Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir - Silence and Sound

Chapter 11: Uprising (A)

Scott

Scott had always followed one rule, that Tessa was always right. It was today that they realised that the woman who stood behind their career was Persephone Watson. The same woman they often forgot was in the same room as them. 

"Scott, I'm so sorry that I put us in this position. Had I listened to you, had I let you be honest, none of this would've happened." Tessa was earnest and afraid, but it was not because of Marina. 

"Tessa, do you remember our first skate?" He asked, searching deep into her eyes.

"How could I forget? You nearly tripped me on the ice." 

"You pretended to be cross with me, but inside you were as petrified as I was. Even more."

"But I still trusted you."

"Yes, and I'll always be thankful for that. But Tessa, you were mortified of me. I think part of you still is." 

"What does that have to do with anything?" She asked, as her voice sharpened.

She didn't deny it. Her pupils dilated slightly, it was not something most people would notice. But the less her eyes were gorgeous green, the unhappier she was. They had been together for twenty years, but he never doubted that there would come a day where she would flee. That she would disappear at the sight of him, panicked at his rage. Worried that she was not enough. Something would happen, and she would leave him for eternity.

------- 15 years ago (2003) -------

The Virtue-Moirs maintained one long-standing joke between them, that Tessa and Scott had dated when they were seven and nine. Their brief courtship consisted of hand holding and giggles. Scott loved to hear Tessa laugh, but he found that he could not concentrate when she did. Her voice would echo across the rink like a bell in a cathedral, and he found himself fixated on her smile. His knees would quiver, as he struggled to find his balance when all he could see was an angel before him. One day Tessa caught Scott in a trance, as they tried to transition into the next move. It was that day that they both discussed the embarrassment they endured from their families for their interest in one another. That evening, Scott called Tessa to announce that they could no longer see each other romantically. While their relatives continued to tease them, it was less frequent, and Tessa and Scott only grew deeper together. 

By the time they were thirteen and fifteen, they had grown into their partnership. Scott had become popular among many crowds at school, and Tessa wanted to have a mature conversation with him. On a cold, April morning, she pulled him aside after their first practice.

"Scott, there's something I need to tell you." Her heart raced, but it was not from the exercise.

"What is it, Tessa?" He pondered, as his warm eyes comforted her. 

"I know you told me that we were not going out anymore, and I know we tried to play pretend. But I can't keep pretending around you." 

Her dainty fingers searched for his, as she interlocked their pinkies. 

"I like you, Scott."

She gazed into his eyes, trying to read his mind. Blank. 

His eyes darkened, as he scoured his mind for words. Never had she been so beautiful. Never had her mystical eyes glimmered more. Never had he seemed more like a fool. 

The silence between them was hardly a second long, but fear stretched inside Tessa's mind. What had she done? Would he no longer skate with her? Could they still be friends?

Scott did the only thing his body knew how: he held her. He became engrossed in her, the smell of her hair: strawberries. They were always warm after practice, but Tessa never left a stench. Instead, she smelled of mint and winter, like ice itself. Before he could think, she pulled away. 

Her eyes were fleeting, yet pleading. Curious, but discerned. 

He realised he hadn't spoken. "Tessa...I don't like you."

---

The flashbacks will be long and essential to the plot, therefore I will divide them into different parts of chapter 11. Once again, thank you for reading, and feel free to discuss anything VM related here. My messages are also open, in case you'd like to reach me, don't be shy!

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