The Rules of the Red - 2014 Watty Award Winner |✓|

Chapter Five - Part Five

"I-I'm not sure." I said distractedly, but as my eyes traveled upwards to the rearview mirror, suddenly, I knew. Two white globes of LED headlights were fast approaching in the distance.

"Ethan," I said, from between gritted teeth. "Tidus, can you pull over? Please. I won't take off, I promise..."

He hesitated at first, but with a look of irritation, Tidus obliged and pulled over. Quickly, I got out of the car before he could say anything, and stomped a few yards away, waiting as the headlights of the other car drew closer. Fuming, I shook my head, as the new car pulled to a stop several feet before me. And Ethan emerged, from the driver's side door, looking just as angry and determined.

"Ethan, what the hell are you doing here?" I said, heatedly. "He said for me to come alone - you're gonna get me killed!"

"Did you really think I was just gonna sit back and let you run off with him?" he snapped, grabbing me by the arm and trying to force me back to his car. "Naomi, you don't even know this guy, and you definitely don't know what he's capable of..."

"Ethan, let me go! You need to leave -"

There was the rapid sound of a car door slamming, and the next second I felt a giant rushing of wind as I was involuntarily dragged backwards. And it all seemed to happen within the blink of an eye. One minute I was standing next to Ethan, and the next I was alone by Tidus' car, catching myself against it to keep from falling over. But after I steadied myself, I looked up and saw Tidus in my former place, and now squaring off with Ethan

"Oh, come on, Raines." Tidus said, in a goading voice. "You can lose more gracefully than this. We both know she's coming with me anyway, but don't worry, we're only doing business... mostly."

Without warning, Ethan snarled and lunged forward, but Tidus had anticipated. He disappeared, and Ethan staggered into thin air, regaining his balance a few seconds after Tidus rematerialized a few feet in front of him again.

"Ethan, let's just go - please!"

It was Addy that had spoken, and she hovered beside the open, passenger door of Ethan' car, with one foot still in and the other out. And in the wide, deer-like, roundness of her eyes, I could see that Addy knew she and Ethan had royally fucked up.

"You brought her here?" I said, glaring at Ethan.

"Naomi, I'm really, really sorry." Adelle said, sheepishly. "He showed up at the bar looking for you, and then Lucas told him what direction that he saw you leave in..."

"Take her home." I commanded, directing my attention back to Ethan who was still too busy looking dagger at Tidus to pay Adelle any mind. "Ethan take her home!"

"You should listen to her, friend." Tidus said, quietly, as he looked Ethan directly in the eye. "Go home, and stay there tonight. For now, that's the best you can do to keep her safe."

And just like that, the fight was over, and Ethan was backing down. But still glowering, he walked until he reached his car door. And I watched him slip inside the car again, along with Adelle, but not before she mouthed the words "I'm sorry". And as they drove off, all the anger and the worry that I had felt from Ethan (as well as the weird emotions of detachment and apathy that he had experienced at the end), faded into the distance that was put in between us.

"Using me to get to Ethan was pretty low." I said, as Tidus continued to remain where he was, with his hands in his pockets, and looking oddly satisfied. "You shouldn't have done that - it was wrong."

"Why? Was that really any worse than what he did to you to today?" Tidus replied, with a shrewd look.

"How do you know about that?" I said, slowly, although I knew the answer.

"I saw your face when you two were up on that stage." he said, pulling cigarettes and a lighter from his jeans. "You had no idea what you were getting yourself into. You were clueless - just like you are right now."

"From now on, I'll handle Ethan." I said, firmly disregarding what he had just said. "And for the record, I am sorry. I told them not to come."

"I'm sure you did." Tidus replied, blowing out a ring of smoke. And there was none of the rage or anger that I had expected to see. Instead, he was as blank and unreadable as ever.

"But that's the problem with having people that care about you, Naomi. They'll always be the ones that let you down the worst."

"And are you speaking from experience or just plain old wisdom?" I said, studying his face for a crack in the armor.

But Tidus either couldn't, or wouldn't answer.

"Let's go." he said instead. "Before there are any more... surprises..."

I scowled at his smartass reply, but nevertheless, I complied. Because something had happened that night to cause my fear of Tidus to abate almost completely. Sure, he may have taunted Ethan, and hurt my feelings, but he hadn't hurt my friends, even though he very well could have. No, instead of killing, Tidus was obviously taking strides to give me the chance to really prove myself to him.

But the only thing I couldn't figure out, was why.

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