Learning to Let Them In | Fourtris

Chapter 50

Epilogue

(5 years later)

"It's getting kind of late, Tobias. Don't you think we should head back home?"

The truth is, I don't want to go home, but we've been exploring Chicago for hours and it was probably time for us to head back. Plus, Christina forced heels on me earlier tonight, so my feet are aching.

Chris put me in a form-fitting, knee-length, black dress she bought for me, and, surprisingly, I liked it. But then she sat me down, curled my hair, did my makeup, and forced 3-inch heels on my feet, all of which I did not like. However, I do have to admit that I like the way I look with the makeup: It makes my eyes pop and my skin look flawless, which couldn't be further from the truth.

"Not yet. I have one more thing to show you," is his reply.

"What is it?" I ask.

"I can't tell you; it's a surprise. You'll just have to see it for yourself."

"But Tobias…" I whine.

He squeezes my hand and chuckles at my impatience. "Come on, you'll love it."

"Can you at least tell me how far it is from here?"

"It is a little ways away, but it won't take too long, and I know you'll love it. Please, Tris?" he says with a certain pleading in his tone that I can't help but cave.

I sigh. "Okay. Fine. You win. Let's go."

His face lights up and I smile at his change of mood. It blows my mind to know I can make him this happy, that I have this much control over his emotions.

He leads us to the outskirts of Chicago, and I can only hope he knows the way back home. Surely he does; it sounds like wherever he's leading us to isn't his first time at the location.

We're outside the city limits now, and he takes a sharp turn. I've been here alone before now on random explorations—not that I'd tell him due to his tendency to worry where I'm involved—but apparently, he has too. Especially considering I can't recall anything particularly interesting from my adventures, and he can.

My feet touch grass instead of cement a few moments later and I come to a stop. "Wait for a second, Tobias."

He stops and turns to me, confused. I let go of his hand, silently remove my heels, and sigh at the instant relief. I let the heels dangle as I soothe my aching feet, taking the time to feel the grass underneath me; I've always loved soft grass between my toes.

Tobias chuckles and takes my hand again. "Better?"

"Much," I reply with a satisfied grin.

We walk a bit slower than before, like we have all the time in the world. Everything is familiar to me thanks to my explorations, but then Tobias takes a turn into a large patch of trees that I somehow haven't noticed and I'm immediately lost.

"Tobias, where are we going?" I can't stop myself from asking as we walk deeper into the trees.

"You'll see."

We fall into a comfortable silence again. This was one of the things I loved about our relationship: We didn't have to talk to know that the other was listening. It's also one of the things I love about Tobias: He's there during everything I encounter without me asking him to be. Always.