Ch 313 - Making Amends

"Mr. Alex, that girl is awful," Callisto said, looking over at Alex, who was eating his lunch by the window. "How do you know her?"

"Oh…" Alex was tongue-tied for a moment. Then he said, "She used to be a friend."

"Hmm." Callisto looked skeptical. "Be careful with her. I suspect she's up to something."

Alex looked out of the window and saw Melissa picking the burger off the ground. She appeared to be doing her best to make sure there was no mess left behind. He had to admit to himself that he was impressed.

**

By ten o'clock in the evening, it was raining heavily. Alex called Debbie and checked that she was in the library with Celeste and Selene. When she said she hadn't taken an umbrella with her, Alex took three of them to the library.

Melissa had been watching Alex's every move from the window of the dormitory.

She sneered when she saw him leaving with three umbrellas. "Alex, if I keep treating you well, sooner or later you'll come around," she whispered.

She picked up a vacuum flask full of soup she had made, and then she walked out of the building.

Alex arrived at the library, but he couldn't get in because he wasn't a student, so he called Debbie and asked her to come out.

"Alex! There you are," Melissa said, smiling as she walked over to him. "I've been looking for you."

Alex frowned. Debbie was on her way, and he didn't want the two women to meet.

"What do you want?" he asked, scowling at her. "I don't want to see you, so please go away."

"I know you don't like me," Melissa said. "But I'm just trying to apologize." She held out the flask. "It's raining today, and I don't want you to catch a cold, so I've made some spicy lentil soup to warm you up."

"I'm fine," Alex said, opening the flask and taking a sniff. "You should go."

"Alex!" Debbie called, walking up to them. Celeste was following close behind her.

Alex and Melissa were both startled.

Debbie was stunned, and she froze in place, staring at Melissa.

After Debbie had recovered her memory, Alex had told her everything. He had explained that Melissa had been responsible for Lou Rork picking her up from the airport, and he had told her that Lou had almost killed her.

"Debbie! How are you?" Alex asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

Melissa gaped at them. She hadn't known that Debbie was in Baltimore. The last she had heard, Debbie had disappeared.

Now she understood why Alex was working as a university security guard.

Melissa knew Debbie must hate her, and that meant that Alex would hate her too. That would make it impossible to carry out the plan Chris had devised.

"Debbie, it's you!" Melissa said, walking over to her. "I'm sorry about what happened. I should never have listened to Lou Rork's lies, and I feel awful about what I did. Please let me make amends."

"Go away," Debbie said. "I don't want to see you." She had forgiven Melissa before only to be betrayed again. She had no faith in the woman and she didn't want to hear another round of fake apologies from her.

"Debbie, please give me another chance," Melissa said, taking Debbie's hand. "I really am sorry."

"Debbie has already told you to leave," Celeste said. "So why are you still here?" She didn't know the full story, but she could tell that Melissa had hurt Debbie. Annoyed, she pushed Melissa, knocking her to the ground and sending her umbrella flying.

Melissa landed right in a puddle, soaking her clothes, as the cold rain drenched her.

"Debbie, please forgive me," Melissa begged. "I was wrong. I shouldn't have been so awful to you at the talent show, and I shouldn't have faked Alex's phone number and allowed Lou to take you away. I've had a lot of time to think, and I'm disgusted by my behavior. Please give me a chance to make it up to you."

Melissa remained kneeling on the wet ground, blinking up at Debbie. The rain plastered her hair to her head, and she looked pitiful.

Debbie remembered training with Melissa when they had been part of the Dream Chasers. Although Melissa had bullied her every day, they had been band mates, and they had been through a lot together.

Later, when Debbie had been in hospital after the talent show, Melissa had taken good care of her.

Debbie was soft-hearted, and she didn't like to see Melissa like this. She decided to give her a chance. "Get up!" she said. "You're soaked." She leaned down to help Melissa up.

"Does this mean you've forgiven me?" Melissa asked in disbelief.

"Well… okay," Debbie said, nodding. "Get up."

"Thank you," Melissa said, allowing Debbie to help her up. She looked over at Alex. "Can you forgive me, Alex?"

Alex scowled at her. How could he possibly forgive her after all the awful things she had done to Debbie?

"Alex, let it go," Debbie said, going to him and wrapping her arms around him. "It's all in the past, and we should move on. Will you forgive her? For me?"

Alex looked helplessly at her. Debbie was far too kind, but how could he argue with her?

"Fine," Alex said grudgingly.

"From now on, we're friends," Debbie said to Melissa. "You can stop feeling guilty."

"Thank you," Melissa said, beaming at her. "Thank you for forgiving me!" She handed her flask to Debbie. "I made some spicy lentil soup. That should keep you warm."

"Well, first we have to get you into some dry clothes, or you'll get sick." Debbie said, taking Melissa's hand and leading her to the dormitory.

Alex walked back with them. As he watched them walking together, he sighed. Melissa seems to be repentant, he thought. I hope she genuinely wants to be Debbie's friend, but I'll have to warn her not to tell Debbie about the night we spent together.

Debbie took Melissa back to her dormitory and helped her dry off and change her clothes. They sat and chatted for a while, and then Debbie left. She was very happy to have sorted everything out with Melissa. She would rather have a friend than an enemy.

Once Debbie had left, the smile slid off Melissa's face.

"They let me kneel in the rain," she muttered. "I could have gotten sick! The things I do for Chris. Well, at least we're one step closer to getting revenge, and then they'll be sorry."