NEW FRIENDS AND OLD FRIENDS
SUZY POV
Eric, Four and Tris walk into Eric's apartment. I have just set the table and put the food out for everyone to eat. We all sit down around his dining table.
"You will never guess what I found these two doing next door," Eric says to Suzy. "I found them half naked on the bed in the master bedroom."
"Eric," Four says in a warning voice.
"What? Seriously I thought you two being from Abnegation would be all . . . well I hate to say it but Stiff!"
"Eric if we agreed with the Abnegation teachings then we would have stayed in Abnegation," Tris says.
"Okay," he says. "I'm just a little shocked that's all."
"I don't think they were ever normal Abnegation kids," I say.
"Why do you say that?" Four asks.
"Well Tris was always in trouble when we were kids. Caleb was always having to remind her how to act. And then when you started walking to school with us Four, well Tris and you were always finding ways to get in trouble. Even when we had to do our volunteering. You two were always disappearing or playing around," I say. "I even remember one time when I saw Tris climbing out of your window at night."
Eric lets out the loudest laugh I think I have ever heard. We are all looking at him. "What? I would never have guessed this of either of you. This is hilarious. So coming to Dauntless wasn't just about getting away from your father Four."
"I think we can find a different topic to talk about, don't you?" says Tris.
"How funny was Peter's face when Four was throwing the knives at him," I say. Everyone starts laughing and pointing out different things they saw him do while it was happening.
Once we have finished lunch we move to the lounge room and there is more storytelling and laughing. We are having a great afternoon when Eric says, "I think we need to tell them what is happening Four."
I see Four's face become serious and it is starting to worry me a bit. What could it be that they have to tell us that would have the mood change so quickly? Four just nods his head.
"Suzy, Tris I need to tell you something but it cannot leave this room. It cannot be discussed with anyone outside of us. You are not going to like what we are going to tell you but just know we are doing everything we can to change it," Eric says.
"Just tell us Eric, please," I say. The tone in his voice is worrying me.
I watch as Four takes hold of Tris around her waist and pulls her towards him. Watching this interaction makes me extremely nervous.
"Jeanine Mattews and a few from Erudite are planning to overthrow Abnegation," Eric says.
"What!" Tris squeals. "How? Why?"
"She plans on putting Dauntless under a sim and have them attack Abnegation," Four says.
"Is she crazy?" I ask.
"Yeah it seems so," Eric says. "But we are planning to stop her before it comes to that. This is why Four has agreed to join leadership. He is going to help me to stop it."
"How can we help?" Tris asks.
"You don't need to do anything," Four says. "I need you and Suzy to just keep concentrating on passing initiation. Leave it to Eric and I, we both want to keep you safe. You will have enough to worry about with stage two and three of training. You don't need to worry about what we are doing."
"But I want to help," Tris says. "I need to make sure my parents are okay."
"I know you do. But please just let us handle it. We need you to get through initiation so you can help us," Four says.
This seems to calm Tris down but I can see that she is thinking long and hard about what has been said. I know it is something that I will be thinking of too. I would hate to think of something bad happening to my parents. Then it makes me think that if I had stayed then it could have been me who would need rescuing. I can't believe Caleb would want to be around people like Jeanine Mattews, it makes me wonder if he is helping her in some way. It is sad that I think that it wouldn't surprise me if he was.
Tris and I leave Eric's apartment at dinner time. This way we can walk back together and no one will wonder where we have been because we have been together. They will just think that we did something by ourselves for the afternoon. Although Christina and Will did see me in the dining hall with Eric. Hopefully they will have forgotten about that.
"What do you think of what they told us Tris?"
"I don't know Suzy, it scares me that my parents may be in trouble. But it also makes me worry about Caleb. I really hope he hasn't become involved in all of this."
"So did Eric really find you two half naked?"
Tris starts to blush and nods her head.
"Do you think Abnegation were right in what they taught us?" I ask.
"Some of it maybe. But I just know how he makes me feel and that I know all his secrets and he knows mine and I can't imagine ever being with anyone else. So I don't want to wait until we are married. Even if we had both stayed in Abnegation I don't think we would have been able to wait. I feel like a part of me is missing when he isn't there."
"It has been so hard being so close and not being together. Much harder than the two years we were apart, it was easier when I didn't have to see him every day. I just hope I can get through initiation without being cut so we can have a life together."
"Why do you ask Suzy? Is it because of Eric?"
"I really like him Tris. I know I just had my heart broken by Caleb but it feels like a distant memory. And Eric is so different for Caleb, he makes me feel things I never felt with Caleb. You know the other day when you snuck off to be with Four?"
Tris nods her head.
"Well I was trying to get away from Al, I didn't want to spend the afternoon with him. Anyway I ran straight into Eric and I explained I was trying to avoid Al and he asked me if I wanted to hang out with him. We went and spent the afternoon lying on the net and just looking up at the sky. It was a really beautiful thing and we hardly even talked we just laid there watching the clouds float past."
"Wow Suzy I didn't expect Eric to be like that. If he makes you happy then you should be with him. Whatever way you feel comfortable. Not by what Eric wants or looking at how Four and I act. You need to do it your way and by your rules. If he respects you then he will be okay with it."
