Learning to Let Them In | Fourtris

Chapter 30

Tris' POV

"Tris, are you okay?" I hear Christina asking.

I turn my head towards her, Lynn, Uriah, and Zeke. They all look concerned, even Lynn. I look at my hands and see they're shaking a bit. I clench them into fists in an attempt to get them to stop. I realize that I must look unlike myself. I'm probably pale and look like a deer in headlights from the encounter. I close my eyes and take a deep breath before looking at them again. I feel a bit of color return to my face and I try to erase any traces of being afraid from my expression.

"Yeah...I'm fine," I lie.

My head is pounding and I realize that during all of the adrenaline pumping through me, I hadn't noticed that my head hit the brick wall as well as my shoulders when Eric shoved me into it. I casually run my fingers over the back of my head where it would have hit, and feel a small bump forming. I put my hand back down and look at the ground.

Uriah steps forward and places his hand on my shoulder. I wince at the pain it brings and flinch away from him. Uriah frowns. He pushes the fabric covering my shoulder down slightly. I try to pull away but he just tugs me by my sleeve right back to him. He looks at it again and frowns even more.

"What are you looking at?" Zeke asks and steps forward as well. He looks at my shoulder and frowns as well when he sees what Uriah is seeing. I can only guess that what they're seeing is either a large red spot or a bruise already forming.

"He freaking bruised her," Uriah angrily says to Zeke and the other two. I'm surprised at his reaction but when I look at Zeke, I see that he has the same expression as Uriah.

"He did what?!" Christina says and steps towards me with Lynn. I look down and feel myself flush at the sudden attention. I feel Christina's fingers on my other shoulder and don't bother to try and fight her when she pushes the edge of that fabric down as well.

"He left a bruise on this shoulder too," Lynn quietly states.

They stare for a little longer, then I feel my shoulders being covered up again and risk looking back up. They're all staring at me and I flush again.

"It's not that big of a deal guys…." I say.

"Not that big of a deal?" Christina says unbelievingly.

"Tris, he bruised you," Uriah seethes.

"It's a big deal, Tris," Zeke follows up.

I bite my lip and stay quiet.

"Who was he?" Uriah asks.

"An ex," I lightly say, leaving out any details.

"Name?" Lynn asks next.

"Does it matter?" I counter back.

"Kinda. Now tell us," Christina demands, staring at me. I stare back for awhile, then sigh.

"Eric," I relent.

"Last?" Lynn asks.

I shake my head. "No. First is enough."

They stay silent for a little bit and look at each

other. They give each other looks and I try to read the silent conversation they're having, but I can't.

"Hey, can I be included in this please?" I say after trying to figure out what they were talking about for a few minutes.

"It's nothing," Zeke says. I frown.

"Then what were the looks for?"

They look at each other again.

"Really?" I ask in exasperation.