Stay Away | Eric Coulter [1]

sixteen

    My stomach was growling so loudly by the time I made it into the dining hall, that it sounded as if I was harbouring Bigfoot in my stomach.

As always, the place was packed with hungry Dauntless members and I struggle to find an empty seat. Since Uriah and the crew were having extra training, there wasn't anyone else around to save me a seat.

"Hey, Nessa! Over here!" A voice surprises me.

I look over to see Tris waving me over from where she was seated with her usual posse.

Christina doesn't look too thrilled at Tris's invite, but seeing as how there doesn't look to be any other available seats, I make my way over.

"Hey," I say as I approach, "Thanks for letting me sit here."

"Did your Dauntless-born friends grow tired of you already?" Christina snorts as I took my seat, "That was awfully fast."

"Christina!" Tris chastises, nudging her with her elbow.

As if he felt compelled to diffuse the situation, Will extends a hand, "You probably already know our names but I don't think we've ever been introduced. I'm Will and this is Al." He introduces.

"Nessa," I shook his hand gratefully before offering Al a wave.

Looking satisfied that he was able to be of help, Will turned his attention back to his plate while I piled mine up with food.

The table jostles slightly when someone sinks into the seat beside me and I look up to see Shauna sitting beside me.

"There you are, Nessie."

I roll my eyes, "Uriah's rubbing off on you."

"Great, more people." I hear Christina mutter under her breath.

"Aren't you just a ray of sunshine," Shauna comments.

Christina glares at her, earning another elbow in the ribs from Tris.

"Come on, then. Let's go," Shauna taps me on the shoulder, waving for me to follow.

I frown up at her around a mouthful of meatloaf, "Go where? I just got here."

"Zeke's been looking for you," She simply states, reaching down and tugging me to my feet.

"I'll see you guys around!" I quickly throw over my shoulder to Tris and her friends as Shauna drags me out of the room, "Thanks again for letting me sit with you!"

Tris and Will both wave goodbye as Shauna continues until we're out in the hallway and takes a familiar route that leads to the rooftop.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

Shauna flashes me a grin, "You'll find out soon, Nessa. Zeke's in one of his serious moods, though. Had a talk with Four and now he's all cranky." She explains with a shrug, "Anyway, wouldn't want to be you."

As soon as we make it to the top of the stairs, Shauna gives me a little shove through the doors and slams the door shut behind me without even so much as a goodbye, leaving me alone to face a ridiculously broody looking Zeke.

"Hey, Zeke." I drawl, "What's up?"

It's obvious that Zeke's lacking his usual zeal today. 

"Are you okay?" I ask.

Zeke finally lifts his eyes to look at me, "Your brother is an asshole."