Divergent One Shots (Eric & Tris)

Six-Childhood Love Remembered 2.1

Tris

I sigh as I put on my mascara. I can't stop thinking about all of the arguments Tobias and I have had. He's wanted a relationship with me, yet he gets upset at me for working. He knows sometimes my shifts run late. That's just the way of it in the leadership offices. Then he's mad at me for making my own choices and asserting myself, standing up for myself...

You're such a child! You're always running head first into stupid situations and I have to save you from them. What were you thinking?

Peter picked a fight with me in the Pit and I slapped him. He was making one too many crude jokes and was humiliating me. I've grown in my fighting skills and I can defend myself. I think Four still believes I'm his weak little initiate.
I sigh shakily. I can't stop thinking of what he said after I chose my job as a leadership aide. It was harsh and cruel...

I can't believe you chose to work in the leadership office. Are you stupid or something? Why would you take the risk?

He thinks that me working closely to leadership is going to get me discovered. I think he's just being ridiculous. I handle paperwork, run errands, and bring them beverages. He wanted me to take a job as a janitor or cafeteria worker. Those aren't fitting jobs for me and even he wouldn't consider those. We both ranked number one. Those aren't jobs for top ranks. But somehow he believes I'm less capable than him of hiding my Divergence.
I glide on my cherry red lipstick and blot it. I smile at my reflection. I look good. I've actually grown a bit, my body filling out. I have toned muscles and curves. He still treats me like I'm a helpless, weak little Stiff. I'm Dauntless through and through.
I hear a knock on the bathroom door and open it.
"Are you about ready?" Christina asks.
"Yeah. How'd I do on my hair?" I inquire.
"You curled it yourself?" she questions just realizing. I nod. "It looks really good."
I smile at the compliment. "Thanks," I say grabbing my purse.
I let Christina lock up as we walk out and I'm so grateful we decided to share an apartment. Four was really pushing me to move in with him straight out of initiation. I told him I wasn't ready for a step like that but in all honesty, I never wanted to move in with someone who wasn't my husband. He was always talking about us having sex when I was ready... but I think I need a ring on my finger and a lifetime commitment before I do that.
"I still can't believe you actually broke up with Number Boy," Christina muses as we walk the hallways in Dauntless making our way to the clubs of the Pit.
"Yeah," I agree.
We were kind of on again, off again frequently. He would always stick his foot in his mouth and insult me. Then he'd come crawling back with an apology. There's only so much a girl can take when she decides enough is enough.
"Are you going to consider taking him back?" she questions.
"I'll forgive him for his latest insult but I'm done. There's no more Four and Tris. We're definitely over. I hope he lets that sink in because I already told him this was it and not to come crawling back when he comes to his senses," I explain.
"I hope he pays attention this time. He's awfully persistent and doesn't really listen to you," she replies.
"Yeah," I laugh. "I'm expecting to have to tell him more than once that it's over for good."
As we enter the Pit, I can hear whispers about our break up. This time was very public. He might as well have insulted me in the cafeteria on the leaders' balcony with a megaphone. We were in the Pit last Friday night—a week from today—and he was upset that I was late meeting him. He accused me of cheating on him. I was at work and leadership had guests from out of faction over and the meeting ran late. Johanna Reyes and Jack Kang were visiting. I brought everyone up dinner and cleared the meals and glasses afterwards. Wendy Knight was even with me and he wouldn't believe me. He assumed I was cheating on him with some random aide. He even accused me of being frigid, saying that I must've been giving it up to somebody else because he wasn't getting any. I honestly believe he was drunk. But intoxicated or not, what he did and said was the final straw. He even said it could've been Ryan or Eric for all he knew this time—as if I ever even held hands with another man.
I shake off the negative feelings as Christina and I enter the club. The music is fun and enticing, the beat drawing me in and changing my mood. The atmosphere is dark and mysterious with the flashing lights, the fog. I smile as I allow the night to take away the funk I've been in for the last week and move to the music as Christina takes my hand and leads me to the meeting spot with all of our friends. I already see Uriah and Marlene together at a table. Lynn and Will are there, too. I take a seat and a waitress requests our orders.
"What'd you get?" Christina asks me.
"Virgin strawberry daiquiri," I shrug.
"Not up for drinking?" she questions.
"I'm not a fan of it," I admit.
Our drinks arrive and we all toast to a night of fun and happiness. I smile and raise my glass with my friends. I take my first sip and I notice the fog has dissipated somewhat. I see through the crowd that Four is at the bar with Zeke and Shauna. I sigh shakily thinking that I don't want to alienate my friends but it's best that we're apart. I'm not going to stay with someone who routinely humiliates and degrades me just to make things more comfortable for others. I don't think my mental health can take any more of the abuse.
I look away when Four perceives our group and don't look back in that direction again. I notice someone familiar closer to us at the bar and his eyes are actually on me. Ryan—another leader—nudges him and he shakes his head, clearly in a daze and I smile. Eric was checking me out. That little ego boost just made my day.
"Come on. Let's dance," Christina insists.
