"You have to be aware that this... stuff is only a small fraction- Miniscule really- of what has me feeling out of sorts, yeah?" Like please understand that ALL OF THIS moodiness isn't over some ridiculous girl who didn't like him. It was much more than that, really. MUCH. But it all came full circle where his father's words were concerned. And how his mother had taught him to handle things. Ugh. Even his own thoughts were beginning to confuse him. Sighs.

Then she said something that made his face fall. Really fall. And it felt like his heart dropped completely out of his chest and landed on the floor in front of him. Averting his eyes a fraction he sighed audibly. "Got any suggestions as to how to make it work with no one getting hurt? I would NEVER intentionally hurt you. You know that. I apologize for everything. All the time. And I mean it. I am sorry to even be having this conversation because I feel like no matter the outcome someone is getting hurt. And well, I reckon the question is: Do we give ourselves the pass to be selfish here, or make everyone else happy?"

And yeah, that might be confusing to Lotus, because it not only partially went with the conversation at hand, but it also had a lot to do with stuff at home. The BIG stuff. The stuff that had him more sensitive than usual. The STUFF that had taken his fight away.