Choose Your Own Adventure: Divergent

Eric's Dance- 136

Christina finds Will in a dark suit at the other end of the room, and they fall all over each other, shrieking about each other's outfits.

"Where's Eric?" She says after a while, her hands all over Will's face.

There's a cough from the back, and you turn to find Eric standing on the sidelines, sipping punch, arms crossed as he leans against the wall.

Christina scoffs, rolling her eyes, then turns back to Will. "Don't know what you see in him, Y/N."

You run over to Eric, and he offers you his glass, the blue liquid swirling around inside. "Want some?"

"Eric, it's a party," you say as A Little Party Never Killed Nobody blasts through the speakers. The pack of Dauntless dance in the middle start screaming and doing something that vaguely resembles the Charleston.

"Nuh-uh," he says, shaking his head with a little laugh. "I don't do 'party.'"

"I do."

"Good for you," he says, taking another sip of his drink. You grab his beefy arm, and he looks down at you. "What?"

"I'll kiss you if you dance," you say, and he stops, turning his head, laughing under his breath.

"Good grief, kid," he says, then hands you his drink. "Fine, but seriously. You're gonna need some of this."

You tilt your head back and drown the rest of the punch, slamming the glass back on a table. "Done," you say, and he offers you his hand.

"Right," he says. "Then let's dance."

Eric tenses as he approaches the dance circle, people instinctively moving out of his way. He tries to copy what the person in front of him does, almost falling down.

"This is ridiculous," he grumbles, but you're already dancing the Charleston, copying what the others are doing. 

"You know what? Fine," he says, grabbing you and pulling you into a swing dance position. "Let's dance."

He pulls you into a pirouette and a graceful spin, rocks you back and forth with dips and elaborate hand movements that leave the other Dauntless gaping at the two of you until half the dance floor is just watching the two of you make your way around the dance floor.

"Dip coming," he whispers up by the delicate skin of your ear, and when he dips you, he presses his lips to yours, chapped and hot. The crowd gasps and cheers, clapping, and Eric pulls you upright. He gives a wave with a flash of a smile to the others, then maneuvers you back to the edge of the dance floor. The two of you make your way back to the dorms, and he looks at you, laughing.

"That was more fun than I gave you credit for," he admits, running a hand across his head. "You're a good dancer."

He looks back at you, then runs his thumb over your neck where he injected the serum after your initiation. You shiver, looking up at him.

"Listen, Y/N, things are about to get crazy around here," he says, his voice echoing around the hall outside your dorm. "But I won't let you get hurt."

He moves his thumb up your neck, up to your lips, parting them slightly. "Just stick with me and I'll make sure you're alright."

Then he leaves, jogging down the tunnel. "Thank you for tonight, Y/N," he calls back over his shoulder, and you go to get ready for bed. But you can't help but run your fingers over your lips, though, a wide grin spreading across your face.

Advance to 139.