Riley Erin Alstad sat in a chair across from a Neapolitan coloured booth by the entry to the local creamery close by to Safeholme. 277 Delights was a mundane shop, but it boasted a titular 277 possible flavours available everyday and the shop was spacious and well-lit throughout. The stage magician swept her cap off her head with one and hand as the other immediately began to tap two fingers against the top of her head. The short haired woman closed her eyes and sighed heavily before she opened her eyes back up with a shake of her head.
Ruarc's students had been wrung through it and then been squeezed down upon again before they had a chance to dry. It was more than the small staff could handle on their own and from the letter's she had been sent by Vrey Riley knew that one of them had been put up against even more than the rest.
So, she had sent a letter of her own. One Drysi Maelgwyn had had a letter handed off to Percival that invited her to a "Dessert Excursion at 277 Delights with a Riley Erin Alstad, Beneficial Conversation Optional" and Riley had made sure Percy would tell the teen that neither reading or responding to the letter was necessary.
It was currently fifteen minutes before the scheduled four o'clock time Riley had written in her letter and the stage magician have never actually confirmed if her offer had been accepted.
It was Drysi's choice whether she waited for nothing or not and that was that.
277 Choices
Re: 277 Choices
It had been the strangest day.
Drysi had been approached by Mr. Caxton at the end of the school day and had asked to speak to her privately. It was then that she knew that all the wiles and luck she had, had run out. There would be no escaping the Alchemist, Willow had been tested, Johann had been tested, but she was sure that there was no good reason as to why the man would come seeking you out. Manon had attested enough to that, even if he had helped heal the strange connection she had with her mana.
Then came the letter.
It was intriguing for Drysi, who had never received mail and, moreover, did not know the sender. That is, until Mr. Caxton explained who she was. From what the young triclops could gather, she was essentially Vrey's mother. Even though he had not said it that way, that was how she interpreted it. Vrey and her mother were in constant communication, Vrey didn't just write letters to Drysi, it seemed. Vrey's mom wanted to meet her, but what cinched her was something else entirely.
"She's my sister," expounded Mr. Caxton, "Riley."
Drysi gasped, "Riley Erin Alstad!?"
Alstad was the most mysterious member of the Menagerie. Unlike Jane, Percival, Ruarc or Miyuki, Riley Erin Alstad was a shadowy figure that appeared only when she was needed. She had been considered, by some authors, to be the opposite side of the coin that was Jane Smith. Like many young mages, Drysi was enamored by the romance of it all. The Triclops would need to ask Vrey why she never mentioned that her mom was a celebrity.
She wasted no time tearing the letter open.
As for arriving to the ice cream store, Drysi came in at least three minutes late, already a bit of a nervous wreck. She had gotten turned around at one point, and then chased by an overly affectionate dog the other way down a street. When she had gotten her bearings, she spent the remainder of the trip trying to play her way through all the conversations she had in trying to play off being late. All this did was serve to make her more anxious.
So when she walked in, and saw the person matching Riley's description as given by Percival. Look for the shortest, least well-dressed person in the room. Drysi was stiff as a board, her fists clenching tightly onto the strap of her satchel.
"Er... Ms. Alstad... Uhm..." Drysi tested to see if she had the right person, "I'm... I'm sorry I'm late... You see there was a dog... and..."
Drysi had been approached by Mr. Caxton at the end of the school day and had asked to speak to her privately. It was then that she knew that all the wiles and luck she had, had run out. There would be no escaping the Alchemist, Willow had been tested, Johann had been tested, but she was sure that there was no good reason as to why the man would come seeking you out. Manon had attested enough to that, even if he had helped heal the strange connection she had with her mana.
Then came the letter.
It was intriguing for Drysi, who had never received mail and, moreover, did not know the sender. That is, until Mr. Caxton explained who she was. From what the young triclops could gather, she was essentially Vrey's mother. Even though he had not said it that way, that was how she interpreted it. Vrey and her mother were in constant communication, Vrey didn't just write letters to Drysi, it seemed. Vrey's mom wanted to meet her, but what cinched her was something else entirely.
