CELIA PICKED UP THE KNIFE FROM THE DESK. Eric stood a few feet behind her and watched her as she did. Right before she threw, he went behind her, his lips grazing her exposed neck. Her breath hitched as she tensed. She tried to focus on the target, not letting him get a reaction. He spoke up, "Do I make you nervous, Celia?"
Celia shook her head. Eric glared at her and grabbed a knife of his own. "Words, Celia, use your words."
He lifted his knife to her cheekbone, lightly tracing it, not enough to draw blood, but enough to make a shiver go down her spine. She finally responded, "No."
"Focus on the target, Celia. You've gotten a bullseye before, do it again." she could feel his breath on her neck. She turned back to the target and got in her stance, trying to ignore him. She stepped and threw the knife. She watched it in the air and hit the target with a thud. It landed an inch away from the bullseye. She closed her eyes and sighed, hating that he does affect her. Eric made a tsk noise, shaking his head at her.
Celia glared at him, "Fine, you wanna make this interesting? Whoever gets closer to the bullseye wins. One knife each." She smiled at him.
Eric cocked his head to the side,"You do realize I have never missed, right?"
"There's always a first for everything."
Eric smirked at her, still having a knife in his hands. "What do I get when I win?" He asked.
"What do you want?" She countered.
You instantly popped into his head. I want you. He shook the thoughts away. "You don't get to talk back to me for the rest of the week, otherwise, I get to choose a punishment."
"Okay. If I win, you have to be nice to me for the rest of the week, and you have to clean up after training." She had a strategy in mind, knowing it was her only way of winning.
"Fine," Eric agreed, knowing that he'd win. "Ladies first," He gestured for her to step up. Celia walked up, choosing any knife. Eric stood a couple of feet away watching. Celia went into her stance, aiming for anything around the bullseye. She threw the knife, making a whooshing sound as it flew through the air. It landed a few centimeters from the bullseye. Good enough, she thought.
Eric laughed, "Better get ready to shut your mouth, princess." Celia rolled her eyes at his arrogant exterior. Eric took the knife that was in his hand, getting ready to throw it. Right as it was almost out of his hand, Celia made her move, going right behind him. She lightly traced his tattoos.
"I like your tattoos, they're cool." Eric shuddered, feeling her breath on his neck. His knife landed a couple of inches away from the bullseye. He quickly turned around and pinned her to the nearest wall.
"That's cheating," He got dangerously close to her face. His eyes glanced at her lips, wanting to do it.
"All's fair in love and war." She smiled at him brightly.
"You had a plan the whole time. Smart."
"This doesn't seem like a very friendly position. I won, princess. Do I have to remind you of my terms of winning?" She questioned mockingly.
He let out a deep laugh, "What, you don't like this?"
"No, you're getting what you want. I hate when you get what you want."
"Oh yeah, and what is it that I want?"
"To make people nervous, to have them at your mercy. You crave having control over me. To be dominating, always in control, because you couldn't be in control before you transferred to Dauntless," She smirked at him. "Or, in simpler terms, your Erudite is showing, Eric."
"Excuse me?" He gaped at her. She laughed, knowing she made him mad. "Okay," He scoffed, "Want to know what I've figured out about you? You don't know how to shut your mouth because you finally get to say what's on your mind. Coming from amity, you couldn't say all of the blunt things you wanted to, because it was considered mean. Just like me, apparently, you like being dominant, reminds you that you have control. You don't actually hate me, or at least as much as you want me to believe, because you would've realized that I've barely been holding your hands. You could've broken free a while ago, but you didn't because you're too hooked on our little banter." Celia broke her hands away from him, hating that he was right.
"That wasn't very nice."
"That depends on how you define nice, princess."
"How do you define it?" she mused.
"Not making you run twenty laps when you piss me off, which is more often than you think," he answered.
"How often?"
"Every second you open your mouth," Celia glared at him, she wasn't that bad, was she?
"You still breathing pisses me off, Eric." the man narrowed his eyes on her. He stepped back, allowing her to move, but when she did, she felt dizzy. She leaned back on the wall, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths. When she opened her eyes she saw Eric watching her, a hint of concern in his eyes.
"You okay?" he questioned.
