C9 9

ADELE

I stood by the sink as I washed the plates. Truth be told, I will find a way to ask Chris to make me this dish again. It was so delicious. It is like the food just melts in your mouth but with a little spiciness in it which makes it only much better.

Chris asked if I liked it and I acted like I did not. I don't want to act so casually with him, so... And I have that drawing to figure out. I should try out 'his' drawing tomorrow again. I don't know why I keep forgetting how to draw his face.

I finished washing the plates and as I walked out, I met Chris sitting on that middle couch that is facing the television in the sitting room.

"You are here", he said when he finally looked up at me and I just stared back at him.

"Do you want to sleep? Do you feel sleepy?", his questions came again and I raised a brow.

"No", I finally replied and he nodded.

"I thought so too. It would be weird if you said you wanted to sleep, depending on the fact that you just woke up an hour ago", Chris explained with a smile and I just shrugged.

"Come on, let's watch a movie", he told me as he patted the space beside him on the sofa.

I looked up at the stairs that are to my left before looking at him again. Should I just ignore him and go up the stairs? Or should I watch the movie with him?

I was about to speak up when Chris suddenly spoke up again.

"Oh no no no! I don't mean you have to sit beside me- on this couch", he started quickly as he pointed at the space beside him. "You can sit anywhere you want", he added as he gestured towards the other two couches and I looked at him, relaxing my gaze a bit.

I am trying to control my laughter right now.

Wait, laughter?

What The Hell?! Why would I want to laugh?! I haven't laughed in a long time since Daniel and I am not going to now. What is wrong with me?

"Adele?", Chris called out to me, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"What?!", I answered sharply and loudly without even realizing it, my eyebrows coming to meet each other in a frown.

"You looked like you were spacing out, that's all", he said slowly like he had just been bullied before turning to look at the television.

I brought my gaze down to my feet as I tried to control my breathing. I need to control myself or this marriage would be off in a week.

"Yes, let's watch a movie", I finally said turning my head to look at Chris and I met his gaze on me.

He does not look as eager anymore but at least, we are going to watch a movie. He should be able to go back to his normal self that way, right?

Ugh! Why do I even care?!

I walked towards the sofa that is on his right-hand side and took my seat there.

He walked forward before playing a movie on the television and soon, the screen turned blue.

"It's been a long time since I watched a movie", I blurted. It is more like my thoughts coming alive into words, so I did not mean to say it out loud.

"What? Why?", I heard Chris's concerned voice ask and I just shrugged at him.

I felt his gaze finally leave me after some time and I turned my head away from the television to look at him. I sighed before taking my gaze away from him.

Some things are just better left unsaid.

The movie finally came to an end after an hour or even more and Chris went to switch the television off.

"Sleepy now?", he asked in his deep, husky voice and I looked up at him before nodding once at him.

I stood up from the couch before walking up the stairs and I heard Chris's footsteps trailing after me. We walked into the bedroom and Chris started talking again.

"How was the movie?", he asked as I reached the bed and I turned back abruptly to look at him. He shifted to the back immediately after I turned back to him.

"It was not bad", I told him and he slanted his head to the side a bit before squinting his eyes at me.

"You like saying something isn't bad, don't you?", he asked with an expression on his face and I got confused.

"Mm?", I asked back as my eyebrows went close to each other in confusion.

"I asked you how the food was and you said it wasn't bad and now you said the movie wasn't bad as well", he explained and my eyes widened in realization.

"Oh"

I did not even know I have been using that word so much.

"I guess they weren't bad, that's why", I replied with a shrug before climbing onto the bed.

"You are not going to take a shower before you sleep?", Chris asked when I got halfway onto the bed and I looked back at him. His eyes are widely staring at me in surprise.

I guess he does not want someone dirty as his wife. I almost smirked at the thought of that.

"I had a showered before coming down for dinner and I am not having one again", I told him and it was his turn to reply with an 'oh' as well.

"I am going to take a quick shower then", he told me and I just continue pulling the duvet.

I finally brought it up to my chin and when I looked at him, standing at the foot of the bed, I raised my shoulders at him. He walked away after that and I heard the door to the bathroom close.

I looked at the space beside me and my lips twitched.

Should I just sleep in the middle, so he won't have to sleep on the same bed with me?

Oh lord, what is going to happen tonight?