"She's my sister," expounded Mr. Caxton, "Riley."
Drysi gasped, "Riley Erin Alstad!?"
Alstad was the most mysterious member of the Menagerie. Unlike Jane, Percival, Ruarc or Miyuki, Riley Erin Alstad was a shadowy figure that appeared only when she was needed. She had been considered, by some authors, to be the opposite side of the coin that was Jane Smith. Like many young mages, Drysi was enamored by the romance of it all. The Triclops would need to ask Vrey why she never mentioned that her mom was a celebrity.
She wasted no time tearing the letter open.
As for arriving to the ice cream store, Drysi came in at least three minutes late, already a bit of a nervous wreck. She had gotten turned around at one point, and then chased by an overly affectionate dog the other way down a street. When she had gotten her bearings, she spent the remainder of the trip trying to play her way through all the conversations she had in trying to play off being late. All this did was serve to make her more anxious.
So when she walked in, and saw the person matching Riley's description as given by Percival. Look for the shortest, least well-dressed person in the room. Drysi was stiff as a board, her fists clenching tightly onto the strap of her satchel.
"Er... Ms. Alstad... Uhm..." Drysi tested to see if she had the right person, "I'm... I'm sorry I'm late... You see there was a dog... and..."
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Gwathdraug
- Posts: 281
- Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 9:48 am
Re: 277 Choices
Turning so she was sitting sideways in her chair Riley nodded encouragingly at Drysi. "There is nothing for you to apologise for Miss Maelgwyn." The stage magician closed her eyes as she tapped her index finger between her brows. "Alright." Riley's eyes snapped open. "Here is the spread Drysi: I heard about how you got kidnapped from my kid and with the recent problems the student body has gone through I've had some concerns that you may have felt unable to discuss it when everyone is dealing with the shared trauma of the Hawai'i trip."
"But-" The stage magician let a rakish grin fall across her face as she reached into her vest and pulled out a card. "But, my concerns are in no way yours Drysi. What I am asking is that you take my card-" Riley placed it down on the table so that Drysi would not have to get closer to take it from her. "-and you go buy as little or as much ice-cream as you want of any amount of flavours and just leave my card with the cashier."
Riley jerked her hand over her shoulder to gesture at a table far in the back away from the door. "While you are making your choices I'll be moving back there and once you have your ice-cream you can just walk right out the door behind you with your haul or we can talk if you want. Does that sound alright?"
"But-" The stage magician let a rakish grin fall across her face as she reached into her vest and pulled out a card. "But, my concerns are in no way yours Drysi. What I am asking is that you take my card-" Riley placed it down on the table so that Drysi would not have to get closer to take it from her. "-and you go buy as little or as much ice-cream as you want of any amount of flavours and just leave my card with the cashier."
Riley jerked her hand over her shoulder to gesture at a table far in the back away from the door. "While you are making your choices I'll be moving back there and once you have your ice-cream you can just walk right out the door behind you with your haul or we can talk if you want. Does that sound alright?"
Re: 277 Choices
A lot had been put on the table for Drysi, and she had only just gotten there. She wasn't sure what to make of Riley, but there was enough that she could tell that Riley was indeed related to Vrey, even though they didn't seem to look all that similar. The offer of ice cream was nice, but there was chilly pressure in the back of her mind that she felt at the word 'kidnapped'. She hadn't been kidnapped, per se, but possessed, and at times, more times than she had dared to think about, lost control to the thing that had taken her.
Perhaps she had been kidnapped.
The thought made her realize that she had blocked most of those memories out. Mr. Flynn never brought it up, even though he was always there to listen. Willow... Willow was there, and that was what helped Drysi most of the time. Johann, Vrey, Katerina, Manon; all of them had never brought it up. In fact, they had tried to keep silent about it, so as to keep the heat off of her for the already repeat offenses under possession.
Silence persisted as this opened door consumed Drysi in all of its ever expanding darkness. She looked around for Willow, but plucky girl's absence reminded the triclops that she had come alone.
