Chapter 14

-Dublin, Ireland-

They boarded the ferry in no time at all. They found their designated seats, and then Kian was requested by the captain, who happened to be his father, leaving Four and Tris alone together.

Tris didn't know what to make of the situation, so she kind of just stared out into the sea. She sat in the dining room/café with a perfect view. The Irish Sea was beautiful, in her opinion. Just gorgeous. Possibly more beautiful than the view from the London Eye, the La Seine River, and maybe even the Paris lights. It felt like it was just her and the ocean. The rippling waves softly making their way to her ears. The glistening light from the sun bouncing off of the sea making its way to her eyes. And the vast blue that Tris was pretty sure was unknown to mankind until now. The sun was setting, making the moment even more picture perfect.

And then there's Tobias. Tris spotted him doing the same thing she was; gazing at one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen.

Except he was looking at her. And yet, still, it was one of the most beautiful things he'd laid eyes on.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Tris asked him as she turned back to the view.

"Yeah," he breathed. "It is."

There was a short silence, but Tobias soon asked:

"Are we going to talk about this?"

"I'd rather we didn't," she responded.

"Well you don't have to talk then. I will." He continued, "I'm sorry. I know that I should've let you know right when we boarded that train to Milan. I was so, so, so out of place. Especially when… things… happened between us. And—this is going to sound extremely selfish—I don't regret it. If I had to choose between getting my heart by you and letting you board that Milan train alone, I'd always pick you. Even if it means getting my heart broken over and over again, or your heart broken over and over again, I will always choose you. Over and over and over I will always fall for you, and I will always get my heart broken by you. As long as I get to see you and your beautiful self, I will always choose the broken heart. I'd rather feel that than nothing at all. I've tried telling myself everything to get away from you. That you aren't worth it, that nothing could happen between us, and, worst of all, that you simply didn't love me back. The thing is, though, is that they're all lies. You are worth it, something could happen between us, and, well, about the whole loving me back thing… I'm not sure that you do. And I understand why. But I need you to know that I lo—"

"Stop," she interrupted. Her voice was weak, along with her muscles. She had tears in her eyes and was on thee verge of crying. She put her fingertips on her forehead and breathed out. "You have to stop this, Four. You can't just go around telling me you love me and then know we'll never see each other again!"

"I know, and I'm—"

"Don't tell me you're sorry. Because you're not. I know you wanted to tell me and all, but did you ever think about what kind of toll it'd take on me if I lost you? Do you even have any idea? I'd be totally lost, Four. Totally lost. I honestly don't think you understand. I don't care that you're my bodyguard—"

"Former. Former bodyguard. I quit."

She continued saying, "I don't care that you're my former bodyguard, we could've worked something out. It's the fact that you withheld that information from me, and now I can't trust you, Four. Sure, I may've overreacted when I found out, but you could've at least told me somewhere that wasn't in public and I wouldn't lose my shit."

"Would you please stop that?"

"What? What've I done wrong now, Four?"

"Calling me Four. My name is Tobias."

"Fine. Whatever. Fine. Tobias."

"Thank you."

After minutes of silence passed, she said, "Just so you know, I do."

"What? You "do" what?"

"Love you. Back. I love you back. Not that it means anything because I won't ever see you again," she mock laughed. The tears were about to spill over again.

Tobias stood up and opened his arms. "C'mere."

She only moved her head up to see him, but didn't move another muscle.

"Babe. C'mere. Please? You aren't the only one that needs a hug. I'm doing this for me too."

She sniffled a little, stood up, and obliged to his arms.

"I'm going to miss this," she mumbled. "I'm really going to miss this."

"You're still going to KCL, correct?"

"Yeah, but… it's not like I'll actually have time for an actual social life in college."

"You're right," he said softly. "But I have a proposition for you."

She pulled from the hug and smiled slightly. "What might that be?"

"That in eight years, we meet right where we met in Paris. When you bumped into me with your insane rainbow hair and insane beauty. At exactly eight o'clock at night. So, on July 14th, 2023, eight o'clock P.M., we meet there. And if we're married, great for us. If not… We'll see what happens from there."

She grinned. "There's only one problem."

