Empty With You

Two weeks had past since I started this what I've been calling "attitude adjustment" at the Eaton house. I had seen another side of Marcus Eaton that I heard only through rumours that he would beat his son. But now, I knew what evil he was capable of. Did it change me? It only made me angrier and I guess colder.

I still had my attitude though. This was changing nothing. I'd still sneak Eric into my house some nights and sleep with him. I'd still skip classes. I'd still be the rebel child.

On this night in particular, I was bored and since Eric wasn't around, in fact I haven't seen him since classes. Which did suck in a way but at the same time, it was good to have time apart from each other. It was just past dinner, the dishes were done and I decided to sneak out of the house while my parents had tea with the now present Jack Kang. All because my brother had to suck up and be the apparent "good" one.

I quietly climbed out the window of the house wearing pair of black pants and a black leather vest, letting my boots hit the ground first. The streets were quiet right now. Technically people were supposed to be in the house for curfew, well at least Candor were all supposed to be inside for dinner or studying or something of that nature.

My feet knew where they were going though and had to take a train to get there. Like the one that was moving through the city now. The sound of the cracked pavement echoed off the buildings as I ran towards the train tracks to reach the train.

My lungs burned with each breath I took in as I raced through the night. The train was so close and my lungs felt like they were going to burst out of my body. It had been a while since I ran this hard. I was tad out of shape and needed to work on that but being constantly watched makes it hard to do anything.

Taking a deep breath, I got along side the train and leapt off the ground to jump onto the train as I chugged off into the night.

I leant against the side of the wall, catching my breath as I watched the city pass by. I hoped I didn't have to jump off this train to reach my destination since I knew they did stop in some places, in fact, I was pretty sure this train stopped at the Dauntless camp. And if I snuck off the train, I wouldn't draw that much attention to myself.

Why would one be at the Dauntless compound? Well other than the dually noted gymnastics meet I've competed at, I was here to get a tattoo. Something frowned on by all other Factions. But I wanted to get it done. Sure, my parents allowed me to get my ears pierced when I was five but many families allowed children to get earrings done at a young age. Usually only one stud in each ear so they didn't look like the Dauntless.

Upon reaching the Dauntless compound, the sounds of music were pouring from buildings and you could hear people laughing and bottles clanking around the streets. It sounded alive, like an actual city was living and breathing.

I kept to myself as I walked the streets, hoping no one noticed I wasn't a Candor walking the streets to the tattoo parlor.

"Ariana?" I heard a voice questioned as the blond haired girl ran up to me. "It is you!"

"Hey Marlene," I whispered slightly since I wanted her to keep it down.

"What are you doing here?" She questioned and hugged me tightly. "I haven't seen you in forever, wel talked to you in forever."

"I know," I nodded and she let go and we continued to walk. "Sorry. You know I can't just walk over here all the time though. Candor and all yet."

"Oh yeah, I keep forgetting," She nodded. "So why are you here then?"

"I want a tattoo," I looked forward to hear her become silent which caused me to laugh and look at her face. "Oh come on Marlene, you act as if this is shocking."

"We do miss you on the gymnastics team," She looked down a bit.

"I know," I got serious.

It was true, she was a hell of a lot younger than me but she looked up to me when I competed with the Dauntless. All the younger ones did, because I had such natural talent, I still worked my ass off to get the spot. And I did miss it, but with rules being so tight, I couldn't compete any more. The Abnegation saw the end to that once they took charge.

"Good luck with the tattoo," Marlene smiled faintly. "I gotta get back home. It's late and I have practice tomorrow."

"It was good seeing you," I smiled at her and stopped to hug her tightly. "You be safe out there. And good luck to you too."

"Thanks," She smiled. "You should really stop by again and say hi to the team. They'd like that."

"Yeah," I chuckled a bit. "Maybe later?"

Marlene waved goodbye and ran off into the night as I continued my journey towards the tattoo parlor. To admit, I was nervous to get a tattoo done. It was a big step and incredibly risky.

I finally reached the tattoo parlor and walked into the room to see a woman with bluish-green streaks in her brown hair. Tattoos on her arms, a few piercings, just at the front desk flipping through a book.

