I tap my fingers against the counter as the phone on the end of the line rings. "Hello?" Tobias answers almost like he's far away.

"Hey, Tobias. It's Tris." I want to smack my head against a wall, what am I doing? "So I was calling about that date?" Give him a chance Shauna said. Fine I will.

I hear something fall and there's muttering. "-dammit, Eric. I just cleaned out the inside of my car!"

I blow out the air in my mouth, making a noise. "Tobias?"

"Yeah sorry."

"Am I on speakerphone?" I furrow my eyebrows and walk to the futon.

"Well I'm driving so it's more like you're on the car's stereo." He laughs. "But what was this about a date?"

"Well there's this movie. One that I'd really like to go to. Maybe one that you won't like. I know it's farfetched-"

"No no no. We should go, actually I felt like you forgot about me and I was going to ask you out for tacos."

"I guess tacos would be good tonight." I bounce my knee up and down.

"Well it's a date. I'll pick you up at seven?"

"Date?" I ask.

"Yeah. See ya, Tris." The line goes dead and I sigh. Fuck.

When the night of the movie rolls around I'm a little nervous, the taco night was almost a disaster in my book. Another comment about how I'd look better if I didn't have the hoop through my nose and if it was a stud. Then another unexciting kiss in his car. Then the following night he showed up with an idea to go do mini-golf just me and him, and I couldn't say no in front of Lauren and Christina. So throughout the whole night he kept making sexual innuendos, which I was fine with, until he asked at what point in our relationship he'd get some action. I ignored the question until he dropped me off at home. He got out and walked me to my apartment door, sweet until he tried sticking his tongue down my throat. I find not being able to leave without kisses as cute as the next girl but not on the second date. That's for the three month mark when you both know that you're in love and in the cutesy, flowers when you had a bad day, tampon and pad buying stage of the relationship.

So I'm nervous because tonight he may ask to come up and I can't do that. I'm not even sure if we're dating! You don't have to be dating to have sex but I'd at least like to know my partner a little better.

There's a knock and I take a deep breath before answering the door. "Ready?" Tobias smiles and I nod. "So I know that there's this movie that you want to see but I have a suggestion for one. Down the Tracks?"

I raise an eyebrow. That's something.

"Eric suggested it, and I thought if he liked it you may since you two are best buds all of a sudden."

Of course. Oh well, at least he's trying right? At dinner he was polite and held open doors. Maybe we can be near each other and it not be awkward. Never mind during one part of the movie, with most of the popcorn eaten, the drink all gone, and my bladder full, I decided to get up and Tobias wouldn't move his legs, and said that to get by I had to kiss him. So I did because peeing in the middle of a movie theater was not yet on my bucket list and it never will be. Then later on the ride home he complained about not understanding the movie and I had to explain it to him.

It's not that hard to understand that the "son" was really the killer.

When we made it back to the apartment he shut the car off and pulled me to him, his tongue pushing past my lips and a hand groping my breast like I was getting a mammogram. I push at his hand and my phone's ringer goes off. I pull away and pull it out of my pocket and the phone flies to the back set and I scramble over the console to get to it.

'It's me MotherFucker!' flashing on the screen and I press the green button and yell. "Hello? Hold on I dropped the goddamn phone!"

My brother… my brother is calling. It's almost midnight there. Why is he calling? Has something happened? I grab my phone and press it to my ear. "Is everything okay? Bye Tobias!" I yell and exit the car.

"Who's Tobias?" My brother asks and then sighs. "Not important."

"Is Grandmama okay?" I try to not let my hand shake as I jab my key into the locks.

"Oh yes. I was just calling because well… it's gonna be the first time." He whispers. "First time that I won't have you with me when I go to Mom and Dad's graves Saturday."

I drop my keys and slide down the wall in the hallway outside my door. How could I forget?

"Tris?"

"I'm gonna miss going to their graves." I whisper, my heart is pounding. "I'm not gonna get to see them this year." I think of the scar that I have down my side, the memories that flood my mind. I don't know when I get up and make it inside but I know that Caleb is still on the line. Still here just like he was that day.

"Tris?" Christina waves a hand in front of my face and I look at her, unfocused. "Are you okay?"