Her eyes came on to the card. At first, she had been unsure about taking it, but nothing sounded better at that moment than something sweet. So, wordlessly, she took the card and padded up to bar. She looked back at Riley once and made a selection. Her next selection took a few minutes, but eventually she made it to the register, and came padding back with two cups of ice cream.
"How much did she tell you? Vrey, I mean."
Drysi sat across from Riley, and put a spoon into a tri-color combination of green, brown and a ruddy brown. Then, she slid across the table a cup filled with purple ice cream and another spoon. "It's Ube, by the way. I'm told it's your favorite."
Ube, as Riley knew, was actually Percival's favorite.
Perhaps she had been kidnapped.
The thought made her realize that she had blocked most of those memories out. Mr. Flynn never brought it up, even though he was always there to listen. Willow... Willow was there, and that was what helped Drysi most of the time. Johann, Vrey, Katerina, Manon; all of them had never brought it up. In fact, they had tried to keep silent about it, so as to keep the heat off of her for the already repeat offenses under possession.
Silence persisted as this opened door consumed Drysi in all of its ever expanding darkness. She looked around for Willow, but plucky girl's absence reminded the triclops that she had come alone.
Her eyes came on to the card. At first, she had been unsure about taking it, but nothing sounded better at that moment than something sweet. So, wordlessly, she took the card and padded up to bar. She looked back at Riley once and made a selection. Her next selection took a few minutes, but eventually she made it to the register, and came padding back with two cups of ice cream.
"How much did she tell you? Vrey, I mean."
Drysi sat across from Riley, and put a spoon into a tri-color combination of green, brown and a ruddy brown. Then, she slid across the table a cup filled with purple ice cream and another spoon. "It's Ube, by the way. I'm told it's your favorite."
Ube, as Riley knew, was actually Percival's favorite.
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Gwathdraug
- Posts: 281
- Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 9:48 am
Re: 277 Choices
"Thank you for your kindness." Riley dipped her head respectfully as she accepted the ice-cream from the teen. "First, I'd like to know if you would prefer if I call you Ms. Maelgwyn or Drysi while we talk." The stage magician took her spoon and swirled it idly through the multi-coloured dessert in front of her. "There is no wrong answer."
Riley looked up towards the ceiling and stretched her neck from one side to the other as she exhaled through her nose. "As for your question Vrey gave me a very detailed report of what she was able to observe. It is an old habit for her but it helps her process events that leave her more emotional than she is used to." Riley smiled confidently. "Being able to react and speak as much as you did while your mana was being forced through an intrusive ritual took a lot of effort."
The stage magician took a bite of her ice-cream her grip on the metal spoon far firmer than it needed to be. "Magic made a bastard of a thing for you to go through. There are complexities here that are not common to other forms of trauma, but the important baseline is to understand that you were kidnapped - multiple times and often from out of your own bed - over a period of multiple weeks." There was fire in Riley's eyes but she kept her smile kind. "I know what people say, and I'd like if you'd take it to heart when I say that their language is archaic and uninformed: a person cannot be possessed. From deities and the stars to the elements and the planes there is no power that can make any of us an object without killing us."
Riley paused and her smile turned a bit wan. "What I'm asking you is a lot. I'm not asking you to put aside and not talk about the pain, and the anxiety, and the hurt that's sat between these two ideas. We can take as much time as we need."
Riley looked up towards the ceiling and stretched her neck from one side to the other as she exhaled through her nose. "As for your question Vrey gave me a very detailed report of what she was able to observe. It is an old habit for her but it helps her process events that leave her more emotional than she is used to." Riley smiled confidently. "Being able to react and speak as much as you did while your mana was being forced through an intrusive ritual took a lot of effort."
The stage magician took a bite of her ice-cream her grip on the metal spoon far firmer than it needed to be. "Magic made a bastard of a thing for you to go through. There are complexities here that are not common to other forms of trauma, but the important baseline is to understand that you were kidnapped - multiple times and often from out of your own bed - over a period of multiple weeks." There was fire in Riley's eyes but she kept her smile kind. "I know what people say, and I'd like if you'd take it to heart when I say that their language is archaic and uninformed: a person cannot be possessed. From deities and the stars to the elements and the planes there is no power that can make any of us an object without killing us."
