( I'm a huge rouge and knux fan so what happens in this chapter won't stay that way! )
Two weeks earlier
Without warning Rouge pulled her car over to the curb and cut the headlights. She turned quickly toward the passenger side and watched Knuckles' face fill with surprise.
"Hey ---" His violet eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What's the big idea?"
She studied his face as if seeing him for the first time. His hair so Red and down. He had large, violet eyes, serious eyes. He was broad chested, with powerful arms.
Knuckles thinks he's tough, Rouge thought.
I hope for his sake that he is.
She'd been going out with Knuckles the echidna for more than six months, but studying him now, he seemed a stranger to her.
He's not my type at all, she thought. He's so crude, so coarse. Why did I waste so much time going out with him?
"Rouge, how come you parked the car?" he asked. I guess he was just a phase I was going through, Rouge thought.
Or rather, a phase I went through.
She gripped the wheel with both hands and stretched.
Beyond the streetlight she could see only bare-limbed trees, bending and shifting in a swift, wintry breeze. She must have pulled over near a small park or some woods. She wasn't sure where she was.
It didn't really matter.
"We have to talk," she said, keeping her voice low and steady, staring into his eyes. It sounded so cornball. This whole thing was cornball, Rouge thought.
She decided to play it out for its amusement value. "Talk? What about?" he asked, rubbing his face with his hand.
"Us," she said, making her voice dramatic, trying to sound as if she were struggling to hold back a flood of emotion.
For some reason he grinned at her. "I like that topic," he said, leaning toward her, reaching for her hand.
But she kept her hand wrapped hard around the steering wheel. Her features tightened, and she fixed him with a cold stare. "I've decided you and I are through," she said.
Mercilessly she kept her eyes on his features. She wanted to enjoy his reaction.
A shock wave of surprise contorted his face. His eyes went wide. His mouth dropped open. "Huh?" I guess I surprised him, Rouge thought, feeling pleased. I just hope he doesn't make a big deal out of this.
Suddenly apprehensive, she felt the same sense of danger that attracted her to Knuckles in the first place. He was a nice guy most of the time, she had to admit -- warm, caring, kind of innocent in a way. But she liked the angry side of him too. Once, he'd punched his fist through the screen door because she refused to go to a dumb Arnold Schwarzenegger movie with him.
She had surprised herself by discovering how much she enjoyed watching him explode. Opposites attract, they say, and Knuckles was certainly her opposite. She was always so calm, so controlled, so thoughtful about everything she did or said.
At times she admired his spontaneity, the way he just acted without thinking. But more and more often lately, she found herself secretly laughing at him. He was just such a Neanderthal.
"Hey -- What are you talking about?" Knuckles asked, rubbing her shoulder. "You mad at me or something?"
"I wish you'd stop pawing me," Rouge snapped. "No, I'm not mad at you or something. We've just had it. It's over."
He pulled his hand away and shifted his long legs uncomfortably. "What are you talking about?" She could see anger smoldering in his violet eyes.
Maybe I should have done this in a more public place, Rouge thought, glancing out at the dark trees. Not a single car had come by the whole time.
What if Knuckles decides to get violent?
"Let's not make a big deal out of this," she told him, rolling her eyes.
"But it is a big deal – to me," he insisted, a little embarrassed at having reveal so much emotion. Rouge yawned. "It's nothing personal," she said, glancing at the clock on the dashboard: 8:06.
I've got to get this over with, she told herself. I promised the president I'd pick him up at the store at eight. The president will be pleased that I'm breaking up with Knuckles, she thought. He never could understand why I went out with him in the first place.
"But why?" Knuckles was pleading. "At least tell me why."
Honey, you're to big to whine like that, Rouge thought cruelly. I like you so much better when you're macho and tough.
"Knuckles, please –" she started, acting like she were the injured party. "Give me a break – okay?"
"But why do you want to break up with me?" he insisted, his voice shaking as he started to lose control.
"I just decided to start the New Year with someone more interesting."
What a zinger! Rouge thought.
She'd been rehearsing that line all afternoon. At the last minute she'd decided it was much too cruel. But – she couldn't resist.
Knuckles dropped back against the seat as if he'd been shot. "Whoa!" he said sadly. Then unexpectedly he lunged toward her and grabbed her shoulder angrily.
"Rouge, don't – "
Was he going to hurt her?
Was he going to fly out of control? Let her have it the way he gave it to the screen door?
She decided to beat him at his own game. "Let go of me!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.
