Free Rein

|Chapter Eighteen|

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-London, England-
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Tobias and Tris were on the train to London. She was in the shower, and that was when Tobias decided to call his mother.

"Mum?"

"Tobias?"

"Yeah. How are you?"

"Good. I haven't spoken to you in about two weeks. What's been up with you? You usually call me at least once every three days."

"Sorry. I'm in a bit of a... situation. You see, I'm with the First Daughter of the United Stat—"

"What?!" his mother exclaimed.

"Mum, it's okay. I'm an agent, remember?" he chuckled. "Fully capable. Anyway, she basically escaped from this thing in France, and I've been assigned to her. We've been all over Euro—"

"You're in Europe and you didn't even tell me? Tobias," she breathed.

"I know, I'm sorry. This was supposed to be strictly business. But she and I need a place to stay. Would you mind if we stayed there tonight?"

"Of course you can stay the night."

"Another thing... She doesn't know I'm an agent."

"Tobias Eaton, you can't be serious. You've been lying to her?"

He sighed. "If she knew who I was, she'd be roaming the continent unknown to her by herself. She can't know. And she can't know you know her, either. Okay? Please, Mum, just trust me on this."

"Okay."

"Another minor detail. We kind of... have a thing for each other."

"Tobias Frederick Eaton," she said, exasperated.

"I know, I know, Mum, but... she's an amazing girl. Really. You know my fear of heights?"

"Of course."

"She got me to go bungee jumping yesterday."

"You're joking."

"Nope."

"She sounds like she'll get you into trouble."

"Mum, I don't care about this job. I'm quitting after this and coming back to London."

"We'll talk about this later," she said adamantly.

"Okay. Bye."

Tobias hung up and blew out a breath.

He knew his mother wouldn't be all that happy about a last-minute overnight stay, but he knew she'd let him stay there. He also knew his mother would disapprove of him harboring the First Daughter at their place. Nor would she have approved of them having a thing for each other. He didn't care if she disapproved though. He knew that if anything worked out with him and Tris, that her parents would loathe him. He figured they'd want her to be with a politician from a good family, not a freelance photographer that's not even from their country. Well, technically he was, but there was no way he was moving back to America.

And Tobias kind of hoped Tris thought the same and would stay in England after she graduated. Disobey her parents' wishes to be with him, to live in London...

But he knew that hope was far-fetched. He knew it would probably never happen because he was just a boy from England and that she was one of the most adored people in America.

He was just the boy that was from England, and he couldn't change that fact. He was just a photographer. Not from an important family, not a politician, and certainly not good enough for her. Nowhere near good enough. Tobias hoped she didn't care though. Hoped she didn't care he was from England, hoped she didn't care he was kind of a loser, and really, really hoped she didn't care he'd lied to her about being an agent.

The sad thing was that he knew it'd ruin whatever chance he had with her.

Tris came back into the cabin and sat down on the bench questioningly looking at him.

"What?" he asked.

"If I kissed you in your sleep, you couldn't expect anything, right?"

He chuckled. "You're digging too deeply."

She smiled. "I know. But I'm trying to figure out when the best time would be to do it."

He just shook his head. "Do you have anywhere certain you want to go in London?"

"I trust you as my tour guide. Except one thing I know you won't like."

"What?" he asked unsurely.

"The London Eye. You know, the big ferris wheel thing. I've always wanted to go on it, but I know your claustrophobic and acrophobic, so I can go up by myself."

"Tris, you got me to go bungee jumping. You can make me do anything," he chuckled.

She smiled. "Seriously though. You don't have to."

"Yes I do."

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