Chapter 11

-London, England-

Tris woke at 8:23 A.M., and she figured Tobias was already up, so she quietly went downstairs. She reached the bottom only to see Tobias still sleeping on the couch. She tiptoed into the kitchen and saw Evelyn making some eggs.

"Good morning, Ms. Johnson," Tris said with a smile.

"Oh, I didn't even see you there. Good morning. And call me Evelyn. Please. You're making me feel like an od woman," she chuckled.

"Okay," Tris said with a small laugh.

"So," Evelyn said, "I hear you and my son have got a little something going on, yes?"

Tris blushed. "Um, yes, I suppose we do."

"I hope you like scrambled eggs," Evelyn said, completely off-topic. "I'm afraid I don't know how to make any others," she chuckled.

"Scrambled is perfect."

"Anyway, what's your story, Tris?"

She hesitated and moved to the opposite side of the counter from her. "Listen, I know I may sound like a nut-job, but… I'm the First Daughter of the—"

"Oh, yes, dear, I know," Evelyn said, smiling.

Tris's eyes widened. "Do you think Tobias knows?"

She shrugged. "I, personally, don't think he knows."

Tris let out a breath. "Okay. But I don't want you to think I'm taking advantage of him or anything. I feel like he'd treat me differently if he knew who I was though."

Evelyn smiled at her. "Maybe if you tell him your secret, he'll tell you his."

Tobias and Tris bid Evelyn their goodbye, packed up their stuff, and headed to… well, Tris didn't know where they were going. Tobias said she'd just have to wait.

So she did.

As they walked on the sidewalk to wherever they were going, Tris said, "Why did you kiss my forehead last night?"

Tobias had a mildly worried expression on his face. "You were awake?"

She chuckled. "Of course I was awake." Smiling up at him, she added, "Don't worry. I don't think you're some kind of freak or anything. I was just wondering."

He shrugged. "I don't know. It kind of just felt like the natural thing to do."

She just looked down and smiled. She popped her head back up, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed his cheek.

"Well, what was that for?"

"It kind of just felt like the natural thing to do," she said with a wink.

He chuckled. "We're here."

Tris just noticed the big sign that read "King's College of London."

"Oh my god. You didn't. Are we going on a tour?"

He nodded.

Tris grinned. She jumped into his arms, just about knocking him over. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Tobias."

"Of course," he said as he reciprocated.

So they took the tour, and Tris thought everything was fascinating. Even the dorms. This tour only made her even more excited about attending and being accepted there. If she got accepted, there was no way she'd decline. And there was no way she was going to let her parents hold her back. She loved her mother and father; she did. But she knew they had this perfect vision of her embedded in their minds. She'd grow up to be the perfect child, and they had the same clouded vision for Caleb. They wanted them to marry into good families, be a politician, follow in their footsteps. Be a legacy.

But Tris wanted to be a photographer.

And Caleb wanted to be a writer.

Looked like they'd both disappoint.

Caleb understood her more than anyone. Caleb knew everything. He knew about KCL, knew about her love for photography, and knew about how she felt like she was trapped in the freest of countries. He knew about these things because he felt exactly the same. Only he wanted to go to Oberlin University in Ohio for writing. They got along like best-friends, not siblings. Tris just wondered for the first how he'd been holding up without her. Once the tour was over she would ask to borrow Tobias's phone and call him.

She missed him. She wished they'd gotten out of there together, because Tris knew he'd want to this too. Caleb was the better of the twins. He learned how to bite his tongue rather than poke the bear. When she wanted to say something, though, she said it. Especially if it was something she truly believed. She always stood up for people too. Like in school. If she saw a kid getting bullied, there was no question whether or not she stood up to the bully. She didn't do it to keep her perfect record. In fact, she'd even gotten into a few (four, to be exact) fights with bullies. She'd never thrown punches though. She just blocked the ones coming at her.

Point was, she didn't know how to hold things in. She'd gotten better over the years, but there would always be something there.

Once they were done with the tour, a woman came up to them and asked Tris, "So, I presume that one you will be attending? Oh, and I'm Head Professor Charlotte Brooks."

Tris reached out to shake her hand. "Hello. I'm Tris. I've applied here, and I'm extremely hopeful to be accepted."

"A word in my office?" Charlotte asked, then looked at Tobias. "Alone?"

"Of course. I'll be waiting outside, Tris," he said, then walked out.

The Head Professor led her to her office. "I have not had anyone named Tris apply here. If you are a fraud I can and will have you arrested. Care to explain?" she asked as she stood behind her desk.

"Please forgive me, Ms. Brooks. My name is Beatrice Prior."

Her face lit up. "I'm so sorry. You are Beatrice Prior? Oh my, haven't you received your acceptance letter?"

Tris's eyes widened. "You mean… I'm accepted?"

"Why, yes! Your grades are astounding and your passion for photography is breathtaking, along with your actual photos. I am extremely excited for you. You are a very promising student. And I promise you I am not saying any of this because you are the First Daughter of United States. You have earned every compliment I have given you."

"Thank you," she said, laughing. "Thank you so much."

"No. Thank you. I am thrilled to have you as a student here."