"What's that?"

"Eight years is much too long."

"Six?"

"Four and you've got yourself a deal."

"Done. So, July 14th, 2019, eight P.M., we meet again," he confirmed.

"Done," she said back. "But one thing. Right here, right now, will be our last kiss. Promise you won't try anything again. It's not worth the pain."

He sighed. "I can't do that. I can't promise that this will be our last kiss."

"Why not? That's all I ask of you, Tobias."

"Because I'm fairly confident that between the time span of now and mid-day tomorrow, you won't be able to keep your hands off of me, and the same goes for you. Plus, even if this was, right here, was our last kiss for today and tomorrow, and I can't promise I won't kiss you in four years."

"Four years is a long time. A lot can happen."

"You're right. A lot could happen. But there won't be a day that goes by that I don't think about you."

"Well don't get your winklepickers in a twist too soon," she said with a wink at him. "This probably won't be our last kiss anyway." So she pulled him down by his shirt and kissed him. She didn't care if there were others around, she didn't care if Kian saw them, and, most of all, she didn't care if the whole world knew. Every news paper in America could publish a picture of them kissing on the front cover and she wouldn't care. She would own that. She heard multiple snaps around her and reluctantly let go of him. She smiled at him, then it slowly faded as she turned to the people taking pictures there were four of them.

"Can I help you?" she asked not so politely.

They all quickly turned away.

"So," Tobias said with a chuckle, "plans for Dublin?"

"I don't know," she said with shrug. She sat back down in her seat. "Kian was supposed to be my guide."

"Well I happen to've been to Dublin before. So I vote that I take you to a castle, and then we go get drinks. Then we shall be on our way to Paris."

"Sounds good. The World Body-Painting Festival starts at noonish tomorrow, and I'll have to find Chris before that… Which means we'll need to catch a flight at about 8:30 A.M. And we ned to be at the airport at 8. So, first on the list, check flights from Dublin to Paris. We've officially got about 12 hours to explore all of Dublin," she finished.

"Okay. Sounds like a plan. But what about Kian?"

"Well… I think he should come with us. I don't want him to think I just used him to get a free ferry ride. I genuinely think he's a cool dude."

"Well that's good," laughed and Irish accent. Tris turned around to Kian's bright, smiling face. "I'm afraid I can't though," he said, his smile turning to a frown. "My father's told me that there is a great family dinner tonight that we 'absolutely just cannot miss,' as he puts it. But you both are welcome to come. There'll be bangers & mash, Irish bundt cake, boxty, Dublin Coddle, and everything you can imagine. Those are only the greatest Irish dishes, if you didn't know."

Tris smiled at Tobias, really wanting to go, not only for the food, but just to see Kian. She liked Kian as a friend, and that was it. Strictly friends.

Tobias gave a slight nod.

Tris turned back to him, smiling. "We're in."

"Delightful."

When they arrived at Dublin, it was a little before nine.

"Have not any fear for dinner," Kian began, "my family starts dinner unusually late."

They arrived at the O'Hare mansion just five minutes after everyone began to eat. There were at least forty people there, Kian introducing them to everyone. Aunts, uncles, close family friends, cousins, nieces, nephews, his mom, his dad, etc. His mother was very polite them, telling them they could help themselves with anything they wanted.

"Kian, my boy! Get over here!" a relative shouted.

"You guys mind if I go over there for a few?"

"Of course, Kian. Go," Tris said with a smile.

And he went off.

While he was gone, she observed the décor. It was stunning; this mansion like no other. The chandelier that demands one's attention. The beautiful intermixing colors of brown and dark red.

The paintings on the wall that looked like they came straight from the 16th century. Tris had never seen anything like it.

"Jaw dropping, isn't it?" Tobias said next to her. He, too, was staring at the paintings and ceiling.

"Yeah. I could just go on and on in my head about every amazing accessory it has. It's astounding."

"Like you."

She smiled at him. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Good. It was a compliment."

She tucked her hair behind her ear. "You know we shouldn't flirt, right?"

He smiled. "I thought about not doing it. But then I had a flashback to when we were standing in that alley in Paris. And then I thought, why not?"