TROUBLE

Chapter 7

Layla's POV

XX Skip to Friday Night's Game XX

The rest of the week went by without so much as a glance from Eric. In home room he said nothing. In English he sat all the way on the other side of the room from me. Four said that Eric was a real hot head during practice. Everything was apparently pissing him off.

Could that be because of me? He's the one who started this whole thing. Why was he acting like I did something wrong?

My dad gave me such a hard time. When I got home from school that day, he gave me a long lecture as to why I didn't need to interfere with his players because I was the reason they were getting in trouble! ME! I didn't ask to be called a bitch or get tackled!

After being made to feel so guilty and knowing that Eric was so upset, I gave in and decided to try and cheer him up. Before the game, I made a big batch of oatmeal raisin cookies. Eric's favorite. I remember from back when we were in middle school together and he brought them every day in his lunch.

I put on some jean shorts and shrugged the big black jersey on before Tris came to pick me up.

"Why are you wearing Eric's jersey?" She asks as I slide into the car.

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answer to." I laugh.

She puts the car in gear and pulls out of my driveway, heading to the field. The box of cookies is warm in my lap, making my legs sweat slightly.

"Did you make him cookies?!" She sniffs the air.

"Eyes on the road!" I point at the wind shield. "You can have one if you want."

She scrunches her nose up in disgust before turning her eyes back to the road. "No, thanks. I don't want the devils cookies."

"He is not the devil."

Tris raises her eyebrows with sarcasm but doesn't reply. This may be the worst idea ever but I'm tired of feeling like an enemy in my own house. I have to make this thing between Eric and I go away or else the next 4 months are going to be torture.

Pulling up to the field, there has to be over 500 people here. Dauntless High is playing Candor academy tonight and it's the first game of the season so a big turn out is expected.

Tris wraps an arm around my shoulder as we walk up to the entrance. "Give him the cookies and walk. Don't let him sweet talk you." She warns me. I nod in agreement and hug her before walking to the boys locker room. Hopefully I can catch him before he starts warming up.

A group of players come stumbling out laughing. I recognize one of them as Peter. He shoots me a glare before walking off. Another person who is not a fan of me. I try to stay hidden in the shadows. Technically, nobody is allowed to talk to players before games. Especially girls. We're considered a distraction.

I wait patiently, resting against the brick wall of the locker rooms. Player after player comes out and none of them are Eric. I haven't even seen Four. But he could have already been out on the field. He is the quarterback after all.