"Hmm?" I blink and give her a small smile.

"Did you hear a word I had said to you?"

"No." I shrug and pick myself up off the futon, I walk over to my dresser and grab a pair of jeans out of the bottom drawer and a shirt. I dress quickly and pull my hair back into a ponytail. I slip into my tennis shoes and I grab my keys. "Please lock the door when you leave. I'll be back later." I have to get away from her.

"Tris what's wrong?" Christina gets up from the futon and I shake my head at her. I start down the stairs and the second I'm out the door I take off running down the sidewalk, damp from this morning's rain. I have to clear my head. Have to try to forget what day it is.

I don't know how long I ran for, I don't know how far I am when I stop and take my phone out of my pocket the screen flashing with Christina's voicemail from a missed call. I unlock the screen and open up a new message.

'Need a drink. Know any good bars in town?'

It takes a few minutes of me walking until I get a response. 'Well… yeah.' –Eric

'Cool, where is it?'

'What's wrong, Chris said that you just took off'

'Don't wanna talk just wanna drink.'

He tells me the name of a bar, Toxic Spirits and its location. I find it after asking a couple of people probably wondering what a young woman such as myself would want with a bar at three in the afternoon. I walk in through the door and a few heads turn to look at me as I make my way to the bar and sit on a stool. The lady behind the counter raises a pierced eyebrow at me, her red hair up in a bun.

"Are you lost, sweetheart?" She puts a hand on the counter, the rings on her fingers catching the light.

"Nuh uh." I lean on my elbows.

"What will it be?" She grabs a glass. "We have coke and Pepsi products and we have water."

"I want scotch." I watch her set the glass down, "just scotch."

"Mm, I like a girl who can drink." Eric's voice sounds above me and he's leaning over the counter. "Don't worry, Nicole I can take care of her." He turns from her to me. "Follow me."

I get up and he takes a hold of my arm and leads me to an office.

"Christina told me that you've been in a funk all day, then you just up and left your apartment. Sit." He guides me to a chair behind a desk and I sit down and he sits on the edge of the desk. "So what's going on?"

"Are you going to let me drink or not?" I spin in the chair and he sighs before standing up, his shirt riding up on the side showing a bit of his tattooed side. He leaves the office, shutting the door behind him and I get up and walk around the room. Three chairs line the far wall next to the door. I'm sitting at the desk across from the door, a closed laptop on the far side of the desk. There are a few drawers lining the left side of the desk. A couch is to my right and I wonder if people come in here to sleep, or if someone lives here. I get up and walk around the desk to the couch. Beside it is a wall of degrees and a bookshelf.

Master's in Business.

Master's in Finance.

Bachelor's in Computer Science.

All with the name 'Eric Shannon Matthews'.

Every single one.

"Ah you've found my dirty secret." I jump and Eric shuts the door behind him. "I may have to dispose of you since you now know my full name."

"Eric, these are yours?" I smile, "this is amazing! Wow how long did it all take?"

"Five… six? Six almost seven years." He set the glass down. "Scotch for my lady."

I pick up the glass, press it to my lips, and tilt my head back expecting the liquid to warm my throat but it doesn't. I set the glass down and glare at him. Eric is looking at me, something unreadable in his eyes, his thumb is rubbing against his lips.

"Hmm." He picks up the glass and raises an eyebrow. "I'm glad that this wasn't actual scotch."

"I could tell." I cross my arms, he nods his head as some sort of touché.

"Listen if you're looking to get trashed you should've stayed at home." He passes the glass from hand to hand.

"Isn't that the point of there being bars for people to go out and get trashed?" I throw my hands up.

"Not at four in the afternoon, Tris!" He looks at me, amber eyes bright with a fire. Bright with a will to finish a fight not even started.

"You know what. You're right. I should have just stayed home, kicked Christina out and locked my door. Then I could have-" I clench my fists aware of the tears stinging my eyes.

"Shh," Eric draws me towards him and I shake my head. "Come on. Let's get out of here. Get you away from wanting to drink yourself into a coma." I pull away and nod before wiping at my eyes. He cups my face, thumb brushing under my eyes.

He takes my hand and I wind my fingers through his as he pulls me from the office, hitting the lights on our way out. We're passing by the bar and the red-headed woman seems to be angrier than I remember. Eric slides her the empty glass.

