wasn't doing it anymore for her. She had read all the books worth reading, and studied every organism worth studying. Years of staring out of the windows of the compound, at the train as it went by carrying carefree Dauntless had her yearning for a change. She wanted to be daring, to live her life to the fullest, and meet her full potential. She knew she could never do that here, but she wasn't about to tell anyone that.
Walking into the glass office that was Jeanine Matthews', Minerva straightened her back and held her head high. She always strove to look confident, because she was always taught that looking unsure of herself would have others looking down on her.
"Here is that folder you asked for Ms. Matthews." She reached out her hand that held the folder. Minerva knew that it probably withheld incriminating information about an Abnegation leader, probably on Marcus Eaton. The last couple of years, Jeanine Matthews has made it her personal mission to crush the Abnegation faction, and to prove that they were not as selfless as they made everyone believe, and to prove that they were not fit to run our government. Minerva thought differently, because after months to years of in depth research and studying, she found that they were still the most fit of any faction to run things. But Jeanine would never hear any of her thoughts on this matter, she was Erudite after all, not Candor, she knew when to keep her mouth shut.
"Thank you Minerva" Jeanine said taking the folder.
She was standing behind her desk, while two men stood to the side of it, apparently Minerva had just walked into an unofficial meeting. Minerva did Jeanine's scheduling, so she knew this was an off the books get together. Minerva studied them quickly, they were standing in military style stances: legs shoulder width apart, hands clasped in front of them, backs as straight as boards, and heads held high. It was easy to tell they were Dauntless, because besides the way they stood, they were decorated with tattoos and piercings.
"Minerva , these are two of Dauntless' leaders. This is Max," He was dark skinned, with shaved hair and tattoos aligned with the knuckles on his hands, he stiffly inclined his head as a sign of acknowledgement, "And this is Eric the youngest leader yet." Eric had thick black lines tattooed vertically along his neck, his ears were pierced with large black gauges, and he had two black piercings above his right eyebrow, and while it was obvious he liked to spend his time in the tattoo parlor, he had a serious persona, and when Minerva looked into his eyes, only cold grey ones stared back, "Gentlemen, this is Minerva Williams, she is my intern, and dare I might say, Erudite's next leader."
That last comment had Minerva's eye wide as she look quickly at her said "mentor". Did everyone else think that Minerva would be the next great Erudite leader? Only Minerva knew that she wouldn't.
"Now you will have to excuse us Minerva, we must get back to our meeting. You're finished for today." Jeanine instructed her, shooing her out.
Minerva nodded in response and walked out of the office still speechless.
Instead of going back home, Minerva walked the opposite way down the hall, taking a couple of turns before she was in a small secluded hallway that almost no one knew existed. Minerva herself only stumbled upon it by chance while running an errand for Jeanine. The hallway led to a door, which led to a small balcony.
Stepping out onto it, Minerva watched as the sun was starting to set, leaning against the railing, the wind calmly blowing her hair about. She heard the blow of the train's whistle, as it rounded it's way by the Erudite compound for the last time tonight. Minerva sighed as she watched it go by, wishing she could be on it, on her way to somewhere new.
She didn't know how long she had been out there when the door opened up behind her. Whipping around to face whoever had come upon her secret spot, she was slightly shocked to see Eric, the young Dauntless leader.
They looked at each other for a long moment, before Eric just simply let the door swing closed behind him as he went to lean on the other side of the balcony railing. Thinking that Minerva would just leave him alone on the balcony, he was surprised when she just turned and looked out onto the Chicago landscape, watching as the sun was almost completely set. Suddenly he heard her chuckle to herself, he looked over to where she stood. Her long brown hair covered her face. Feeling his stare on her she looked up at him with green eyes.
"I shouldn't be surprised you know your way around the compound, you use to be Erudite." She explained.
"And how do you know that?" He asked with a smirk.
"I'm observant" She retorted.
"So am I," he replied turning to face her full on, crossing his arms across his chest, "want to know what I see?" he asked
She looked at him expectantly with a raised eyebrow.
"I see a privileged girl who doesn't seem to understand what she has here, who obviously wants to leave to explore the "unknown" just because she is bored with her life." He stared at her with cold eyes.
She merely scoffed at him, shaking her head, what did he know? Nothing of course.
"But," he continued, "I also see a trapped girl who thinks that if she stays, every moment of her life will be strategically planned out the moment her blood mixes with the water. Just how I felt a year ago, before I decided to abandon the life I knew, for one where I could start anew."
Minerva looked at him now with soft eyes, seeing that his own were a tad warmer than they had just been. She actually found someone who knew how she felt.
"My parents work along side Jeanine, they're her top scientists, her top employees, their marriage was practically arranged by the previous leader. I don't want to end up like them." She confessed.
"So don't" He replied simply, as though it was so simple.
Minerva thought about it, maybe it was that simple.
She checked her watch, it was almost ten. She needed to be heading home now.
"Nice talking to you, youngest Dauntless leader," She said grabbing ahold of the door handle leading back inside, she paused and looked back at him, "I'll see you soon" and with that she walked back inside the compound, leaving Eric staring at the door when it closed behind her. And Minerva knew with that statement, that she had just made her decision.
I have the next couple of chapters already written up, I am just trying to gauge the popularity of this story, so bear with me when it comes to length. I'm pretty new on here when it comes to posting stories, so please review and let me know what you think! Thank you!