A/N: I have changed the description of the story. It's hard to leave Tobias out. So let's have a lovely love triangle, shall we?

I leave the bathroom shortly after, not waiting to be gone for too long. Plus, it's dinner and I'm starving. Why did Eric seek me out? Why does he want what he wants with me? I don't even know what he wants with me. He said maybe. But then he kissed me. Sure, my cheek, but there was so much behind it. My body is still on fire from that briefest of contacts. What would happen if I let him have free reign with it? I shiver at the idea of his hands all over me and I feel my cheeks burn as I turn the corner to enter the cafeteria.

Normally, I keep my eyes down so that I don't have to talk to anyone. I go, get food, and leave as quickly as possible. But today, my eyes find Eric and I see him in the back standing close to Lauren one of the other leaders here at Dauntless. And when I say close, I mean close. Almost as close as he was standing to me in the bathroom just moments before. Something unfamiliar burns within me as I force myself to look away from them. It's not jealously right? There is no way it could be. I have laid no claim to Eric and he definitely hasn't laid claim to me. A few touches and a brushing of lips against my cheek doesn't mean anything.

I shake my head as I go to get food. I grab a tray, not paying any attention to it and sitting at the nearest table. When I look up, I realize that it's filled with my fellow class initiates. The girl sitting across from me is tall and dark-skinned. I remember her wearing black and white clothing on the train. Candor. I think her name is Christina, but I'm not sure. We haven't spoken since we were on the train together and even then she kept her distance because of the clothes on my back. It hasn't just been her though. Everyone has kept their distance from me.

She looks at me when I sit and turns her attention to the boy next to her. Will, I think his name is. Then she turns again.

"Tris, right?" Christina asks.

I look up at her, stunned. "Yeah," I say. "You're Christina?"

She smiles. "Yup." She says. "I just wanted to say good job. You really knocked Drew on his ass."

I shrug. "It's all a part of initiation," I tell her. "I just did what anyone else would have done."

She looks surprised, like she hadn't expected me to say what I have. "I didn't mean anything by it," she says. "I mean, I kicked Molly's ass and Peter nearly put Will in a coma today, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't be proud of it."

I swallow. My mother would be incredibly disappointed in the way I've just handled this situation. "I'm sorry," I tell her, shaking my head. "This week as just been stupid crazy," I tell her, taking a drink of water.

"It's a big change," Christina agrees with me. She tilts her head to the side. "Cool tattoo. I got this one." She holds up her arm and shows me hers.

"I like yours."

"Yours is much simpler," Christina grins.

I can't help but smile back. Maybe I just needed to get into the swing of things. It's possible that maybe I'll make friends after all. A tray slams down on the table next to me and I jump. Christina's eyes widen and she scoots into Will. She looks terrified. That can only mean one thing. Eric has joined the table.

I keep my eyes on my tray and life is back to being ignored. Will and Christina are deep in conversation with another boy from Candor, Al. I rip of a piece of the bread and pop it in my mouth.

"You're not going to say hello?" Eric asks, his voice low enough that only I can hear it.

I glance over at the table Lauren is sitting at and she's laughing and talking with Four and Zeke. Their interactions seems so much livelier and fun. I can't have fun when it comes to Eric. I'm too worried about what he might want to do to me.

"I'm sure Lauren would say hello."

The words are out of my mouth before I even have a chance to stop it. My face grows hot and I can't believe that I let myself be so stupid. Even if I'm not sure what I had been feeling was jealously when I saw Lauren and Eric together, I shouldn't have said anything. Because now, Eric probably thinks that it is jealously and who knows what he could do with that.

He laughs loudly and everyone at the table turns to look at him. Even the other leaders turn to look at him. I'm guessing laughter isn't exactly normal for Eric. I glance at him and he's got an annoyed expression on his face.

"What, a guy can't laugh without being stared at? Mind your business!" he shouts.

Everyone turns back to their plates and conversations. The rest of my class initiates grabs their things and leave Eric and me alone.

