First steps towards trust
On Sunday morning, the day after Red's nightmare, she woke up first. When she opened her eyes, she saw Chloe asleep on a chair, her head resting on the edge of her bed. Red looked at her friend, realizing that Chloe was not in the most comfortable position. She decided to wake her up with a delicacy she did not know she had.
Red approached gently and placed a light hand on Chloe's shoulder. "Hey, Chloe... it's time to get up," she whispered, hoping not to startle her.
Chloe slowly opened her eyes, realizing her uncomfortable position. She couldn't help but blush slightly. "Oh... sorry, I fell asleep here," she stammered, embarrassed.
Red, seeing Chloe's embarrassment, tried to lighten the mood in her own way. "Don't worry, I'm not going to charge you rent for squatting in my bed. » An amused smile played on her lips.
Chloe laughed softly, relieved by Red's humor. "Thanks for waking me up."
They quickly got ready for the day. Chloe chose a light blue dress with gold patterns, reflecting her taste for elegance and finesse. Red opted for black jeans and a red shirt, with his trusty leather jacket over it. Once ready, they went to the cafeteria to have breakfast.
As they entered the cafeteria, they were quickly joined by Ella and Bridget. The friends immediately noticed that Red seemed a little more comfortable with Chloe. "Hey, girls!" Ella exclaimed. "Did you sleep well?"
Chloe replied cheerfully. "Yes, quite well." She glanced at Red, who nodded with a half-smile.
Bridget, observing the dynamic between them, made a teasing remark. "Red, you seem more relaxed this morning. Did Chloe perform miracles during the night?"
Red, although still reserved, replied with a hint of sarcasm. "Yes, she has magical powers that I just discovered."
Chloe felt her heart warm at seeing this. It was clear that this night had changed something between them. Red was finally starting to trust her and feel a little more comfortable with her. This filled Chloe with happiness.
Breakfast took place in a warm and relaxed atmosphere. Conversations were punctuated by laughter and jokes, and Red, although still in the background, participated a little more actively. Chloe savored each moment, happy to see her friend's progress.
Later in the morning, Chloe slipped away to make her weekly phone call to her mother. "Good morning, Mom!" " she said happily. "How's everything going at home?"
Cinderella replied sweetly. "Hello, sweetheart. Everything's fine here. And how's your week at Auradon Prep going?"
Chloe couldn't help but talk about Red. "It's going well. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about Red, my roommate. She's been through some tough times, but I feel like she's starting to open up."
Cinderella listened intently, pleased to see her daughter so invested. "I'm glad to hear that. Just remember to be patient and show her that she can trust you."
Chloe smiled. "Yes, I'll do my best. Thanks, Mom."
After hanging up, Chloe realized how important her relationship with Red was. She knew that earning someone like her trust would take time, but she was determined to be there for her.
As she walked back to their room, Chloe caught Red trying to figure out everything on her new phone, again. She was frowning, clearly frustrated. Chloe approached with a kind smile. "Need a hand?"
Red looked up, grateful. "Yeah, this thing is more complicated than it looks." »
Chloe sat down next to Red and began to explain the different functions of the phone, step by step. "See, this is how you send a message. And to make a call, you do this."
Red listened attentively, trying to memorize each step. "Thank you, Chloe."
Chloe smiled. "No problem. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate."
Thus, a new stage in their friendship began to be built. Red, although still wary and reserved, began to slowly open up to Chloe's kindness. And for Chloe, each little progress was a victory, one more step towards a sincere and deep friendship.