News With The Neverseen

Episode 18

Gethen's POV

"Gethen?" A tap on the shoulder startled me out of my daydreaming.

My vision cleared to reveal Fintan standing over me.

"We need to talk," he said.

I gulped and sat up in my chair. "Uh, sure."

"Gisela informed me yesterday that you received a threat via Q&A a few days ago."

"She snitched? Really?"

Fintan ignored me and continued. "I've put many preventative measures in place. For starters, you need to have someone else with you at all times."

I groaned.

"Thankfully, I asked around, and Umber happily volunteered for the role."

I sat up. "Umber?"

Fintan nodded. "Yes. But I'm sure Gisela would do it if I–"

"No!" I said quickly. "It's fine!" Fintan frowned. "You sure?"

"Of course!" I nodded a few more times than necessary.

"Alright. On to other matters–everyone must scan their passes in order to use the elevator."

"Sensible." I nodded. "Are we done here?"

Fintan sighed. "One more thing–in the case that something like this happens again, I need you to inform me right away."

"Yes, mom."

Fintan rolled his eyes. "One day, you'll understand why I'm doing all this."

"Sure," I said sarcastically.

"See ya, Gethen." Fintan waved me out the door.

+++

"Gisela!" I said, running to catch up with her before she entered the elevator. "I need to talk to you!" Effectively, Gisela stopped. "About what?"

"You told Fintan about my–erm–issue."

Gisela squinted at me. "You mean the d/eath threat?"

I nodded angrily. "It was none of your business."

Gisela put her hands on her hips. "Actually, your safety is my business. You're my, uh... friend." Gisela hesitated.

I know what you're thinking, but I only had eyes for Umber. Gisela was just a friend.

"Thanks for caring, but next time, let me be the one to tell Fintan." I conceded.

Gisela rolled her eyes. "Fine. But let's hope there isn't a next time."

I tapped the elevator call button and leaned against the wall. "Noted."

Gisela blinked and looked away.

The elevator doors opened, and we both stepped inside.

"Everything okay?" I asked Gisela. She was looking at the wall, her hands gripping the rail so tightly that her knuckles were white.

"Yeah." Gisela's grip on the rail loosened ever so slightly. "Of course. But Gethen, about Umber–"

"Wait." I held up my hand as the elevator slowed to a stop. "You brought your pass, right?"

"No. Why?"

"Oh, no." I began to madly press the open door button over and over again, but it didn't comply. "We're stuck in here." I pressed my hand over my chest in an attempt to prevent hyperventilation.

Gisela couldn't have looked any less concerned.

"Call Fintan," she suggested.

My shaking hands reached for my pockets. "I-I haven't bought a replacement BlackBerry yet."

"Okay, I'll use mine." Gisela pulled out her phone. She clicked a few buttons, but nothing seemed to happen. "No cell service here. But that's okay. We're fine."

She seemed to be trying to convince herself as much as me.

I nodded, hoping I didn't look as freaked out as I felt.

"So, uh, how was your day?" Gisela asked, trying to make conversation.

"F-F-Fine," I replied. "How about you?"

Gisela nodded. "Same."

We sat in silence before I thought to speak up.

"Listen, Gisela, I'm sorry about getting so angry at you last month. I was just–"

"It's fine," Gisela assured me. "I would have done the same thing. What I did was unforgivable."

"It's such a coincidence that someone named Umber has come to work with us," I commented. "It must be a more common name than I thought."

It might have been my imagination, but I could have sworn that Gisela grimaced. "Yeah, I guess so." She sat down on the elevator floor. "This might be a while. Might as well sit."

I sat down next to her. "What if they never come to save us?"

Gisela gulped. "I'll get cell service eventually. Besides, you're the host. They need you."

"It doesn't really feel that way." I frowned. "Sometimes I feel like I could leave and never come back. It's not like anyone would notice."

Gisela took my hand. "I'd notice." Gisela's blue eyes met mine, and a hundred lightning bolts went down my spine.

"Um..." I mumbled. No matter how hard I tried, my eyes couldn't leave Gisela's. I didn't know what was happening, but Gisela's face seemed to be getting closer to mine...

The doors pinged open.

"Gisela? Gethen?" Umber's face was pure shock.

[A/N: It was so fun to write this scene. For some reason, it's way easier for me to write romance in chapter fanfictions than in one-shots.]