"Nic, I'm heading out. Tell Sean to call if anything goes wrong when he gets in okay?" He gives her a smile and she nods. "That's my girl."

"So what are we doing?" I ask as he drags me through the parking lot, our feet splashing through puddles. He leads me to a Jeep Wrangler and two and two clicks together when I see its mud caked tires. "Oh no."

"Don't say it like that." Eric lets go of my hand and I climb into the passenger seat. He walks around and I slide my phone into my back pocket. He hops in and sticks the key in the ignition and then we pull out of the parking lot.

"Tobias told me that you didn't have a car." I watch the town go by.

"According to him and everyone else I don't. This is a "friend's" car." He chuckles and shakes his head, turning the jeep onto a muddy path. "I like Tobias driving me everywhere because it means he has to be "stuck" with my friends. I already have to put up with Zeke, Matthew, and Reggie but now that Tobias only has work they're over a lot more. So he can stay an extra hour at Max's."

"Wait so you act like you don't have a car to force Tobias to spend time around your friends as payback for his friends what coming over? You act like they live on your couch." I shoot him a look and his mouth is a thin line. "No… Nuh uh! They do?"

"Yep. The come over Thursdays if Tobias doesn't work the weekend and don't leave until Monday." We hit a bump and I grab the bar in front of me. "Or well they used too, now I think Tobias wants them over less in case he gets lucky." Eric shoots me a look and I roll my eyes.

"We've only been on like one date." I think back to the mini-golf night.

"He believes that the taco night and the movie last week were dates too." Eric reaches forward and turns on the cars stereo.

"Hmm, wouldn't have pegged you for an electronic dance music fan. More like heavy metal." I shrug and Eric smirks.

"I like both. I'm not going to complain about the genre. If it's good and I like it well I like it." We turn into the wooded area and the road gets bumpier.

"So he thinks the Taco night was a date?"

"Yeah, I mean he wouldn't shut up about how you kissed him." Eric's voice seems to get tight when he says that. "And that you two went to go see that movie I recommended. Not his favorite but the extra kisses after made up for it."

"Oaky there were like three kisses. Only one was initiated by me, because I felt like that was the only way for him to let me get up to pee during the movie!" I start yelling as Eric goes faster. "Oh god I'm gonna die, too!"

"You're not gonna fucking die." His knuckles go white and mud splashes up the side of the car. "So why did you text me about getting drunk?"

"What?" I jerk with the next bump. I'm going to die. My heart is hammering.

Eric sighs. "Why not contact your boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend." I watch mud splash up Eric's window.

"Could've fooled me. He told me about the night after the movie."

"Why are you so angry?" I scream at him.

We go faster and my fingers tighten around the bar and we drop a little, mud splashing up the front windshield. I hear a squealing noise and Eric presses on the gas. "Fuck, we're stuck." He opens the door not bothering to look at me and get out. A wet sploosh coming from the mud.

"What?" I open my door and step out, my sneakers getting soaked. I walk around to the back and he's bent over examining the back tires. "What the fuck was that!"

He looks up at me and hits a tire with his knuckles. "We got stuck."

I push him. "You're crazy!"

He stares at me, and I turn around and take off walking. "Where are you going?"

"Away from you!" I slip and land ass down in the mud and I hear Eric start laughing. "Jackass!" I yell as I pick myself up, muddy water soaking through my jeans, thankful that I left my phone in the jeep. Eric's still laughing and I scoop up some mud in one of my hands and throw it at him. It lands mostly on the back bumper some of it splatters onto him and for a moment I smile, an ache in my heart that's letting go and I pick up another handful and throw it again, hitting him in the chest. His mouth hangs open looking from the mud on his shirt and back up to me. His eyes narrow and he shrugs off his jacket and throws it down.

"Eric," I hold up my hands. "Eric?"

He takes off towards me and I start running around the jeep, I slide and fall into the mud. It soaks through my shirt and coats my neck and arms as I scramble to my feet. I'm almost up when his arms wrap around me and we both fall backwards into the mud. I try to get up and he rolls over, arms pinning mine down and his knees on either sides on my thighs.