"We're closing in an hour," She mentioned as I took a deep breath and walked over to her.

"I would like to get a tattoo," I spoke clearly as she looked up at me.

"Uh huh," She looked me up and down. "Do you have the money?"

"Yes," I took out the cash I had stored away and sat it on the desk in front of her. "Two hundred dollars, and no questions asked should be good right?"

"You're not from around here, are you?" Her voice changed as she took the money and looked at me. "Follow me."

I followed her back towards a back station where a chair was sitting and a perfectly sterile area. I took a seat in the chair as the woman turned to look at me.

"Do you know what you want?" She questioned.

"Oh yeah," I took out a piece of paper with a rose in bloom sat amongst leaves. "I want to get this done with the five factions surrounding it."

"Alright," She took the paper from my hand. "But these five factions, are you sure you want them?"

"Yes," I glared at her. "I said no questions."

"Alright," She sighed and went to transfer it to paper. "Where do you want it?"

"Right shoulder blade, well back of the shoulder blade," I watched her as she nodded.

"You know not many people go with this elaborate of a tattoo for ther first one," She turned to look at me. "It's going to hurt."

"I'll be the judge of that," I mumbled as she returned towards me and motioned for me to turn around on the chair.

"I'm Tori," She mentioned as she put gloves on and I slowly slid off the best. "The one who will be doing the best tattoo you'll ever have in case anyone asks afterwards."

"Ariana," I smirked into the chair as she turned on the needle.

"Well Ariana, if you need to stop for a break, just say so."

Tori started the tattoo as I relaxed on the chair. The only part that hurt where the circles on the Factions and the highlights of the colours on the rose. I still didn't cry or not out a sound of pain. I bit back my pain, if I could fight off the truth serum a few times, I could make it through this. Truth serum was no joke, that one hurt, this, this was almost just as bad.

It wasn't until a couple hours later that I heard the machine switch off and the pressure on my shoulder lift.

"You did good for your first tattoo kid," Tori smirked. 'Now make sure to clean it out every few hours for the first week and don't pick at it. If it needs touched up in a few weeks, come back and I'll fix it for you."

"Thanks," I smiled lightly at Tori.

"Good luck out there Ariana," Tori watched me as I nodded and headed back home.

I headed back to Candor, my shoulder now sore from where the needle had been jabbed into my skin over and over again. It was fresh and just stung. I just knew I couldn't show anyone this. I'd get even more hell for it. Not only did I go to the Dauntless compound, but I got a tattoo, a thing that identified myself more with the Dauntless than before. Not to mention to put all the factions in one tattoo made people think, Divergent.

And from the way people decribed Divergents, they were worse than the Factionless, all because either of which fit into one Faction. Only Divergents were dangerous because they could throw off the balance and create chaos where there was now peace, at least that's what we were always told.

My feet carried me towards the Erudite section of the city. It wasn't as late as one would think, maybe nine o'clock or so but with the city streets so empty it felt later. I knew right now I wouldn't get stopped since I looked like I was a Dauntless guard just policing the city. Unless I ran into someone I knew which would just suck.

It didn't take me long and a bit of dodging to make it to Eric's house. The lights were on in his family room and people were moving about in their blue, black, and grey tones. I wanted nothing more than to just go to his door and knock on but his family despised me as much as mine despised him. None of them believed in our relationship or understood it.

"Well if it isn't a Candor freak," A voice shouted behind me, one of which made my blood boil.

"Jen," I turned towards her from the street I was on in front of Eric's house.

"Creeping around on Eric again?" She taunted. "When will you learn he doesn't love you? Hell, he can barely stand you?"

"When will you learn that all your lies don't work," I glared at her. "And he's turned you down so many times because you're the one he can't stand."

"Ariana?" I heard Eric walk out of his house just at the moment. "What's going on?"

"I was just coming to see you," I turned to look at him. "And Jen here, felt the need to insult me."

"Jen, you should go," Eric glared at her.

"But baby," Jen cooed like she was trying to get under my skin.

"Don't," Eric's attitude clicked over towards anger. "I never liked you. At all."

"But-" Jen tried to flirt with him. "I can give more than she ever will. I'm smarter than she is. All she is, is a cheap thrill."

