Love, Lies, Secrets and Manipulation (Divergent/Eric OC)

21. Knives and Targets

It's Week Two of initiation, and Eric's already back to tormenting initiates.

"Well, that was pathetic!" He barks from behind Mia.

I refrain from throwing my last knife, only because I'm more interested in how this is going to play out for Mia. In the past ten minutes, not a single one of her knives has hit the target board across from her. This last knife she threw bounced right off and clattered into the ground. Let's just say, so far, knife throwing isn't one of her specialties.

"I- I'm sorry." She stutters, looking up at Eric, fully intimated. "I- it j-just slipped."

"Well, g-g-go get it!" He mocks her.

I would have thought he'd lay off her since he let her body dangle over the chasm last Friday, but who am I kidding? This is Eric we're talking about.

Her brows raise as she looks up at him. "What, right now? B- but they're still throwing."

Eric stands looking down at her, placing his hands behind his back. A look of dangerous amusement dances in his eyes. "I'm fully aware of that, initiate. Now, go... get it."

Mia glances back to the knives being thrown at the target boards across from us, a look of fear spread across her face. She turns back to look up and Eric and confesses, "I don't want to."

"Are you afraid?" He asks her.

"Uh, no shit," she retorts.

I try my best to stifle a laugh, but fail miserably. Eric's head snaps to look at me from just three feet away, and from the look on his face, I can tell he doesn't approve. I quickly clear my throat and look away from him.

"Everybody stop!" Eric's voice booms.

The rest of the initiates immediately stop throwing their knives, and all attention turns Eric and Mia.

"Stand in front of the target." Eric calmly orders Mia.

She turns her head to look at both Jesse and I, then turns to her right to look over at Tris. With severe reluctance, she walks over to the target board across from her.

"Four, give me a hand here," Eric says.

I look behind us where Four stands leaning against the table with the knives. He purses his lips, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else but here at the moment.

By now, Mia's standing in front of her target, facing all of us.

"You're going to stand there," Eric says to Mia," While he throws those knives. And if I see you flinch, you're out."

Out?

Is he really doing this to her, again?

"One thing you will learn here," Eric continues, "Is that orders are not optional." His words weren't just aimed at Mia this time, but the rest of us as well.

Four grabs a set of four knives from the table behind us and walks over to the now-empty spot next to me, getting ready to throw the knives at the target board behind Mia.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous for her, but as long as she doesn't flinch, she'll be fine.

Hopefully.

But let's think rational here. This is Four throwing the knives, not Eric. Four won't hurt her.

He flips the knife that's in his right hand, focusing on where exactly he's getting ready to throw it. Mia stands in front of the target board, biting down on her bottom lip with her head down, her small hands placed in front of her. She looks like she doesn't have an even ounce of confidence.