I take another sip of my drink before she pulls me with her. Marlene and Lynn join us and we're all dancing to a fast song. We're laughing and messing around on the dance floor and I honestly haven't had a smile this wide on my face since the day of my membership to Dauntless. We stay out for a few more songs and then head back for a drink. Uriah and Marlene slow dance together and I grin at how sweet they are. It took them about a week after initiation was over to realize that they had a thing for each other. On the next song, Will takes Christina out. Lynn and I chat about our jobs. I tell her how things are in the office and she tells me all about security. She loves working in the compound as a guard. She tells me she's already received a promotion and I congratulate her. I'm honestly so happy for her.
Gabe—I think his name is, the one from zip lining with the septum piercing—asks Lynn to dance. She laughs in disbelief and drinks a shot before following him out to the dance floor.
I watch my friends dance and I'm a little sad to not be out there myself. Although, even if I were still with Four, he doesn't dance—no fast songs, no slow songs. Now that I think about it... he's never even taken me to this place before. I've only ever gone with my friends and he avoided it completely. I realize... he's either here to spy on me or just to see me. My suspicions are confirmed when he sits beside me.
"What are you doing here?" I ask him sliding away.
"Just seeing my girl," he slurs with a smile plastered on his face.
"I'm not your girl anymore. We're over, Four. You're in charge of watching everyone's drinks because I'm leaving," I say standing up and walking to the bar with my glass in hand.
I stride away but someone ushers me aside.
"What the...?" I question.
Eric takes my drink from my hand and passes it to the bartender. "Check it," he orders the man.
He sticks what looks to be a litmus paper or something in my drink and it changes color. The bartender nods to Eric and he sighs irritatedly.
"Call security when someone else arrives to the table and have him put in lockup until Monday morning," Eric says. "Oh, and get her a clean drink."
"What just happened?" I ask him confused.
Eric motions to the seat beside him and I take it. I notice Ryan—his best friend—is gone.
"I saw Four put something into your glass. It turns out he was trying to drug you," he tells me.
"Why would he do that?" I question bewildered shaking my head in disbelief.
"Do you drink much alcohol?" he asks me.
"Not usually. Just a little gets me incredibly drunk. I don't like the way it makes me feel. I kind of lose control," I admit.
"How much do you usually have?" he questions.
"Just a sip or two makes me dizzy," I admit.
His eyebrows raise. "So, I'm using truth serum on him, too," he nods.
"What?" I ask him completely befuddled.
"I think he's tried drugging you before, too," he admits.
"Why would you say that?" I inquire.
He passes me his beer. "Drink it," he insists.
I take a sip and it's not that bad, not nearly as strong as what I've had before. I feel a small rush of heat from the drink but not the dizziness and loss of control.
"That's why," he tells me taking his bottle back from my hand.
"Oh, God. He's always drugged me," I realize.
"Probably," he nods. "If a few sips give you those effects, then the whole thing would leave you unconscious. I hear he made a scene last week. Has he been pushing you into something you don't want?"
I close my eyes in embarrassment and that Eric of all people is asking me these questions.
"I think I'm done for the night," I admit not touching my glass and rising.
"Why don't I walk you back? Security isn't here yet for him," he says motioning to Four.
I frown and nod accepting the kind gesture. We walk a few steps and I see security just arriving at the entrance.  Eric stops them to relay his orders.
"Would you prefer a guard to walk you home or me?" he asks now that they're here.
"It doesn't matter," I say in a daze.
I begin to walk and I feel a buzz in my purse. I take my phone out. It's Christina. She wants to know what's going on. I text back that I'm not feeling well and going home. I set it in my bag and continue to walk home noticing the presence following by my side. I retrace my steps from not even an hour ago and pull my keys out of my bag when I arrive at my apartment.
"I'm surprised you picked one so far away," Eric comments. "You had first choice."
I hadn't even realized he was the one to walk me home. I thought he'd send a guard.
"Christina wanted a big closet," I shrug. "I took the spare room."
"That's awfully nice of you letting her have the master," he replies.
"Eh, a bed's a bed. Even the dorm ones were better than mine growing up," I say dismissively.
He raises his eyebrows in surprise. "Too selfish to have a good night's rest?" he teases.
"Something like that," I shrug.
He grins at me.
"Thanks for walking me back," I tell him.
"Anytime," he replies and I feel like he actually means that.
"You know, you're much nicer than Four would've had me think in training," I point out.
"Four doesn't have anything nice to say about anyone," he chuckles.
"I see that now," I nod. "See you Monday."
"Not leaving your apartment until then?" he questions.
"Probably not," I admit. "I can't handle any more gossip. I'm hoping it'll die down."
"You get used to it," he shrugs.
"Goodnight," I tell him opening my door.
He replies the same.
I lock up and take off my heels. I step into the bathroom, washing my face and brushing my teeth before going to my bedroom. I change into something comfortable to sleep in. I grab my phone out of my purse to see there's a message from Christina.

'Okay. Feel better!'

I smile and send her a thumbs up. I charge my phone and hear a buzz. I look to see there's a new message. It's from Eric of all people. I open it to read:

'Pleasant dreams.'

I'm surprised he's sending me something... but that's really sweet. And I'm definitely not used to sweet. I climb into bed and drift off easily suddenly exhausted from the events of the last day.