Tris needed a drink, she wanted a drink. After everything she had gone over with Sierra in the woods she suddenly had a lot rolling around in her mind. Sierra agreed with her sentiment of wanting a drink. She had brought a bottle of Tequila Rose which was delicious and pink. The more shots the two girls did sitting on their cots in their small cabin the better Tris had felt. All the information of the last hour had sort of slipped away to the back of her mind. The two sat there giggling and telling more fun stories.
Also in the back of her mind was the sentiment that she knew Four would disapprove of her drinking. She kind of missed him and wondered what he was doing right now. Actually he was probably just working. A little while as Tris and Sierra were sitting on the cots laughing, Phil pulled back the screen door.
"Hey," he said with a drink in his hand, "c'mon let's go! Eric is kicking Steve's ass in blackjack right now!"
"No way!" Sierra said jumping up, "No one ever beats Steve!"
"I know!" Phil screamed happily, he was drunk, "come on! You too Tris!"
Tris giggled as she jumped out of the bed feeling the fuzzy warm feeling in her head. She followed Sierra and Phil out the door and down the steps. The feeling in the night air felt different, it was light and carefree. As Tris followed through the night they headed down a few cabins to another one. This cabin was bigger than theirs, she knew she was in the police forces' cabin, they had a lot of leaders. The room was smoky and dimly lit with about fifteen people total inside. Everyone was in high spirits as they were gathered around a big wooden table.
Tris followed Sierra and Phil to the back of the cabin to the table. Everyone was watching hungrily. Eric was on one end with a small grin on his face; one of the older leaders of the police force, Steve, was at the other with his usual natural grimace. Jason and a few others were sitting around the table; Jason had the deck of cards faced down in front of him. Eric and Steve were the only ones with card in their hands, Eric had three and Steve had four cards in their hands and in the center of the table was a pile of money.
"So what's it going to be Walt?" Eric asked him.
"You tell me," Steve asked him and put his four cards on the table.
Tris counted them, a four, a queen, a five and a two.
Eric put his down as well, a queen, a six and a five, "push…ready for another round old man?"
"What are they playing?" Tris asked Sierra.
"It's called Blackjack," Sierra explained as Phil handed over two beers and she passed it along to Tris, "basically you just need to get to 21."
Sierra went on explaining the game about how you get to 21 and what the different face cards meant. Tris had never really played a card game before, it looked pretty easy and Sierra and Tris stood by watching a few more round go through. Tris couldn't help but notice the playful look in Eric's eye and everything that Sierra had told her before came creeping back to her. Tris wanted to know what happened to him and at the same time…didn't. However now wasn't really the time for that…or ever.
After watching a few rounds, everyone seemed to take a break for bathroom, cigarettes and needing to move. Eric stayed seated shuffling the cards again. A few of boys mentioned that they didn't want to play anymore; Jason was one of those guys. Without thinking much of it Tris took his seat.
"Stiff?" Eric said surprised but with a playful look in his eye, "what are you doing?"
"I want to play," Tris said eagerly.
"You can't play," Eric said to her.
"Why not?" Tris questioned.
"You don't even know how," Eric said a little more annoyed.
"Hey it's fine," Steve said drunkenly, "we'll show the kid. Deal her in."
Eric seemed defeated in it but still had that determined competitive look in his eyes. Steve was dealing now and handed Tris, Eric and a few other players' cards. Tris played close attention as they went through a few rounds; she ended up showing her cards to Steve who talked her through it until she had a good understanding of how to play. She rarely won; she typically didn't get enough or got too much. They played a few rounds, Tris going through a few more beers and feeling her buzz coming on strong.
"Hey stiff," Eric said glancing at her, "want to make this game a little more interesting?"
"How?" Tris asked after a hiccup.
"Let's play a round just you and me," Eric said challenging her, "we'll use it for your dare."
"What dare?" Tris questioned while everyone around her looked excited.
"Oh shit!" said of one of the leaders, Willy, "I almost forgot about that. We need to think up something for Edward too."
