Closer

Chapter 4

Eric dropped in the seat next to Four, his expression still as cold as when I first met him. He looked between Four and the rest of the table. “Well, aren’t you going to introduce me?”

Four rolled his eyes and sighed. “This is Aidan and Jake,” he said, pointing to the two boys. “Kristen, Olivia,” Four looked at me last. “and Alex.”

“Ah, the Stiff that doesn’t know how to keep her mouth shut. You’d figure coming from Abnegation she’d already be acquainted with the concept of keeping her thoughts to herself, no?” Eric’s eyes rested on me as he conversated with my brother. His tone was even, no hint of the anger that had graced his face on the roof. 

“You’d think that, wouldn’t you?” Four replied. Were they friends? God I hoped not. Eric talked to Four as if they were, but from what Four had said about him earlier I was sure they weren’t.

“We’ll see how long she lasts with that mouth of her’s,” His focus was still on me as I averted his eyes. I felt squirmish under his gaze, I just wanted to get up and get as far away as possible from him. “You wanna tell me what that bruise on your face is from, Initiate?” Eric asked, raising his pierced eyebrow.

I took a quick glance over at my brother before answering. If I had the balls to speak up against Marcus, then speaking up against Eric would certainly be no problem at all. “It’s none of your business,” was all I said as I took a sip of my juice, making sure to not look in Eric’s direction.

“You’re in Dauntless now and I’m a Dauntless leader, that makes it my business,” he growled. I didn’t have to look at him to know the look on his face. I wanted to reach across Four and slap the look off Eric’s face. Who does he think he is? The only person who ever put themselves above me was my father and he’s gone now. I refuse to let some else think they can take that place over me. I refuse to be intimated anymore.

I placed my cup down on the table, rather harsh, and turned to face the young leader. Four had begun to lean back, hoping to get as far away from this as possible without making it obvious. I could tell by his facial expression he was surprised by my attitude. Truth was, I had always been this way, I’d just learned to hold my tongue in front of my family. That was the Abnegation thing to do, right? I’m Dauntless now, though. Those rules don’t apply here. “You wanna know how I got this?” I looked Eric square in the eye. I almost lost my thought in his icy blue eyes before I managed to grab it and spit it out. I felt the eyes of the whole table on me as I began to speak. “I picked a fight with a kid who didn’t know how to mind his own damn business and stop asking questions he didn’t need to know the answers to.”

“Alex…” Four hissed a warning. I understood the nature of his warning as I saw the anger rise through Eric’s face.

“If there’s one thing you’ll learn here Initiate, it’s how to keep your mouth shut!” He growled. “I let what happened on the roof slide, but you better watch yourself! I’ve punished people for a lot less… As a matter of fact, I want you in the training room an hour earlier tomorrow. And if you’re not there I’ll drag you out of bed myself,” He got up with a scowl on his face and stomped out of the dinning hall, leaving all eyes resting on me. 

“What a baby…,” I muttered. Four grabbed my arm and dragged me from my seat and into the hall. Since it was lunch time, nobody was left lingering in the halls because they were all eating.

“Have you lost your mind?! Where the fuck did that come from? Huh?” His tone was harsh, but not loud. He stood there a few moments, waiting for an answer, but didn’t receive one. “I literally just told you not to piss him off anymore than you already had!”

“If I can deal with Marcus I can deal with Eric,” I snapped. I didn’t need him to baby me anymore. I had to live a year with that monster without the protection of Tobias.