A Flight's Desire

Chapter 43: A Toast To Trying

The second day to show Ben around arrived way too quickly. Both Ben and Robin couldn't sleep properly that night because they were quite aware of the other's presence only a few feet away from where they were. Did they really mean what they had told each other? What happened to them? They had been so ready to fight for each other back in New York. Why were there so many barriers that were separating the two? Robin kept turning the lights of the table lamp on and off while Ben was staring at the ceiling and tossing about. Both of them knew what they were getting into when they decided to stay together for two weeks. But why was it harder than they thought it would be?

The next morning, both of them pretended that they were okay and went on with that day. Robin had planned out a detailed tour of the rest of the places that she had to take Ben to. She also marked the restaurant that they would have lunch in. "You'll love their lemonade. I know that it is a little drink but getting a perfect one is very hard and they have perfected it."

The entire time of the tour, Ben was gathering up the courage to start the conversation about him and Robin again, but she was so interested in showing him the city that he kept mum. They walked over the entirety of the bridge and Ben had no recollection of the silly audition that had brought him to Budapest in the first place. He was grateful to it really, because how would he have met Robin then? He was glad that he hadn't gotten that job.

He tried to listen to her facts about the places that they visited but he really wanted to reveal his feelings. He didn't know how to do that without sounding like a complete pompous because what if Robin hadn't been lying? What if she really did want them to press pause?

But he had lied when she had suggested then, and he owed her the truth.

And he deserved the truth as well.

She showed him around a flower garden, after which they walked over to the restaurant that Robin had mentioned and as always, she was absolutely right. The lemonade was indeed perfect. It was almost enough for him to forget what was running through his head. Almost.

When it was almost evening, they took a cab back to her home. He wondered what was running in her mind, because she was looking out the window like she had when they were in Amsterdam. She was fascinated by the lights, but he was fascinated by her.

Once they were in the safe spaces of her apartment, Ben knew. He saw her open the apartment and place the keys in its place at the bowl near the door. She walked into the room and removed her shoes with such a grace that he knew. He knew that she was the person that was his other half and that he had to open his mouth.

The entire day, Robin tried her best to hide her real feelings towards Ben, much like he had. She didn't push the boundaries that were pre-set between them and she didn't do anything to lead him on. She tried not to look at him too much and instead concentrate on the life of her city. She had told him that she wanted to press pause, but she didn't believe herself.

So when Ben placed a hand on her arm and made her turn around, she was glad in a way, because she didn't know how long she could go with lying to herself and him. "Robin?" He started. "I need to tell you something."

The tension in the room increased. The passing lights illuminated it but there was no need for it. Ben looked quite serious and Robin had only ever seen him look like that in the action movies that he had acted in.

"Sure," She said, hoping that her voice hadn't shaken. "What's up?"

Ben took one more breath. This was it. He was going to take the leap of faith and no matter what happened, he was going to go to the other side happy that he didn't hide his feelings. "I don't want to press pause....on us." Robin blinked, her jaw falling open slightly. "Robin," he took both her hands in his. "I've never felt this way before. It's very rare that I can bring myself to trust someone so much that when I think about my life, I can see them be a part of it."

Robin's cheeks were threatening to heat up. She didn't want them to but her ears were definitely reddening. "Ben...."

"I can take things slow. Believe me, I can! But I can't lose the way that I feel about you. I really like you, Robin and....I can't do this. I can't....pretend not to have deep feelings for you." He took another breath because what he was going to say next was going to break his heart. "If you want something else, I won't bother you anymore and-"

Ben stopped talking because Robin dropped her head to look at the floor. Her shoulder shook just for a moment that he was sure was a trick of his eyes. "Robin?"

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "I can't do this either." She broke down, not caring that she was crying before him. It was about time that she opened up her emotions to someone, and she was grateful that it was to Ben.

He was confused, but it was a good confusion. It was a great confusion even. This was the first time he was seeing her cry and all he wanted was to catch the tears before they could fall to the ground. "But I thought-"

"I can't hide how I feel about you, Ben."

He let out a breath of relief and moved closer to her. He lifted his hands up and held the nape of her neck. "So, Miss Hale...." he whispered, wiping the tears falling down her cheeks. "You lied."

She sniffed. "So did you."

He couldn't help but smile softly at her. "Aye, I did." He placed a kiss on her forehead and then wrapped his arms around her, letting her open her emotions to him. "I'm willing to give this whole dating thing a try....if it's with you."

She looked up at him and sniffed again. "Well then." She composed herself. "I guess we have waited long enough for each other."

Ben couldn't resist. He pulled her into a kiss. He still remembered how scared he had been the first time he did it. He may have fulfilled her wish but what she did not know was that she was his biggest wish, and that night, she had given him that as well.

Robin broke the kiss and rested her forehead against his. "So...." She cleared her throat, her thoughts muffled altogether. "That's what a kiss from Mr. Ben Summers feels like."

Ben smiled and kissed her once again. "You could say that."

The two of them got ready for bed then. It was getting late and both of them had work that morning. Before Ben closed the doors to the room, he took a long glance at Robin straightening the sheet placed on top of her sofa. She smiled at him and his heart warmed up.

Their journey had begun long ago, but their paths were finally intertwining, and they weren't going to let them diverge.