"Thanks Tris," I say. We have just reached the dining hall. We walk in and see Christina, Will and Al sitting at our usual table. We walk over and sit down with them.
FOUR POV
"What made you think it was a good idea to tell them? Don't you think it would have been better to tell them closer to the event?"
"That is probably the only opportunity we are going to get with them both together to tell them. They needed to know," Eric says.
"I know that. But I also know Tris and she is going to be worried about it and she needs to concentrate on getting through initiation," I say.
"She will get through. So will Suzy. Once they get into stage two they will be fine. They only have fights tomorrow and even if they lose they will still make it past stage one. Don't worry so much Four. We need to start planning what we are going to do about Jeanine. At least now you are going to be living next door it will be easier to be able to talk about it."
I get to the dining hall and I go and sit with Zeke and Shauna. It feels like I haven't really seen them in weeks. "Hey Four," Zeke says. "Where have you been?"
"He's been with his initiates Zeke," Shauna says.
"How do you know Shauna? You only got back from the fence today," Zeke says.
"Exactly Zeke and who do you think I saw him with at the fence?" Shauna says.
"The initiates," I say.
"Yes Four I know. But you are leaving out the fact that one of the initiates is getting a lit bit more attention than the rest. Aren't you Four?" Shauna says.
"No Shauna I think you asked who I was at the fence with and I think I was pretty accurate about who I was with," I say. I know where this conversation is going. Shauna saw me with Tris. So I tell them the truth or should I just leave her guessing.
"What are you two talking about?" Zeke asks.
"Four is totally crushing on Tris, the first jumper," Shauna says.
"Really? Is that why we haven't seen you lately? Or is that because Eric is your new best friend?" Zeke says. Is that bitterness I hear in his voice.
"What is this? Pick on Four day or something!"
"No we just want to know what is going on Four," Shauna says. "Why are you being so secretive?"
"Shauna," I say, almost as a whine.
"Come on Four, we are friends. If you are finally liking someone then we want to be able to get excited about it," Shauna says.
"Okay, well it isn't a crush. We were friends in Abnegation and then just before I came here we got together. So I suppose she has been my girlfriend for the past couple of years, we just couldn't be together until she transferred here. But we aren't going to be together until after she gets through initiation," I say.
"Dude why didn't you tell me? Is that why you sucked at the whole dating thing? Because you were really with her? I wouldn't have made you come on those dates with me if I had known," says Zeke.
"No Zeke, I really do just suck at the whole dating thing. I have no idea what to say to most girls and even if I had told you, well you still would have dragged me along anyway," I say.
Shauna starts laughing. "He is right Zeke you would have still dragged the poor guy along. Well you looked like you were handling the situation alright today Four."
"Yeah well Tris is different. I just can't wait for initiation to be over," I say.
"Only a few more weeks. You will be okay Four," Shauna says patting me on the back.
We finish dinner and we leave the dining hall together. I start walking towards my apartment, Zeke only lives down the hall so we are walking together. We get to my door and there are a stack of empty boxes blocking the way.
There is a note taped to my front door from Eric. Zeke pulls the note of the door and says, "Are you sure you are with Tris. This makes it look like you are moving in with Eric," Zeke says.
I take the note out of Zeke's hand and I step over the boxes and open my door. "Come in here and I will explain it to you," I say. "Grab some of those boxes will you."
Zeke and I grab all the boxes and we walk into my apartment. Zeke goes and sits on the couch and says, "Okay buddy spill. What is going on with you and Eric?"
"I am taking a leaders job. It will be announced tomorrow night. I have been having to spend more time with Eric because of that. I haven't told you because I am supposed to wait for it to be announced officially first. So I need you to keep it quiet until Max announces it," I say.
"Congrats man," Zeke says.
"Thanks, I think. I hope it is the right move. You should see the apartment they are giving me. It makes this look like a shoe box."
Then I hear a soft knock on my door. It is probably Shauna coming to find Zeke. I open the door and Tris is standing there.
"Tris," I say.
"Oh did you say Tris," Zeke says. "Introduce me Four."
"Come in Tris, you can meet my friend Zeke. Tris this is Zeke, Zeke this is Tris," I say.
"Hi," they both say at the same time and then they both laugh.
"If you need any help moving anything let me know. I better go and find Shauna. Nice to meet you Tris," Zeke says.
"Likewise," says Tris.
"Bye Zeke," I say. I shut the door and turn to towards Tris. "I didn't think I would see you again today. Not that I'm not happy to see you."
"Well I know Eric gave you the key to the new apartment. So I thought I would come and help you to move some of your stuff," she says.
"Well that was really kind of you Tris," I say. "I might not be Candor Tris but I think there might be a bit more that you're not telling me."
I pull her towards me and start to kiss her. She pulls away and whispers in my ear, "I thought maybe we could start where we left off."
"Well if that is the case then I think we better go back over there now and see just where we want my things to go before we start moving it all over," I say with a smile on my face.
"Sounds like a plan, let's go," Tris says.
We walk out of this apartment and make our way over to the new apartment.