~Chapter Nineteen~

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↳-The Present-༉‧₊˚✧

Back at the dormitory, the two girls did their best to relax in their temporary room

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Back at the dormitory, the two girls did their best to relax in their temporary room. The quarters were spacious, with two canopy beds, where the girls had tossed their jackets. Chloe paced around the room, processing the new information she had on her mother.

"Where could that book be?" she wondered aloud. "Who could we ask? Not Ella. I still can't believe how awful her family was to her. I just don't understand how someone grows up like that and turns into ... my mom! How can one person change so much?"

Red was lying on her back on top of her bed. "Tell me about it. My mom changed her entire personality. It's like everything she does now is to make people afraid of her and hide the fact that she used to actually be nice," Red said.

"Well, whatever we do, we have to make sure that she stays that way. My mom's life depends on it." When Red gave Chloe a confused look, Chloe continued. "Think about it. What if your mom had grown up to be like Bridget?"

"You mean completely clueless?"

"Or kind, generous, and openhearted," Chloe said. "She wouldn't have become a tyrant!"

Red slowly realized the ramifications of a Bridget who never turned evil. Obviously, it would have helped the entire world, but the change it would have caused in Red's own little world was almost unimaginable.

Almost.

"I could eat what I want. And sleep when I want. And wear what I want. And be what I want. I'd be free of my mom. And her rules. And her judgy face..."

"She might not be judgy at all," said Chloe. "She might be loving, and kind."

"It doesn't matter," Red said, shaking her head. "It's not like I actually care about that."
But the truth was that Red desperately wanted that. She just couldn't admit it to herself, let alone another person.

She hated to acknowledge it, but she was starting to long for a future where her mom was more like Bridget.

But Chloe wasn't letting her off easy. "I think... maybe you do." She went to her jacket and pulled the watch out of its pocket. "What if the watch brought us back here because what you really want is ... a mom-who can love you the way that you are? A mom more like Bridget?"

It wasn't even a question. Red's armor cracked then and there. She tried to hold back the emotion, but a tear formed in the corner of her eye and betrayed her.

Chloe had seen into her heart.

Because Chloe was starting to know Red all too well, she also knew to crack a joke so Red could carefully tuck her feelings away for the time being.

"She'd probably still be making cupcakes!" Chloe said with a laugh.

But joke aside, the comment sparked something in Red an idea.

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