Having no friends wasn't as easy as Tris remembered. In Abnegation, it was common for her to keep to herself, as normal as breathing.

But she wasn't in Abnegation anymore. She was Dauntless and she missed feeling free like the Dauntless. She missed being a part of the constant chatter that surrounded her. She missed Christina's airy laughs. She missed the way Will would constantly chime in with a little known fact to participate in their conversations. She missed them and there was no use in denying it.

It wasn't even a matter of pride. If Tris thought she could apologize to Christina to repair their friendship, then she would have done it without consideration. The problem was that Christina didn't seem to miss Tris at all. She carried on with Will, like it was just the two of them in the entire world, and she looked happy.

In all honesty, Tris thought any attempt to communicate with the girl would end badly.

She smacked her palm down on the controls to the elevator, a grimace across her face. On top of everything else, her training with the security terminals had not gone well today. Four was cordial, as always, and Tris appreciated his professionalism. It had slightly lifted the tense atmosphere around them. But not much. Still, it was a rare chance to be alone with Four, head of the security station alpha. She couldn't help but to ask questions she already knew the answer to, just to prolong their time together and get some kind of a reaction out of Four. Her effort was in vain. He was the same as always, curt and polite.

She was surprised when the lift doors opened in grunt of her in just a few seconds, though she didn't move once she saw the passenger.

"Where were you?" Eric hissed, grabbing her arm and pulling her onto the elevator. The action took her by surprise and she stumbled into him. "You were expected in my office ten minutes ago."

She hadn't realized her time with Four had run over, but Tris knew better than to confess that to Eric. He was always one of the first to taunt her about her little crush.

"Couldn't bear to part from your precious Four?"

Unfortunately for her, it seemed that Eric already knew where she had been. She wasn't honestly surprised. He would have had easy access to her schedule.

The words stilled her and she realized that Eric's hand was still around her arm, encircling her completely at the bend of her elbow.

It didn't hurt, not really. But Tris knew by his grip to tread carefully. Eric was in another one of his infamous moods.

"I lost track of time. I was on my way-"

"That's not good enough! Training room- now."

Tris watched as Eric slammed his hand down on the button for the lower level, where the training room was located.

She began to relax, thinking that she could handle laps, when Eric slid his hand to her wrist, still holding her with a bruising grip.

"Too easy?" He smirked dangerously and Tris was frightened by how easily he could read her. With that one hand around her wrist, he steered her back into the wall of the elevator, pinning her there with his looming presence and fingers tightly curled around her wrist.

"What do you want me to do? I'm sorry I was late," she apologized with false bravado, hoping he wouldn't sense her discomfort.

It didn't work. Like a true predator, Eric felt her moment of weakness and took the opportunity to advance the situation in his favor. In one swift move, he took another step forward and Tris found his face just inches from her own. The closeness of it all had her frozen in place, contemplating how to diffuse the situation.

"I want you to forget about Number Boy," he muttered, some of the fury leaving his features as he met her wide eyes. "It's never going to happen and you need to get used to the idea before you make an even bigger fool of yourself."

"I don't think my... my love life is any of your business, Eric." She spoke stiffly, insulted by his harsh words.

It was the wrong thing to say, she knew it even before the words left her lips, but the knowledge didn't fully prepare her for the reaction she received.

His lip turned up into a snarl and he pushed her back into the wall of the elevator with his body. Though it was an uncomfortable situation, his weight felt familiar after all the time they had spent sparring and Tris didn't panic.

Until he did something that he'd never done before. Tris gasped out loud as Eric slid one of his legs between her own, brushing against her most intimate area with a muscular thigh. Even through their clothing, the stimulation sent a visible shiver down her spine. Her cheeks colored, suddenly embarassed by the situation and her wanton reaction.

"I'm making it my business."

With that declaration, Eric bent his head to press his lips against hers, still creating friction with his thigh between her legs. She squeaked indignantly, fear overcoming that small hiss of lust she had felt moments ago. Pushing on his chest was getting her nowhere, he was solid and not budging an inch. In a moment of blind panic, she brought her free arm back and cracked Eric in the face with her open palm.

It may have been her left hand, but the message was clear. Eric stopped his advances, cheek turned to the side. A small red handprint was beginning to bloom across his face.

"It's not your business," Tris whispered to him, steeling herself against his retribution.

"My mistake," he mumbled, not quite meeting her eyes.

The doors to the lift opened as the elevator came to a stop, but they didn't move for a long moment.

"Come to the training room a half hour early in the morning for your laps."

With that, he was gone, leaving Tris breathless and alone, wondering when her life had become so complicated.