Besties: The Tale of Eric and Four

Chapter One

Four's POV: 

I'm eating dinner with Tris and her friends. I can't help but notice how shiny her blond hair looks. She was so impressive when she was the first to jump off the building earlier. And she's a Stiff, like me. I stop daydreaming about her long enough to take a bite of my burger. As I reach for my glass of chocolate milk, I feel someone hit my shoulder. I look up to see Eric grinning down at me. "Well, aren't you going to introduce me?" he asks.

"Uh...this is Tris and Christina." I hope he doesn't notice me blush when I mention Tris's name. Her blue eyes are just so piercing. Like knives. I love knives. I wonder what Eric is doing here. He never leaves me alone anymore, ever since that night I finally agreed to have a sleepover with him. I think he thinks we're friends or something, but really, I only said yes because he's my boss.

"Ooh, a Stiff," Eric says, looking at her plain gray clothes. I had clothes like that once...but that was a long, long, long time ago. Two years. "We'll see how long you last." He laughs and taps his knuckles on the table. For some strange reason, I feel protective of Tris. But I have to let her take care of herself, or she'll never respect me as a man, which is very important to me. My aura and reputation mean everything to me. I can't have anyone thinking that I'm secretly just a scared little boy hiding in a closet.

"What have you been doing lately, Four?" Eric asks, tapping his chin. Ugh, won't this guy leave me alone? Doesn't he know I'm trying to look manly in front of Tris? Real men don't have friends! Or feelings! I shrug, avoiding eye contact. "Nothing, really." I hope he gets the hint.

"Max tells me he keeps trying to meet with you, and you don't show up," Eric says. "He requested that I find out what's going on with you." Why would Max think that Eric could get to the bottom of my secrets? Sure, I told him a couple of things about my past at our slumber party, but that was mostly just to be nice! 

"Tell him that I am satisfied with the position I currently hold," I finally say. I love my job. I beat little kids up and get paid for it. I can boss them around and act like the biggest man on the playground, which I never was when I was in school.

"So, he wants to give you a job," Eric says. The truth is, Max wanted me to be a Dauntless leader, but that would take me far away from the comfort of beating up kids two whole years younger than me. It would put me directly into the spotlight, where everyone could see me for the little boy I am.

"So, it would seem," I tell Eric.

"And you aren't interested." He says it as a statement, not a question, but I can hear the hope in his voice. I'm sure Eric would love for me to work with him, but I wouldn't care for it at all. He's just too clingy.

"I haven't been interested in two years," I tell him, hoping he'll finally get off my back about the whole thing.

"Well, let's hope he gets the point, then." I give a sigh of relief. I'm sure Eric will finally get up and leave me alone with Tris, now. And her friend, whose name I forgot. He claps me on the shoulder again and starts to leave, then he says, "Four?"

I roll my eyes and say, "What?" I hope he can tell from my tone that I'm eager for him to be gone.

"Slumber party at my house tonight. You bring the popcorn this time." I flush with anger and embarrassment.

I stand up and say, "I've never had a 'slumber party' with you, and I never will! Now leave!" I can't believe Eric would say something so embarrassing, especially in front of Tris! How can I show my face around her after this? What if she thinks I regularly hang out with the likes of Eric?! At slumber parties, no less?

"Don't forget your place, or do you need a reminder?" Eric shouts. Ugh, of all people, why did Eric have to be my boss?

Glaring at him, I say, "Fine. But only because you're my superior!" I wish I could tell Tris that I was supposed to have Eric's job, but I refused Max's offer because of reasons involving my dark, mysterious past.

I groan and sit back down in shame. I never wanted anyone to see me like this, least of all Tris. She might just be the one. I know I've only known her for a few hours, but she's the only person who's made me feel like this before. Not as scared and alone as I usually am.