Until Death Do Us Apart ➪ 𝔼𝕣𝕚𝕔 ℂ𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕥𝕖𝕣

Chapter Fourteen: Falling Into Place

I sat on the bed in the dormitory, tears slowly slipping down my face. I tried to wipe them away, but they kept coming. Everything felt so overwhelming. Everyone probably thought that Eric had forged the names.

"Jordan?" A soft voice broke through my thoughts. I turned around to see Four standing at the door.

"Hey," I said, offering him a weak smile. "You alright?"

He walked over and sat beside me. "I guess. I just can't believe he would say those things. I mean, I know Peter is a fucking dick, but he probably convinced everyone that Eric forged the names for me."

He placed his hand on my back, rubbing it up and down in a comforting way. "No one thinks that. Everyone knows how hard you worked to get where you are right now."

I shook my head, trying to blink away the tears. "It's hard to believe that, though. Especially when it feels like everyone's looking at me like I'm some kind of fraud."

"Forget him," Four said softly. "Ignore him, and ignore everyone else. They're just being idiots."

I looked at him, feeling some of the tension ease from my chest. "Thanks, Four."

He pulled me into a hug, and I closed my eyes, leaning into it. I really needed a hug right now—something to remind me that there were people who cared, people who believed in me. We stayed like that for a minute, the silence offering a kind of comfort I wasn't used to.

"Jordan?" A new voice, soft but familiar, called out from the doorway.

I pulled away from Four's embrace and turned to see Eric standing there, his eyes searching my face.

"Hey, Eric," I said, wiping away the last of my tears. I managed a small smile, but it didn't reach my eyes. "I'll be alright."

Four gave me a small nod before standing up. "I'll see you later," he said, walking out of the room, leaving Eric and me alone.

Eric sat down next to me, his expression serious. "You alright?" he asked, his voice low.

I nodded, but it didn't feel like enough. I needed to say something, to get the hurt off my chest. "I don't know," I admitted, my voice breaking slightly. "It just hurts. Everything with Peter... it's like they're all convinced I didn't earn my place here. That I'm not strong enough."

Eric gently pulled me closer, and I let my head fall onto his lap, my body stretched out on the bed. It was a small, intimate gesture, but it was the kind of comfort I needed right now.

"He's a dick," Eric said bluntly, and I couldn't help but laugh softly despite the heaviness in my chest. "Yeah, he is," I agreed, letting out a small, bitter laugh.

Eric's fingers gently played with my hair as I sat up, but my thoughts lingered on the question I had been avoiding. "You never forged it, did you?" I asked softly, feeling the weight of the doubt that had been hanging over me.

Eric gave a quick, amused laugh. "Of course not. I knew you would pass. Because I believe in you."

I squealed, suddenly feeling lighter, and wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tight. He laughed, a deep sound that made my heart flutter, and hugged me back.

"So," I said, pulling away slightly, "what training are we doing tomorrow? I'm hoping it's something fun because I—"

Before I could finish, Eric placed a finger on my lips, cutting me off. "I can't tell you that, sweetheart."

I raised an eyebrow, my curiosity piqued. "Are you kidding me?"

He shook his head with a grin. "Nope. We don't have anything scheduled because tomorrow is visiting day."

I froze. Visiting day? I had completely forgotten about that. The anxiety hit me all at once, a wave crashing over me. I didn't know if I could face my parents. In a way, I didn't think they would even want to come.

"It's weird, right?" I said quietly. "For an Abnegation girl to join Dauntless?"

Eric's expression softened. "They'll come around. Trust me."

I shook my head, trying to fight back the heavy feeling in my chest. "I don't think they will. They probably hate me. I wouldn't be surprised... sometimes I hate myself, too."

Eric's hand gently cupped my face, lifting my chin so I had to meet his eyes. "It's their loss, Jordan. You've come so far. You've proven that you're stronger than anyone ever gave you credit for."

I looked at him, his words sinking into me like a lifeline, but I still couldn't shake the uncertainty.

"What did you think of me when I first came?" I asked, my voice soft, hesitant.

Eric thought for a moment before answering, his gaze distant. "I thought... how is a stupid girl from Abnegation gonna survive Dauntless?" He paused, looking down at me with a small smile. "But you blew me away."

I blinked, surprised by his honesty. "I was weak when I first came in," I said, the memory of that scared, uncertain girl still fresh in my mind.

Eric nodded. "Yeah, you were. But that never stopped you. You kept going after what you wanted, even when no one else believed in you."

He smiled, the warmth in his eyes undeniable. "I remember seeing you in the pit in the early mornings, before anyone else was awake. You were always there, working harder than anyone else. You didn't quit, even when you had every reason to."

I felt a warmth spread through my chest, and I smiled back at him. "I didn't do it alone."

Eric shook his head. "You didn't need anyone's help. You were powerful, determined... and so damn beautiful."

I felt my breath catch in my throat. The way he looked at me, the sincerity in his eyes—it took me by surprise. I'd known Eric liked me, but hearing him say these things, hearing him speak like that, made my heart race.

Before I could say anything, I kissed him. It was a kiss filled with all the emotions I'd been holding inside. I leaned back onto the bed, pulling him with me, our lips never parting. His hands roamed over my body, and I could feel the heat between us rising.

We kissed passionately, his lips trailing down my neck, my chest, every inch of me. But then, I pulled back, my breath shaky.

"I think we need to stop before someone walks in and finds out," I said, laughing nervously.

"Oh yeah, definitely," Eric agreed, still hovering above me, his chest against mine.

"Um, Eric?" I asked, half-laughing. "Could you... I don't know... get off of me?"

He laughed and pulled back, giving me a sheepish grin. "Sorry about that."

I stretched out, feeling a little breathless, and then stood up. "I'm hungry," I said, holding out my hand to him. "Let's go eat."

He grabbed my hand, and we made our way to the cafeteria, the normal chatter of Dauntless filling the air. I grabbed a plate of food and sat down, my stomach growling.

I devoured the food quickly, not realizing how hungry I was until I started eating.

"Jesus, Jordan, slow down or you're gonna choke," Will said, sitting next to me.

"Sorry," I mumbled, a bit of food still in my mouth. I spat it out quickly, earning a roll of Will's eyes and a laugh.

"Are you okay?" Will asked, his voice softer now. "After everything with Peter?"

I swallowed the food and wiped my mouth, glancing up at him. "Yeah, I'm good. He's just a dick who needs to mind his own business."

Will nodded, a knowing look in his eyes. "He's always been like that."

I looked around the cafeteria, seeing the smiles of everyone around me. For the first time in a while, I felt like maybe—just maybe—things were going to be okay