I can only take credit for my own ideas... everything else belongs to Veronica Roth.
Tris
Previously...
I head out and walk back towards the dorm, feeling exhausted and ready to just relax, when I round a corner and who should I see lurking there? None other than Peter. I walk past him, pretending to be oblivious to his presence, when I feel a hand on my arm. The hand tightens and I spin around to face him...
"Headed home so soon, stiff?" He sneers.
"What do you want, Peter?" I say, exasperated.
"Who says that I want anything from you?"
"Then leave me alone!" I demand.
"What, you too stiff to have a little fun?" He says, stepping closer, nearly pinning me to the wall. I am getting nervous, but can't let him see.
"Are you deaf, or just stupid? I have been completely clear with you. I do not like you, Peter. You are rude, abrasive, condescending, and in general just a jerk."
"You just think that you are so much better than me, don't you? Well, we'll see about that, won't we? I doubt that you will even make it through initiation." He says, stepping even closer. I am struggling to keep calm and not scream out for help. I can't seem weak.
"Just back off! I am leaving now, whether you like it or not."
"I don't think so." He says, simply. I am starting to loose control of my breathing and I know that he can sense my growing fear. What does he plan to do to me? I can only think of the worst case scenario. I look down, just as my fear is reaching it's peak, and I feel him pull back from me with force.
I look up in time to see Peter being flung backwards and slamming into the opposite wall. I am stunned when I see that it is Zeke who sent him flying. Zeke towers over Peter as he sits, slumped, against the wall.
"I am fairly certain that I heard Tris tell you to back off, and I suggest that you do as she says." Zeke says in a threatening tone. Peter says nothing, stands, and runs down the hall. Zeke places his hand gently on my arm.
"Are you ok?" He asks.
"Yes, I think so." I stutter.
"I am just glad that I was passing by."
"Me too, but where were you coming from? The last time I saw you, you were headed to talk to Shauna. Did you chicken out?"
"I did go talk to her, in fact, I just walked her home. Now, let's get you home."
We walk the rest of the way to the dorm. I expect him to turn and leave, like he usually does, but instead he follows me in. I walk to my bunk, grab my sweats, and excuse myself to change. Once I finish changing and washing all the makeup off, I return to my bunk and see Zeke waiting for me. I sit on the bed next to him and lean against his side. We sit silently for a moment before he speaks.
"Do you want to talk about what happened?" He asks.
"Not really, but I think I need to. I don't understand what is wrong with Peter. I have never done anything to him, and he does everything that he can to torment and terrify me."
"You didn't have to do anything to him, it seems to me, that cruelty is just in his nature. Some people are just like that." He says.
"But why me?" I sigh.
"It's just a theory, but I think it's because he can see that you are special, and he wants to try to stop you from reaching your full potential."
"Since when are you so deep?" I joke.
"Layers, T, I am like an onion. Layer upon layer of awesomeness. You have only known me for less than a week, but you will learn just how amazing I truly am."
"I am sure that I will." I laugh.
We sit and talk for a while . We talk about my family and his. We talk about initiation, and I find out that he was third ranking, just after Tobias and Eric. We discuss his upcoming date with Shauna and I help him decide on the plans. I thoroughly enjoy spending time with him, and before I know it, hours have passed. My eyes are drooping, but I am enjoying this so much, that I don't want to end the night.
Christina comes in and makes her way to her bunk, next to mine. She and Zeke introduce themselves and then Zeke gives me a quick hug before leaving. Christina gives me a look and plops down next to me.
"Still claiming that he is just a friend?" She smirks.
"Yes, I am, because that is the truth. Besides, I just spent an hour helping him plan a date with a girl named Shauna. You were Candor, you know that I am not lying." I say. She stares at me for a moment before nodding.
"Ok, so what was he doing here?"
I tell her the story of what happened with Peter earlier. She looks visibly upset when I tell her the details. Then it dawns on me that she might be a good person to ask about him, after all, they grew up in the same faction.
"Chris, what is wrong with him? Has he always been this awful?" I ask.
"Not always, we were actually friends when we were kids. Our parents were close, so we basically grew up together. But about 3 or 4 years ago he started changing. It was gradual at first, but eventually he was just a different person entirely. I can't explain it, but he is nothing like the person that he used to be." She says.
"Do you know if anything happened to him?" I ask.
"Not that I know of. The only thing that I know is that he started becoming more and more withdrawn. He used to hang out all the time, but he started coming up with excuses for staying home. I know, from talking to his sister, that he was having headaches. But even after that got better, he avoided those of us who had been his friends. And it just got worse and worse over the years, until he became the person that you know him to be." She explains.
Just then Peter walks in the room and gives me an intense, hateful look. Christina sees him and stands protectively in front of me with her arms crossed. He stares at her for a moment before turning away a heading to his bunk. Chris then turns back to me and grins. I love that, even though he is much larger than her, Peter is still intimidated by her. We talk for a few more minutes before we both go to sleep. I have to talk to T.J. tomorrow and figure out what to do about dealing with Peter. I refuse to live my life in fear of Peter Hayes.