Reawakening

Chapter Twelve

Tris

"What are you doing out here, initiate?" I slowly turn my head at the sound of Eric's voice. Act confident, I remind myself.

"I got lost." Eric is standing close to me. Too close. My heart pounds, both because the invasion of my personal space, and in fear that Uriah won't hear us talking and might come out of that office.

I clear my throat to stall for time as my mind races, searching for a believable excuse. "I was looking for the control room. Zeke thought Four might be there and I had a question about rankings." What question do I supposedly need to ask? I have absolutely no idea.

Eric's hand runs up and down my arm and I could swear he is undressing me with his eyes. I shudder, and his smirk widens; I think he mistook my reaction for a shiver of pleasure. The thought of being with Eric makes me taste bile. Please don't kiss me, I plead silently over and over.

"Maybe I can help you." His voice is smooth and he is leaning in. Any second his lips could be on mine. I duck out under his arm and- hoping my disgust doesn't show- slip my hand into his, leading him down the hall.

"I just wondered what time the rankings will be shared with us? I'm a little nervous." I'm not nervous. Not all. Well, not about my rank, anyway. This situation? Yes. Yes, this situation has me very... very... nervous.

Eric falls into step beside me, apparently not suspecting a thing. "Ah. Seven o'clock in the dormitory." We round the corner, and he eyes me. "You could have asked your fellow initiates if you didn't remember." I very faintly, only because I am listening so hard for it, hear Uriah's footsteps moving away from us down the other hallway, toward the stairwell. "One might think," he says, pressing his hand to the small of my back as we slowly make our way toward the elevator, "that your question was just an excuse." I force myself to breathe evenly, but my palms are sweating. It's a good thing that he let go of my hand to touch my back.

"Maybe," he continues, leaning closer, "you were looking... for me." The faint smell of alcohol is on his breath. Really, already? In the middle of the afternoon, Eric?  My stomach churns as his lips move in, just inches from mine.

The sound of the elevator doors opening is my saving grace; Eric steps back, away from me. We can see the elevator from here, so it only takes a glance to discover that Max has come upon us on his way to his office. "Eric," he says firmly, "I need a word." Max gives me a hard look.

"Thank you for your help, Eric," I say politely, forcing a smile. "I can find my way back from here." I don't breathe again until I am safely in the elevator.

_______________________________________

Tobias

My heart pounds and I casually glance back at my supervisor, Gus, as I isolate the footage for the leaders' hall and offices. I flip between various cameras around the Dauntless compound, going back to Max's office and the hallway Tris is loitering in when I know Gus is busy looking elsewhere.

At first, everything is going great. Tris and Uriah don't look nervous or suspicious, and Uriah has made it into Max's office and inserted the flash drive. I switch to a view of the Pit, then the dining hall, and see Gus leaving the room, so I switch back to the hall Tris is waiting in.

My stomach clenches immediately. There she stands... with Eric. There's no sound, but I can see the entire exchange play out. I grip the armrests on my chair so tightly my knuckles turn white as Eric moves closer to her and runs his fingers up and down her arm. She visibly shudders, but it doesn't deter him any. I can't see his face, but he keeps moving closer. My fists clench.