* / vcided.

  〝 and you're not one of those people, henry. so if i'm delusional, then so are you. 〞

" YOU DON'T KNOW half the shit i've done in my life. "

  〝 never miss an opportunity to mention that gender studies degree, huh? 〞

" OBVIOUSLY NOT, THAT shit is impressive. could have majored in business or something. "

  〝 of course it is! everybody does. screw your dad, and whatever he's been telling you. love's a human right. you deserve to experience that, henry. 〞

" YOU'RE DELUSIONAL IF you really believe that. there are some people that just don't deserve love. shitty people who have hurt others. "

  〝 math's not my strong suit, either. but, look at me — degree and all. math's for business majors, and like, mathletes. s'long as you have your phone the whole subject's kind of useless. 〞

" I GUESS THAT'S why i never really took math classes. law degree baby. actually, i was a pre-law and women and gender studies major. so like none of this shit makes sense to me. i pay someone to do my taxes. "

"   If it helps, I don't think you're a jerk. And I was mostly kidding about the stone-cold reputation.   " 

" NO, A LOT of people think i'm a jerk, so i do think i have some kind of negative reputation. that's fine with me. and anyway you're the exception because i can be mean to odette. "

“ —— just stop changin' the subject. 'm gettin' bored. ”

" BORED? HOW CAN you get bored of this? it's the government. "

 “  don't throw the whole baby out with the bathwater.   ”   / @vcided

" WHAT THE HELL does that even mean? "

  “ do you want to ? ”

" NO. " HE PAUSES for a second. " that's not what i deserve. "

  “ i just thought someone should be … so, don't tell him, and keep taking his money. i'm not judging you for it. but i do think, that when you're ready, you'd do a whole lot better without somebody like that around. and until then, you have a friend … who's not a terrible, shitty or bigoted. ”

" I DON'T WANT... it doesn't matter what i do, i'll never be free from him. he's made sure of that. the thought of... nevermind. " he sighs and looks down. " i'm never going to be ready. i don't know what i'm supposed to do. it's not like it matters since i don't date. "

  “ it's 2023, henry. i'm pretty sure i'd be tarred and feathered if i said the opposite. but if you want cool and mellow, then … i so do not even care. ” a pause, she tries again. “ well, that's his problem. like i said, it's 2023. get with the times or get left behind. ”

" YOU DON'T HAVE to be happy for me though when clearly i'm not even happy myself. i don't want this life. " he pauses for a moment. " it's 2023, but that doesn't mean the bigots have stopped being terrible. my dad's genuinely a shitty person. " he sighs. " and he pays for my apartment. "

  “ what other options do you have ? just … fuckin' mope around, hope someone'll offer you a book deal ? sounds productive. ”

" YEAH, THAT SOUNDS about what i'm doing. no, i'm sending manuscripts off to all places, but it's not as if what i'm writing is the type of book people want to publish. "

"   And you say you being nice is a secret. Friendship thank you gifts are very, very loudly nice. I can keep it between us, though, if you're worried about your stone cold cool journalist rep. My lips are sealed.   "

" I DIDN'T SAY it was a secret. it's just reserved for a few select people, guess you're one of those people. i don't have a stone cold journalist rep, you're all good. people probably think i'm only kind of a jerk. i think most people think i'm antisocial, which is more of the truth. don't feel the need to keep our friendship a secret. "

  “ no. you have never mentioned this. ”

" OH, WELL I thought i did. really thought you knew why i hated my, uh, well family. "

  “ oh, wow. that's … big. but, you know, good big. i'm really happy for you ! wait, so, not even like, your parents ? ”

" IT ISN'T A good thing. don't be happy for me. it's... no, not them. my college roommate knew, but that's it. my dad wouldn't ever approve. "

  “ why not ? got something against bezos ? ”

" YEAH, PLUS I have friends who have self published on amazon and it just sucks. "

  “ and he's still kicking back in the motherland ? ”

" NO, HE'S IN prison. have i really never mentioned this? "