Her outcry worked. Startled, he let go.
"You'll be sorry about this, Rouge," he said, his voice trembling. He turned and stared straight ahead, unable to look at her, unwilling to let her see the emotion on his face.
Oh, brother! Rouge groaned to herself. If he starts to cry, I'll puke.
"You'll be sorry," he repeated, still peering out through the dark windshield.
She popped the automatic door locks.
This wasn't as much fun as I thought it would be, Rouge thought, brushing her fur back. I thought he'd at least come back at me with some arguments. I didn't think he'd sit there sniffling like a wimp and threatening me in that whiny voice.
A surprising thought crept in her mind; maybe he really cares about me. She dismissed it quickly.
Who cares?
What do I need him for?
"Rouge, you can't do this to me," Knuckles said, facing her finally, his features tight with anger.
"I've got to run," she said coldly. She reached across him, pulled the handle, and pushed his door open. "Take a walk, Knuckles."
He hesitated, staring at her with his violet eyes, angry eyes. She could see that he was thinking hard, trying to decide what to do, what to say to her.
"You'll be sorry," he said.
"Take a walk," she repeated cruelly, pressing her foot down impatiently on the gas pedal gunning the engine.
He glared at her one last time, then slid out of the car and slammed the door behind him.
Rouge switched on the headlights and shifted into drive. She started to pull away, then stopped and slid down her window. "Oh, Knuckles! Knuckles!" she called to him.
His hands on his hips, a grim expression on his face, he jogged slowly up to her door. "Yeah? What?"
"Happy Holidays!" she said cheerfully. Then, laughing, she floored the gas pedal and roared away, leaving him standing in the street like a total fool.
A total fool!
The car hummed smoothly toward town, warm air billowing from the heater vents. The trees gave way to brightly-lit houses, many of them already decorated for Christmas.
Feeling relieved and very pleased at how it had gone, Rouge relaxed, enjoying the feeling of freedom, of being by herself, of moving so smoothly, so effortlessly through the night.
I'm free, she thought. As free as the wind.
She scolded herself for having such cornball thoughts. But it was true, she realized. For the first time in six months she was free to go out with anyone. With everyone!
Who would she go out with?
She didn't have long to ponder the question for long, Shadow the hedgehog. She'd been thinking about Shadow for quite a while.
Shadow is really cute, she thought, picturing him. His thick red and black fur. That evil smile.
Yes. Shadow the hedgehog. A good prospect.
I'll bet I can take him away from that drippy Maria Robotnik, Rouge thought with a smile.
She clicked on the radio and immediately recognized the song that came on. It was 'silent night," a lush instrumental version. Turning onto a street, stores and offices rolling by on both sides, Rouge began to sing along.
Such a beautiful song, she thought.
Singing loudly, she tried to block out her thoughts about Knuckles, but couldn't. He was having a silent night right then. He was walking home in silence!
Thinking about it made her laugh again.
She was still chuckling when she reached the president's and pulled the white car into the executive parking lot.
The store had closed at six. Rouge entered through the security guard's door. The uniformed guard was seated at a low table with his feet up, concentrating on a basketball game on the radio. He raised his eyes and, recognizing her, gave her a nod and returned to his game.
Tough security around here, Rouge thought scornfully, hurrying through the narrow back corridor toward the main floor. As she stepped into the vast, empty one store, dark except for a row of dim night-lights against one wall, her old fear returned.
Just chill out! She scolded herself. You're supposed to be tough.
But she couldn't control the heaviness in her stomach, the tightening of her neck muscles, the constriction of her lungs.
It wasn't fear of the dark, she knew.
And it wasn't a fear of being by herself.
It wasn't a fear that could easily be pinned down.
Cold perspiration covered her forehead.
Her hands felt like ice.
Her brain began to spin crazy thought.
Everyone has phobias, she told herself, forcing herself to take a deep breaths to slow the heavy thudding of her heart. She made her way past the perfume and the cosmetics counters to the employees' elevator.
Everyone has irrational fears.
She stopped and leaned against a glass counter filled with costume jewelry. Wiping perspiration off her forehead with her glove, she let her eyes wander over the store.
Nothing moved.
Silence.
Silent night, she thought.
Why am I so afraid?
She forced herself to start moving again toward the elevator against the back wall. She knew she'd be fine once she was in the offices on the sixth floor, once she was with the president.
After all, it wasn't the first time she'd met him after closing.
Rouge gasped as something grabbed her from behind.