Divergent One Shots (Eric & Tris)

Forty-Five-The Cheater 14.1

Tris

I walk through the hallway of Four's building. I just got off work early and he should already be off, too. He gets out more than an hour before me on Fridays. I arrive to his door and knock. I wait with no answer. I knock again with the same response. I put my ear to the door but I hear nothing. Maybe he had to work a little later. I have had to on occasion and I can understand that—even if he gets upset with me those times. I try to be sympathetic.
He has a key to my place but he insisted on keeping his privacy at his apartment. I decide to take a seat on the floor beside his door and wait for his return. I think about how the last several months have gone. I really enjoy my job. I work in the cafeteria—Four's suggestion—but I love cooking. I rejected the leadership offer. The more I thought about it, the more I didn't want to be where leadership could scrutinize me. I feel safe—hidden here. Four and I have our problems—our disagreements—but we work through them or at least I try to make concessions to get it to progress between us. He's been hinting at me that he's wanting our physical relationship to take the next step. I'm honestly not ready for that. We were out once and I walked into a jeweler with him. I was hoping he'd consider marriage but he was just bored in the store and complaining. I even pointed out the cheapest ring there—that I thought it was pretty. He said he'd get me a plastic one from the costume jewelry shop if I really wanted a ring. I insisted that's not what I wanted but he bought it for me anyway. I twirl the plastic ring around on my pinkie. It's like a child's toy—pink with a smilie face on it. But it was a gift from him.
I hear the lock click on his door and it opens. A gorgeous brunette steps out and I blink in shock.
"That was incredible," she says seductively. "Can I see you again tomorrow?"
"You know the rules—Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays only, the same time," Four says.
"Don't I please you, too?" she frowns batting her eyes at him.
"I've never had better," he sighs. He actually sounds pleased... satiated. "But I'm busy all other days."
"Fine," she pouts.
"You're not seeing anyone else, right?" he questions.
"No, only you, baby," she says shaking her head.
"Good," he whispers kissing her.
My mouth hangs open at the entire confrontation. Four shuts the door and the girl picks up a cosmetic case from her purse and checks her appearance. She applies more lipstick before closing it. She notices me sitting against the wall.
"Little girl, shouldn't you be in school?" she asks me.
I stare at her with my mouth agape.
"Whatever," she says walking off swaying her hips. She pulls out her phone and calls someone as she walks down the hallway. "This is Mellissa. Are you free? I'm looking for a good time. No, only you, baby," she tells the person on her phone.
I cringe in disgust. I pull the little plastic ring off and set it on the ground before rising and going to the locksmith. I get a new lock and head home with the bag. I'm kind of staring in shock... in a complete daze on the entire trek home. I can't even remember pushing the button to my floor after stepping into the elevator.  I step out when it opens.  I bump into somebody on accident.
"Watch it, Stiff," someone says.
"I'm sorry," I whisper. The tears start to fall and I begin to shake.
"No, problem," he replies. "Hey?" he questions. "Are you alright?"
"I just need to get home," I say continuing on. I wipe my eyes and realize I'm on the wrong floor. "Shoot. Where am I?" I ask myself.
"Top floor," he responds.
"Okay," I stride back to the elevator. He walks beside me. We step in together.
"Why are you in such a hurry?" he asks. I see him press the fourth floor and ground floor.
"Because I need to change my lock," I reply.
"Why is that so important?" he inquires.
"Because I don't ever want to let Four into my apartment again," I admit monotonously.
"Geez, what'd he do this time?" he questions.
"Apparently, he's been sleeping with some girl named Mellissa on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays," I reply before stepping out of the elevator on my floor.
I unlock my door and leave it open grabbing my toolbox. I remove the screws on my lock and add the new one. I tighten everything. I test the new pair of keys. It works. I shut my door and lock it, putting the extra chain lock on as well. I take the old lock and keys and put it back in the bag. I'd throw it away but I should probably give it to the locksmith to reuse.
I walk back to my bedroom and lay down. I pull the sheets over myself and cry. I soak my pillow and flip it over. I cry so hard that I'm hyperventilating. I try to calm my breathing and I nod off.
I wake with a start. There's a pounding on my door. I rise and walk to my front door. I peek through the peephole to see it's Four. He continues to knock on the door and I turn around going back to bed laying on my side. I throw a pillow over my ear to drown out the noise. The pounding continues for a while and I drift off once more.
