Today was Visiting Day.

An excited buzz rang through the air as people prepared to see their loved ones.

I knew no one was going to come visit. And after living like a shadow in my own home for years and what my parents said in that article, I didn't really want to see then anyway. Maybe in a couple of years.

But I was still looking forward to meeting my friend's familes. Rency was practically bouncing off the walls the whole morning. She couldn't stop talking about her parents and her younger brothers named Montana and Ashton.

Ryan, who was an only child, shared Rency's anticipation since this would be his first time meeting her parents. They were pretty much and official couple at this point but still pretty fresh.

We waited amicably on the eastern side of the Pit for the loved ones to appear.

Matius was fidgeting anxiously with the collar of his shirt and tapped his foot restlessly since he was worried his parents would still be upset with him transfering to Dauntless. He was from Amity, the polar opposite of Dauntless, but I reassured him they would be proud of his success.

Even with all the commotion, I still couldn't get the feeling of that kiss with Eric out of my mind. No Candor boy had ever kissed me like that. Not even close. I of course stopped it before we went too far but I knew that sooner or later there would be a time when I didn't want to stop.

Soon enough, the parents and siblings appeared. Warm hugs and tears of joy followed.

I first met Rency's parents, who both had long red hair and copious amounts of freckles. Her younger brother, Montana, was 14 years old and stood at around 5'11 and had a corny sense of humor. Her second brother Aston was a strawberry blonde 9 yearold with an affinity for air guns. They were a very kind family and I was expecting that. They didn't seem to approve of Rencys hair cut, seeing as it was now just barely past her shoulders, but other than that they seemed happy with how she'd progressed.

After that, I got to meet Deitrich's family. His mother was a kind, plump woman with a pretty smile from Abnegation. And hus twin brother Brock, looked exactly like him, just that he was taller by two inches and a bit wider. Brock appeared much better suited for Dauntless considering his large, intimidating physique but his shy, timid demeanor said otherwise. The moment he spoke, I could tell that he was the kind of man who couldn't hurt a fly.

Thirdly, I went on to meet Matius's parents and younger sisters. His little sisters were 11 and 13 years old and believe me when I say they talked a lot. Whether it was about school, a cute boy, or what they did the day before, they could keep a conversation going. Even though I wasn't a big talker myself, I still liked meeting them. There was something about their constant rambling and honest gossip that reminded me of the good parts of Candor.

Then I met Ryan's parents. They were both blonde and wore blue Erudite clothing with glasses. I enjoyed talking to them but when they began to explain to me Einstein's Theory about something or other I sort of lost track of the conversation.

I looked around Pit and saw that almost all of the other Transfers were talking with their parents or siblings. I could see Lily talking to what looked like her mother. Raymond was hugging a girl with black hair who looked the same age as him. Emer and Morsov were sitting down with their two parents who I had met before while I was in Candor.

The only person who wasn't talking with friends or family of some sort was Frankfurt of all people. He stood at the edge of the pit with his arms crossed over his chest and his gaze fixed on the floor.

I guess we weren't so different after all.

"I see your parents didn't show up either?" The familiar deep voice of Eric suddenly asked from behind me.

I jumped a little but quickly relaxed. "Yeah, no surprise there," I replied as he appeared right beside me.

My reaction didn't go unnoticed. "Poor little Candor, did I scare you?" Eric asked with a smirk I knew all too well

"Back to calling me Candor huh?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Yup."

"I guess that means I can vall you Erudite," I announced with a shrug, not turning to look at him.

"And I might just accidently drop your ranking," He replied swiftly.

I fake gasped. "You wouldn't dare."

"I would." He said, chuckling lowly.

We lingered in the visiting area for a little while longer, still hoping deep down, in some sentimental part of my heart, that maybe my parent's stiff faces woukd appear. But as time wore on and some families began to bid their goodbyes, the possibility dwindled. I had expected it but that didn't mean it was any less disappointing.

I sighed quietly and Eric recommended that we should leave as he detected my subtle disappointment. I didn't argue and began to follow him out of the pit.

We were almost out when a familiar voice that I couldn't quite place rang out.

"Ferris! Ferris Maguire!" The voice said loudly, catching my attention.

I turned around, trying to pinpoint the voice. I found a familiar kind face and brown eyes smiling at me from the center of the pit. He looked exactly the same way as I remembered him before leaving Candor. He still had his dark brunette hair spiked up in the front and that crooked nose. The only diffrence was his new blue clothing and that he'd grown at least two inches since I last saw him.

It was Leroy

"Leroy?" I asked, feeling an immediate smile come on as I instinctively made my way to him and closed the distance between us quickly.