I mean, I can not possibly stop him from doing anything intense with me, can I?

I mean, he is my husband- legally.

Should I just lie about something?

Wait! That's a good idea!

Now, what do I lie about?

Should I just tell him my back hurts? Hmmm, something is telling me that won't work so well.

What then? What can I-?

My thoughts were suddenly cut short when I heard the bathroom door open and close but I kept looking at the ceiling like I heard nothing. I guess he really meant it when he said he was going to take a 'quick' shower. Cause that is really fast!

I heard his loud footsteps and then the closet door opening. There was shuffling and more shuffling and finally the door closed and I breathed in deeply.

He would come here.

He would come here.

He would-

It felt like a whole minute has passed and the bed hasn't pressed down beside me from his weight.

I turned my head to look at my right-hand side and there is nobody there. Mmm?

I sat up on the bed and I looked around the room and there he was, settling into the couch which stood a little bit away from the window. He has a grey blanket around his body but up to his waist. He is looking at the roof of the room with both of his hands, sitting on his stomach.

"You are sleeping on the couch?", I asked in surprise. I feel like I am even more surprised at this than I have been at every other thing.

"Yeah", he replied casually, his voice sounding so far away.

"Why?", I asked with slanted lips and he raised his upper body from the couch abruptly.

"Why? Do you want me to sleep with you instead?", he asked quickly with wide, curious, teasing eyes and he has that stupid grin on his face.

"Hell no!", I quickly declined and he laughed out loud.

Wow! That is like the first time I am hearing him laugh so loudly.

"What's funny?", I asked him and he just kept on laughing as he said.

"You should see how red your face is right now", he told me as he continued laughing and my eyes widened.

"W-what?", I asked back as I batted my eyebrows furiously. I can't believe this is happening.

"More redder", he said again and I groaned at him before lying on the bed and pulling the duvet up to my chin.

Whatever.

CHRISTOPHER

I teased Adele and she fell for it. I can't believe she did though but I guess there is that part in her as well as there is in everyone. I can confidently say that part of her is really limited and confined most of the time and I wonder why.

I can also say there is a part of me that is coming out in the open too. A part I had kept hidden for too long.

I could not take it anymore when I saw her face getting red, so I just burst out in laughter. I mean the feisty Adele's face was getting red, how is that not funny?

It felt good to be able to laugh like that again though. She has been with me for not even a day and j am already laughing like an idiot. What would happen in a month then, or even a week? Truthfully? I am scared.

The room is finally quiet after that little stunt I pulled but I haven't lied down back. I am just staring at the lady sleeping on the bed. I have a wife.

That is very weird and strange if you would ask me.

Back then, when we were about to watch the movie and she told me she had not watched a movie in a very long time. I feel like that was one chance in which she could have opened up to me and tell me something about her but when she just shrugged at my question, I decided to leave it.

I shouldn't force her into telling me. Even though I want to know badly, why she keeps up those expressions on her face. They are just always there and I know they hold a meaning behind them. No normal human being acts and looks like that all the time. I believe I can wait a little more time for her to talk about it. It is just a matter of-

"Why are you really there on the couch, Chris?", her most rarely heard soft voice suddenly sounded across the room and my lips stretched a bit at her words.

"Why do you want to know?", I asked back playfully and I can imagine her rolling her eyes at me right now.

I have come to observe that she does not like it when she does not get the answers to her questions quickly or immediately she asks them.

"Chris", her voice came out stern now, like she is warning me.

I let there be silence between us as I tried to think of what to say to her.

"It does not seem like you want this", I finally said and I know she is confused by now.

"The marriage, I mean", I said again when I heard nothing from her.

"So, I am trying to not push you into anything you do not want to do. I mean I can always wait for it", I told her, closing my words off with a sigh.

I can't believe I am doing this right now; putting it all on her like she is the only problem here.

I heard nothing from her for a while and she finally replied, her voice sounded so faint and far.

"Thanks", she replied.

"Good night", I told her, and as expected, no reply from her.

I closed my eyes sharply after I said that to her. I hate to admit it but I had just lied to her. Not even a day into our marriage and I am feeding her lies.

It is not my fault though. The truth is just something that I can not say now. It is not something that I am ready to talk about with her. No, I can't risk it.

But the question is,

Will I ever be ready to tell her the truth?

* * *