Roommates

Four's Girlfriend

Tris

"So, you and Four 'got along fine', did you?"

I can't quite read his tone, but Eric is rarely jealous. He is a bit possessive and makes a show of it when we meet someone new-- like he did today with Four-- but otherwise, he's a confident guy, and I've never given him any reason not to trust me. I decide to assume that he's genuinely asking how it went last night.

"Uh, yeah," I answer as I pull my clothes back on. "We actually met downstairs in the dining hall earlier last night, so that made things a little less awkward. And he has an awesome collection of zombie movies." I love zombie movies, they're my favorite. Eric rolls his eyes. He thinks they're stupid.

Eric narrows his eyes slightly as I sit down on the bed next to him. "He have a girlfriend?"

I nod, and Eric looks more at ease. "I haven't met her yet. I did meet his other friends, though, and they're really nice! When we saw each other again here at the apartment last night, he said he was hoping to run into me anyway because he thought his friends would like me. So, I'm pretty excited about that," I ramble with a smile.

Eric scowls. He doesn't really like very many people. "What's wrong with the friends we have? We don't need new ones." I snort, getting up to leave the room, but he grabs my wrist.

"What, Eric, you mean Peter, Drew and Molly? In case you forgot, Molly has spent the past two years tormenting me, and I have no idea why you hang out with Peter and Drew, either. They're all assholes. They may be your friends, but they've never been mine."

Eric groans. "I don't have to hang out with them, do I?"

"What makes you think you won't like them? Do I have bad taste in friends or something?" I ask, annoyed.

Eric snorts. "I wouldn't know. You've never had any friends, since I've known you, anyway. And you sure didn't seem to get a very good read on your brother."

His words hit me like a punch in the gut. The comment about Caleb, especially, was a low blow. And the worst part is... he's right. I've never been good at making friends-- I had always been encouraged to be quiet and modest, so I was. I may as well have been invisible. And after my parents died, Caleb may have kept me out of foster care, but he left me on my own the second he could-- sixteen years old, alone and scared. I called and texted him for a while but he never responded, and eventually changed his number. I can only assume it was because my brother is such a coward that he decided a new phone number was easier than just telling me he didn't want contact with me.

Eric has stuck around, has been the one person who would actually notice if I just disappeared, for nearly two years. My roommate hates me, I already gave up my shitty apartment-- which I struggled to pay the rent on each month-- and I have no family or friends. Eric has been there through everything. I guess his feelings have some validity-- change is hard for anyone, and he has always had me entirely to himself.

I sigh. "I know... you're right. Still, I'd like to try at least, to start fresh and make some friends. Maybe you could give them a chance?"

Eric glares, but eventually relents. "I shouldn't have said those things. I'm sure they will like you, and maybe I will hang out with you all once in awhile." Eric may not be the nicest guy, and this may be the closest he ever gets to giving an apology, but he's there. He's always still there. At least he knows he shouldn't have said it, even if it's true.

He sighs as he pulls me onto the bed, and I cuddle into him with my legs entwined with his, resting my forehead in the crook of his neck. "Tell me about your new friends," he murmurs.