Holding On||Peter Hayes (Divergent)

Chapter 43

Damn I feel bad about the slow updates. School's been so crappy lately, I've had some petty friendship problems and then those became extreme. And homework... it's been piling up! Anyways, I'll find time to update for you guys, thanks for reading. Keep on voting and don't forget to follow me!

Running the stairs of this building brings flashes of the past to my mind. When Lynn and Marlene were alive, when AJ could tolerate me, when Uriah and I were happy. The Candor headquarters held many of the last moments I spent with my friends, happily. Tris, Christina, Uriah and I are heading to a meeting with the Allegiant. Tris was 'ambushed' by one of the members and instructed to come with her friends to the Candor headquarters. Feelings of uncertainty and curiosity mixed with the nostalgia within my mind.

We reach the eighteenth floor, panting heavily. It's five minutes to midnight. We were lucky to have made it so far with factionless at every corner of the city. The four of us walk down the hallway, the blue glow of the exit signs illuminating our path. Up ahead, Four emerges from the interrogation room. Tris runs up to him and they both embrace each other. I look to Uriah and Christina and see them engage in hushed talk. Feeling awkward, I back into the shadows and walk past the two pairs and into the interrogation room. I see only a few familiar faces: Zeke, Tori, Peter and AJ. Zeke and Tori sit among Dauntless I vaguely recognise while AJ and Peter stand in the corner. AJ leans onto his good leg, showing that the leg he was shot on is still weak. His eyes meet mine and he glares coldly.

My gaze travels to Peter's face. He shakes his head and mouths a sorry. I know what he means. My face freezes into a disappointed expression. He promised. He promised to make him understand. Why did I rely on him? I should have known he wouldn't keep his promise. Peter's the biggest liar I have ever met. Though I can't bring myself to say I hate him. My insides burn, and I whip around, striding to the lonely side of the room and sitting with my legs pulled to my chest.

"Piper?" Adam says from beside me. I look up and see the ageing man's face study me carefully. "Are you okay?"

"AJ still won't listen." I snap. "Now go away. I want this meeting over with."

"You don't have to -"

"Go away!" I yell, earring a few stares. Embarrassed, Adam stalks off.

I check my watch. One minute to midnight. Time couldn't go any slower, could it? My foot taps rhythmically upon the tiled floor, barely audible over the people talking. Uriah, Zeke and Tori chat normally, smiling and chuckling. I see AJ burst out laughing at something Peter's said, his eyes creasing at the ends like always. Despite the current condition, everyone looks so content, so peaceful, like nobody has died tragically or been betrayed. But then there's me, still dwelling on everything and feeling cut off.

A door opens from across the room. First, Johanna Reyes walks out, smiling warmly at all of us. Who could imagine an Amity leading a rebel group? It would have seemed impossible. Yet here she is, looking powerful yet calm. The second woman who walks out has her blonde hair pulled tightly away from her face into a braid. She wears Erudite blue all over, completely violating dress code. It's Cara. "Hello," she begins, grinning. "We aren't supposed to be here, so I'm keeping this meeting short. Some of you - Zeke, Tori - have been helping us for the past few days."

I remember when he mentioned the Allegiant to me back on the Hancock building. It fitted together like a puzzle piece - that's why he looked so smug when talking about the group. He smirks at me and then looks at Johanna, who continues to speak. "Some of you are here because we want to ask for your help. All of you are here because you don't trust Evelyn Johnson to determine the fate of our city."

Cara takes over. "We believe in following the guidance of the city's founders, which has been expressed in two ways: the formation of the factions, and the Divergent mission expressed by Edith Prior, to send people outside the fence to help whoever is out there once we have a large Divergent population. We believe that even if we have not reached that Divergent population size, the situation in our city has become dire enough to send people outside the fence anyway." A smile crawls upon my lips as I continue to listen to Cara.