Free Rein

|Chapter Twenty-Four|

______________________________
-Holyhead, England-
______________________________

Four was making his way to Holyhead. He knew he'd been hours behind Tris, but it was better than nothing. He hoped and prayed that the ferry would stop her long enough for him to catch up. He knew they left every three hours, and he'd get there around six o'clock. He also knew Tris was supposed to arrive at around three. The ferries left every three hours, which meant Tris would would either get the one at three o'clock or the one at six o'clock. Four really, really, really wished she'd miss that three o'clock ferry. If she didn't miss the three o'clock ferry, he knew he'd probably never see her again. Sure, he could go to the World Body-Painting Festival and track her down, but there'd be millions of people there.

His mission wasn't to protect her anymore.

His mission was to simply be with her. That was it.

He didn't want to be her bodyguard, or her lackey, or even her lesser. He wanted to be her equal. He didn't care if she was the first daughter; he was aware that she wanted to be treated like a normal person that lived in a non-white house. Tris was a simple woman that wanted the best for her and her future.

"The future belongs to those who know where they belong."

Four had always hated that quote. The future of someone is in their hands, yes, but they might not know where they belong. He knew he'd have a good future, but he didn't know where he belonged.

He believed that if he knew where he was going he would lose his way. If he had his mind set on a certain place, he thought he'd screw it all up. He let the wind take him wherever it may've gone.

And he didn't mean to sound like a hipster. Quite literally he meant it. He lived in the now. The everlasting spectacular now was irreplaceable.

______________________________

Tris got off the train at Holyhead with her head held high and not a care in the world. She arrived at 2:57 and rushed to the ferry service, knowing that it left at three. The next one left at six. She assumed that Tobias caught the three o'clock train to Holyhead. So if she missed the ferry, he'd be at Holyhead by the time the next ferry left.

And she needed to avoid him at all costs.

If she did happen to miss the 3 o'clock ferry, she'd walk right past him, pretending not to notice. Surely he'd notice her though. She wouldn't go off on him, she wouldn't acknowledge him, and she wouldn't act like he existed. She just wanted to leave that all behind her and continue on with the journey of her lifetime.

She had to make the 3 o'clock ferry. She would make the 3 o'clock ferry.

She ran toward the dock, following the signs leading to it. Right when she reached the end of the dock, she saw "O'Hare Ferries" labeled across the boat headed away from her.

Groaning and upset, she put her face in her hands.

"Damn it all," she mumbled. So she turned around and started walking the crowded streets again. She spotted a payphone and walked over to it. She inserted the coins, then dialed his number.

"Tris. Where are you?"

"Holyhead. And how did you know who it was?"