Danger is Near

Chapter 30

Eric didn't let go of her though. He simply placed her hand on the railing. He let go of her and she hung there, groaning. 

He stood there watching her. We all stood to the side. 

"Now, in my eyes... You're a coward. And I can't have cowards becoming members" he remarked. 

As he said this he turned and looked at the rest of us. He didn't eye me though. Usually he did. Usually it was always me he stared at the longest. But this time he looked at the others. 

Maybe he doesn't think I'm a coward...

"There are only two options that will make me forget your cowardice. Hang there until I say so or let go and die" he presumed, eyeing her. Intimidating her. 

"But if you give up, your out" he finished, as he leaned back on the railing behind him. It looked like he did this everyday with someone new. He looked so calm. As if he knew what he was doing. 

Christina hung there, for dear life. You could see the determination written all over he face. 

I could see Tris and Edward in front of me, ready to help her back up when Eric said so. 

It had been about a minute. And it was almost like I could feel the pain shooting through her arms myself. She was about to let go but then Eric called 'time'. 

Edward and Tris rushed to her aid, lifting her up and over the railing, back onto the bridge. Christina was in hysterics. I wandered whether heights or falling was one of her fears. 

"Let this be a lesson for all of you. Dauntless never give up!" he warned. 

And before he could utter anything else Four came rushing to Christina's aid as well. I wasn't sure where he had been before. 

"What the hell Eric!" he shouted, while taking Christina from Edward and Tris' grasp. 

He looked down at Christina, asking her if she was alright. She didn't say anything, she continued to cry. 

He then sat her down and stood back up, facing Eric in anger. 

"These are not your initiates. You only rank them! You do not get to throw them into the Chasm!" he abused. 

Eric looked at him. He was getting angrier by the second. He then walked up to Four and grabbed him by the jacket. "Well, what are you gonna do about it Four?" he mocked. 

Four then kicked Eric, making him let go of his jacket. Eric stumbled backwards. I began to feel very worried, it would be so easy for one of them to fall and die. I walked to the front of the crowd, I had no idea what I was going to do. But I had to stop this. 

They continued fighting, each throwing some punches. Four knocked Eric in the jaw, then Eric punched him in the stomach, making Four hunch over. Eric was about to pounce on him when I shouted out. "Stop!" 

They both looked to me. I was embarrassed. I had no idea why I did that. But they listened. 

Eric began to walk away, "Fine Four! You go along and make them soldiers". 

"But the way I see it... They'll never be fit for Dauntless" he finished as he stormed off, holding his jaw. 

Four was breathing hard. He turned around and looked at me. Then looked down at Christina, lifting her up in his arms. 

He walked her to the infirmary and he told us to wait for him back in the Training Arena. 

By the time he came back it was time for our lunch break. So he told us to head down and be back in an hour. 

As I was leaving he took me by the arm and lead me down a different hallway. 

"Eliza. Thank you for stopping Eric and I" he said quietly. As if embarrassed it was an initiate that had to stop them. 

"That's alright" I said back. 

"You know I'm surprised he listened to you. He usually never listens to anyone but himself or Max" he stated. 

Before the two of us could say anything else, a loud voice cut through the quietness of the hallway. 

"Well isn't this just a sight!" 

It was Eric. 

"Look at you Eliza! Now I know how you've been getting through training!" he continued, hinting towards Four and myself. 

"Excuse me!" I raised my voice, taking a step closer to him in anger. 

"Whoa Eliza. Don't bother with him" Four said, taking my arm in his large hand. 

"Aww look at the two of you. You see I knew it. You were never cut out to be Dauntless Eliza. You're weak. It's just been Four getting you through" Eric then taunted. 

"I am cut out to be Dauntless and you know it!" I shouted at him. How could he even say that. 

"Eric stop it. You know she is a good fighter. Don't go putting stuff like that into her head" Four said heroically, stepping in front of me. 

I stepped around him and got right up in Eric's face. 

"You know what. I don't understand you. One minute you are protective and nice and then the next minute you take pride in hurting other people! You seriously have some issues!" I said to him, trying to keep a levelled head. 

He just looked at me in defeat. I could see the pain sweep through his eyes, but this time I didn't care. 

"Oh Eric, don't look at me like that. I may have come from Amity, but I'm turning into Dauntless. And if you can't be kind to anyone else, don't expect them to be kind back" I hissed as I walked away. 

I walked around the corner but I stopped walking when I heard Four speak. 

"Eric, what the hell!? You know Eliza is one of our top initiates." he declared, "How could you go and say something like that to her?" 

I pressed myself up against the wall and listened. 

Eric didn't say anything. 

"Eric. I know you like her-" Four started up again before Eric cut him off. 

"What!?" Eric questioned infuriatedly. 

"C'mon Eric, I see the way you look at her..." Four pursued. 

"Wha- NO! Just... no" Eric stuttered. He seemed to be a little speechless. 

"You're the one that likes her!" Eric proclaimed. Trying to flip things around. 

"No I don't. I'm just supporting her, because I see potential" Four said calmly. Letting down his guard in a way, unlike Eric. 

Nothing was said for a while.

"So... You don't like her?" Eric questioned. He seemed confused. 

"Nope" Four replied simply. 

I then heard their footsteps coming closer so I sprinted down the hallway, away from their revealing conversation. 

I was quite shocked really. With Four standing up for me and Eric being stuck for words.

It sounded all too strange, especially what came from Eric. 'You don't like her?' I thought back to what he had said. He sounded completely surprised when he had said this. 

And for the rest of the day, I couldn't help but think, 

Could Eric possibly like me?