Daunting Fires (Completed)

14- Drunks

To everyone who told me to continue. Love you's.
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I hear snoring and I think I'm in the dormitory. I groggily open my eyes. I look around and I see the inside of an apartment.

"Shit." How did I get here?

I sit up too quick and my head tells me to slow down. Even when everything stops shifting in my eyesight, I feel nausea demand attention. First time hungover. Not doing well.

I turn my head slowly to see who is snoring beside me. What the-

It's Eric. And even though the blanket reaches his waist, I'm sure he's as naked as I am.

After putting my bra and shirt from last night on, I feel a twist in the pit of my stomach. I run out of the room and go into a room I hope is the bathroom. I turn the lights on and, thankfully, it is a bathroom. I'm about to throw up but I can't reach the toilet so I vomit in the sink. The vomit stings my throat just like the alcohol did last night.

I need to know exactly how I got here. I wash the sink out and quickly get my clothes out of the bedroom. I freeze when Eric's muscular self turns in bed.

His eyes are still closed. Thank goodness.

I get fully dressed and turn towards Eric. He doesn't look like the jackass he is. He has a relaxed face that looks younger, almost childish. Not too long ago, he was there when I got my tattoo. I'm still confused about that whole situation where he kissed me in the halls. To add confusion, I ended up waking beside him, butt naked.

I look at his bed sheets. My blood is on it...

I scoff at myself. Why the hell am I still here? Did I really lose my virginity to Eric? I don't even remember if I enjoyed it! My gosh!

I feel gross.

I head for the door. I pass a small kitchen and a living room that has a ton of books on a shelf. It's so tidy and controlled. Just like Tori's only Eric's apartment is larger. That's what being a leader does for you.

I open the door and hear groans from Eric's room. He's waking up. I shut the door as quickly and quietly as I can behind me and jog away.
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I step into the dormitory, where Cece and Jared are sitting on her bed talking. I think everyone else is at breakfast. It's 8 o'clock A.M.

Cece laughs and tiredly pushes Jared's arm. She sees me and turns quickly.

"Dalia!"

She probably doesn't remember what happened last night. She was already a bit drunk before I even took a sip.

Cece gets up and hugs me tightly. I nearly have to cough because of how she's squeezing my sides. Jared gets up and stands behind her.

"Where have you been all night?" he asks.

I shrug. "I got drunk and..." I say the next part fast. "And I stayed over at someone's place and then I woke up with a hangover. Didn't know hangovers were this bad." I chuckle nervously, hoping "someone's place" isn't up for questioning.

"With whom did you stay last night?" I blush like a tomato. Cece smiles and crosses her arms. Jared smiles at the way Cece looks at me.

"I'm kinda hungry. Let's go eat." Jared takes both our arms and pulls us to the door. Cece breaks free.

"We'll meet you in the cafeteria," she says. Jared looks unsure but nods and walks off.

"Oh. My. Gosh! Who were you with last night?" Cece sounds so excited and impatient. "Did you-? You know...?" She whistles high-pitched. I turn super red and laugh. I shake my head no.

"You're lying." Cece gets on her tippy toes and tries looking at me on an eye-level. I fidget with my hands.

I sigh. "How'd you know?"

"Jared says if your pupils get bigger, you're thinking more and lose focus in your eyes. You're probably thinking up lies." Cece smirks.

"You're assuming, smart ass." I push her shoulder and she giggles. Hopefully, she'll drop the topic.

We sit down on her bed and I ask her, "So, you and Jared are getting to know each other?" She smiles shyly and looks down.

"He's a nice guy." Cece looks up. "So, you and someone else hit a home run?" I nod slowly. She shrieks. "WHO WAS IT?!"

"Well..." I bit the inside of my cheek.

"Oh, c'mon! Spit it out!" She urges.

"It was Eric," I mutter. Cece freezes. Her mouth is wide open. Her response makes me blush darker and get sweaty palms.

"Eric. Dauntless leader Eric?" she asks.

"Yeah. Do you remember what happened last night?" I ask, wanting to somewhat change the subject.

"No clue. I was druuuuunk... like really, really drunk," she snorts and I can't help but roll my eyes and smile. "Jared didn't drink too much so you should ask him." She sighs.

Her expression is not a new one. She looks dazed. "You and Jared are a thing now or...?" I stretch my arms out in front of me, feeling a bit shy to ask her.

"I guess so. I mean, he didn't, like, ask me to be his girlfriend or anything but...," she moves blonde strands of short hair behind her ear. "I like him but don't you dare tell him so," she points a short finger at me. I roll my eyes, annoyed.

"It's something so obvious, but I guess 'love blinds you'," I say mockingly. She giggles.

"Let's go eat. We continue training tomorrow," Cece says, taking my arm with her.

When we enter the cafeteria, it's already full. We grab our morning food and look around for bare spots to sit at. Turning myself, I lock eyes with Eric. He's at a far round table in the corner sitting with the other leaders.

He looks at me with intensity and, maybe, hatred? I blush, remembering waking up nude next to him. Does he remember what happened or was he drunk? I feel my ears get hot.

I focus my eyes back to Eric and I swear, positively, I see one side of his lips twitch up. His face returns to it's normal anger-fixed sculpture a second later. He gets up and walks out into the hall outside the cafeteria, eyes still on me.

Oh, crap. Do I follow him? Does Eric want to see me in the hallway? I think it would be best to find out so I put down my blueberry muffin at a spot Cece and I found at a table. She questions me but I ignore her questions. I walk into the hall and look right and left into other halls.

Empty.

He must've left. Why would I think Eric wanted to see me in the hallway? To do what? Talk about our "special night" together? I scoff out loud.

I'm about to walk back into the cafeteria when a cold hand grips my forearm and drags me back through a door in the hall. When the door closes shut, I look around.

Eric and I are in a janitor's closet. Alone. With no witnesses. I shiver.

I look up at his dark grey eyes and I'm about to ask why the heck we're here but he crashes his lips to mine. His sudden closeness almost makes me jump. My back is against the wall but he's still pushing me.

"Hi," I say between breaths. He doesn't stop to talk.

He grips my legs up and I wrap them around him. I feel his muscular build against me and I'm turned on. My arms wrap around his neck as his tongue invades my mouth. I fight back for dominance but he obviously gets what he wants, like always.

Flashbacks of this morning flutter in my mind. I stop kissing Eric but he's kissing down my jaw. I put my legs to the ground away from his waist. My arms are now at my sides. I'm unsure of what to do with them so I awkwardly cross them against my chest.

Now Eric stops, looking dumbfounded. His right arm is above my head on the wall, making me feel closed in. I show my embarrassment and I don't know what to say so I duck under his arm like I have done once before. I never imagined this situation. I've slept with my initiation instructor and now we're making out?

I close the door behind me and catch my breath while holding the door knob behind my back. I wipe my polyester black sleeve against my wet lips and continue into the cafeteria.