"That was mean." He removes a hand from mine and wipes at the mud on his face.

"You're an ass so you deserved it." I turn my head from him.

"I'm sorry." He gets off me and I sit up. "So who was it?"

"I'm sorry?" I look at him and he's kneeling in the mud.

"You reacted pretty harshly." He sits back on his haunches.

"Well you were driving like a madman." I wipe at my jeans.

"Who died? I take it, it was a car accident. Especially with the way you reacted." He raises an eyebrow at me. "And the 'I'm gonna die, too.' Too implies something." I wipe some of the mud off my shirt, it may be ruined. Eric stands up and holds a hand out to help me up.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have antagonized you." He walks around the back to grab his jacket. "Let's get this bitch unstuck. You on the gas and I'll push?"

I nod, after a few minutes we get the back tires out and we wipe down the windows. My phone is on the dashboard where it starts buzzing. I look at it and it's Tobias.

"Answer it." Eric seems annoyed and I hit the ignore button.

"Nah, I'll call him back later."

"He'll call right back, you know." Sure enough my phone lights up with Tobias' name and I hit ignore. "He probably just got off work. It is six, the sun will be setting soon. Better get you home."

He moves past me and I reach out to press a hand against his chest. "Why are you so angry?"

He smirks at me and shakes his head. "You don't get it do you?"

"What?"

"Nothing." He grabs my hand and I step in his way.

"Tell me."

He grabs my face and pulls me to him, he presses me against the side of the jeep and my hands grab at his shirt as he kisses me. "I'm jealous." He whispers when he pulls away and I keep my eyes closed. "Your phone's ringing again."

I turn and get in the jeep, my phone buzzing like crazy on the seat. I hit ignore and wait for Eric to get in. When he does I turn my head to talk to him and stop short. He has his phone pressed to his ear. "Hello?"

He shoots me a look. "No, yes Christina did ask me about her earlier. I haven't seen her. I could call her if you'd like me to?" He pulls away the phone and covers it. "Tobias thinks you're ignoring him." He whispers to me before pressing the phone back to his ear. "I was just talking to someone. It's none of your business nosey."

I groan and buckle myself in. I'm jealous he had said, jealous of what? When Eric hangs up my phone starts ringing again and I grab it and answer. "What?"

"Ouch!" Tobias gives a weak chuckle. "I've been trying to call."

"I see that. Listen I'm busy." I shoot Eric a look and he's shaking his head slightly.

"Oh, I was going to ask if you'd like to go out with Zeke and Shauna tonight."

"Not tonight, Tobias." I sigh.

"Then maybe this weekend?" He asks.

"I don't know, Tobias." I grab the bar in front of me when we hit a bump.

"Christina said that you were really upset earlier. Maybe I can come over and we could talk?"

"Not tonight, Tobias. Tonight I just want some me time." I bite the inside of my cheek. "I'll call you tomorrow okay?"

"Okay. Bye." I hang up and go through my contacts finding Christina's number. The line rings in my ear and my shoulders are tense.

"What the fuck, Tris?"

"I'm fine, I'm with Eric." I hear her give a sigh of relief. "I'll see you later."

"Tris-" I hang up on her and turn my phone off.

"Should I get you home?" Eric starts to turn onto the road to the apartment complex and I shake my head.

"No. I don't want to go home right now."

"Well, where would you like to go? You need a shower."

I look at him and for a few seconds his eyes hold mine. "I want to go home with you."

We head back to his house, and part of me feels excited, adrenaline running through my veins. I can feel my heart hammer in my chest. The other part nervous and terrified. Oh god what am I doing? Oh god. Eric circles the lot and parks the Jeep in the back.

"Hold on." He picks up his phone and taps at the screen. After a few seconds it lights up and he nods. "He's probably not going to be back until late. Like two in the morning late. Come on."

We make our way up the stairs and into the house and I laugh when I look at Eric, who's covered head to toe in dried mud. "You're a mess!"

"You're one to talk." He smiles and pulls me close. I push up on my toes and place a kiss on his lips. What am I doing?

He ducks down and kisses me longer, pushing me backwards down a hallway. He turns on a light and his hands go to the hem of my shirt and pulls it over my head. He pulls away, turns on the shower, and then removes his shirt. He pulls me close and tugs the hair tie out of my hair.

