Stay Away | Eric Coulter [1]

twenty-six

    I'm still riding a high from my birthday even though it's been almost two days since then.

No matter how many glares Drew had shot my way, they all seem to bounce right off me. I've been in such a good mood I'm pretty sure Tobias has been looking at me a little funny, trying to figure me out.

As I lay in bed, about to fall asleep, the sound of the door of the dormitory swings open with a bang and I shoot up in my bed.

"Everybody up!" My brother's voice calls, accompanied by the same clanking of metal we hear every morning. Except this time, it's just after midnight.

More people stream into our room and I barely register their faces, only noticing when I see Eric strolling in.

"What's going on?" I ask when he passes me.

"Relax, it's nothing serious." He whispers, "Just a little Dauntless tradition." His eyes dart down to the tiny shorts and thin cotton tank top I was wearing, darkening slightly before he leans in and growls, "Get dressed."

I smirk at his back as I quickly change out of my PJs, manoeuvring awkwardly as I try to do so without exposing myself too much.

"Did you go deaf, stiff?" I hear Eric scold, "I said, everybody up."

I turn to see a Tris scrambling to her feet with Christina behind her, glaring daggers at Eric in only her tank top and panties. When she spots me staring, she turns the focus on her glare on me and I quickly look away.

"I want all of you by the tracks in five minutes," Eric orders, "We're going on a little field trip."

Eric turns to the door, looking at me over his shoulder with a wink before he leaves.

Feeling someone's gaze on me, I turn to see Tobias by the door, staring at me pensively before turning his gaze to Eric's retreating form.

Shaking my brother's gaze off, I quickly stuff my feet into my boots and was lacing them up when Marlene plops down onto my bed, bouncing on the mattress with a smile as Lynn and Uriah take a seat on my neighbour's empty bed.

"That was hot," She says, fanning herself as she lowers her voice to a whisper. "And that wink Eric gave you? Damn, girl."

I roll my eyes at her, but can't help but smile at my friend's antics.

"Where did you guys come from?"

"We came in with Four and Eric," Uriah states.

I frowned at them, "You did? I didn't see you."

"Too busy focusing on a certain blue-eyed leader, huh?" Lynn smirks.

"I wasn't!" I protest and Uriah laughs, throwing an arm over my shoulder as he always does as we headed out together.

"You're not a very good liar, Nessie." He says, "To be honest, I'm not sure why you even try."

We make it out to the train tracks and Marlene links her hand through mine, practically bursting with excitement.

"This is amazing! It's the first time we've done anything together!"

"What exactly are we doing?" I asked.

"Zeke says it's the paintball version of capture the flag." Uriah says, "They have this every year. It's going to be so much fun."

We're the first ones at the tracks and I spot Eric and Tobias standing at opposite corners from each other as if they would break out in hives from just standing next to one another.

"You woke us up for paintball?" I raise a brow at Eric as we pass him.

"Oh, it's going to be much more painful than paintball." He replies, smirking at the worried look I must've been spotting. "Don't worry, it's nothing too bad."

"Well, what is it?"

"You'll see," He says mysteriously.

Eric turns his gaze straight ahead as the rest of the initiates start to filter in and Marlene turns to me with wide-eyes mouthing, "So hot."

I roll my eyes at her but can't seem to keep the smile from my face.

When the train starts to zoom past us, we all take off after it. As soon as he gets close enough, Uriah grabs onto one of the handles and swings himself onto the platform by the doors and jams his hand into the buttons to open it.

Then, he reaches down and helps us into the train one by one. First, Lynn. Then, Marlene and finally, me.

"Thanks," I muttered trying to catch my breath as I slump against the walls of the train.

"Just like old times. Right, Nessie?" He grins.

I grin back at him as Tobias and Eric gather everyone at the centre of the cabin.

"The game's simple," Tobias announces once he has everybody's attention, "It's Capture the Flag." He says, laying out a row of toy-like guns on the floor.

"Weapon of choice," Eric says, holding one up.

"You call that a gun?" Molly snickers from behind me.

Without missing a beat, Eric aims the gun at her thigh and fires.

She immediately crashes back into the wall, gritting her teeth in pain.

Eric stalks toward her and plucks the odd-looking bullet from her thigh.

"Neuro-stim darts," He explains, "Stimulates the pain of real gunshot wounds. It only lasts for a couple of minutes." Eric takes us in with calculating eyes before he drawls, "Two teams. Four and I are captains."

"You pick first," My brother grunts and Eric gladly takes him up on the offer.

"Okay, Edward."

"I'll take the stiff," Tobias says.

At first, I think he's talking about me, then I look up to see that he's looking at Tris. As much as I hate to admit it, it does sting a little that I'm not my own brother's first pick.

"Oh," Eric states in amusement, "Picking the weak ones so you've got someone to blame when you lose."

Tobias offers him a tight smile, "Something like that."

Eric hums thoughtfully at that, "Unlike you, I like to have the tough ones on my team." He says before jerking his chin at me, "I'll take the other stiff."

"Flattery will get you everywhere," Marlene whispers cheekily, "Dude knows what he's doing."

Lynn pretends to gag at her joke and Uriah looks as if he's truly disturbed by her statement.

At the sound of Marlene's giggles, Eric turns to me and raises a questioning brow. I simply shrug in response.

As I turn to look at my brother, I see that he's wearing a deep frown as his eyes observe the interactions between Eric and I once again.