TROUBLE

Chapter 6

Layla's POV

"You need to tell your dad the whole story when you get home and tell your mom. This isn't fair to you." Tris says, as she plays with the back of my hair while we sit in recreation room. "I don't even care that it's not fair. I just can't stand that when it's football season it's as if I no longer matter to him. My feelings mean nothing." I bring my knees up to my chest and rest my chin on them. The last of the tears dried a little while ago.

So much has happened in one day. Eric calls me a bitch. Eric picks me as his rally girl. I get detention, now Saturday school, Eric calls me a bitch again and the day isn't even over. What else is going to happen?

"I have to go out there, otherwise he'll think I ran off or something." My father is a very paranoid man. If I'm not in a certain place at a certain time, he thinks I'm dead or ran off with a stranger. After 18 years of trying to be a good daughter, the worst is still thought of me.

Tris gives me a big hug of encouragement before leaving me to fend on my own. With a deep breath, I head out towards the fields. The air is muggy and I can feel beads of sweat start to rise on the back of my neck.

The football players don't have their pads on yet, which means that my dad must still be in a coach's meeting. I see Four off to the side, lacing up his cleats. He's my destination of choice. Nobody will think to bother me aka Eric if I'm sitting next to Four.

I glance in the direction of the rest of the players and see a ripped black tank top. He's passing the ball to another guy. I'm pretty sure his name is Peter. As I'm about to walk past him, I hear him yell out, "Hey, Eric! Throw it long!" I don't even have time to look because the next thing I know Peter's body is colliding with mine and my face is eating dirt from the ground.

His heavy body lays on mine and I feel like I can't breath. People start yelling around me and the next thing I know Peter is being forcefully lifted off of me. Four is by side, trying to help me off the ground. I hear a loud thud and look over to see Eric shoving Peter to the ground. He yells something at him that I can't quite understand because he has his helmet on but he definitely doesn't sound happy.

A shooting pain runs up my thigh and I look down to see that I'm bleeding. Four wraps an arm around my waist and helps me over to the benches.

"His cleat cut my leg pretty bad." I say while trying suppress tears from the sudden pain. Four looks down and sees the blood. He looks around frantically trying to find something that will stop it. Eric comes striding back over to me and his blue eyes are lost in a million different emotions.

"She's bleeding." Four says to him. Eric's eyes never leave mine. He takes off his helmet and he's shiny with sweat underneath. I gaze at his neck tattoos and how the black ink glistens. My stomach does a sudden flip, making my body jolt upright. Next thing I know, Eric is taking off his torn tank top, revealing fully the abs that I only got a glimpse of back in my dad's office.

He kneels down in front of me and pulls my injured leg gently towards him. I become self conscious because I know I'm wearing a dress and if he bends down just a little bit more he'll be able to see the bright pink polka dot panties I'm wearing. The thought makes me blush.

His large hands come around my thigh and ties the black shirt around the gash. The knot isn't too tight, just right. Why can't he be like this all the time?

Four watches him closely, like he's shocked at this kind of behavior. It is shocking, though. Since when is Eric nice? Peter limps over and gives me a disgusted look.

"Watch where you're going next time!" He growls at me. Eric's eyes burn into mine one last time before his jaw clenches and stands, turning to Peter.

"What did you say to her?" He growls back but he sounds more vicious.

"I told her to watch out." Eric shoves his shoulders back. "Yeah, I heard you." He continues to advance him and Peter looks genuinely scared. "What's your problem, man?"

Eric gets in his face and I look to Four. He rolls his eyes before going after Eric to stop him. Eric grabs Peter's shirt collar and brings their faces together. "Don't you ever talk to her like that again."

The horrific fear that resides on Peter's face is actually really funny to see. Four puts a hand on Eric's shoulder. "Eric, she's fine. Let it go."

Those blue eyes turn back to me for a moment before he shoves Peter as hard as he can. He falls flat on his ass and the whole team bursts with laughter.

I see my dad walking out of the athletic complex in the distance. The team all shuffles and makes it seem like they were all doing something constructive.

Eric walks back over to the bench I'm sitting on and grabs his helmet from off the ground. My hand skims over his shirt that is wrapped firmly around my leg and I play with the knot that he tied. I want to say thank you but it seems wrong after what happened earlier. He says nothing to me as he walks back out onto the field, shirtless.

My eyes are drawn to his rigid back muscles like they have magnets attached to them. I guess that answers my question as to what else could happen during this day.

I was totally picturing Four look at Eric like he's crazy for helping someone. Can you guys see it? haha. How are you liking it so far? Do you think Eric is mad at her? Comment and Vote!!