I was going to beat myself later for this. I just had to look in the stairwell, didn't I? Eric just stood there looking back at me expressionless. I felt stupid. I allowed myself to smile because of him. What the hell was wrong with me? Did I already forget what happened Saturday morning? The girl snapped both Eric and I out of our trance.

"I never, and I mean never get played." She sounded more pissed than the girl from Saturday morning. Eric turned back to me and looked almost apologetic at me. He closed his eyes and then went back to face her.

"Well, Emily, consider yourself played," he said blankly. He then came by me, grabbed my arm and hurried me out of the stairway.

"No one ever leaves me! Do you hear me?! No one," she yelled just as the door shut behind us. I looked up at Eric and before he could say anything, with all the force I could muster, I slapped him across his face.

As soon as I got to my room I texted Aidan to let him know I was okay. It was almost time for dinner. But I didn't want to go and face Eric again. I knew I would say something at the table like I did the other day. Christina, however, had other plans. She showed up within minutes and bombarded me with

Where were you?

Why didn't you pick up?

What were you going?

Who were you with?

No wonder Tris asked for another room-mate. Christina was lovable, but at the same time, she was like an itch that couldn't go away and I had only been living with her for four days. She ended up dragging me down to the cafeteria for dinner. She immediately ran beside Will. As I scanned the table, the only open seat was beside Al and Eric. The second I sat down with my tray, Al engaged me in conversation about classes which I was thankful for. That meant I wouldn't need to talk about this afternoon or converse with Eric.

"You're going to love AP Psych with Ms. Benton. She's cool. Your brother, Will, Uriah, Peter, and I all had the same class last year. We did a group project, that didn't turn out so great," Al said as he looked at Will.

"Differences of opinion, you could say," shot back Will and then as easily as he entered the conversation he left it.

"However, her class is totally awesome," finished Al.

"I actually like Ms. James' class," I said which immediately launched Lynn and Lauren into protests.

"Too much reading assignments, did you not see the list," cried Lauren.

"That's why Alex and I went to the library after classes were done," explained Lynn. "I know I'mgoing to have to get a head start before volleyball try-outs."

"I don't know," I responded. "I like reading and writing."

"Why?" They both questioned.

"Probably freedom of expression," answered Peter. "Isn't that right, Alex?"

"Wouldn't that appeal to everyone? The freedom to think or say whatever you want," I asked.

"I suppose, as long as you know it's the truth. Isn't that right guys," Peter finished.

Every now and then I felt Eric look my way. I tried so hard to keep my mouth shut after what Peter said, knowing he wanted to shut me down for thinking whatever it was I thought about Eric. I still didn't tell any of the girls about that morning and apparently the guys didn't tell them either. Anyone sitting close by could tell there was tension between Eric and I.

"You alright there, Eric," asked Peter. Eric just nodded and then went back to picking the food on his plate. The conversation with Al had died a while ago and he was talking in depth with Uriah and Drew about something. Lynn got quiet as well. Eric and I both sat there silent, until I couldn't take it anymore.

"Is the library still open," I asked to just the air.

"Yea, it is," replied Lynn.

"Going to get a head start, aren't you" teased Lauren.

"Something like that," I answered. I picked up my tray and before I could get away from the table, Eric spoke up.

"I'll come with you."

"NO! YOU'RE NOT!" I turned to see the whole table had gone silent. I didn't realize I had just yelled at him. I looked down, knowing full well, Aidan was trying to scold me with his eyes. I shook my head. "Just stay, I'll be fine," hoping the table would buy that I didn't want to be watched anymore.

"I think after yesterday, you shouldn't wander around by yourself," suggested Uriah.

"At least not until you know your way around campus," explained Edward.

"What the heck happened yesterday?" Great, I forgot I didn't tell Christina. Now I was definitely going to hear about it back in the dorm.

"You all know I'm going to the library," I stated. "Campus has cameras, I'll be fine." Half the table nodded as I turned to leave. But someone just wasn't going to let me go that easily.

"I said I'll be fine," I snapped at whoever followed me out of the building.

"You probably are, but I just wanted to apologize for earlier this afternoon." Damn it. It's Eric.

"Well, someone call Guinness Book of World Records to record this date. Eric just apologized to a girl," I bit back without turning around to look at him and kept walking.

"You don't know anything," replied Eric pulling me back to face him. "You think you do, just because of what you saw or heard. But you don't."

"Tell me then Eric, you didn't just sleep with those girls just to sleep with them?" He let go of me. "That's what it sounded like to me. And for some reason all three of them seem blindsided." He wiped his forehead and then rubbed the back of his neck as if he was being interrogated. "Were there even just three?" He looked at me again with a blank expression. "I don't think I want to know the answer to the question. But what I do want to know is how in the world my brother ended up friends with a player like you, who obviously doesn't care about hurting girls just for his own satisfaction?" That sparked him.

"I don't know how someone so understanding like your brother, could have a sister who is so judgmental, critical, harsh…"

"Harsh? Are you seriously trying to tell me that I'm being harsh?"

"You don't even know me. We just met a few days ago and already you think so low of me."

"Those harsh words were factual statements." He looked taken back by that. "What? Hurt by me being honest? Well, it's true what they say then. The truth must really hurt! Hurts to be told you're just using those poor girls, right?"

"Poor girls? They weren't so innocent when they came to me."

"So that makes it all better then?"

"That's not what I meant."

"I don't care if that's what you meant. Why don't you just go back in the cafeteria?" He took a step closer and he seemed like all his anger was gone.

"Because I can't seem to get away from you, even when I'm upset," he stated like it was so simple for him to say. I almost got lost for a moment looking up at him. Then I realized that's probably what he told every other girl before.

"Shut up."

"You're going to tell me that I'm not all you're starting to think about, too?"

"No, you're not."

"Why do you think I came out here to apologize? For some reason I can't stand to see you mad at me. And if you don't realize that, then you're being naive."

"I am not. I know full well how guys like you operate. All of that was probably a lie! What I still don't understand is what in the hell my brother would see in you as a friend?! What do any of the guys see in you as a friend? Do you lie to them too? You're so…"

"Now, I'm going to stop you right there, before you say something that you're going to regret," he said placing his fingers on my lips. He slowly moved his hand away, making sure I wasn't going to start yelling again. "I can see you don't want to be friends with me, however, whether you like it or not, I am friends with your brother and all the other guys in that cafeteria. And for your information, no, I don't lie to them, not after all that happened."

He turned around and walked back in to the cafeteria. I almost took a step forward to run after him. But I felt so livid. Believe it or not I walked up to the first tree I saw, broke the lowest branch that I could and started having a fit as I ripped it up to shreds. What in the world was this boy doing to me?