Silence || FourTris

Chapter Nine

(M RATED SCENE FARTHER DOWN.)

Song for this chapter - I Dare You by The xx.

"I need my feelings set on fire."

Tobias.
I watch her stroll casually throughout store to store, buying little things here and there for her friends. I love watching her when she is off guard, because that is when she's her most beautiful; so unaware of her natural beauty that she possesses. Never putting on a show for anyone or faking a smile.

We've both been at the mall for an hour now, and she's barely spoken a word to me. I know she's upset, but I plan on talking with her later when we are at the food court about her college plans.

I'm happy that she is already thinking of the future child/children we will have, it just seems that it will take forever. Four years. I don't want to wait that long.

Tris exits Bath And Body Works, holding a small bag that looks as thought it contains only a few items. She strolls over to me as I watch the families walk by; the babies and toddlers that cry for their mom's and dad's; the teenage girls that hold their Aeropostale bags and Starbucks cups; the couples as they exchange kisses and hugs. All of the things I long for, but don't have.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" Tris breaks me out of my trance, as I look back to see a smiling reflection staring back at me. I didn't even realize I'd been spacing out for a couple of minutes now.

"Oh.. just everything." I decide to give her a short answer because I don't want to ruin the good conversation we have by bringing up the topic that caused us to impair a beautiful morning with each other. Not again. I'll save that for the food court.

Tris watches me, a skeptical look on her face. For moments I hope she will shrug it off until she stands right next to me, grabbing my hand, and says, "everything takes time. We'll get there."

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We sit, drinking smoothies at a cheap plastic mall table. We both decided that instead of eating the overpriced, unhealthy mall food, we'll go eat dinner somewhere.

Tris has been casually scrolling through her phone every couple minutes, then looking around as if we have no problems to be resolved and healing to endure.

"We need to talk." I say, breaking the silence. She looks at me in the eyes for a couple moments before looking back down, staring at her smoothie as she drinks it through her straw. I grab her hand to express that I care about what she has to say, and she should never be afraid to tell me. "I know you want to go back to school-"

"Please, not now." She silences me, releasing my hand and grabbing her Bath And Body Works bag. With pleading eyes, she looks at me again and says, "not in front of everyone."

"Tris, you can't keep running away from our problems like that. We'll never get anywhere," I continue. She looks at me, and just by the look in her eyes I can that angry Tris is returning. "But, like I was saying, I know you want to go back to school. And at first I wasn't too fond of it and I know I was being an asshole about it, but I've come to the conclusion that this will be better for our future children, and ourselves." And in that moment, I swear, I see the light in her eyes from the first time we were married resurface.

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"So what made you change your mind?" Tris asks me as I push her chair in and go to mine, sitting down.