Rat (A Divergent Prequel and Eric Love Story)

Chapter 21- Meeting Halfway

Eric, being the suck-up he is, insisted that we personally deliver our wedding invitations to the faction leaders. We had printed about fifty copies, which was completely done by Shauna and the Dauntless leader with the shaved head and red lips, Janice.

It was a black card with printed red lace around it and our names and the date in red as well. I obviously had nothing to do with them because, if left in my hands, it would have ducks or something.

We had pulled up to Candor headquarters in the sleek black car, provided by Max after Eric had demanded to not allow me to jump trains anymore to keep our baby safe. It looked exactly how I would have pictured a courthouse from my old novels from before the war. Eric and I could have blended in with the sea of black and white in our all-black apparel if it weren't for my crimson hair and Eric's shiny, pierced face.

Jack Kang and his wife, Darla, were waiting for us in the lobby, smiling and opening his arms in a welcoming manner.

"Welcome to my castle," he laughed.

I tuned out of their conversation, looking around in awe at the grand walls covered in tapers of black and white marked with the Candor logo.

"We heard about your little blessing," Darla smiled sweetly. The mention of my baby snapping me back. "Do you want it to be a girl or boy?"

Eric wrapped his arms around me from behind me, placing his hands lovingly on my stomach.

"As long as it's healthy, it doesn't matter to me." I smiled back.

"But, hopefully a girl," Eric laughed. "And she'll be her daddy's little princess."

I thought back to before we had played Capture the Flag and Eric had yelled at me, calling me a princess.

He wanted our child to be a girl, so he could spoil her with every accessory or basically anything her little heart desired. Last night, as we lay in bed, he began to day dream about walking her down the aisle at her wedding, smiling and laughing out loud from happiness.

"So, what occupation did you choose, Rose?" Jack asked me.

"A nurse, an aptitude test administer, and the trainer of the initiates." I announced, proud.

"Quite a few jobs. Will you have time for your baby?" Darla said in awe.

Before I could answer, a tap came on my shoulder, causing Eric and I to turn around.

"Sorry to interrupt, but did you say you train Dauntless initiates?" A man with greying brown hair and a mustache asked.

"I will be next year. Why?" I answered.

"This is Micheal Hayes, my right hand man." Jack interrupted.

"My son, I know that he's going to transfer to Dauntless. I see it in him more and more every day. He's so reckless and... violent. He chooses next year, and I'm worried for him because, no offence, but I've heard rumors of how rigorous initiation is. And my son, you see, he likes to be on top of everything and I'm a little afraid that he'll make the wrong enemies there and end up getting hurt. I probably shouldn't be saying such bad things about my own boy, but I'm scared, lady. Can I trust you to look after him and just mentor him and lead him to the right path?" the man said, shifting nervously from side to side.

"Of course. What's your son's name so I'll know him when I see him?" I answered, smiling at the tall man.

"His name is Peter. Peter Hayes."

We were in the car, just returning from delivering an invitation to Andrew Prior and his sweet wife, Natalie when I looked over at Eric, approaching Erudite.