Stumble Across the Fire (Divergent Eric fanfic)

Mixed Feelings

**Eric's POV**

My steps echo in the quiet corridors of Dauntless, and I begin getting frustrated. This was not the smartest thing for me to do; go to the quietest place in the loudest faction and sort out my shit.

I don't know why I am walking on broken glass around her. I know I want her, but putting all this effort in for one girl is such a new concept for me. Girls usually fall to my feet, begging for any amount of time alone with me; but Arielle, she would keep on walking, had I not scooped her up. That's a lame-ass way of putting it; it's more like I wanted her, so I tried until I succeeded. But then that makes me sound like the player I am, wait, that I was. I stopped being a player the moment Arielle said I could be hers.

I may be a womanizer, but I'm loyal to one girl at a time; I don't do more than one, that's a little too much asshole for me. But I've never done the whole girlfriend/boyfriend thing, just one night stands. And that's how I wanted it until I saw all the extra attention Arielle got. I don't mind when guys look at girls I've fucked, but the way they looked at Arielle, the girl I wanted more than any other, it was enough for me to switch up my game, really quick.

God, I don't know how she even wanted me. How did she find me attractive? I was an asshole to anyone and everyone, including her; and on more than one occasion. Fuck, I even hit her twice, and she's still forgiven for that. How the hell do I deserve her? Or, the more important question, why would she agree to being mine? Was it a spur of the moment thing she agreed to? Fuck, I don't know, and all of this shit is making my head hurt.

I look down to my watch, and I see I've been gone for nearly two hours. Holy shit, I'm probably worrying her to death. I begin making the long walk back to our apartment.

I'm pretty sure that I'm being absolutely ridiculous, and I seriously need to get the fuck over it. I will admit my feelings for her and let the pieces fall where they may. She's probably going to rip my head off when I open the door, wondering why the hell I chickened out and left. But it will all be worth it, hopefully.

I open the door quietly, and I'm slightly shocked when the dining table still has our dishes on it from hours ago. I make my way to the bathroom quickly, and find it like no one was even in here. What the hell? Has she come to her senses and left me for being the asshole I am? Oh fuck, I sure as hell hope not. I whip open the door, and run a couple doors down to Blake and Cole's apartment. I like Cole, but Blake is kind of a pain in the ass. She's chatty, super sassy, and sometimes just batshit crazy. But that's why her and Cole are good together, he has a high tolerance for almost anything, and he's on the quieter side. Two qualities that make an excellent leader, and two qualities that I desperately need to work on.

I knock on the door a little harder than I wanted to, but the door opens almost instantaneously. Cole looks at me, his eyes widening momentarily before nodding at me. He still acts like an initiate around me, even though we are now equals.

"Where's Arielle? she has to be here, or at Four's." I say quickly, and Cole steps aside, revealing a pissed-off looking Blake. This is so not looking good for me.

"She ran over here, balling her eyes out, worried that you were going to break up with her because she wanted to have a bath with you. What the hell is wrong with you? Do you not love that girl?" Blake spits at me, and my jaw drops. I have never been talked to that badly, except by Arielle of course.

"She was crying? Fuck, fuck, fuck. I have to fix this-"

"Yeah, you sure do. Why the hell are you giving her mixed signals? Is there someone else? Do you not want her anymore?" Blake begins making me testy, and my nostrils flare.

"Stop right there. Don't you dare accuse me of being unfaithful. That is one line I will never cross. Now, where the fuck is my girl?" I demand, finalizing the whole conversation.

"She went to Four's about ten minutes ago. Something about checking her head and bandages." She mutters, but I know it's bullshit. She went to talk to Four about me, shit. He's definitely going to be kicking my ass.

"Thanks." I say, and begin making my way to Four's quickly. I hope she hasn't told him too much, because he's going to want to murder me.

***

**Arielle's POV**

"Tobias, What is going through his head right now? Is he cheating on me? Does he want to break up with me?" I ask Tobias quickly, as he sits across from me holding a cup of coffee in his hands. I just told him everything I told Blake, and he just nodded, and frowned, the entire time. Not a word was uttered from him.

"Arielle, first off , I'm going to kick his ass. Secondly, he needs to make up his fucking mind, or you need to move on. And finally, I don't know why he's acting like this, I'm not a cold hearted bastard." Tobias says, and I'm stuck between screaming at him in anger for calling my boyfriend that, sobbing uncontrollably because he may be right, or laugh. Probably a small combo of all three.

Suddenly though, the door is frantically knocked on, and only one person comes to mind. Tobias is moving towards the door before I canteen think his name.

"Tobias, no." I demand, knowing exactly what he plans on doing to Eric. I follow him quickly, but I'm too late because he's whipped the door open, and smashed his fist into Eric's jaw. Eric doesn't make a sound, he just falls to one knee clutching his jaw, while Tobias shakes his hand out, probably because Eric's jaw is pretty defined, and therefore hard.

"Four, I've come to talk to my girl, and I'd really appreciate it if you didn't get in the way anymore. I deserved that one, but anymore, and it's game on." Eric utters, moving his jaw around a little bit.

"Why should I let you take her?" Tobias seethes.

"Because I came for her, and I'm not leaving without her." Eric begins to seethe, and before they throw anymore punches, I jump in between them, with one hand on each chest.

"Boys, enough with the testosterone party for two. Four, I'm going with Eric, to let him talk, but I promise I will come back if he hurts me, okay?" I tell him, looking into Tobias' eyes. His eyes soften, and he nods.

I walk out with Eric, and we begin walking, in complete silence.

"Arielle, I didn't leave because I don't want you, that's the complete opposite. I left because I was getting rather excited, if you get what I mean, and I didn't want to push anything with you while you're hurt. I want to have you, all of you, so bad, but you're hurt. And I feel like it's my fault that you're hurt, so I don't want to hurt you more. Please believe me, baby. I'll never lie to you." Eric begs, and I look into his eyes.

"When I turned around, and saw you looking at me, gulping and fully clothed, I thought you were going to break up with me right then and there. I felt so insecure, so guilty and remorseful for my forwardness. Eric, you scared me, so much. I was balling when I went over to Blake's, it was awful. What were you thunking when you saw me like that? Because I thought you were looking at me with a negative light..." I trail off, and Eric's eyes widen.

"Baby, don't ever think that. You are so beautiful, every single part of you. I'll never want anyone else. When I saw you, I couldn't stop thinking about what I could do wrong. I was scared of hurting you Arielle, that's it. I wasn't thinking about another girl, or about a breakup. Every thought was of your best interest, and no less. Please don't think I could ever do something like that to you, baby, I love you, so much." Eric tells me, and my eyes widen.

"You love me?" 

Bit of a cliffhanger for you lovelies, but don't worry, I plan to get another chapter up in the next couple days, because cliffhangers are the shits. 

Thank you all you wonderful and beautiful people for sticking with me and my crazy, hectic schedule. I love you all, and hope you are enjoying this story!