Enmeshment

We were back to the gym for our final combat practice. Jack and Jen stood opposite Tris, Christina, Will, and I. Jen sometimes gave a weird and funny faces toward me but stopped when Eric glanced at her. I knew she wanted to join the group but she didn't want to leave her brother alone. Not when things were more intense than ever before. The cut would come soon and everyone was under so much pressure. Eric made it even worse. He was training or should I say beating everyone to his or her limits, said that it would make us tougher. He was rough to everyone, myself included and I thanked him for not going easy on me. He didn't give me any favor every time we were together in public, especially in training session. But somehow he didn't picked on Jack like he used to, maybe because he saw me distancing myself to him.

"Is it like official?" suddenly Tris whispered at me so our friends didn't hear anything.

"What do you mean?"

"You and Eric?"

"Tris please… Don't start it."

"Roxy… I know I shouldn't intervene or mind your business but I think you should stay away from him. Eric is up to no good. Who knows what he could to you?" warned Tris and I just smiled a little to her.

"Thanks for your concern, but I can take care of myself Tris. Don't worry about that. Eric never tried to hurt me," I paused. "Well… physically," I told her and Tris forced herself to laugh.

"Stiff!" suddenly someone shouted to us and I saw Eric was the one who screamed. I took one step forward when he pointed to Tris. "You! To the Arena now!" Tris looked at me before we walked to the Arena where everyone was started to circle it around. Tris was stop by Four while I kept on walking to the Arena and stood next to Christina.

"Peter!" Eric called Peter and my friends and I were looking at each other when Eric wanted Tris to fight Peter.

"All right there stiff? Look like you're about to cry. I might take it easy," Peter mocked her.

After Eric signaled them to start to fight, Peter was landed a punch to Tris's face and she was stumbled backward. Tris recovered quickly and circled around before Peter tried to punch her again but this time Tris got him and pinned his arm to the back. She kicked him but Peter was stronger than her. He struggled and punched Tris several times before picked her up and slammed her back to the mattress.

"Get up! Get up!" Peter was taunting and enjoying this moment.


"Come on. Stop playin' with each other," Eric was losing his patience and I glared at him but he just couldn't careless. "Come on Tris!" I shouted to her and she tried to stand up after Peter kicked her. I saw Tris was limping but she got up eventually just to be knocked down by Peter again. Peter looked up to Eric then he nodded and made Peter stomped his feet to Tris head made her unconscious.

I saw Four was leaving the gym. My friends wanted to take her to the infirmary but they didn't dare to move an inch just because Eric was glaring at them. I was hesitant at first but I couldn't see Tris laid unconscious in the Arena like that. I moved my way and I saw Edward also step up to the Arena helping me picked up Tris and laid her down in one of the table in the gym. I was a bit angry with Eric for letting Peter beat Tris so bad like that.

Eric called Christina and Myra to fight each other. Edward rushed back to the circle when he heard his girlfriend's name being called leaving me with Tris. "Roxy get back to the group!" Eric called me but I refused to move. "Roxy!" he shouted again. I thought he was going to mad at me but he just grumbled. "You two start now!" He shouted to Christina and Myra. The fight between them wasn't last long. Christina won easily over Myra. She conceded after Christina landed her a few punches and a couple cuts on her forehead.

"Roxy the Arena now!" Eric called me but I didn't want to leave Tris alone. I still didn't move away but then I saw Louisa and the other nurse came. She was checking up on her, "don't worry your friend is going to be fine," she said to me before taking her to the infirmary.

"Come on now Roxy!" he shouted again. I rushed myself back to the Arena and stood in the middle of the circle. "Molly!" Four shouted from afar. I didn't realized he already back to the gym after Tris was taking care of. Eric bugged out when he heard Molly's name being called and I had to face her but he didn't say anything. I never had a chance to spar with her and I saw her beating Tris and Christina before, so I was a little afraid to face her but somehow I was grateful Eric didn't do anything because I don't want him to go easy on me. I want to get my own spot by myself.


Right after Eric said we could start our fight, Molly immediately landed a punch on my face and made me stumbled backward. She punched several times again and it hit my cheekbone and my jaw. She grabbed me and tossed me over like Peter did to Tris. I slammed down and blood coming from the side of my mouth. I spitted it out and quickly got up on my feet. Molly tried to punch me again but this time I grabbed her wrist, blocked her way and punch her stomach a couple of times. I made her took a few steps back but then she tackled me and I fell down onto the floor. She kicked my stomach but I managed to hit one of her leg and she fell down. I rolled over and sat on her stomach and I pinned her down so she couldn't move freely. I gave her a few blows and blood coming from her nose. But then she could move her knee and knocked my stomach with it. The pain strikes and I knelt on my knee before I got kick out again and again. I quickly grabbed her shank and pulled it made her tumbled down again. I pulled her leg closer to me and I rotated around her and had her onto a headlock.