Tris grinned. "Would you mind maybe printing out another acceptance letter? I'll need to tell my parents about this."

"Of course. Not a problem," she said. She logged onto her computer, and then Tris heard the printer beginning to work. Once the paper was out, she retrieved an envelope. First she signed the paper, then wrote something on the envelope. She handed Tris the envelope and smiled.

"All set," Ms. Brooks said.

"Thank you. Thank you so, so much for this opportunity. I am so grateful."

"My pleasure."

Tris stuck her hand out once more, shook her hand, and then turned out the door, grinning.

When Tris got outside, she ran up to Tobias, who was leaning again a tree, off-guard, and captured him with a hug.

"I got accepted!"

"Oh my god," he said, chuckling. "I'm so happy for you."

She pulled back and kissed him out of adrenaline. She pulled back slightly and looked him in the eye. And then she kissed him again, but this time slowly. She stood on her tiptoes, pressing a little bit more, and then pulled back.

"I can't believe I got in," she chuckled. She stepped back all the way and put her face in her hands. But then her smile faded. "But she said she mailed the letter already… which means my parents received the letter and didn't tell me about it. Oh my god," she whispered. "I can't believe they did that."

"You don't know they did. It could've gotten lost or something."

Tris let out a breath. "You're right. I shouldn't jump to conclusions. Oh!" She just remembered about Caleb. "Can I borrow your phone?"

"Of course." He got it out, unlocked his phone, and when to the dial-pad.

She dialed his number, and he picked up after two rings.

"Hello?"

"Caleb?"

"Tris, is that you? Where've you been?"

"Woah, relax. I'm fine. Don't let Mom and Dad know I talked to you, okay? Promise."

"Promise," he sighed.

"I'm in London. And guess what."

"…What?" he asked unsurely.

"I got accepted into KCL."

"No way," he said.

Tris could hear the smile in his voice. "Yes way."

"Tris, that's amazing!"

"I know," she said, grinning. Tobias grabbed her hand and began walking. She smiled up at him. "But I talked to the Head Professor there and she said she sent out the acceptance letter already. Either it got lost in the mail, or Mom and Dad aren't telling me about it. I need you to sneak into Mom's office and look through the mail. Please?"

"Of course."

"Call this number back when or if you do. Thank you so much, Caleb. Love you."

"Love you," he said. Then he hung up.

Tris smiled and handed the phone back to Tobias. "Thank you."

"Who's Caleb?" he asked, suspicious.

"My brother," she said firmly.

"I know. Just teasing. So I'm taking you to Hyde Park, if that's all right."

"Perfect," she said with a smile.

When they arrived, they walked straight to the fountain. It was one where you could sit and put your feet in. They took off their shoes and put their feet into the mildly cold water.

Tris splashed him, a little and he splashed her back too.

"Do you have any change?" she asked.

He reached into his back pocket and gave her a penny. She closed her eyes.

I wish for Tobias not to care that I'm the First Daughter.

And then she tossed it into the fountain.

"What'd you wish for?" he asked.

"If I tell you it won't come true."

He shrugged. "Fair enough."

"I have to tell you something," she said, then took her feet out the fountain. She took out the dress from her bag and dried her feet off with it because she knew she wouldn't be wearing it any time soon.

"Shoot."

She took a deep breath. "I'm…I'm the First Daughter of the United States."

He sadly smiled at her. "I know."

She smiled at him. "And you don't care?"

He rubbed his forehead with one hand. The other hand was entwined with Tris's. "You see… I… This is kind of hard for me to say."

"Take your time," she said as she put her shoes back on and bag on her back.

"I… I'm a part of the secret service," he said quickly.

Tris stood up, untwining their hands. "You… You're what?"

"Tris, please just lis—" He reached out and put an arm on her shoulder after he stood up.

"No. Don't fucking touching me," she said, surprisingly quiet. "I can't believe I trusted you. I can't believe I let you kiss me." Tris began to quickly walk away, but Tobias caught up.

He lightly touched her arm to turn around. "Tris—"

"No!" It was a good thing she was wearing her sunglasses, because she had tears in her eyes. "Goodbye, Tobias."

She got into the taxi waiting on the curb, then said, "Please take me to the nearest train station."

"You got it."

Her voice wavered, but the driver didn't seem to notice.

She didn't know what to feel. She became numb; she didn't feel anything. Tris just couldn't believe Tobias would lie to her like that.

This was what I deserve for being so naïve.

Just when she thought things could actually work out between them, everything fell apart. Just when she thought that maybe—just maybe—she could love him, everything she thought she knew crumbled beneath her.

Tris arrived at the train station at 11:52. She paid the driver, and then went to the ticket station. "I need a ticket for the next stop at Holyhead." Holyhead was the place where a ferry went across the Irish Sea to take people from England to Dublin.

"It leaves in three minutes. The next one leaves at 3 o'clock."

"Now, please."

Tris quickly paid for the ticket and made it onto the train seconds before the doors closed.

"Attention all passengers of Euro Rails. We are leaving London, England, at 11:55 A.M. to Holyhead, England. ETA to Holyhead is 2:58 P.M."