I shake my head. "You don't need to scare people," I hiss at him.

"That's just who I am, Tris," Eric says raising a brow at me.

"Good to know," I say wryly.

"Do you have a problem with that?"

I turn to look at him, glad there's no one else at this table with us because I can't even begin to comprehend how people would take this conversation. I don't even know how I'm taking this conversation.

"I just want to focus on initiation, Eric," I tell him. "I don't exactly have time for being a part-time whore."

Eric doesn't say anything, he just glares at me. "Part-time whore?"

"Yes," I answer, finishing off my bread. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm just going to have to pass."

I don't know what it is in me, but I wink at him as I get up from the table, taking my tray with him. I pass Lauren and Four on the way out, and Four locks eyes with me and for a moment I can't move. His eyes are so blue and intoxicating. I swallow and pull my gaze from him and continue on my journey out of the cafeteria.

Footsteps follow me as I make my exit and I groan. "God, Eric, just leave me alone, please?" I snap, turning around. I stop in my tracks when I see that it's Four looking worried.

"Is Eric harassing you?" Four asks, his voice low and sinister.

I shake my head quickly, not wanting to divulge any information. This is the first time that we've spoken outside of the Pit. "No."

Four takes a step toward me. "Don't defend that piece of shit," his growls. "What's going on?"

"Nothing is going on," I answer truthfully. "I mean, he said something…"

"What? What did he say?" Four asks.

I fold my arms across my chest to create a barrier between the two of us.

"I don't really feel comfortable telling you this, Four," I say, flushing.

His eyes soften. "I'm just trying to look out for you,"

I narrow my eye at him. "What is it with you people looking out for me?" I ask. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"You want me to leave you alone?" he asks, looking a bit hurt.

"I just want to make it through initiation," I say. "I don't want to be stressed out."

"My attention is stressing you out?"

I shrug. "It's possible that it could," I say. "I don't really want to risk getting kicked out because I give the wrong person the time of day."

"Just don't spend any time with Eric and you'll be fine."

I look around the hallway. It's just the two of us. "What made you come out here, Four?" I ask. "The only thing you've ever said to me was Welcome to Dauntless and a few words here or there during training. Why did you follow me out?"

Four looks like he's really thinking about it. He shrugs. "I saw Eric talking to you. He's not to be trusted."

"And I can trust you?"

His face softens and his lips curl up in a half smile. "Yeah," he says. "You can trust me."

I blow out a breath. "Am I releasing pheromones or something? You guys are kind of blowing my mind?"

"What, never had the attention of a boy before?"

I laugh. "Are you kidding? You saw the clothes on my back when I jumped Four. No one wants to date the Stiff."

He tilts his head to the side and shakes his head. "Don't call yourself that, Tris," Four says. "I doubt that you've ever been a Stiff. And you sure as hell aren't one now."

"You can't say that," I tell him. "You barely even know me."

He shrugs. "We've still got time," he smiles. "I'll see you around, Tris."

Four walks in the opposite direction of where I need to go, and I let out a breath.

"God what is happening?" I sigh, leaning against the wall and sinking down.

"That was sweet."

I groan as I look up at Eric. "What the fuck do you want?"

I'm surprised when I see on the look on his face. He doesn't look angry, but he does look a little hurt. "Do you believe him?"

"About not being able to trust you?"

He nods.

"I'm not sure, to be quite honest with you. You scare me, Eric," I admit, taking a breath. "But Dauntless is about facing my fears. So I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt. "Trust is earned."

Eric stares at me. "Okay. One earning of trust coming up."

He starts to walk away, but I call his name. "Why?" I ask. "Why me?"

Eric smiles. "You're the only one who hasn't been too scared to talk to me."

"That's not without great effort on my part," I say. "Honest."

"I admire your honesty. But I'm still going to work on getting you to trust me."

He winks at me, the same wink I gave him and then he's off in the same direction Four went. I rest my head back against the wall again. I thought choosing Dauntless was going to be a good change. But god, I was so wrong.