"Oh my goodness, Ferris!" Leroy exclaimed as I embraced him in a hug. I hadn't even thought about the possibility of my childhood friend showing up. The one person in Candor that I could still call a friend.

"I've missed you so much!" I said, still hugging him tightly.

"Me too," he replied with his goofy smile as he broke away.

"My goodness, you look different - in a good way of course. You look... stronger," He said awkwardly, eyeing my toned arms. His social skills had obviously not improved but it still made me laugh.

"What have they been feeding you over here?" He asked, eyeing my toned arms.

"Oh, you know. Protein, vegetables, and the occasional side of steroids," I replied with a casual shrug.

Leroy chuckled in response.

"And it looks like  you had another growth spurt," I told him, recalling how his Grandmother would often complain since she was always buying him a new wardrobe every year. He must have been nearly 6'5 by now but was still as skinny as a rail. I was never a short girl but he'd towered over me since the 8th grade.

"I like the blue by the way," I added,  gesturing to his all blue attire.

Leroy blushed bashfully at the compliment and scratched the back of his neck.

"Not as cool as the all black look," He pointed out.

"Ah-hem" Eric cleared his voice at my side. I could sense a fleeting wave of protectiveness come off of him.

"Oh, Leroy, this is Eric, he is uh, uhm...." I announced, struggling to put a label on what exactly Eric was to me.

"I am the leader of Dauntless and also the head trainer of the incoming initiates. Who are you exactly?" Eric asked curiously with a tilt of his head.

Leroy may not have understood but I could tell Eric was being intentionally cheeky. Of course, Leroy was used to the Candor way of being brutally honest so Eric's words had little effect.

"I'm Leroy Oswalt," Leroy said, his grin not faltering as he offered his hand for Eric to shake.

If he was intimated, Leroy didn't show it, and honestly, I doubted he was. Leroy was never put off by brawn, it was equal intelligence that threw him off. Which is probably why he liked being around me. I may have been a good fighter and an athlete but academically... I was sub par.

Eric shook his hand firmly. "I am a good friends with Ferris. We grew up together in Candor," Leroy added and I gently nudged Eric with the edhe of my elbow to make him back off.

Leroy's grin became knowing. He may have been socially inept half the time but he wasn't blind.

"I see you got yourself a boyfriend?" Leroy asked, quietly as though Eric couldn't hear him, while wiggling his brows. A pink tinge appeared on my cheeks.

"Yeah, something like that," Eric replied for me with an obvious smile. I felt my heart flutter happily in my chest like a bird.

"What about you Leroy? You must have found someone nice over in Erudite?" I replied, resorting to my quick mouth to avoid any further embarrassment. Now it was Leroy's turn to blush.

"Actually, you'd be surprised. I am meeting up with one of my work partners for drinks tomorrow. I think you'd like him," Leroy told me bashfully. Eric's disposition shifted instantly as he came to realize that Leroy was in no way an old flame or even competion.

I talked with him for another couple of minutes, recounting stories of our childhood escapades, before Rency came up and introduced herself. Then Matius joined the conversation. Leroy easily got along with each of them but he especially liked Ryan since he was a former Erudite. He did seem a little dosspointed when he learned that Ryan was taken by Rency.

After another half hour, I was forced to bid farewell to Leroy. I didn't want him to leave but the two hours for visiting was over.

It seemed to have just flown by when Leroy had shown up. But I would see him again soon when Erudite had their visiting day in a week and a half.

I gave Leroy and tight hug before reaching up to ruffle his hair. Just moments later, he was gone, and the group of Dauntless dispersed.

Eric cleared his throat as we sauntered down the many halls of Dauntless.

"I didn't know you had friends back in Candor," Eric said, with no accusation.

"Correction: Friend singular," I replied before casually slipping my hand into his. "And he's practically like my second family."

Eric's brows furrowed slightly. "Why didn't he transfer to Dauntless with you then?" He asked.

I snorted. "Leroy? Dauntless? No way. He couldn't hurt a fly, not even to defend himself," I told him.

Sometimes, when we were growing up, other teens would pick fights with Leroy, all if which were one sided, just to see if they could get a rise out of him. Leroy was always too quiet and timid for a Candor, and the other kids tried to bully him whenever they could because of it. But more often than not, I was there too step in.

"And he's way too smart anyway."

Eric hummed thoughtfully.

"I miss him though," I said genuinely. "I remember when him and I used to hide in this one closet at his grandmother's house whenever I was in trouble. Sometimes for hours."

"A trouble maker huh?" He asked with that smirk before glancing down at me.

I kept his gaze. "Always," I replied just before he leaned down for a kiss.