Riley paused and her smile turned a bit wan. "What I'm asking you is a lot. I'm not asking you to put aside and not talk about the pain, and the anxiety, and the hurt that's sat between these two ideas. We can take as much time as we need."
Re: 277 Choices
What had begun as hearty enjoyment of a mixture of matcha, tea and coffee, slowly turned into careful samplings as Riley's assessment expanded. Again, Drysi had never understood it as kidnapping, and addressing it as such seemed to color the situation in a different light.
It felt like having a bag thrown over your head in the middle of the night and being carried out into the woods. Yeah. Just like that. She felt like her body carried her. She wasn’t the one walking, someone else was doing that. There was a strange detached sense from her nerves when Bleddyn took control. Her grandmother had always hid behind the girl’s eyes, waiting and watching for the right moments to take her away from the people that would stop her from completing the ritual.
“The most frightenin’ night was the night before the attack. I had never woken up until I got back to tha’ door. Tha’ door was always there when I woke up. I tried to call it sleep walkin’, but the night before…”
Drysi seized up as a table near-by broke out into boisterous laughter. Her eyes uncomfortably found the stage magician, and then her lap as she tried to play off her sensitivity. “She was almost done. She lost her mind in glee and I snapped to, at the base of the tree. Suddenly it all came together. Everything. I ran. I ran into the woods. I never was one for the woods. Scared shitless and losin’ it. I kept screamin’ for Mr. Flynn… until… until–...”
Again, she looked at the empty spot next to her for her friend, and suppressed an emotional shudder when she wasn’t there. Drysi bit her thumb, and suddenly was filled with an overwhelming sense of embarrassment.
“I– I always… Wanted to tell him– He would listen to me– He always does… But I’ve always felt guilty about… that last part… I don’t think… No… He’d feel more responsible… Maybe… May–... No… I can’t tell anyone…”
Drysi began to chew on her spoon as she stared into space.
It felt like having a bag thrown over your head in the middle of the night and being carried out into the woods. Yeah. Just like that. She felt like her body carried her. She wasn’t the one walking, someone else was doing that. There was a strange detached sense from her nerves when Bleddyn took control. Her grandmother had always hid behind the girl’s eyes, waiting and watching for the right moments to take her away from the people that would stop her from completing the ritual.
“The most frightenin’ night was the night before the attack. I had never woken up until I got back to tha’ door. Tha’ door was always there when I woke up. I tried to call it sleep walkin’, but the night before…”
Drysi seized up as a table near-by broke out into boisterous laughter. Her eyes uncomfortably found the stage magician, and then her lap as she tried to play off her sensitivity. “She was almost done. She lost her mind in glee and I snapped to, at the base of the tree. Suddenly it all came together. Everything. I ran. I ran into the woods. I never was one for the woods. Scared shitless and losin’ it. I kept screamin’ for Mr. Flynn… until… until–...”
Again, she looked at the empty spot next to her for her friend, and suppressed an emotional shudder when she wasn’t there. Drysi bit her thumb, and suddenly was filled with an overwhelming sense of embarrassment.
“I– I always… Wanted to tell him– He would listen to me– He always does… But I’ve always felt guilty about… that last part… I don’t think… No… He’d feel more responsible… Maybe… May–... No… I can’t tell anyone…”
Drysi began to chew on her spoon as she stared into space.
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Gwathdraug
- Posts: 281
- Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 9:48 am
Re: 277 Choices
"Responsibility is something that we tend to think as concrete. A word that defines itself by being said." Riley looked towards the side for a moment and ran a hand through her hair before making eye contact with Drysi again. "It isn't though. Responsibilities are constantly changing. At the time your responsibility was getting home alive and you did that and more. Your friends' responsibilities were to make you feel comfortable amoungst them and they did that and more. Every member of the staff had the responsibility to keep both you and everyone else safe." The stage magician sighed. "That didn't happen. Both you and your friends were hurt by this and it makes sense that you closed ranks and turned to each other because that's who was there. The trust the adults lost deserved to have been lost."