I wake to pounding again. I roll over and ignore it. My phone buzzes and I look to see several texts and calls from Four. I glance at them. I decide to block his contact and go back to bed. I spend the entire weekend like that in bed but I rise on Monday morning to prepare breakfast in the cafeteria. I get ready and go down to work early. I see what's on the menu and begin to prepare it—scrambled eggs, pancakes, hash browns, sausage, fruit. I work with my team and don't speak today. I just do what I'm assigned and keep my head down. I scramble an entire tray of eggs and put them out. I wash and cut fruit. I see we need more sausage so I cook another tray. I pull the mostly empty pan out and replace it with the new.
"Hey, Stiff," someone says to me.
I look up to see Eric standing there.
"Good morning," I respond.
"Are you feeling alright?" he asks.
I shrug, "I'm okay, I guess."
"When was the last time you ate?" he asks me.
"I can't remember," I admit.
"You're taking a break. Come here," he says.
"What?" I question confused. "I can't just..."
I see him set his tray down. He enters into the employee's door and escorts me out.
"But my break isn't scheduled for three hours," I protest.
"I've overruled that. You're taking it now," he tells me forcefully.  "Breakfast," he insists. 
"Okay," I reply taking off my apron.  I hang it up and grab some food beside him.  He has me sit at a table with him—not the leaders' table and not my usual one.  I pick at my eggs. 
"Eat," he demands. 
"Fine," I mumble putting a bite of eggs in my mouth.
"When was the last time you ate?" he questions. 
"Friday at lunch, I think," I shrug.  "Why are you so concerned?"
"If someone my size lost ten pounds in three days it'd be no big deal.  You're close to a hundred pounds.  You look like you're one meal away from death," he says. 
"Thanks for that," I say rolling my eyes. 
"Tris," he says putting his hand on mine.  "I don't want one of my top members starving themselves to death over a loser like Four," he says earnestly. 
I look up and meet his eyes. 
"I didn't say you're unattractive.  What I'm saying is if you don't eat, you will die," he tells me concerned.  "And I don't want that to happen."
I nod and eat another bite. 
"Tris," Four calls out. 
"Oh, crap," I whisper closing my eyes and wincing.  I sigh in frustration.  I don't have the energy to deal with him.  I'm also not brave enough. 
"Get lost, Four," Eric says. 
"You're not keeping me from my girl," he demands. 
"She's not your girl anymore," Eric replies. 
"Says who?" Four asks angrily. 
"Says me," I respond eating another bite even though I feel like I'm going to gag.  I chew and try to swallow.  I drink some water and that helps. 
"What's going on?" he asks confused. 
"I'm sure Mellissa knows," Eric taunts. 
I look at Four and actually see him blush.  I turn away and go back to my breakfast. 
"Like I said before, get lost Four.  She's not your girl anymore," Eric repeats.  "If you disobey my order, I will have security forcefully remove you."
Eric doesn't look but I can actually feel that Four left.  I sigh shakily. 
"Thank you," I whisper. 
"No problem," he replies. 
We eat together wordlessly for a while. 
"He's going to keep coming around," Eric points out. 
"I know," I say softly. 
"What's your plan?" he questions. 
"Avoid him," I shrug. 
"You need a boyfriend or something to scare him off," he jokes. 
I chuckle lightly at that.  He's smirking at me.
"Phone and keys," he demands.
"What?" I laugh questioningly as I pull them out of my pocket and set them on the table.
"Open it," he motions to the phone.
I put in my password and surrender my phone to him. I see him enter something into my contacts, then on his phone. He takes my keys and removes the copy.
"Hey," I protest. "What are you doing?"
"The next time I knock on your door and you refuse to answer, I'm coming in," he responds monotonously.
"Sorry, I thought you were Four," I admit.
"Which is why I'm taking a key. I'm not going to have you starving yourself in your apartment," he replies.
I frown at that.
"It's okay," he whispers caressing my cheek. "I'll make sure everything will be okay."
"Why are you being so nice to me?" I inquire.
"Because I care," he says meeting my eyes.
I never would've believed Eric could be like this. He's nothing like Four had said or what I'd thought. It's as if his negative gossip and tone skewed my perspective.  It had me believing the worst about him.
"Thank you," I whisper.
"No problem," he says earnestly. "Eat," he says gently rubbing my back.
I do so and we chat a little.  He's different than I had always expected—more talkative and easygoing.  We finish our meal and I feel a kiss to my temple before he leaves telling me that he'll meet me for lunch. 
I grin at his retreating form.  I look to my phone to find his number and scroll through the E's.  I don't see it.  I open up all of my contacts and notice Boyfriend is new.  I blink in surprise and go through every single one.  That's the only new one and that's not Four's number.  I even had it listed in here as his nickname and he's blocked now.  I dismiss it as being his joke from earlier—he's my boyfriend who will scare Four away.  I chuckle at that and get back to work.