I woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs. Walking out to my kitchen pulling my oversized sweater over my head as I walked. I saw Tobias in there as he flipped over a pancake. My mouth started to water as he placed a mug on the island bench for me. I scowled at him regretting ever giving him a key to my apartment and plopped down on one of the bar stools before cupping my hands around the mug and bringing it up to my lips.
"Good morning to you too sunshine, you know, you remind me of Eric when you do that." Tobias said sarcastically, which caused my scowl to deepen on my face. I grunted my thanks to him when he put a plate down in front of me. We ate in peaceful silence, I picked up both of our plates and placed them in the dishwasher and turned my attention back to Tobias.
"I'm going to have a shower and make myself presentable, clean up your mess." I had a quick shower and made my way back into my bedroom to get dressed. I pulled on a pair of dark wash skinny jeans with a black tank top, I pulled my oversized sweater on just to keep me warm until the fun actually starts. Tobias was watching the TV when I came out. His feet were on my coffee table once again. I cleared my throat and shot him a glare.
"Did you clean up?" I asked him as I kicked his feet and sat down beside him. He nodded at me eyes fixed on the TV. "What time do the initiates come?" he checked his watch.
"About 15 minutes. They should be just passing the pit on the train. How many do you think will shit themselves when Eric tells them they're going to have to jump?" I laugh at him and switch off the TV.
"We should head off then." He pushed me in the back as we walked out of my apartment. I looked to my right and saw Eric walking out of his own apartment.
"Eaton!" Four and I turn around to face him. He sighs before talking again. "Amaya," Four turns away and I push him towards the pit silently telling him that I would meet him there before the first jumper. "Is that my sweater I lent to you last year?" He asked me as we both walked down towards the pit where the initiates will be jumping. I look down at the sweater covering my torso and almost down to my knees. I could smell the alcohol radiating off him. Must have had a big night. He rubbed his face and tried to focus his blue grey eyes.
"Uh, I think so, I'm not sure, probably." I hide my hands within the sleeves, something I've always done and I've noticed Tobias does it too. Must be an abnegation thing that we can't shake. He shrugs and we continue to make our way to the pit. He gives my shoulder a slight squeeze.
"I'll see you once everyone has jumped." He winks at me and heads off to meet Max on the rooftop. I suddenly felt very self-conscious. I pushed my little 'crush' on Eric to the back of my mind and continued on to meet my brother at the net.
Once all of the initiates had jumped I followed Tobias as he gave them all a tour. Eric was going to meet us in the pit to watch us explain everything. The first jumper had been an abnegation, I remember seeing her a few times with Andrew Prior, so I'm assuming she is his daughter; Beatrice. I found myself thinking about her brother Caleb and what he might have been doing. I didn't see him here so I just shrugged it off and continued to stare forwards. I stand off to the side next to Eric as Four explains the ranking system.
"The rankings will also determine who gets cut!" I hear Eric as he moves away from my side to stand over Four. I roll my eyes as my brothers fists clench and unclench. All of the new initiates seem to be terrified of the idea of being factionless.
A dark skinned Candor speaks up not realising who exactly she is speaking to. "Cut?"
"At the end of each stage of training the lowest ranking initiates will be leaving us."
"What do we do if we get cut?" a Candor transfer from the back of the group asks. I step forward before I start to speak.
"There no going back to your families, so you live factionless." I tell the group as my hands fold in front of my body. Eric stands beside me with his hands behind his back and his bicep touching my shoulder slightly.
"But that's not fair," a tall muscular Candor girl exclaimed. She seems to be terrified of this thought though. "If we had have known…" I watch as something snaps inside Eric snaps and he takes a threatening step closer to the new initiates.
"What? Are you saying that if you had have known this before the choosing ceremony, you wouldn't have chosen Dauntless?" I can see his jaw tense as he says this. "Because if that's the case might as well get out now, if you're really one of us it won't matter that you might fail. You chose us, now we get to choose you." He stated and walked off leaving myself and Four to deal with the inner turmoil the initiates would be feeling right now. I placed a hand on my brother's shoulder before he nodded and I raced off to find Eric.
"Eric!" I caught up to him and placed a hand on his forearm as he ignored me shouting out his name.
"What do you want?!" he spun around to me angrily his permanent scowl on his face.
"I could tell that the Candor initiates were getting on your nerves before. I just wanted to know if you wanted to grab a drink after dinner tonight to destress." I asked him as I played with my fingers and looked down not meeting his eyes. I wasn't sure if I had just asked him on a date or not. "Purely as friends and colleagues." I told him finally looking at his eyes. I was unable to read his face as he stared down at me. Suddenly I wasn't so sure this was a good idea or not.
"Sure why not?" he shrugged and walked away from me. I rolled my eyes at him and went back to helping Four with training.
Later that night after dinner I paced my bedroom as I looked at the outfits I had laid out on my bed. I ended up deciding on a pair of ripped black skinny jeans with a two tone grey sweater and a pair of combat boots with a hidden wedge. I pulled my auburn hair up in a high ponytail and slipped on my glasses. He's seen me plenty of times with glasses on. I looked at myself in the mirror and wondered how I had ever gone without one of these for 16 years of my life.