The hand Riley didn't have on her spoon now curled into a fist against the table.
"About this you never should have felt the need to ask. In the school you do not hold a position of power and asking would have made the response into an obligation." As the word left the stage magician's mouth her pupils morphed into slits and her eyes began to glow faintly. A single curl of steam drifted from out of a nostril and then Riley twitched - flicking her head to the side - and when she returned her attention to the teen across from her her face had returned to normal. Closing her eyes the stage magician inhaled and exhaled deeply once before continuing. "That is not right. What you experienced was a loss and a thing to make you lost. The lack of attention you have been given - no matter the reason - has contributed to you normalising what was done to you simply because no one has talked to you about it. Someone should have come to you. Trust needs to be rebuilt for you to not be afraid."
The hand Riley didn't have on her spoon now curled into a fist against the table.
"About this you never should have felt the need to ask. In the school you do not hold a position of power and asking would have made the response into an obligation." As the word left the stage magician's mouth her pupils morphed into slits and her eyes began to glow faintly. A single curl of steam drifted from out of a nostril and then Riley twitched - flicking her head to the side - and when she returned her attention to the teen across from her her face had returned to normal. Closing her eyes the stage magician inhaled and exhaled deeply once before continuing. "That is not right. What you experienced was a loss and a thing to make you lost. The lack of attention you have been given - no matter the reason - has contributed to you normalising what was done to you simply because no one has talked to you about it. Someone should have come to you. Trust needs to be rebuilt for you to not be afraid."
Re: 277 Choices
Drysi shrank in her chair as Riley began to literally steam on the opposite end of the table. She spent the next passing seconds chewing on her spoon still, thinking of what to say. At this point, the girl felt like she had said things that had set the woman off, and so she tried to think of things to say that wouldn’t upset her. At that thought, her teeth clenched on the neck of her spoon, realizing that wasn’t the point of the conversation. They were supposed to be talking about her.
“I don’t want…” she finally spoke, taking a scoop of her ice cream and putting it in her mouth, “... I don’t want people to be responsible for my emotions, I don’t want them to tell me how I should feel. I want them to be there. I want them to listen. When I’m ready.”
The little Maelgwyn scooped up more ice-cream, finding the bitterness of the mixture more inviting now. “That doesn’t make sense. I want them to be there. I don’t want them to ask. If they ask, then I feel like I have to… I feel pressured to… to… decide how I feel about it. I don’t want to do that yet.”
Her eyes, brilliant green in color, slowly drifted out of focus again, “‘Cause… it was more than just the kidnappin’, it was the betrayal. I loved my gram and she ‘bout killed me for a fresh lease on life. Gettin’ thrown around was scary, but trustin’ people in general is all fucked.”
She sighed, pursing her lips tight and sniffing. Then, with care she tugged the ice cup to her chest and curled her knees on the bench.
“That’s all.”
It was a lie, there was a bit more deeper, but she didn’t quite trust Riley with those thoughts.
“I don’t want…” she finally spoke, taking a scoop of her ice cream and putting it in her mouth, “... I don’t want people to be responsible for my emotions, I don’t want them to tell me how I should feel. I want them to be there. I want them to listen. When I’m ready.”
The little Maelgwyn scooped up more ice-cream, finding the bitterness of the mixture more inviting now. “That doesn’t make sense. I want them to be there. I don’t want them to ask. If they ask, then I feel like I have to… I feel pressured to… to… decide how I feel about it. I don’t want to do that yet.”
Her eyes, brilliant green in color, slowly drifted out of focus again, “‘Cause… it was more than just the kidnappin’, it was the betrayal. I loved my gram and she ‘bout killed me for a fresh lease on life. Gettin’ thrown around was scary, but trustin’ people in general is all fucked.”
She sighed, pursing her lips tight and sniffing. Then, with care she tugged the ice cup to her chest and curled her knees on the bench.