"Let's get you clean okay?"

"Okay." My hands go for the button on his jeans as his fingers find the clasp on my bra. Soon we're undressed and I step into the tub. I watch Eric grab two washcloths and loosen his hair from its hair band. He steps in the shower in front of me and my arms wrap around his waist. He soaps up one of the washcloths and starts scrubbing at my skin.

"It's in your hair." He pushes me back so I can stick my head under the running water. "God damn." I hear him hiss.

"What?" I ask as I wipe water out of my eyes. He pulls me too him and kisses me, his tongue flicking at my bottom lip. He pulls away teeth tugging at my lip.

"Excuse me." He moves around me and wets his hair. I grab his shampoo and lather up my hair, hopefully washing all the mud out. I squirt more into my palm and reach up to lather it in his hair. I grab the washcloth that he brought for himself and soap it up before rubbing it against his chest.

"It went up your back and your chest." I giggle and one of his hands cover mine.

"Of course." He turns and I start scrubbing at his back, neck, and arms. He turns to rinse out his hair and his body before trading places with me. I rinse out my hair and jump a little when I feel Eric's hands touch my shoulders and I press against him.

We stand there for a few minutes, my cheek pressed against his chest. "You know I have a thing for men with chest hair."

"Mm, you'd be disappointed Four doesn't have any. Doesn't like it." He kisses the top of my head and I look up at him.

"No talk of him, okay? Not while I'm right here, and we're like this." He nods and ducks down to kiss me before turning me around. The wall of the shower is cold against my breasts, I moan as he kisses down my back. I part my legs and he slides a hand around my stomach and down to my clit.

There's a knock on Eric's bathroom door. "Hey, man." It's Tobias.

"Fuck." Eric pulls away from me and steps out of the tub and grabs a towel. "Yeah?" I stay behind the curtain. What the fuck am I doing?

"Have you seen my card anywhere?"

"Nah," Eric replies and then after a second. "Wait I think you left it out on the ottoman last night when you were cleaning out your pockets. Maybe you knocked it off."

"So Tris seems mad at me and I don't know why. Do you think you could find out for me? Since you two seem close." Tobias sounds worried as if he was close to being dumped at any second… oh shit. He thinks we are dating.

"Yeah." Eric says curtly.

"You alright? Oh god you were tugging it weren't you?"

"Go away, Four." Eric hisses.

"Dude, I am so sor… is that a bra?" I hear a snort. "So you have a lady in there? Sorry man didn't mean to mess up the mood."

"Shut up."

Oh god. I cover my face and Tobias laughs from the hall. "I'll leave, I can pay Zeke back. Don't forget to wrap it!" I hear Eric groan and the front door closes then Eric closes the bathroom door. He pulls the shower curtain back and I'm aware that the water is cold.

"You okay?" He asks and I shake my head.

"I can't do this." I whisper.

"What?"

"I can't do this to Tobias." I step out and search for a towel, I may have to wear my dirty clothes… fuck. Eric is going to have to give me a ride back home.

"What do you mean?" Eric opens a cabinet and hands me a tan towel.

"I can't cheat on him." I start toweling down and Eric pinches the bridge of his nose.

"You're not even dating though!"

"I know that but he doesn't. He thinks that we are dating and I have to settle this before-" I stop and shake my head and start picking up my clothes. Eric takes them from me and leaves the bathroom, water droplets running down his back. There's water soaking the bath mats and I shut the water off.

"Here." Eric comes back dressed, the ends of his hair soaking the collar of his shirt, and hands me clothes of his and I quickly get dressed.

"You said before. Before what?" He takes my towel and hangs it on the door knob.

I stare at his reflection in the mirror and I sigh. "Before-" I start messing around with you. "-he does something embarrassing."

Sorry this took a while so I gave up on NaNo because when I started all I wanted to do was write this. So here I am not doing NaNo and writing this.

Anyways enjoy leave reviews I'll answer all the questions I can.

I have two new stories being written, taking a break from Tobias/Tris only fics for a bit to try out the other possibilities that there are. Have one planned and if LavMenace is on board for one then I have a Lynn/Marlene one planned for people who like that.