Divergent One Shots (Eric & Tris)

Forty-Eight-The Cheater 14.4

Tris

Eric and I part after breakfast.  I throw my apron on once again to wash my hands before getting back to work.  I see a few people in cooking but there are a few standing around.  It looks like everyone has everything going right now so I figure I'll start on the breads for lunch.  I peek my head out to see a couple people outside doing nothing.  One guy is smoking. 
"You guys want to help me get started on lunch?" I ask. 
"Sure," a girl shrugs. 
They come in and wash their hands.  We start on the dough for today. I help the girl with the bread while the other makes the pitas.  The guy who was smoking helps the the other girl. 
As we measure the ingredients, the girl I'm working with asks me, "What's going on with you and Eric?  I thought Four was your boyfriend."
"I found out Four was cheating on me, so I ended things," I shrug. 
"What about Eric?" she inquires. 
"He noticed on Monday that I was so distraught about what Four did that I forgot to eat," I admit.  "I guess I'd missed several meals and didn't really notice."
"How many meals did you miss?" she asks surprised. 
"I'd been missing a lot of them lately with the break schedule so I hadn't realized I went an entire weekend without eating.  Eric said I looked one meal away from death," I divulge. 
"Are you serious?" she questions.  "That's why leadership got involved with your breaks?"
I nod.  She looks to the others. 
"Who's Four with now?" she asks. 
"Some pretty girl named Mellissa," I frown. 
"Really?  I never would've thought he'd go for that type," she replies. 
"Yeah," I respond sadly.  "Oh well.  I guess I'll be careful who I choose next."
She smiles sadly at me.  We make the bread together and talk with the other two.  They all seem friendly and I kind of wish I'd noticed what a nice team I have.  Maybe they've felt left out... or work better with direction. 
We prepare lunch together and I help Ralph—the lunch manager—with direction of the staff.  We make hummus, chop vegetables, make pita chips, and yogurt cups.  We prepare grilled meat and vegetables, then assemble them for panini sandwiches. 
I see Eric at the counter waving to me. 
"You better go eat," Juliette nudges me—my new partner at bread making.
"Yeah," I laugh lightly.  I wave to her and join Eric.
"Hi, Stiff," Eric grins hugging me. "How're you feeling?"
"Okay, but I'm looking forward to finishing today," I admit.
"You look happier," he says.
"I am," I reply.
We grab our lunch together before he has to part from me. He kisses my cheek again and I smile and wave at him. I kind of wish I could spend more time with him but maybe I'll see him tonight.
Four leaves me alone and every time he even approaches me, my friends shoo him away.
I help the staff by working together to prep for dinner. We assemble the pies in advance and start the chicken roasting. It's time for me to leave and I decide to take a nap before dinner. I lay down on my sofa and I'm shaken awake.
"You must be exhausted," Eric says. "I brought you dinner."
"Thanks," I smile yawning and stretching. I sit up and he joins me.
"I missed you," he says.
I grin and admit the same.
He smiles at me and caresses my cheek. I honestly hope he's feeling for me what I'm feeling for him. "Are you hungry?" he asks.
"I am," I reply.
"Let's eat, then," he says.
He passes me a plate of roasted chicken, mac and cheese, and vegetables.
"Did you get dessert?" I ask him eating a bite of mac and cheese.
"I got one of each," he grins.
"Which one do you want?" I inquire.
"Whichever one you don't," he responds.
I smile and close my eyes at him. Four always took what he wanted. Eric is really sweet. I feel a kiss to my cheek and I open my eyes to Eric still there. I kiss his cheek as well. He sets my plate aside and holds me for a moment. He takes a deep breath and sighs. He kisses my head again before giving me back my plate.
"So... how'd the rest of today go?" he asks.
"Better," I tell him. I explain my day and then ask about his—what he's allowed to tell me. We talk a bit while we eat. We actually share our dessert. I give him bites of mine and he gives me bites if his. I can't help but want this—what we have between us. As we sit together on the sofa, I incline over and kiss his cheek. I'm surprised when he holds me there... and leans in capturing my lips with his. I shudder at the sensation, so incredibly overcome. I respond to the kiss and love how intense and strong his is. It's so different from what I'm used to. I'm floored when he deepens the kiss. I respond never feeling this kind of passion before—his tongue caressing mine. He pecks my lips several times after.
"Will you be my girl?" he whispers to me.
"My phone already says so," I grin.
"So does mine," he divulges.
I chuckle at that.
"Hopeful thinking?" I tease.
"Just staking my claim," he admits.
"Yes," I whisper kissing him again. He lays me down on the sofa and I put a hand to his chest. "I... I'm not ready for that," I admit.
"Sorry, I just got carried away," he apologizes. "It's just that... I've been waiting so long for you."
I frown. Perhaps he's had feelings for me for a while. He helps me back up but he kisses me again. This one, more gentle and soft. I sigh happily.
I talk to him about Four and what really occurred in our relationship. I explain that things hadn't been so good between us for a really long time and he was pressuring me into something I didn't want. I'm honest with him about waiting until marriage for that kind of commitment.
"So... what you're saying is you wouldn't mind getting married," he teases.
I chuckle, "Maybe we should try this out first."
"I know," he nods. "I wasn't trying to pressure you into either. I don't want to make the same mistakes as him. I just was carried away in the moment... but in the near future, I'd definitely consider it."
I smile at his honesty, that he'd actually consider marrying me. "Are you sure you're not part Candor?" I joke.
He chuckles. "No, definitely not me."
He kisses me again and we hold each other talking throughout the evening. When it gets late, he kisses me at my door and I wish him a goodnight. I sigh and lean up against the door. I run to my bed and squeal in excitement at Eric being my boyfriend. I grab my phone to text Christina. I see a missed call, a voicemail, and a text from Eric. I read the text.