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

Chapter Ten - Part One

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CHAPTER TEN

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Tidus and I returned to the Waldorf, where I managed to doze in my room for a few hours. And when my nerves wouldn't allow me to rest any longer, I laid in my bed and watched the northern sun finally overtaken by the night. But when Tidus knocked on the door, I was already dressed and waiting. It was now a half hour to midnight, and the time to return to the museum was near at hand.

"Ready?" he asked, looking at me with expectation after I opened the door.

No. No, I wasn't ready for this at all. But looking into his handsome face and seeing the look of cool confidence that he maintained, it was easy for some of that to rub off on me.

"Um, yes." I said, and hesitated, wondering how his eyes could cause me to go so blank. "But before we go, I think I wanna talk to you about something."

"Ok." he said, simply, and waited.

"Well," I began, and took a deep breath. "A few months ago I got an anonymous note on my doorstep, warning me. And up until today, I was worried that maybe it had something to do with you or even the Council, but..."

"But now, after what we talked about at dinner, you aren't so sure it has anything to do with me anymore, right?" he finished, looking through me as he scratched his head in thought.

"Right." I repeated.

"Naomi, you might have every reason to be afraid of me, but I can assure you – you're extremely low on Council radar."

I nodded, feeling a small wave of relief. The Council was only one less problem that I had to worry about. There was still the Elder, and now the impending task that had been set before me by Tidus. And unfortunately, I had a strong feeling that my problems in Harbor were only just beginning.

"What's wrong with you?" Tidus suddenly asked, causing me to look at him sharply. But what I saw surprised me. It was intrigue on his face, and admiration too, as if maybe he was starting to finally take me seriously.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, clearing my throat and straightening my shoulders in self-consciousness.

"What I mean, is that you're either one of the bravest girls I've ever met... or the dumbest."

"Dumb. Definitely dumb." I replied. "I'm supposed to walk away from you after we clear up the visions, but instead, I'm sticking around because you might really be able to help me get something I want. So that makes me dumb, and probably selfish too."

"Yeah," Tidus said, with a small smile. "But I believe the first step to curing dumbness is being able to actually admit that you're dumb. So, I'd say you're well on your way to the road of recovery, Naomi."

I rolled my eyes and then walked past him out of the room, hiding the grin that blossomed across my face. Because I was pretty sure that somehow, that had started out as a compliment.

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We left the hotel and hailed the first cab we saw. And sitting next to him in the backseat, it felt like every hair across my arms and neck was raised in salute to the goose bumps that came along with them. I was nervous, although I would never dare to admit it aloud. Tidus seemed so sure that everything would go smoothly, but doubt still wriggled in the back of my mind. But just as I was hoping my edginess wouldn't show, I jumped at the sound and feel of my phone vibrating in my pocket. With an apologetic grin to Tidus, I freed the phone and quickly read Adelle's message.

charles knows you're in new york with a guy! he asked me who, but i didn't tell him.

Thanks Addy. Screen his calls until tomorrow. Will update then.