"Concede!" I shouted. But Molly was being such an intractable even when my arm around her neck made her hard to breathe properly. "Say you're surrender!" I pinned her a little harder and she chocked and started to cough. I quickly loosen up my gripped but then he rolled me over. Molly was now on top of me, beating me again and again and I could feel blood was running on my nose. I didn't get a chance to fight her back because I was starting to lose my consciousness.

"Okay stop!" said Eric and Molly walked out from the circle while Eric walked inside the Arena to help me stood up. Will and Christina helped me walked lamely back to the outer circle.

"If my boyfriend just stood there to see me beaten up like that, I'm gonna end him right away!" whispered Christina as she tossed me an ice pack that the nurse left a box when they came to the gym to take Tris.

"He's not my boyfriend…"

"Yeah right!" she rolled her eyes.

A few hours later, everyone had their turns. Four told us that we would have our score in a few days. We were all leaving the gym, some of us headed back to the dorm while the others went to the Pit. I cleaned myself up and then headed up to my secret rooftop. I sat there gazing to nothing while holding the ice pack to compress my bruised cheekbone that started to changed color.

"You shouldn't fight her in the first place." I turned around to see Eric was standing in the door. He walked closer and sat next to me. "Let me see," he touched my chin and titled my face to him. "You look bad," as he stroked my cheek.

"I fight a friggin' tank, what do you expect?" I laughed but he was still in his serious face. "Hey I'm fine ok. Like you said I'll get more points if I fight a better opponent. I should thank Four."

"Don't dare thank him! I'm gonna kill Four for this!"

"Then maybe you should stop picked on Tris."

"Huh that stiff!" he scoffed. "He just wants to get revenge because I sent his stiff to the infirmary."

"Hey I'm also a stiff not long ago."

"You're different!"

"Oh yeah?" I rolled my eyes. "Which part of me is different?" Eric didn't reply but he just staring at me like always but this time I felt my face started to heating up. I turned around hoping he didn't see me blushing. "I better get back to my dorm." I got up but then he held my hand as he stood before me.

"When I get around you, I get nervous," he inhaled. "This whole thing is one of my fears, and as much I try I just come off strong and screwed everything up." He stopped talking and cupped one of my cheeks as he leaned closer. He gently gave a little peck to my lips. I squealed a bit when his lips touched my swollen lips that caused from Molly's punch earlier. I giggled softly and it made him made a nervous half smile. He kissed me again and I closed my eyes couldn't think of anything else beside the warmth of his breath fanning my nerves. His hand on my hip held me closer to him while the other one on my neck caressing my cheek with his thumb. Her big gentle hand made me feel safe as I stroked my own cheek against the cup of his hand. I started to feel tremble deep inside my guts and my heart starting to pound so hard that I just wished Eric didn't hear it. My breathing went all over the place and it made Eric stopped and stared deep into my eyes. I was ashamed to acted this way in front of him because I've never done it before but the look on his eyes didn't show any judgment. I gulped before brave myself to kissed him back. I tiptoed and wrapped my arms around his neck as my hand gently stroked his hair. The night breeze blew pretty hard and it made me quivered but Eric's arms held me tightly keeping me warm. I've never thought or even realized myself before that I would ever fall for him.



I went back to my dorm and it was pretty late so all of my friends were already sleeping. I slowly made my way to my bed and took off my boots when I heard movement from the bed next to me.

"Where were you?" I turned around to see Jack wasn't sleeping yet.

"It's not your business Jack." I answered him cold since I still pissed off with.

"Did you spend time with him again?" He asked.

"So what if I spend time with him!? It's non of your concern." I snapped at him as low as possible because I didn't want to wake my friends.

"I don't like you hanging around with that shitty prick!" Jack voice went louder and it awakened Jen whose bed is next to me.

"Listen Jack. I know you don't like him because he always beat the crap out of you, but you can't decide who's allowed to be friends with me." I told him boldly but it made Jack even madder and he got up from his bed and grabbed me.

"Hey hey guys stop!" Shouted Jen as she pushed Jack a little. Now almost everyone was waking up from the noise. Jack let go off my hand when he saw his twin sister looked at him to stopped acting like a douche.

I grabbed my pillow and blanket and went to Will's bed. "Will? Can I switch bed with you? I don't want to sleep next to him right now." Will was hesitant at first and he looked at Christina for approval. She nodded and eyed him to move. "Sorry..." I said and Will got up from his bed and tapped my shoulder before went to my bed to continue sleeping.

"You know what stiff? Next time this love triangle of yours is causing any trouble. Do me a favor, do it outside! I fucking need my sleep!" Shouted Peter from the bed in front of me. I ignored him and tucked myself under the blanket before trying to sleep.