08 | Don't Like Him

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Eric makes his way over to our table, his eyes set on Four the entire time. I turn back to my food and busy myself with eating. I'd rather have an excuse not to talk to him. Eric sits on the other side of Four and I struggle not to react. I feel him burning his eyes into the side of my head as I tilt so I'm facing Tris.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce me?" He asks, nodding toward us three girls.

I can almost sense Four's irritation as he sets his burger down, "Rita, Tris, Christina."

"Ooh, the stiff and the factionless girl." I don't hide my disapproval now as I glance at Eric with a scowl on my face. He's making my stomach twist and turns with his energy alone. He smirks at us, "We'll see how long you two will last."

I squeeze my hands into fists on the table where he can see, he has no right to be rude to us. Us? Who is us, Rita? You're on your own here unless you're gonna be a stiff lover too. I shut my eyes for a moment as that thought reminds me of why I don't like Abnegation. I want to scream.

Eric stays in his spot, talking to—more like at—Four. I try my best to ignore his voice and focus on eating. Maybe once my stomach is full, I will feel better. Tris looks like she's eavesdropping, I can tell she's trying to not make it obvious but the way she's leaning behind me to hear Eric and Four's conversation makes me want to laugh.

Despite my best efforts, I hear every bit of their conversation. Eric asks about Four, Four replies simply each time. Just by the way Four is tensed up I can tell he too doesn't like the company of Eric. The tension in the air is just as stiff as Four's back.

They talk about Max offering Four a job to be a leader... and from the sound of it, Eric's jealous. Once Eric is done talking to no one, he slaps Four on the shoulder. It probably looks friendly from afar but up close I can see Four squeeze his jaw tightly upon feeling Eric's touch.

"Are you two friends?" Tris asks once Eric's out of earshot.

"We were in the same initiate class, he transferred from Erudite." Four says and I can't help the small bit of pride in my guess. I knew Eric seemed more brain than brawn.

I take a drink of water to wash away the gross feeling of the interaction I had to listen to. Eric just rubs me the wrong way, he seems too cunning for Dauntless. I shake my head, it doesn't matter as much as surviving initiation does.

"I don't like him," I admit to them, Christina nods in agreement.

Four tilts his head, "I don't blame you, he's a dickhead."

That makes Christina burst out laughing, she shuts up once Four fixes his gaze on her. "Sorry."

"

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Fractured | Tobias Eaton ✓Where stories live. Discover now