Star-gazing: Eric Coulter

Chapter 4

TW: swearing, violence, heavy drinking

Song: I need you
Artist: M83

Layla's pov:
"Look who is still alive!" Shauna examined, as I entered the cafeteria and sat in the middle of their bench (between her and Zeke). I laughed at her statement and thanked her for helping me out yesterday. She truly was an amazing friend.
"Hey man..." I started, turning to my other side where Zeke was trying to hold back a hysterical laughing fit. I whacked his shoulder lightly, "You know what? Just shut up."
Suddenly, Zeke started laughing since my outburst. Four leaned over the table, "What's he laughing about?" He smiled, confused as ever at Zeke and I's antics. "What've they done now?"
Sending Zeke a glare, I told Four and the rest of the group. "Nothing." Still making sure my friend didn't say a word, "Nothing has happened."
"Liar." He muttered, carrying on laughing.
"Zip it Zeke, or you'll end up at the bottom of the chasm." I threatened.
"Surely it can't be that bad..." Shauna said.
"It can be." Zeke stopped laughing and pouted, I smacked his shoulder again.
"It's normal." I interrupted, "Everyone here does it, I don't see why it's such a big problem."
Zeke shared a face that showed half amusement and half disgust, "It's just not what I want to hear when I'm trying to sleep after coming back from back-to-back shifts!"
I saw Four smirk from the corner of my peripheral vision, "Wait did Zeke walk in on you and Eric?" He fake gagged, I shook my head as I looked away in embarrassment.
"No, it was worse." Zeke strained his voice, acting as if it traumatised him. He started to whisper as I caught Eric's eye from his perch on his leaders table with Max. "The walls are thin!"
"No!" Shauna shouted a bit too loud -I put my head in my hands at their antics- before she lowered her voice again, "Not the walls!"
"You are so dramatic." I sighed, glancing over at Tori, "What now?"
A smirk appeared on her face, "Don't worry I can sympathise with you Zeke. I've heard the two of the go at it before and it's not pretty." I fake gagged.
"Can we please stop talking about my sex life now." I shook my head, everyone became extremely quiet in a number of seconds.
"Incoming." I turned my head to see if they were nervous about Eric (which they usually weren't) but it wasn't, it was a couple of the initiates walking up to our table. I recognised one of them as Zeke's little brother, Uriah.
"Hello, big brother." He said, standing in front of our bench. Zeke rolled his eyes, "Ezekiel-"
"It's Zeke, you know that." Zeke cut in through his sentence, clear tension was rising surprisingly quickly. I glanced at the other initiates behind him: Christina, Tris and a girl called Lynn stood there. This was taking way too long for my liking, "what is it Uriah, spit it out we don't have all day." I edged for him to speak up. The young adult then turned back to his older brother and asked, "You know that party you're hosting next month...?" Four rolled his eyes.
"Do you mean the one that initiates are forbidden to go to, Uriah?" Zeke chuckled, knowing exactly what his brother was like. "None of the initiates will be attending, that includes all of you as well." Tori explained, pointing at the other initiates behind Uriah.
"Surely you could-"
"No." Zeke interrupted again.
I decided to butt in this time, "All of leadership will be there, and if any of them see an initiate it won't be pretty. Especially if Eric catches you." I mumbled the last part- but loud enough for the teens to hear me.
"Never mind then." Uriah stated, pushing his friends away from us and down the corridor presumably down to the training room. I also needed to be there soon. But before I could leave, a pair of large hands trapped me in my seat. One hand either side of my body. A hot breath found its' way to my neck, allowing the tiny hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end. "Eric..." I heavily breathed, leaning my head backwards onto his broad shoulder.
"I need you in the training room in five, if you're helping Four and I today. Are you up for that, princess?" I nodded, my team would probably present themselves in the training room at some point in the day; meaning I could set up a meeting with them all then. We needed to discuss everything, including setting off tomorrow... I hadn't told Eric yet, or anyone that I was close with. Only Tori knew, because she walked in on me on the phone with Max earlier this morning.
"I'll come and help." I smiled, standing up as Eric's presence left.
Shauna was staring up at me in awe, "Take a picture it lasts longer." I chuckled, wondering what she was looking at that intensely.
"Sorry, you and Eric have the sweetest names for each other." She beamed, I turned to Zeke who hadn't been paying attention to Shauna and I's previous conversation. I laughed.
"I think your girl wants more, good luck mate." I patted him on the back, before leaving the cafeteria with Four- Eric long gone (after walking off a while ago).