TRIS-

Well... Shit. I was lost. And because I'm an idiot who can't remember to charge their phone, the glorious thing was dead.

And I also didn't pick up a bus schedule so I had no clue what bus to get to get home.

I looked worse than a tourist. At least they had maps.

I was just hopelessly wandering arround in circles, hoping to at least find my way back to the beach.

Damn it, Tris. Just go and ask for a map somewhere. And I did... Eventually. I decided that one of the small coffee shops would probably be the best. Mainly because there were the least people in there so it was less embarrassing.

Sucking in a quick breath, I walked up to the counter nd attempted to clear my throat somewhat. "Hey," I said to a woman who was probably in her mid-sixties, ''I'm really sorry to bother you but I'm new to the town and, a little bit lost, and was wondering if you maybe had a map I could borrow? Or even if you could maybe just guide me in the general direction of the beach front?"

She smiled warmly, letting out a soft laugh. "Ah, poppet, where abouts are you trying to head?" Her voice was rough, though her tone soft, and words thick with a mangled mix of accents.

"Beckley promenade, I'm staying with my, um- family friend, at the Sand Dollar."

"Elaine's place!" she exclaimed. Another soft laugh escaped her. "You wouldn't happen to be Tris, would you?"

"Uh, yeah. That's me." What?

"She told me all about you the other day. We were at bingo, not really paying attention because it's bingo, but they do good cakes there and they're free if you buy a card. Anyway she mentioned you were gonna come and stay with her for a while. Here, sit and have some tea for a few minutes and I'll have my grandson give you a lift home if you want."

"Oh really, I don't want to be a bother-"

"Nonsense!" she said, already fumbling together a tray. "He has to go in that general direction anyway, and we wouldn't want a sweet girl like you getting any more lost. Just as soon as he's finished fixing the lights back in the kitchen then I'll introduce you two."

"Um, thank you." I went to pull my wallet out but the woman just flapped about once more.

"Tea's on the house, poppet. And I'm Sheila, by the way."

"Thank you, Sheila."

I picked up the tray that was now set with a teapot, teacup and saucer, a tiny jug of milk, a few sugar cubes, and a small spoon and headed over to one of the empty couches.

It was cozy in here. And felt less like a coffee shop and more like someone's living room with an obsession with different styles of upholstery. Nothing matched. At all. But oddly, it all seemed to work together, with nothing seeming out of place.

I was four sob-stories deep into some year-old magazine when Sheila dropped down on the couch beside me.

"Ooh that's a good one. Have you gotten to the it where Melissa accuses Daniel of sleeping with her sister? That's where it gets exciting."

"No," I mumbled, putting the magazine down on the table in front on me. "So far she's just called him a flurry of... Colourful names."

"You'll have to continue it next time then. Anyway, Tris, meet Shaun, my grandson. Shaun, meet Tris. You're gonna give this lovely lady a ride home because oh, look! The last bus to Beckley left five minutes ago. Shoddy bus timetables..."

"Gran-"

"Be a gentleman, Shaun!"

Shaun looked like he was bored of everything. Not even a zombie apocalypse was going to make him  much as flinch.

He had blonde curls scrapped back off his face with a red bandana, and dark, heavy eyes.

" 'Aight," he said, quirking one eyebrow. We at least he has some form of expression. "Let' s go then, Trish."

I thanked Sheila for the tea before trailing after the walking epitome of meh. Surprisingly, he actually walked rather fast, with clean long strides.

"I can just walk if you point me in the general direction. I really don't mean to be a nuisance."

"Nah, I'll drive you. Gran's probably spying from the window anyway and will think I'm rude if you end up walking." He stopped abruptly at small yellow car parked on the side of the street and ducked in quickly.

Hesatantly, I dropped in the other side and he was already fumbling to shove a CD into the tray. By the time I had my seat belt on, he'd already pulled out into the street and was joining the steady flow of traffic.

"Tash, was it?"

"Tris."

"Close enough."

"So you're new here."

"Obviously."

"You go to the highschool?"

"Nah. Was done with that last year."

"So you've come here for College?"

"Nope."

"So what do you do?"

"Help at the B&B."

Conversation continued like that for a while. Dry. Dull. Tedious.

The only thing pleasant about this car journey was the odd indie music by a band I didn't recognise, and the fact that I wasn't walking in the torrential downpour that had appeared from out of the blue.

But heavy rain meant slower traffic. And the traffic was slow enough without it.

The what should have been twenty minute drive became a thirty minute drive. And then an hour drive as everything came to standstill as rush hour descended upon us.

"I'm just gonna walk it. I can see the beach front from here, it can't be that far."

"Your call," Shaun said, changing out a CD for now the third time. "But from here you're looking at a half-hour walk. Maybe fifteen minute run if you're quick."

I groaned. "Maybe not then."

A/N

Hello! Sorry for the lack of update last week. I forgot...

Anyway! My friends dragged me off to a roller-coaster (I hate roller-coasters) park with them because we've finally got someone in our group that can drive. Yay! I threw up on one of my friends though... It was purely his fault. I said I'd be sick if I went on. He dragged me through the queue anyway. The ride was mildly  fun. We got off and he was just about to prance about and demand we go on another because I didn't puke everywhere when BLARGH. Blue vomit. (I'd been drinking slushies all morning so that's why it was blue.)

Not exactly my finest moment. They didn't force me on any rides after that though thankfully.

As always, I don't own divergent.