Edward was sitting at the table playing the cards too. He looked just as lost as Tris did.
"What dare?" Edward asked glancing at Tris.
"Well my young friend," Eric said sipping his drink, "we have a little tradition here at camp that whenever any new dauntless comes to camp they have to do dare."
"What kind of a dare?" Edward questioned.
"Someone from your branch has to come up with it," Eric retorted and then looked to Tris, "and I've thought up the prefect one for Tris."
"I'll do it," Tris said feeling bold.
"I haven't even told you what it is yet," Eric said with a grin.
"I don't care," Tris said downing her drink quickly, "I'll do it."
Eric chuckled, and the way that he was smiling at her wickedly made a shiver run up her spine.
"Alright stiff," Eric said talking the cards, he was dealer now, "Just you and me this time."
"So what's my dare?" Tris asked.
"I thought you said you were down for anything?" Eric mused.
"I am," Tris said squirming in her seat, "but what is it?"
"We play a round of cards," Eric said handing her two cards face down, "and loser has to go jump into the pool near the leadership cabins."
Some of the people around them gasped surprised.
"The branch leaders get a pool?" one person asked.
"It's going to be freezing," Tris pointed out to Eric.
"The pools heated," Eric replied with a playful smirk, "Max told me."
The look on his face seemed familiar to Tris, and suddenly in that instant something he had said to her on her birthday came flooding back to Tris.
"I knew from the moment that you got with Four that he wasn't going to be enough for you," Eric continued and now leaned into Tris even closer and dropped his voice.
"We're not even allowed to go into the branch leadership area," Sierra stated sipping her drink but looked very amused by it all.
"That's why it's dare Si-Si," Eric said as if it were common sense
"I'll do it," Tris said simply, she knew she'd probably get in trouble if she got caught.
"But if you lose," Eric continued speaking slowly, "you have to jump in naked."
Tris felt her eyes widen as some of the people around her smirked or laughed happily. Was Tris really going to go jump into the river naked with all these people watching her? Could she…? Fuck it, Tris thought. Maybe she could win.
"And if you lose?" Tris asked.
"I'll jump in naked," Eric said simply.
"Ok," Tris said with a shaky voice.
Eric glanced down at his cards and Tris did the same. She had an eight and a seven, not the best cards. She wasn't sure if she should hit or stay, but Eric waited for her answer. Tris started to feel the nerves in her stomach ache as the tension in the room became entirely focused on her. She was nervous about losing but she couldn't get out of this bet with them. A part of her didn't want to, but another part really didn't want to undress in front of all them either. There was also the chance that the Branch Leaders would catch them if she did it.
"Today stiff," Eric demanded with his hands on top of the deck of cards.
"Um," Tris said thinking it over, "hit me…"
Eric lifted a card and handed it to her…five. She had twenty; a small glimmer of hope filled her as she thought that now she might win. She tried to keep a blank face as hard as she could at the idea of catching Eric off guard.
Eric drew another card for himself and looked contempt. Tris was sure he wasn't happy with his cards.
"So Stiff," Eric said to her with a blank expression, "what's it going to be?"
Tris laid her cards out on the table feeling confidant, "Twenty."
Eric sighed and shook his head, "Damn…you're good stiff."
Tris felt her heart swelled.
"But you're just not good enough stiff," Eric said as he placed his cards on the table, "time for a dip stiff."
Laying his cards out on the table, he had two eights and a five. Nearly the same hand as Tris's. Now she suddenly felt as if she had just deflated. However now all Tris wanted to do was get it over with…
So as Tris, Eric and the others snuck over towards the branch leaders' areas, it was decided that only Tris and one other person should go in. Initially Tris wanted it to be Sierra, but since it was Eric's bet it was decided to be him. Tris felt nervous; did she really want to do this? Did she have much of a choice? Then again, Tris was sure that she wasn't going to be the first girl that Eric had ever seen. Everyone else had to do a dare. Sierra told her that he dare was to ask Walter what is favorite sex position was in front of everyone, and she did it. Just get it over with…
The rest of the group all decided that it was time to come up with Edwards' dare so they all went off to think up something.
