Splatter [DIVERGENT]

five; coffee

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T r i s
11:28AM
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A pleasant aroma of grounded coffee beans fills the air, a storm of heat surrounding my body from the air vent above the entrance. I've never been here before, so needless to say, I have no idea where to go. Why is this place so big?

Arms crossed protectively, I move away from the entrance and into the complex. Satin tablecloths rest upon the wooden tables spread across the room, glass display cases set up beside me, filled with trays of delights.

Three bars filled with plastic utensils are placed across the room, right beside the lounge area which contains large red sofas with several plush pillows.

"Excuse me," A man hustles under his breath while dodging me to the side with his elbow, making me stumble in these black stilettos. Gritting my teeth, I mumble profanities quietly so nobody can hear–that would be the worst possible situation to put myself in; people hearing my curse out loud.

Where's Tobias, anyways?

A cascade of steam erupts from the machine beside me, the vapor blurring my eyes. My navy blue skirt is tucked into the grey shirt I pulled magically from the cupboard.

Despite it being a weekend, where most people would be wearing pyjamas or skinny jeans, I can't afford to do that. I'm always at work–always.

Sometimes, yes, I do wish I could relax and rejuvenate for just a little bit. But my work habits come first. Habits are most likely permanent.

So if I begin to get lousy with the professional work habits, I know that it'll get the better of me and I cannot lose all the control and misery I've put myself through to get where I am.

"And here I was," A low voice rumbles behind me, causing myself to jerk backwards into a shelf, pain rippling throughout my shoulder, "thinking that I would be too early, when really you're the one early."

Tobias stands behind me, adjusting the watch wrapped around his wrist, his white dress shirt annunciating the muscles in his arms. Laughing, I quirk an eyebrow upwards as I try to come up with a response.

"Well, you did say that you wanted me to be here by two thirty, didn't you?" I retort sarcastically, knots in my stomach churning like a blade being shoved through me. That was a good comeback, wasn't it?

Placing a hand on my shoulder, Tobias guides me to a small table in the corner of the cafe, my fingers clenching each other for support.

"Honey, nobody ever arrives on time," He replies as I sit down across from him, beams of sunshine radiating onto my body as the window allows light to reflect through. As soon as we're finished with whatever this is, I have to take the train straight to work, being that I have a meeting in an hour and a half.

I shrug, tilting my head to the side as I try not to stare at his mesmerising jawline, "yeah, well, one thing you should know about me is that I don't like being late." Holy shit, why am I so bad at this?

In my defense, the last time I met up with somebody without it being for work purposes was about five years ago. A grin washes onto Tobias' face and it's like he can hear the voices screaming inside my mind, as he looks up at the ceiling trying to maintain another laugh.

"Tris, why do you look so nervous?" He asks while furrowing his brows in pure confusion, unable to wash the damn grin off his face. "It's just coffee."

Inhaling sharply, I bite the edge of my lip out of mere terror that something terrible is about to happen, "I'm just not too good at social aspects of life," I mumble incoherently, gnawing harder on my lip as I know as a fact, even though he doesn't respond, that he heard what I said.