Violating Encapsulation

ugly_code.rb

class MutualMentions
  attr_accessor :file, :relevant_tweets

  def initialize(file)
    @file = file 
    @relevant_tweets = [] # Red flag
  end

  def tweets_involving(user)
    file = File.readlines(@file)
    @user_check = Regexp.new user
    @relevant_tweets = file.grep(@user_check) # Pulling out data and putting it in another data structure.  Noooooooo!
  end

  def mutual_mentions_between(first_user, second_user)
    @handle_mentions = [] #Red flag
    @second_user_grep = Regexp.new second_user
    @second_user = second_user

    mutual_tweets

    first_order_connection?
  end

private 

def mutual_tweets # This method exists only to pull out data from an existing data structure (AGAIN) and put it in another (AGAIN).  Noooooooo!
  mutual_tweets = @relevant_tweets.grep(@second_user_grep).map {|word| word.split(' ')}  
    mutual_tweets.each do |tweet|
      @handle_mentions << tweet.grep(@second_user_grep)*"," 
    end
  end
end

def first_order_connection? # This method exists only to ask the new data structure about data that was in the old one.  WHAT WAS I THINKING???
  if @handle_mentions.include?(@second_user + ":") && @handle_mentions.include?("@" + @second_user) 
    true
  else # Poorly written.  include? will return true of false; the if statment in not needed here.
    false 
  end
end