[He sounds strangled. His throat is tight. Now he's the one panicking, back pressed to the tree with no method of escape. He could try to fly, but there's no way he could get away. She's faster than him. And she's here just to leave. That's all this is. That's all she wants.]
I don't hate you, you scared me! I couldn't — I didn't understand, I still don't understand! I thought—
[That she understood. He thought she knew. But she didn't, and she wasn't there, she was someone else, she wasn't Riley. Not really. The person who was talking to him then, that was someone else, somebody locked behind a wall — so he pulled his up too. But behind the wall, he was angry. More than angry enough to send friendly fire.]
[Now, he's shaking.]
I don't know how to hate you. I don't know how. I can't. But I thought you knew. I thought you knew, I thought if I asked there would be more, I thought if I understood I would understand, but asking just made it worse, and then — I lied.
no subject
[He sounds strangled. His throat is tight. Now he's the one panicking, back pressed to the tree with no method of escape. He could try to fly, but there's no way he could get away. She's faster than him. And she's here just to leave. That's all this is. That's all she wants.]
I don't hate you, you scared me! I couldn't — I didn't understand, I still don't understand! I thought—
[That she understood. He thought she knew. But she didn't, and she wasn't there, she was someone else, she wasn't Riley. Not really. The person who was talking to him then, that was someone else, somebody locked behind a wall — so he pulled his up too. But behind the wall, he was angry. More than angry enough to send friendly fire.]
[Now, he's shaking.]
I don't know how to hate you. I don't know how. I can't. But I thought you knew. I thought you knew, I thought if I asked there would be more, I thought if I understood I would understand, but asking just made it worse, and then — I lied.
[He lied.]
[He wants to be anywhere else.]