Roommates

Factory of Faith

Tris
April

I am relieved that Tobias doesn't follow me to my dorm room, because I am definitely too upset with him to see any more of him right now. I would have gone straight to the training room in the dormitory basement, and I considered it, but jeans and a sweater aren't exactly the ideal clothing for a hard workout. And this is definitely going to be a hard workout.

I change in record speed, forcing myself not to look at the envelopes drying on my windowsill, and lock the door on my way out. I decide to take the stairs; Tobias should be wherever he decided to go by now, and this way I'll be at least partway warmed up before I get to the training room.

When I arrive, there are a few people in here working out- a guy on the rowing machine, a girl on the treadmill, but no one near the punching bags or sparring mat. I drop my bag by the wall and stretch, probably not as well as I should because I am too impatient. Soon I decide I've done enough to avoid serious injury and start beating up a punching bag.

I take my muddled emotions out on the punching bag and time loses meaning, I don't notice the world around me, I just punch and kick again and again. At some point I look up from the bag and vaguely register that Christina is working the bag two down from mine with Eric behind her, probably coaching her, but it doesn't bother me. I don't care what they do any more. Even if I did, I am in my own world right now.

I keep going until a hand wraps around my wrist. I jump, startled, and automatically relax my wrist before rotating it toward his thumb, breaking the hold and take a step back.

I look up to see Eric frowning at me. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, Tris." His voice is strangely calm, soothing, kind. But I have no idea why he would be approaching me in the middle of my workout. I raise an eyebrow and Eric mimics me, then looks at me with a good-natured smirk.

Christina approaches us, frowning. Not a jealous frown... concerned. She hands Eric a roll of tape, bottle of water, and one of the worn towels he has always kept in his gym bag, then goes back to her workout at the punching bag and Eric slowly steps toward me.

I feel my pulse, which was elevated from my workout, begin to calm and my breathing becoming more steady as Eric gently cleans my hands. I wasn't thinking when I started my workout, and I forgot to tape my hands. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts, my anger and hurt, that I guess I didn't even notice that my knuckles had cracked and begun to bleed. Eric stays silent, not saying a word until he finishes wrapping my hands in tape.

When he is finally done, Eric hesitantly drops my hand, but he doesn't walk away. He just stands there looking at me, frowning and chewing on the ring through his lower lip.

Finally, I walk around him toward the bag. I pause, not looking at him. "Thank you," I say quietly.

He nods. "You're welcome."

I raise my arms to resume my workout but Eric's voice makes me pause again, and I turn to look at him.

"Tris, I know you don't like me much. I don't know what Four did, but if you need me to kick his ass..." he shrugs, smirking.

I laugh- it really is funny, the idea of my asshole ex sticking up for me. Especially with all his and Tobias' history. As angry as I have been with Eric, and as much as I honestly dislike him at this point, we did love each other once. I can see it in his eyes, that he does care for me.

Tobias is undoubtedly a better man, especially is a much better man for me. I know in my heart that he is the man for me, the only one. And then I am hit with a wave of guilt for how I pushed him, how I accused him instead of just talking to him. I am still hurt and angry- I still don't know where we stand, exactly, and I hate the way that feels... like I am stumbling around, off-balance- but I know that I overreacted.