A knock on my door brought me out of my thoughts and I walked over to open it, Eric stood on the other side of my door with his hands in his pockets. He was wearing black skinny jeans and a tight fitting long sleeve V-neck with three buttons at the top. Very different from what I'm used to Eric looking like but I couldn't hold back the smile on my face. He looked good. I felt myself blush as I pushed my glasses back up my nose and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.
"Ready to go?" he asked taking his hands out of his pockets and holding one out to me. I nodded and grabbed his much larger hand. I walked with him to one of the many bars that dauntless was famous for.
Eric was greeted instantly when we walked in and made our way to the bar. I don't know why this was making me as nervous as it was, I was a fearless dauntless leader, and this was just two friends hanging out to relieve stress. I took a deep breath and took hold of the beer that Eric held out to me.
"So what do you think of the new crop?" I asked taking a swig out of the bottle and relaxing back on the bar. He shrugged before he answered.
"I want to knock out the Candor's, and I don't think that stiff will get far." He took a long swig of his drink his eyes ghosting over to me after he said stiff.
"Don't forget Four and I were 'stiff's' and we both ranked first in our classes, so don't knock her just yet, I see a bit of potential and maybe even a yearning to prove to herself and everyone that she isn't just a weak abnegation. I know that's what I was doing during stage one." I finished the last of my beer and set it on the bar asking the bartender for another.
"Yes but also don't forget what the two of you had gone through in abnegation, by the looks of her she never went through that. Dauntless was a way out for you and your brother. A way to get away from that monster for good. And now look at you, leader of dauntless-" I held my finger up to him.
"-In training." I added
"Yes in leader in training, and don't I know it every damn day. I don't know why Max can't just make you a full-fledged leader yet. I mean you're basically just as good as me with all of the paperwork and diffusing tension and fights, I don't know why he still wants me to train you. I've taught you everything that you'd need to know to take over the whole faction, if the worst was to ever occur." He took a deep breath before starting his next bottle of beer. I listened intently to him. He made it seem like he didn't want to be around me but at the same time almost like he was proud of what I have achieved being a dauntless leader. "I can see your still not over what happened with Marcus which I can totally understand, so if you ever need someone to talk to I will be there for you." He placed his hand on my shoulder, this was much different to the Eric that everyone knew and loved to hate. Someone slapped Eric on the back and he straightened up and took his hand off my shoulder.
"Hey Eric, who's this little cute you've got here. Not really your type is she? Normally you don't go for the modest ones." Eric shrugged the guy off and turned back to me.
"Fuck off Mark" Eric made to stand up but the guy Mark had other ideas and placed his hand forcefully down on Eric's shoulder once again.
"Don't be like that Eric I was just joking with you, although anyone with eyes can see she isn't one of the usuals. But I will admit that she is cute." He licked his lips as he glanced at me. I gently and innocently placed my beer on the bar. Apparently this guy had no idea who he was dealing with and needed to be taught a valuable lesson. I could see Eric gulp from beside me. He had been at he other end of my wrath before.
I grabbed the guys hand off Eric's shoulder and before he could even register what had happened I had my arm around his neck and he was on his knees.
"Now I'm sure you're not as stupid as you look and that by now you have figured out who the fuck I am if I'm with Eric, so I would suggest you and your lackeys get going or leave us alone for the rest of the night." I felt him nod in my arms and I released him.
"I'm sorry Ms. Eaton, it won't happen again." He and his followers scurried off and I turned back to Eric picking up my beer again. Eric looked slightly lost for a split second as I brought the beer up to my lips once again.
"That was eventful." I said scrunching up my eyes. Eric nodded along with me.
"Sure was, didn't remember you had that in you, for someone so small it's a bit intense when you get mad." He said as he down the rest of his beer.
"I don't get mad often, and also that wasn't mad, that was reminding him where he stood in the hierarchy of Dauntless." I shrugged.
Finally destressed but also very much intoxicated, Eric helped me towards our apartments.
"Actually can you take me to Four? I don't want to go home alone." I gave Eric my best drunk puppy dog eyes as he stepped onto the third floor where Tobias' apartment was. I knew he would be in there quite possibly asleep but I really didn't care. I didn't want to know if Eric ended up with someone else that would be escaping his place early tomorrow morning. That and I also didn't want to end up being said girl. Eric knocked loudly on Tobias' door and readjusted the way he was holding me upright. My brother swung open his door while he wiped the sleep from his eyes before Eric gently passed me along into Tobias' arms and promptly turned around and all but ran away. Tobias shook his head as he handed me a glass of water while I made myself comfortable on his sofa. His apartment wasn't as grand or as big as mine, but whatever he wants I guess. He's the one who turned down leadership.
"Get some sleep Amaya, training in the morning." He kissed the top of my head and walked back into his own bedroom. I slowly drifted off to sleep thinking about the grey blue eyes that never seem to leave my mind.