"C'mon we gotta climb over the wall," Eric said as they stood next to a six foot tall wall that lead to the pool.
"Can't we just go through the gate over there?" Tris asked.
"Not if you don't want to get caught," Eric said as he stood up on a nearby boulder and grabbed onto the top of the wall, "c'mon."
With a quaky stomach, Tris followed Eric up on top of them boulder and over the wall. Eric had walked over to the edge of the large rectangular pool. It was quiet and calm, glowing with a light blue fluorescent light. The windows to what Tris assumed was the branch leaders quarters were dark. They must all be asleep or out somewhere else. All Tris could do was pray that they weren't awake or that they would be caught.
Eric stood by the pool looking into it with his back to Tris. She jumped quietly down the wall and entered into the cool yard. Tris could feel a tension growing in her, but a strange feeling developed in her stomach as well.
"Are you sure its heated?" Tris asked standing next to Eric now.
"Yeah," Eric assured, "feel it if you want…or just jump in."
"Will you turn around for a second then?" Tris asked trying to hide the hint of desperation.
Eric glanced up at her; his eyes glowed even more brilliantly in the blue florescence. His face looked softer and more reasonable.
"Are you actually going to do it?" Eric questioned her.
"Yeah," Tris nodded, "Just…turn around."
Eric nodded and turned his back to her again towards the wall. Wanting to be quick about it, Tris unzipped her jacket and let it fall to the floor. The cold air evaded her arms, sending Goosebumps over them. She grabbed for her dark t-shirt and pulled it over tossing it on top of her jacket. Eric stayed silent behind her, she idle wondered if he would really not turn to look at her. However she knew that Eric would want to humiliate her or take advantage of his dare over her. Still she supposed if she jumped into the pool it would be better, harder for him to really see her. So she quickly slid out of her bra, kicked off her boots, and pulled down her underwear and pants in one quick motion.
Her heart was pounding in her throat. She thought of Walter or Max possibly in one of those dark windows and seeing her. She slid into the pool silently, Eric was right. It was warm like a giant bathtub. It brought some relief to her cold skin. She started to swim to the other side of the pool and gripped onto the wall. Once she reached the other side she turned around to see Eric standing on the edge of the pool looking at her with a small grin.
"I must say I'm impressed," Eric said standing there with is hands in his pockets glancing at her under the water, "and proud."
"Proud?" Tris said wrapping her arms around her shoulders shyly.
"That you actually did it," Eric said glancing down at her clothes next to him, "you're starting to seem less and less like Abnegation more every day."
"I'm not abnegation," Tris said sternly, "and I'm not a stiff either."
"So then prove it," Eric said shrugging simply.
"How?" Tris said rolling her eyes.
"You just have to want it," Eric said as he lifted his shirt off. Tris's breath hitched at seeing his perfectly chiseled chest.
"I remember what you told me at my birthday now," Tris said lowering her arms.
"Oh yeah?" Eric replied, "What part?"
"That you think I'm not good enough for Four," Tris said raising her eyebrow.
"No I said that he's not good enough for you," Eric said grabbing for his belt.
Tris could feel her heart beat quicken rapidly. She tried to advert her gaze and yet at the same time she couldn't.
"You could do so much better," Eric said his voice seeping into Tris like honey, "if you would only ask for it…"
"I like a woman that knows what she wants," Eric's words again came seeping into Tris's mind.
The water was warm and making her feel fuzzy and tired. The number of drinks and shots she had earlier didn't help much either. Tris leaned back against the pool wall, trying to relax under Eric's gaze. The curious thing was that she didn't really feel the need to hide from him…much. The look in his glowing blue eyes made her want to squirm and stay all at once.
"Are you going to get in too?" Tris asked unable to think of anything else to say.
