???????? | Divergent

I scrunched the piece of paper up into a tight ball and lobbed it in the bin, I pressed my face into the palms and screamed in frustration; I had no inspiration, no clear style and no motivation.

Nothing was sparking any creativity in my brain whatsoever, I had exhausted sketching Eric when he wasn't looking, and my brother despite his annoyance. My friends had started to avoid me when I was people watching in the Pit with my sketchbook. At least Topaz was happy to sit in the sun and let me sketch her.

The chair spun around and came face to face with Eric, he frowned when he saw my expression "whats up?"

"Stressed." I muttered, brushing him off "I'll be fine."

Rolling his eyes, he added dryly. "Sure you will. Get ready, we leave in five."

I ran to the bedroom and picked out some clothes I had recently brought with my first credits, I decided on a pair of jeans that were comfortable enough to run in  and a long sleeve thermal, as a precaution I grabbed the slightly oversized striped sweater that I had finished knitting the previous night.

The first few rows at the collar were a little uneven and the move between the first black and deep purple stripe could've been better but it was a little like riding a bike, and by the hem the stitches were uniform.

Eric appeared, having changed out of his workout clothes, at the base of the stairs, his fingers drumming impatiently against his arm. Ignoring him, I pulled my boots on, the weather was beginning to turn and the threat of snowfall lingered in the air, reminding me that I needed to invest in a better coat.

Thankfully, the hallways were deserted this high up from the Pit, and it was early enough in the evening that the nightlife still slumbered. We moved quickly, hands wrapped together, it wasn't hard to figure out where Eric was heading.

"When is the next train?" I asked, the air in front of my face misting as I spoke. The track hugged close to the rooftop here, but there was still little room to manoeuvre, I usually avoided jumping at height, though this was the closest boarding point to my apartment; at night I could hear the train skate along the rails when I couldn't sleep.

A horn cut off Eric's response, and he tutted "you've been in Dauntless five months and you still don't know the timetable?"

Shrugging, I watched the train slow just enough to board, jumping from the rooftop was more jarring than expected, and the car jostled me off my feet.

A hand found my waist and steadied me, pulling me back towards the wall of the car.

Lights flashed passed the open doorways as the train glided towards the city on more recently restored lines, I frowned to myself, there was no reason for Dauntless to re-enter the centre if the city unless it was for patrols as far as I had been made aware.

Eric pulled me closer, I straddled his waist and tucked my arms within his jacket, my hands brushed over the faint ridge of a tattoo wrap, his heart beat echoed in my ear with the steadfastness of a soldier's march. Without a word his hands found my sides, wrapping me even further in his warmth, his nose skimmed the curve of my neck, lips chasing the movement moments later, making me shiver.

"Hello." I smile.

I can feel Eric grin against my jaw, a breath brushed past my ear and finally his eyes meet mine.

"I thought you were supposed to be at an interfaction conference tonight?" I asked, he looked exhausted, and tonight would be the first time we had seen each other for more than a few moments at meals or before bed. "Your bag was packed and everything."