We All Need That Person Who Can Be True to You

BRIAN

The next day, I was more persistent. At lunch I sat with her. Bridget actually looked annoyed. I noticed the new bruise she sported on her cheek. "Will you talk if I don't ask anything too personal?" I asked. She thought about it, sighed, and nodded. I smiled. "Here's an age-old question: Favorite food?"

She cracked a small smile. Ah, progress. "Chinese. Orange chicken, to be precise."

"Nice."

Bridget nodded, pushing the food around on her plate before scooping some up and taking a bite. "Next."

"Favorite..... band?"

"Hmm.... Torn, actually. AC/DC and Guns N' Roses."

"Huh. Matt'll love you then. Feel free to not answer, but, what's up with the clothes?"

When Bridget stayed quiet, I was going to ask her something else, but she decided to speak up. "My mom and her boyfriend. Christians and very tight-assed about it."

I kept asking questions and she answered every time, not evgen flinching when I asked if she'd had sex. (Which she hadn't.) "Okay, I have an idea, but you have to hear me out," I started cautiously. Bridget noddd, I could see the walls that had been slowly breaking down build right back up. "You should come hang out with me and my friends tonight, get to know everyone else better than you already have, and come out of that shell," I said, she nodded hesitantly. "You're 17 in a month, right?" Bridget nodded again, her birthday being in March. "Then we'll be graduating a couple months after that and you can move out, neither of them having a say in the matter when you do, then you can do whatever you want, including being who you really are. We can help with that, help crack that shell surrounding you. I'm curious to see what's behind that mask of yours..."

Bridget paused her chewing, lokoing a little surprised. Guess she hadn't thought of that. She took a deep breath, let it out slowly, looked up at me. "Before I answer that..." She started slowly, I nodded, urging her to keep going. "Why do you care so much?" The bell rang, she got up, and I was left there with one thought: That's a damn good question.