"Yeah," Eric said with an egotistical smile, "but you don't have to turn around."
Tris rolled her eyes and tried not to smile awkwardly, "are you always this cocky?"
"Only when I know what I can do," Eric said grabbing for the button of his jeans.
"So what about you then?" Tris asked unsure of how else to word what she really meant.
"What about me?" Eric asked as he slipped off his jeans leaving on his dark boxers.
"Where's your girlfriend at?" Tris questioned still hovering at the edge of the pool.
"Last I saw her she was on my couch with other guys dick in her mouth," Eric said bitterly and grabbed for the hem of his boxers.
Tris quickly looked away as he slid his boxers away. the next thing knew Tris could hear the sound of Eric jumping into the water. Tris looked back up, he was still submerged under the water with all his clothes lying next to his. Eric just kept floating under the water and Tris started to wonder if he was going to come back up or not. When he finally came back up, he shook out his hair letting the water scatter.
"When was that?" Tris asked him referring to his ex-girlfriend.
"I dunno," Eric grumbled, "maybe like two and a half years ago."
So that was before what happened with Jackson and the factionless. Tris wanted to ask but Sierra's warning burdened her mind.
"Since then you've never…?" Tris asked slowly.
"Why do you care?" Eric asked her curiously.
"I dunno," Tris shrugged copying him, "why do you keep insisting that I could do better than Four?"
"Because it's the truth," Eric said calmly, "I know you're bored with him. Isn't being with him like being in Abnegation all over again?"
Tris knew there was a truth in that, it was at that moment that she realized that through this whole weekend she only thought of Four once. She felt guilty for it.
"So don't you ever get lonely or anything?" Tris further questioned.
"No," Eric replied quickly.
Suddenly a light came on from one of the windows. Tris' felt her heart sink at a substantial rate, the farthest window away became illuminated.
"Shit, we gotta go," Eric whispered desperately. He quickly jumped out of the pool, once again Tris looked away feeling like she ought to while Eric jumped out. Now all Tris wanted to do was run. Quickly and quietly Tris swam back to the edge glancing up at Eric as if asking him to turn away from her.
"Here," Eric whispered, "you can take my shirt should cover most of you."
Eric pulled on his pants quickly and grabbed the rest of her clothes and headed for the wall keeping his eyes away from her. Tris jumped out of the pool and threw on Eric's shirt quickly, now she was freezing cold but the shirt covered most of her. She could hear some people talking from inside the cabin and moving around. Another window came on, as Tris headed over to the wall near Eric.
"C'mon I'll lift you up," Eric said quietly to her holding out his hands.
Without thinking much of it, only that she wanted to get away, Tris put her hands on his shoulders. Luckily Eric was strong and easily picked her up enough so that she could grab onto the top of the wall easy. Tris pulled herself over and fell onto the other side. Eric quickly jumped over the wall cat like landing next to her. From the other side Tris could hear a few people talking.
"This is the best part about camp," one voice said, "the heated pool in the fall is the best."
"Hell yeah," said another male voice, "hopefully those damn kids have stayed out it."
Tris wasn't sure whether to be horrified or laugh, they already knew we'd be here.
The two of them continued their idle talk; Tris didn't even notice that Eric had been hovering over her with his hand on the small of her back trying to keep her quiet. However Tris knew that this shirt wasn't nearly covering her enough for her comfort.
"Use my shirt to dry yourself off," Eric whispered in her ear, "your clothes are right here."
A quick shiver ran through her spine quickly at feeling his hot breath in her ear. Eric placed the rest of her clothes on the boulder nearby while Eric sat in front of her. He never once looked at her…the secret part of Tris almost wished that he would.
"Don't turn around," Tris said angrily.
"I won't Tris," Eric sighed irritated, "just hurry and get dressed so we can go back."
Tris looked at him surprised, "you called me Tris…"
Eric glanced over her shoulder at her but quickly turned away and cleared her throat, "Uh yeah well…you told me yourself. You're not a stiff."