Instead of responding with a snarky comment or brushing it off with an 'I'm fine' she closed her eyes again before getting off the wall, still feeling dizzy. This time though, she stumbled forward, the only thing stopping her from hitting the ground was Eric's arms holding her in place. Celia ignored her annoyance at the guy and leaned her forehead on his shoulder. She raked through her memories, trying to find a reason. She knew that if she fainted, it would be best if she was lower to the ground. She forced her head off his shoulder and sat down against the wall.
Eric watched her carefully, making sure she wasn't injured. He could tell she didn't feel good. "How much did you eat today, Celia?"
"I don't know, a bagel, I guess," she responded, now realizing the cause of the problem.
Eric glared at her, "Really, that's it, Celia?"
"I forgot to eat before I came, okay?" Celia truly did forget, not wanting to be late and make Eric angry. She felt so lightheaded, knowing that if she didn't get help now, she'd pass out.
"Stay here, C, I'll be right back," Eric said before walking out. Celia rolled her eyes, she could barely stand up, where was she gonna go? Celia could feel her eyes droop, and her eyes fluttered. She tried to stay awake but failed, eventually letting the darkness consume her.
Four walked in at that very moment, his eyes widening when he saw Celia. He ran toward her, "Shit, shit, shit." he cursed, pulling Celia up into a sitting position. He knew she wasn't dumb enough to fall asleep in the training room. Even if she did, she would have had to exhaust herself so much that her body needed rest. Either scenario isn't good. He lightly tapped her cheek, "Celia, wake up," he said as the doors opened.
The last person he expected to see walk in was Eric, a muffin in hand. Four rolled his eyes, going back to Celia. He saw her stirring, starting to wake up. He sighed a breath of relief as Eric came beside him.
"What did you do?" Four asked, a pointed look toward Eric.
"I didn't do anything, Celia forgot to eat." He glared back at Four.
"Jesus Christ, even when I'm passed out you two still bicker," Celia opened her eyes, still looking out of it. She tried to move but her body didn't allow it, it was like she was paralyzed.
"Well, it's not every day I see you passed out in the training room." He glared at Eric.
"Well, it's not every day that my initiate decides to not eat," Eric raised his eyebrows at her.
"I forgot! I didn't wanna be late."
"Your health is more important than being late," Four stated.
"For once I agree with him, what were you thinking?"
"Stop scolding me like I'm a child! I make decisions based on what I think is right, I don't care if you guys don't agree," Celia sat up straighter, finally being able to move. She looked around and saw the muffin on the ground. She reached for it, not caring if it wasn't for her. She bit into it.
"Yeah, well, when I come in and find you passed out, it's worrying, Celia!" Four kept scolding her.
"I'm sorry, okay, is that what you want? I'm sorry that I put my health in jeopardy because I thought it was better than making Eric mad." she started to get up, Four helping her. Eric glared at the pair, hating the tension between them.
"Celia, don't ever put your health a risk for anyone, ever." Four looked at her in concern, his face inches from hers. "Especially not to the point where you faint."
Celia looked at the two men, what was happening? How did Four magically show up when she fainted? And where did Eric go when it happened? "I'm sorry," she finally said. "Now can I go to sleep?" She said as she finished her muffin.
"Fine, but I'm escorting you," Four answered and started walking with him.
Left behind, Eric glared at Four, he helped Celia, he brought her food and Four gets to take all of the credit. He walked toward the knife table, not being able to watch the two. He still had to clean up, according to Celia's terms of winning. He knew that he wasn't really going to be nice to her for a week. A day, maybe, but a week, no.
Four lightly held his hand on her mid-back, guiding her to the dorm. He still couldn't shake the feeling he felt when he saw her lying on the floor, passed out. The way his heart raced, not knowing if she'd be okay. Thankfully, she was. Celia blushed when she felt Four's hand on her back, still thinking about the way Four randomly showed up. The way that the guys were scolding her about her health. As they reached the dorm she stopped right outside of it.
"Why do you guys care so much?" She whispered, not wanting to wake up any of the other initiates.
"What?"
"Why do you and Eric care so much about my health, I mean, I'm just your initiate," Four looked at her, was she really that naive?
"Because when you find someone passed out, it's pretty concerning, Celia." Celia didn't want to drop the topic, but she was exhausted.
"Fine, but this conversation is not over." She stated, looking at him with determination. "Good night, Four."
"Good night, Celia." she walked into the dorm, practically feeling his eyes on her. She had a million thoughts running through her mind as she got ready for bed, including showering. She laid down and closed her eyes, falling into a dreamless sleep.