"That's it," I mumbled and went to lunge at her.

"Ari," Eric whispered then looked at Jen. "You're going to walk away from here right now and never ever speak to me again. Do I make myself clear?"

"You'll change your mind," She smirked. "Everyone gets bored of a Candor whore."

She laughed to herself as I glared at her, my breathing hitched in my throat and Eric held my hand.

"Ari, don't," Eric whispered but it was too late.

I let out go of his hand and pushed her down on the ground. Jen let out a scream and tried to push me off her but only ended up getting pushed back down on her. She was on her back as I let punch after punch land on her face. The commotion in the street attracted the attention of Erudite's guards. Eric tried to push them away from me, to keep me safe but it only ended up with a guard grabbing him and one holding on to me.

The picked up Jen to have her nose bleeding down her face and her right eye had a large gash next to it, letting the blood stream down her face.

"What the hell is going on here!?" The shrill yet cold voice of Janine Matthews broke through the silence.

How the hell she got there that quickly, I'll never know but there she stood looking between us.

"Get her to the infirmirary," Janine looked at Jen then turned her angry eyes towards us. "And you two, my office now."

Eric got pushed closer to me but our hands were still held behind our backs as we walked.

"Are you ok?" Eric whispered next to me.

"I'm fine," I seethed as he had a look of sadness on his face. "Thank you for defending me."

"Don't mention it," He smiled at me. "Ariana, I-"

"Get in the car," The guard barked at me and Eric as they shoved in seperate cars to head to Janine's stupid office.

I knew this was only going to be bad for me with my family and with Marcus. If I thought I could keep this a secret, there was no way. The guards guided both of us into the large office past a ton of computers and glass walls. The forecefully shoved me into a chair next to Eric as Janine paced the room in front of us.

"What happened tonight was uncalled for," Janine walked back and forth as the two of us sat there. "Not only was the fight on Erudite ground, it was between a Candor and Erudite, in Dauntless clothing none the less."

"She deserved it," I grumbled.

"Did she now?" Janine's head snapped towards me. "And why is that?"

"Because I stand up for what's right. And hearing her tear me down, was wrong," I crossed Janine. "I don't expect you to understand."

"You have such a fire in your words," Janine mentioned. "More than any other Candor has ever had."

"So I've been told," I glared at her.

"Truth of the matter is, we can't have fights like this happening in the streets," Janine spoke and looked at the two of us. "Now, I'm very aware that the two of you are in a relationship. While many people are against, I think it's good for the both of you."

"Thank you," Eric cleared his throat.

"But I can't have you two starting fights in other factions again. The threat of those who defy us is real and people will talk," She looked between the two of us. "So, will you two do me a favour and stay out of trouble."

"Yes," Eric looked away from her.

"Good," She smiled at him. "And you?"

"Of course," I barely whispered.

"Good, now, you're free to leave," She sat at her desk as Eric and I got up.

The two of us didn't say anything until we were clear of the building when Eric grabbed my arm.

"What the hell was that?" I snapped at him.

"What was what?" His eyes met mine.

"That, back there," I directed towards the building. "You clammed up and let her talk to you that way!"

"Ariana, you have to decide which battles to back away from sometimes," Eric kept eye contact with me.

"Bullshit!" I snapped at him. "And you have to stand up for what you believe in!"

"You DON'T-" Eric started in a snapped voice but then got quiet. "You don't know her like I do!"

"Like you do?" I questioned as he turned away from me. "Eric?"

"I've crossed Janine a few times, more than I can remember," Eric didn't look at me. "She's cold, malinupaltive, she can break you down in a matter of seconds without even blinking an eye."

"I-" I started to see him shift. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's because I didn't want you to know," He looked at me. "I didn't want it to change how you see me."

"It doesn't," I grabbed his hand. "Come on, let's head back to your room and we can talk."

"I guess," He shrugged.

"Hey," I directed his eyes towards me to see the pain in them. "I care about you more than you know. Whatever it is, you can tell me."

"Okay," He nodded slowly as I kissed his lips.

"I'll keep you safe too," I smiled as he pulled me into a huge. "I'll never leave you."