I have slowly morphed into Angela by having a lot to do in my uni life.

Year Two: Capture the Flag

Atlantic Residence - 13:34 PM

Angela called it quits after she realizes she was chasing her own tail. Once she reached her residence, she decided to head inside. Why was she even doing that? As she rides the elevator on the way up, she realizes she had no plan for if she caught him.

Angela walks into her room and sees Merida sitting at her desk. She's eating ramen from a paper bowl while looking at her computer. She has a split-screen situation where one half is a lecture she's listening to and the other was her crime shows her was catching up on. Angela isn't sure how Merida is listening to both at the same time.

"Why are you eating that?" Angela asks as she goes over to lie on her bed.

Merida pauses her lecture and her show. She turns her chair to face Angela. "I don't want a salad."

"Why not?"

"It's uncooked food. Ramen is cheap, filling, and delicious. Who wouldn't want it?"

Angela shrugs as she turns in her bed. She wasn't in the mood to get into that debate with Merida, especially since Merida would win. On any other day, if Angela was in a better mood, she would kick her butt.

"I heard about your adventure in our group chat," Merida says with a small laugh in her voice. "I got reports from both Daniel and Xavier. James hasn't said shit though. Did you find your target?"

Angela huffs. "I forgot who I was looking for."

Merida nods as Angela reaches over to the end of her bed and changes her shirt. As she puts it on, she hears Merida's prof on her computer ending the lecture just as the murder on her crime show is solved. How Merida timed that perfectly, she'll never know.

"Look," Merida says, tossing her paper bowl into the garbage, "I'm sorry about your breakup."

Angela pauses before lowering the rest of her shirt over her midriff. She isn't sure what just happened since Merida already gave a rehearsed but genuine apology.

"Saying that without a script was hard so please respond before I jump out that window," Merida begs.

Angela smiles a little from the corner of her mouth. That reaction made her day. "Why?"

"I might have died a little inside whenever I saw you and James being mushy, but you were together for two years. That's basically a tenth of our lives. It was pretty serious for you two and it just ended out of nowhere because he's an idiot."

Angela knows that wasn't a script. Those words were so kind yet so Merida, but Angela won't be silent for too long like last time.

"Thanks," Angela says. "Emily gave her condolences as well."

"How about this," Merida suggests, closing her laptop. "Let's do something."

Angela perks up. "Like what?"

"You're the heartbroken one so you pick. If I were you, I'd key all his cars and shred his sweater vests."

Angela shakes her head. Maybe if she has another panic attack, she'll consider it. Angela thinks about what to do. They could drive somewhere in town, grab a bite to eat or go shopping. But what does she really want to do that will also excite Merida? She knows that Merida will do whatever but she wants her friend to enjoy herself.

When Angela has it, she points at Merida. "You'll love this."

-o-

Operations Training Room A - 13:58 PM

Angela was grateful there was no class in here. When she opens the door, Merida looks annoyed to be in a classroom, despite this not being her classroom (it looks similar enough to hers. Angela leads Merida to the centre of the room and points up. When Merida sees the flag in the middle of the ceiling, she still doesn't look happy to be here.

"We have to get that flag with no gear or use of the observation decks," Angela explains. "If we get it, my class will get to do, I think it was one less set for the rest of the year. Nobody in my class really cares but maybe you could help. I almost threw Brody up there the day we learned about it."

"Can I get one set off if I help you?" Merida asks. Her eyes haven't left the flag yet.

"I'll talk to your prof about it."

"Are you sure? Mine's a bitch."

"I'm convincing."

"Yeah, you are." Merida looks back down. "So, you have a plan?"

"No. Do you?"

"I just got here, let me think."

Angela nods, stepping back as Merida looks back up at the flag. Her head tilts and she spins around on her heel a few times, crouching to try and get different angles. Angela leaves Merida to work through her madness as she takes a seat on the ground. She watches Merida for a few seconds and it looks like an interpretive dance. She's recording this for future laughs. Everyone will thank her.

"I'm loving being single," Angela says, putting her phone away. "I just have this peace of mind that I can be more independent now."

Merida doesn't even look her way. "Yeah, okay, sure."

Angela notices that tone. "What?"

"Didn't you have a panic attack?"

"That was a week ago. I needed time to heal and acknowledge that my relationship ended. It's been two weeks and now I'm good."

Merida holds her hands up, looking at the flag through her fingers as she does some calculations. "Are you really?"

Angela winces, shoulders dropping. "No! I looked at him as a friend until I realized I loved him. Did you know he has abs now?"

Merida shudders. "Gross, but he could've gotten any girl before the abs. I mean, he has before."

Angela narrows her eyes at Merida although her friend isn't looking at her. " … how is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Merida shrugs. "I never understood the appeal in James. I think he's an acquired taste that I don't, well, acquire." She drops her arms. "I have no idea what to do about that fucking flag but do you know who can get it?"

"Don't tell me -"

"Emily Maria -"

"Emily Maria Stark."

As they both think about calling Emily for some fabulous flag tips, Agent Fishel walks in the classroom. Her heels click against the floor as she approaches the girls. Judging on where they're standing, she can tell that they're trying to get that flag.

"Have a plan?" Agent Fishel asks. "I could give you a hint."

"No, you won't," Merida responds.

"Persistence is a successful attribute that can pay off, especially if you keep your grip against the odds, but you need to know when to let go."

"I don't get it."

Angela lights up. "We can't get the flag, that's the point. You have to know when to give up and what to give up on."

Merida gives her a face. "How did you get that from a flag?"

Agent Fishel smiles, nodding approvingly as she taps her nose. "Correct, Rogers, but I will admit that if you threw Cadet Ocean up there, you would've won."

"You could still do that," Merida mutters.

"I'll give you a bonus mark on your next strategy report," Agent Fishel says to Angela as she leaves the girls and the flag.

"I get it…" Angela mutters. "I should just ignore James for now."

Merida nods excitedly. "Don't worry I can teach you all I know about ignoring James. It's a skill I've mastered for years."

"I don't want to master that."

"Fine. Just adopt it until James learns to think. You know, sometimes you have to let people swing for their stupidity. He's probably heading to the womb to start over."

While I was typing this chapter, I was like Merida in the way that I had a split-screen of a lecture and this chapter. (If I'm going to do online classes during the pandemic, I might as well create my class atmosphere as much as possible.)