A Flight's Desire

Chapter 42: A Trip 'Round Town

When Robin woke up the next morning, she stretched her hands out and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She had had a great sleep after a really long time. She remembered a hazy dream that she had seen but she couldn't remember the exact details. But it revolves around her finding herself in a new world. It was a possible story idea that she had to try to remember.

She stood up from the couch and heard a soft thud on the floor. She looked at the floor and frowned for a second. The quilt that was usually over the couch was now on the floor. She gasped softly when she realised that Ben must have done that for her. That only made her heart ache. She had been so soon to tell him that they couldn't happen at that time. But she had made the right choice as far as she knew, and she was going to trust herself with it.

"Good morning!" Ben wished her as he walked out of the room.

"H-hey!" She gave him an awkward wave. "I'm so sorry. I can't believe that I slept off!"

"Don't worry about it." He waved his hand down. "Thank you for giving me the key. That was a great decision. Otherwise I would have had to wake you up." He smiled. "Good sleep?"

She nodded. "After a long time as well."

"I'm glad that I didn't trouble you then." Robin asked Ben about his schedule and he gave her the overall idea about it. "I may have to leave instantly if they call me for a reshoot or something since we have only two weeks' time."

"I was thinking about something and I was wondering what your feelings were about it," she said. "Since you showed me around London, it is only fair that I show you around my town. So Mr. Summers, can I have two days of your time to show you around the real Budapest?"

Ben looked at her excitement and couldn't refuse. Besides, he wanted to be shown around the city. And going with Robin was the best decision that he made. And so, the two of them had a quick breakfast at the cafe opposite her house after which, they made their way around the beautiful city.

Robin took Ben on the ferry rides to see the Buda Castle and the Hungarian Parliament Building. They took photos with each other but more importantly, she told him all the facts that she knew about Budapest. "I know that they say that it's impossible to know everything about a city and not to brag, but I know everything about this city."

Ben mentally noted down the facts that she was telling him as they went on their first day of trip around Budapest. They took a cable car ride to the Budapest Castle Hill. Around lunch time, he bought them sandwiches, which they ate while sitting on a bench that was laid out.

As they were finishing their food, there was an old man sitting under the shade of trees who was holding balloons in his hands. Robin had noticed him many times but she never stopped by to talk to him. She stood up from the bench and walked over to him. He watched her go, curious to see what she was going to do. She was easily the most unexpected person that he had met because she sat down next to him and started to make conversation. She handed the man some money and kissed his cheek. A little girl of ten hopped to them and Robin pulled her into a hug as if she had known them for a long time.

Robin stood up after a minute and waved at the old man and the girl. "Köszönöm and viszlát!"

She sat back down next to Ben with the balloons in her hand and Ben realised that he hadn't taken his sight off of her for once. "You know?" He started. "You are an amazing person."

Robin frowned at him. "He had bought the balloons for his granddaughter but she said that she was too old for them. I told him that I loved them and wouldn't mind buying it from him. That's all."

Ben smiled. "Can I hold them for you?" Robin handed him the balloon and opened the ice-cream tub that they had bought for themselves. "You're right. Balloons are lovely."

After lunch, she took him to the museum and they spent some time there before he had to leave for a night shoot. She showed him her favourite paintings and sculptures and told him the history behind each piece. Ben asked her how she remembered everything and she had told him that for a college assignment, she had chosen to write about the beauty of Budapest. "I was one of the only people who chose a city that they weren't from."

"So you didn't study college here?"

"Nope." She said, making the 'p' pop. "I studied at Stanford."

Ben raised his hands in the air as if he had given up. "You know what? I'm not even surprised anymore. Of course you studied at Stanford."

She hit his arm playfully. "Hey, what is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, come on. You are a very accomplished writer and you're only in your late twenties. Your book is on the New York Times' Bestseller list and it is being made into a movie even before the sequel is out. And...." Ben wondered if he should continue to talk. "You're a wonderful person."

Robin had to compose herself to turn from Ben. "I could say the same things about you, you know?" She said. "But you would have to face Robin Hale 'the fangirl' and not Robin Hale 'the friend'. So I'm going to keep my mouth shut."

Ben got a call from Mendoza before he could say anything, where he was called on the set to film a particular confrontation scene. "I have to go now." They were only halfway through their trip but he had told her that he might have to cut their trip short.

"Go! They need you." But before he left, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and he ran towards the Budapest Keleti Railway Station. "Run, Ben. Run!" Robin cheered for him.

Ben found himself smiling like an idiot when he was inside a taxi and on his way to the filming location. He hadn't gotten a chance to talk to her but he was not going to let go of any opportunity the next day.