Free Rein

|Chapter Thirty-Two|

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-London, England-
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Tris graduated KCL on May 2nd, 2020. The only thing on her mind at the time was that she only had about two and a half months until she saw Tobias again.

Even when she dated Fernando, she couldn't wait to see Tobias. She and Fernando had dated her freshman and sophomore years, but she felt like it wasn't clicking like it was with Tobias.

However, Tris had just opened her photography shop on May 23rd and that was where she was just then. She was about to close shop up; she just needed to finish editing a couple's wedding pictures. She was doing extremely well business-wise. And, if she had to be honest, she couldn't be happier. She'd made some friends too. Zeke, Will, Shauna, Marlene, and, ironically enough, she ran into Uriah and they become real friends. And, of course, Christina and her were still close because Chris had made it into KCL too.

So Tris saved the pictures she was editing when she heard the bell ring signaling someone had entered shop. Since she was in the back in her office, she yelled, "I'll be with you in one second!"

And, strangely enough, after four years of living in London, she developed a true english accent. She didn't realize it until she talked to Tori, a former bodyguard, and she told her she had an accent.

Tris went to the front of her shop where customers usually waited. There was only one man with a very large grin on his face, making her stop in her tracks.

"You named it 'Winklepickers'?" he asked in that absolutely endearing accent of his, even though Tris was used to it after years of England.

She grinned, squealed, and ran into him, hugging him. He wasn't expecting it, but he wasn't complaining.

"I can't believe you're here!" she exclaimed.

Tobias pulled back, still grinning. "I'll admit, I lost all hope when I heard your voice. Your accent...it totally threw me off. And I can't believe you named this place Winklepickers," he said with a chuckle.

"Of course I named it Winklepickers," she said, crossing her arms with a silly grin.

"You still say it cute," he said shyly, looking down.

Tris observed him for a few seconds. He was wearing a leather jacket over a plain dark gray shirt with jeans, plus a ball cap.

"And somehow you managed to get even taller," she said with a chuckled.

"And somehow you managed to get even shorter," he retorted with a smirk.

She just smiled even more.

"So—," they both said at the same time.

"You first," Tobias said.

"So, I was, uh, just about to close up shop. Do you, maybe, um, want to grab a bite to eat?" she asked nervously.

He grinned. "This is, assuming I don't have a girlfriend."

"Oh. Oh god, I'm sorry. I—"

"But your assumption was correct. I am very, very single and I'm really, really hoping you are too."

She smiled. "Yes. I am, actually."

He took a step closer to her. "Um, I know we can't start exactly where we left off, but I'd really like if I could—"

Tris neared him, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him, cutting him off. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. She soon pulled back though.

"—kiss you," he finished with a chuckle.

She grinned and stepped away. "That's the only one for a while. We get to catch up a little tonight, talk about what happened four years ago, and then... we'll see what happens from there," she said with a smirk. "I just really couldn't resist when you were standing that close."

"I'll have to remember to stand that close more often," he said, a silly smirk planted on his face.

There was a pause, then she asked, "Shall we be going?"

They walked toward the door, Tobias holding it open for her.

"Where to?" she asked.

"The Bloody Bucket," he said. "It's a pub, but that's okay, right?"

"I love that place!" she said excitedly. "How've I not seen you there? I go there at least three times a week. Once with my friends, twice after work cause it's right around the corner."

"How've we not run into each other?" he asked, chuckling.

"I don't know, but I wish it was sooner," she said, smiling up at him.

• • • •
Three chapters after this.