Remade

Chapter 8

I didn't realize how long I was in the past until I find myself walking towards my room with the quickly setting sun behind me. When I finally make it to my building and go inside my dorm, Alison bounds up from her bed wringing her hands. "Bridget hi-"

I put up a hand and cut her off. "Save it Ali, I'm really tired."

"No," she takes my hands and has me sit down at the foot of my bed and she takes a seat next to me. "No, I have to say this before I ruin everything. I am so sorry for being a total... you know" she mouths the obscenity and I can't help but smile at Alison's uncommon sweetness. She's always been impulsive, one to speak her mind and has the smallest filter. "I guess I'm just jealous of your relationship with Stephan and Mason and everybody else. They all seem to care about you so much and you don't even have to try. I, on the other hand, have to do everything right all the time in order to have people give me the time of day. Stephan seems like a really nice guy and I'm really happy you met him but not as happy that you are here in the first place doing what you do, living with me, and being my best friend." She looks at me warily to read my expression. "See I-"

I squeeze her hands. "You've said enough. Thank you Alison, you have no idea how much this means to me." We hug and she looks at me smiling and a bit teary eyed. "I swear, I'll try to be better and not so insensitive with you and everybody, it's not fair for me to be this way."

"While that would be appreciated, we love you Ali, don't forget that," I smile tenderly at her. "Despite any flaws, we are all here for you and each other." Even as Alison hugs me again, even tighter than before, I can't help but be grateful that I didn't say more during my outburst earlier because then my friends would've been exposed to the insecure, emotional Bridget that even I'm not a big fan of. If only there was a way to get rid of that girl.

The next day it is finally our first time out in the field. I blow through my entire day, anxious and nervous for my first assignment. After Diel's class, I leave Mason for a quick bathroom break and walk up the stairs to the restroom. After sprinkling water onto my face a little, I walk out to a balcony and lean my elbows onto the barrier and look out for a little while and preparing myself for what I might see. At least I'll have Mason. And Stephan. Oh gosh Stephan. I push thoughts of him out of my head and walk down the stairs after a deep breath and am rewarded by almost stepping on him. "Hey, watch it!" he says curtly but when he looks up he stutters, "Oh gosh, Bridget I am so sorry I didn't know it was you and I was really surprised and--"

"Well I don't think this is okay. I cannot believe you had the nerve to talk to me like that!" I say indignantly, crossing my arms. Stephan looks up me with his eyes wide in shock.

I press my lips into a hard line and then burst out laughing. "I'm sorry, you should've seen your face!" I cover my mouth with my hand and sit down next to him. "Your eyes were as big as the moon!"

"That was sooo not funny," Stephan breathes out in relief and elbows me in the side.

I cup my hand over my ribs and giggle more. "Yes it was." I elbow him back.

Stephan tries to keep a straight face but he cracks into a huge smile.

"So should we go now?" Mason walks up to the staircase and leans against the handrail with his arms crossed as he looks at Stephan, then at me, and then does a double take at Stephan as if realizing who I was just sitting there with laughing my head off.

"Yeah let's go," I say still smiling and put up my hand so Mason can help me up. Mason takes my hand and seems to take a while to have me stand up and release my hand but he then stands next to me and goes back to crossing his arms.

Stephan stands up on his own, puts his hand in his pockets, and says, "Let's go then."

We walk toward the south entrance and then exit the Institute's grounds. I pull out the papers we received out of my bag and hand them to Mason. "What first, partner?"