Reconcile with Alice

You run into Alice walking back to her dorm, in a completely separate building than yours. Still you go after her and have to practically jump in front of her, she's walking fast.

"Wait," you say.

You expect an angry or impatient what is it? But instead you're greeted with quiet contemplation. Did she hear about how you made up with Brandon? She must have. You figured before that they talk a lot.

"I just want to let you know," you say. "I heard everything that you said. About how we're all kind of struggling. About how the Pandemic and lockdown and coming back is hard for us all. And that was why I went out of my way to try to...y'know, give Brandon another chance. Give myself another chance. And I'm really hoping..." You break off. You should have rehearsed this better.

But she finishes it. "...You're hoping that I could give you another chance, too."

"I mean, yeah," you bite your lip. "That's the idea."

She looks you up and down, frowning. Her eyes are wavering. "You know...like, I'm really bad at this. I really shouldn't be the person who is judging someone, and determining whether or not I should forgive them."

"Why not?" You say.

"Because I am totally inclined to forgive everyone. And that's not fair. I mean, some people don't deserve it. Other people do."

"Well, how about this," you say. "I won't even make the argument that I deserve it. I'll straight up admit that I deserve what you said to me before. And I'll admit that I'm trying to fix it. I fixed it with your brother, and now I'm fixing it with you."

She keeps carefully examining your face. Finally, she says. "It takes a lot of courage, you know. Honestly I couldn't do it. I'd probably just write off any chance of ever getting along with someone again after a first impression that bad."

"Yeah well," you shrug. "Maybe if I hadn't run into you..."

"You mean maybe if you hadn't chased me down."

"You were going fast."

"Yeah," she shrugs. "I hate being on campus. It makes me so anxious. And that's my problem. When I see someone else stressed out, I can't even take it. If I forgive you, will it make you feel better?"

"Don't forgive me just to make me feel better," you say.

"Fine. That's fair. Well..." she sighs. "I want to forgive you. Let's totally start over, okay?"

"Bet," you say. "I'm sorry for bothering you. You can go back to your dorm. I just...y'know, I needed to fix that, I guess. I hope it means something."

"It really does," she says, quietly. Her eyes lock onto yours.

"Have a great night," you say as you step away.

As you walk back to your own dorm, though, you feel her eyes on you. And you understand something. It's not like fully starting over. Not really, because the conversation that you just had pushed it to a level higher than that. How much higher, you really can't say.