60 seconds

13). Get Her Out

Eric's POV -

How stupid am I!? I knew I wasn't allowed to pin two transfers together and I knew I wasn't allowed to fight an untrained transfer.

I am a leader I should be able to do whatever I want.

She could mostly hold her own but then again I really wasn't trying too hard. I couldn't go back on my word. I don't understand why she can't just show respect like everyone else. Why can't she just shut up and listen?

The most aggravating part of the whole thing is that I like when she doesn't listen. No one has ever spoken out to me, gotten one of my punishments, and then continued to speak out. It's the most aggravating thing but I keep wanting that feeling.

I don't do feelings.

I need out of training. I need to stay away from her. I feel like I'm turning into him and I can't allow myself to get there. I never wanted to be part of training but because I'm the newest leader, the agonizing job of training transfers gets to go to me.

All I can hear is my feet smack the ground as I round each corner. I feel my feet want to pull me to go to the infirmary to see if she's okay but I won't. I refuse. I'm Eric and I need to stay Eric. Not him and Ive never checked up on someone else I've knocked out, she should be no different.

I force my feet past the hallway to the infirmary and go down two more that lead to a staircase. I jog up the three flights that I climb every day and push myself to Max's office. I need to be done with training, maybe he'll see today as an example of why I shouldn't be a trainer.

I knock twice and push open the door. The only reason I knocked is because he's a fellow leader and unlike her I know how and when to show respect.

I step inside Max's office and the smell of old books and coffee instantly fills my noise and I want to recoil away from it.

Erudite, him.

Stop, breath, your here and you can beat his ass to a pulp.

Max stands from his chair to greet me and I sit in the chair opposite of him. I'm about to tell him I'm out when he starts talking first.

"Eric," he sighs, "you know the rules. You don't follow the ones you don't care for but you know how important the initiation rules are. Those aren't for us to break those are to keep are untrained future Dauntless safe. We are currently teaching them are ways, you need to respect that. They chose us and we will chose them but we will not harm them by our own hands. You knocked out not just an initiate transfer but a daughter of another leader. Her name is Rosey Blake. Daughter of Jonah Blake. If there is one person you can't break the rules with it's her. We are on thin ice with Amity and you know this." He looks at me with disappoint and I can feel shame start to take place but I freeze it and let it go. If only it was that easy. "Take me out of training." Is the only thing I say back. I hide my shock that's she actually important or was important. The name "Rosey Roundhouse" now makes sense but her fighting enough to get that name and come from a leading house hold in Amity does not add up.

I can't stop my mind from wondering why but get snapped out of it when Max starts talking again, fuming this time. "Eric, you will continue on our traditions and do them well. Training is one of the most important jobs here and if you can't do it you can't be a leader. This is where you prove your leadership skills and bond with the new people. To earn not just their respect but their trust. You will make orders and they are expected to follow them. Will they do that if they don't respect you?" He says all of this through gritted teeth and I hold my ground.

"I can earn their respect in other ways." I try to say this politely but anger keeps seeping through.

Max looks up and sighs. He looks back down and gives me the worst news he could give. "You will be personally training Ms. Blake until you deem her fit to continue training. She's missed a full day of training due to your downfall of character. This will be required for at least one training day." He says this with such finality that I know he just dug my grave. I need to be staying away from her not being alone with her.