Tris's Contenders

ch 6

I walk out of math with Christina in a daze. I keep replaying what I read i like you i might even love you. A few months ago I might have believed that. No one knows about Eric and I, well except Chris and she doesn't even know the half of it. All she knows is we had a short thing at the end of my freshman year and it ended badly.

She must have noticed how distracted I was because she pulls me into the girls bathroom right before we walk to gym. "What is wrong with you today Tris? Is it Eric?"

I don't feel like explaining because I could feel the truth starting to boil and if it boiled over we would all be in trouble. So I just hand her his note. I see her eyes widen and then set with pity.

"Oh my god Tris." She sighs, "Just give him another chance I have seen him look at you all day and I do think he misses you."

I look at her and shake my head, "I'm just not ready for him. We aren't good together."

"Tris he is hot and apart from the over amount of piercings...okay he even pulls that off. He is like that dark dangerous hot. And a senior! And on the football team! Just text him tonight, if you need me call me, but stop letting this", she waves the letter in the air, "get to you and cheer up!"

"Okay." I laugh as I say it and we walk out towards the gym.

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I walk out of the dressing room and see that they split the seniors to the south end of the gym. Most of them are either cheerleaders or jocks. I see Lauren the head cheerleader as she strokes Four's forearm. Of course the head cheerleader and quarterback. "How original." I say out loud not meaning to.

"What?" Chris asks.

"Oh nothing just the popular couples are always the same." I push my chin towards Four and Lauren and at that moment I see his eyes roll over to me and I act like I am too busy to notice.

"Oh yeah...well at least Eric is proving himself true. See", she points to him."he is completely ignoring Nita. And you know Tris he is our schools Linebacker so you could be a popular couple too."

"Yeah Chris that is what I have always wanted." I say fake flipping my hair. She laughs and we head to our group to listen to our instructor.

"Okay I am your instructor as you know already. Just call me Max I don't like Mr or Sir I am not old...yet. As you can see seniors are on the south end, but we will be mixing you all up. Mondays and Wednesdays will be group A's weight lifting days. Group B's will be Tuesdays and Thursdays. Fridays is your free day I don't care what you do as long as you are active."

Many senior guys start cat calling and the girls start blushing and laughing.

Max continues waving over the seniors, "The names I call are in Group A and you need to head over to the weights. Group B you stay on the court." He is naming everyone off and it seems there is an equal amount of seniors and sophomores in each group. As Max calls out numerous Group A's names, what he says next catches my attention, "Four. Susan. Eric. Zeke. Tris. Head over to weights.

I look at Chris as she whines at us not being in the same group and I give her a 'god help me' look. I see her mouth that everything will be just fine.

Sure it will.

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I hate lifting weights. I'd rather run laps. Thank god this is the last class of the day. I team up with Susan putting weights on either side on the bar. She lays flat and I spot her.

"Hey." I feel his hot breath on my neck and I smell his musk and know it is Eric. "I'm not here to bother you I just want to know if Peter gave you my note?"

"He did. Like I said I will text you tonight."

I feel his lips kiss the side of my neck and I go stiff. I don't breathe until he has walked away.

"Trouble in paradise Tris?" Susan asks looking up at me from under the weights.

"NO! No no no no. We aren't in any paradise or anything." I say frantically.

She sits up, "Oh well I just thought...I am sorry. He is a senior and kind of intriguing isn't he." She says starring off to Eric's direction.

"If you say so."

"How about him? He keeps looking back at you."

"Who?" I say looking around and her eyes fall on Four.

"Um..I don't even know who he is. I ran into by accident this morning, but that is all."

"Well maybe you ran into him in just the right spot." She laughs and winks at me.

I laugh too and we continue with our lifting. Susan is the quiet shy type, but once you get to know her she is very funny and open. I am pretty sure her and Caleb have had or have a thing. Maybe that is something I should snoop into.

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Class is over and I am walking out of the dressing room without Chris because honestly she takes too damn long. I leave about five minutes before the bell dismisses us. I have to get to Caleb's car or he will start getting impatient. 

I feel him walk up next to me as I head towards my locker. "Hey." Four. The clip clop of our shoes echo down the hall and I realize we are the only ones here. 

"Hey." I say it so soft that I wonder if he heard me.

"I didn't catch your name earlier."

"It's.... It's Tris...I'm Tris"

He laughs, "I'm Four."

We have stopped walking now and he gives me that half smile again and I feel my core heat up. "It's um...nice to meet you."

"It is nice to meet you. I don't think I saw you here last year."

"I was here."

"Oh okay." He looks around, "Eric didn't say anything about having a girlfriend."

I start to fidget and I bite my bottom lip, "As far as I know he doesn't."

"Really." He looks at me with something I am not use to...was that passion? Or does he look at every girl this way? God why does he look so familiar, those eyes.

"Babe!" Lauren's voice shrieks down the hall. "Leave the twig alone." She walks over to him and whispers in his ear loud enough for me to hear, "Let's go to my place my parents aren't home." She is scowling at me the whole time. Is she jealous?

"Yeah. Okay." He takes her hand, "See you around Tris."