The Rules of the Red - 2nd Edition |✓|

Chapter Eight, Part Two - Push Me Pull Me

Later, at the airport, I picked up my ticket and dropped off my bags before choosing a lone seat in the terminal. I wanted to be isolated so that I could discreetly panic about my decision to go with Tidus. Suddenly I wasn't so confident I was doing the right thing. Reason dictated I had no business being there and demanded I sprint for the nearest exit. But at the same time, something else held me rooted to the spot. There was an intrigue about him-a mysteriousness to our linked pasts-that left me with a craving for answers...

"Having second thoughts?"

Tidus' voice sent my heart into a frenzy. He stood behind me, in the aisle that separated the two groups of blue, plastic chairs. Ray-Ban shades hid his eyes, but the tiny, half-smile on his lips said he knew exactly what I was thinking.

That night he was attractive as always, dressed in a pair of grey jeans with matching Converse, and a thin, pea coat. Still smirking, he plucked out his earphones and wrapped the cord around a small, white IPod.

"Funny, you didn't strike me as an Eminem fan."

"And you didn't strike me as a flight-risk, yet here we are..." He removed his sunglasses. "I saw that look on your face thirty seconds ago. You aren't sure you wanna be here."

I decided to skip the formalities and go straight for the jugular of the conversation. "I found out about my great-grandmother and your brother. And now... I can't help feeling like maybe that's why you're so unwilling to trust me. Like maybe this is about more than just the visions." Tidus said nothing. He merely stood there, with his face unreadable as always. "I just wanna know-are you planning on using me to somehow get revenge for Caspian? Is that why I'm here?"

"My apologies. I assumed you were aware of situation that transpired between our families."

I searched his face for answers. "How well did you know my grandmother?"

"Well enough. When Caspian and I first met Sully she was young - too young. Her father, Edward, was the Pack Elder and extremely involved in her life. He made a plan for her: she would graduate high school, attend college at the campus in town, marry an Alpha, and take over the Eldership when her father was ready to retire."

"Sounds just as restricting as the first time I heard it." I said quietly. "So how did Sully and Caspian get involved with each other? And why did Caspian..."

"The only thing my brother was guilty of was trusting her. He never attacked Sully."

Tidus was finally starting to show emotion-the smallest flicker of sadness. It was brief, but there all the same.

"Then what really happened? How did they both end up dead?"

For a few seconds, Tidus shut down completely and it didn't seem like he would answer. But I continued to wait patiently. I had all the time in the world for this and I wouldn't let him off the hook.

"Cas had feelings for Sully, but she didn't completely reject him. Instead she capitalized on it. She used him like she used James. But Sully didn't love either of them. She wanted someone else..."