Five Years
I stand by her grave, not knowing what to do, or what to say. It's been exactly five years. Five years since I last saw her breathtaking smile, five years since I last held her hand, five years since she died. They tell me that the pain will eventually go away, but it never has, and I don't think it ever will. I'm not the same without her. Tris made me stronger, she made me a better person. Yet, now, I can't say her name without cringing. All I can do now is silently whisper her name to myself and pray that I'll never forget what her angelic voice sounded like. She was the light to my soul, but now she's gone.
I promised I wouldn't let her die, but she did. And she is never coming back, because I didn't stop her from going to the weapons lab. I will never be able to forgive myself.
"Come on, Tobias. We should go. You've been standing here for nearly two hours," I hear Christina's voice say. I hear her words, but my brain doesn't process them. I let her drag me out the cemetery. All our friends say that we should be together, but both Christina and I know that we will never be more than friends. Even so, Christina understands me better than anyone else. Maybe it's because she knows what it's like to lose someone you love, or maybe it's just simply because Tris was her best friend. Christina is more like a best friend to me. She's always there for me when I need someone to talk to, and I do the same for her.
Christina drives me back to my home, a small house just outside of Chicago. I couldn't stay in Chicago because that's where all of my memories with her were. But, I couldn't leave it behind for the exact same reason I couldn't stay. So, I decided to stay close to the city.
I trudge up the stairs to my room. That's when the tears start streaming down my cheeks. It's like this every year on this day. I go to her grave with all our friends, keeping my composure. As soon as I step into my house, I completely break down. Even after all these years, I still loath the feeling of being weak in front of others. I could only be myself when I'm with her. Her. Tris. The girl that I still love with all my heart, the girl I'll never see again.
I don't know how I'm still living without Tris. I live because I know it's what she would've wanted.
Fifteen Years
I'm at her grave again, just like I am every year on this day. I let go of the hand that I'm holding, and bend down to place the flowers on top of her grave.
"Who's this, daddy?" A sweet voice asks beside me.
"This," I reply, "is a good friend of mine. She was very special."
"Was she your best friend?"
"Yes, she was," I answered with a gentle smile playing on my lips.
"Oh, okay!" Sophie replies as she runs back to her mom.
Sophie is my five year old daughter. Her mother, Ana, is the woman I married six years ago. I'm very lucky to have the two of them by my side. Sophie is an angel; she's the best daughter anyone can ask for. As for Ana, there are no words to describe how amazing she is. I haven't forgotten Tris, and I don't think I'll ever love her any less than I did the moment I saw her jump into that net. I didn't think I would ever move on from her until I met Ana. She was there to pick me up when I was crumbling to pieces. Ana knows I love her, but she also understands that a piece of my heart will always belong to Tris. That only made me love her more. Ana helped me realize that Tris didn't die because of me, and I don't know how I'll ever repay her for that.
Before I leave, I kneel beside the grave. "I love you Tris, you know that? I'll never stop loving you. We'll see each other again someday, I promise," I whispered to her grave, only loud enough for me to hear. Smiling, I stand up and walk towards the two people that changed my life.
"You okay?" Ana asks, her voice filled with concern.
"Yeah. It'll always be hard, but yeah, I'm okay," I say as I pull Ana into my arms, realizing yet again how lucky I was.
I love Ana, I truly do, but we both know that a piece of my heart will always belong to Tris.
Sixty-five Years
After sixty-five years, this is the only year I didn't visit her grave. Not because I didn't want to go, but because I physically couldn't. I had suffered a heart attack a few days ago. The doctors say I'll live, but I know in my heart I don't have much time left. I think the people closest to me know too. Although I know I'm going to die, I'm not scared. In fact, I'm almost looking forward to it. I'll get to see the girl I lost sixty-five years ago. After all these years, I'll finally see her again.
My family and close friends stand around my bed with tear filled eyes. Zeke, Christina, even Caleb, whom I forgave after I forgave myself, stands on my left side. Ana stands on my right with our children and grandchildren. I have lived my life well. She would be proud, I think to myself. Don't be sad, I want to tell them, but I can already feel my life slipping away from me. I wish I had time to tell everyone separately how much I love them. Instead, as I draw my final breath, I whisper a faint 'I love you'. Then, I'm gone.
When I open my eyes, the first thing I see is her.
"Tris," I breathe. At last, I see the girl I haven't seen in sixty-five years. She hasn't changed one bit.
"Tobias," she replies.
"You waited," I said with a huge smile.
"Of course I did. Did you ever doubt that?" She says as she walks towards me.
"No, not even for a second" I reply firmly.
Before I finished wha I was saying, she was in my arms. I remembered the first time I ever held her. That feeling is so distant, yet familiar. Even then, I knew we belonged together.
I ran my fingers through her hair, and we just stood there, for 10 minutes, maybe an hour, or maybe time doesn't exist in this world. All I knew was that I had her, and I'm never letting her go again.
We will always belong together.
Always.
Thank you soooo much for reading my story! This story is a re-upload, I had to take it down the first time due to personal reasons. Please review!
~DauntlessRebel13