“That’s all.”
It was a lie, there was a bit more deeper, but she didn’t quite trust Riley with those thoughts.
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Gwathdraug
- Posts: 281
- Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 9:48 am
Re: 277 Choices
"I'm sorry Drysi." Riley carefully untightened her grip and purposefully and gently placed the spoon she had bent on the table. "I just became an example of what I have been trying to speak out against and that isn't fair to you - especially considering my status as a stranger. Allow me a moment?"
The stage magician covered her eyes and part of her face with a hand and Drysi could see her lips moving silently - it looking as if the woman across from her was counting down.
Dropping her hand away from her face, Riley exhaled heavily. "I understand if you do not want to talk anymore about yourself after what I just did, but if you don't mind I would like to speak for us adults." The stage magician ran her thumb softly along the handle of her spoon, slowly straightening the abused metal back into shape. "Our responsibility is not to how you think or how you feel. Your emotions are not something to be observed and checked against "acceptable" values. Our responsibility was to provide you with safety to be yourself - to come to decisions for yourself. Instead, you have had to decide where being yourself is safe."
Riley leaned back and opened her mouth as if to go on, but instead shook her head sadly. "That's all."
The stage magician covered her eyes and part of her face with a hand and Drysi could see her lips moving silently - it looking as if the woman across from her was counting down.
Dropping her hand away from her face, Riley exhaled heavily. "I understand if you do not want to talk anymore about yourself after what I just did, but if you don't mind I would like to speak for us adults." The stage magician ran her thumb softly along the handle of her spoon, slowly straightening the abused metal back into shape. "Our responsibility is not to how you think or how you feel. Your emotions are not something to be observed and checked against "acceptable" values. Our responsibility was to provide you with safety to be yourself - to come to decisions for yourself. Instead, you have had to decide where being yourself is safe."
Riley leaned back and opened her mouth as if to go on, but instead shook her head sadly. "That's all."
Re: 277 Choices
Drysi let out a little laugh, and she relaxed a bit at that.
“Vrey really is your girl,” the triclops smiled as she took another scoop of ice cream, “You’re both weirdly serious about everything. More than that…”
She tugged the spoon out of her mouth and waved it, “... you’re like a triclops, in a way. I’ve only ever seen my da’ come down from something like that so smartly. Sorry. That was probably a little rude, huh? Uh… I was just surprised. M’Da calls it emotional intelligence, says it’s important for a healthy lifestyle, especially for our kine’.”
The triclops seemed to fidget a bit, not sure what to make of Ms. Alstad at this point. Strangely, she felt at ease, but that might have been the fresh injection of sugar into her head, or perhaps she had become a bit more comfortable in expressing herself. It was hard to say, Drysi couldn’t pin it down, but there was a something she could pick up in Ms. Alstad that she had felt from Mr. Flynn, Mr. Caxton and Ms. Smith. It was something she couldn’t quite define.
“I thought I had this handled, but it seems like I didn’t. I–... Now that I think about it, there’s a lot in there I’ve not addressed,” Drysi ran her thin fingers through her hair, looking a little lost, “I spoke t’Mr. Flynn the other day and I told him… well… that I… I told him somethin’ that I’m not proud of, somethin’ that resulted from… after the… kidnappin’. He didn’... didn’ hold it against me, but now, looking back, I feel like it’s a terrible thing to feel. T’be so angry at someone. I don’t want t’feel that way.”
Drysi unfurled from her position on the chair and leaned on the table, “Ms. Alstad, have y’ever hated someone so much you’ve… you’ve thought–... thought bad things… about them? Like... bad bad.”
“Vrey really is your girl,” the triclops smiled as she took another scoop of ice cream, “You’re both weirdly serious about everything. More than that…”
She tugged the spoon out of her mouth and waved it, “... you’re like a triclops, in a way. I’ve only ever seen my da’ come down from something like that so smartly. Sorry. That was probably a little rude, huh? Uh… I was just surprised. M’Da calls it emotional intelligence, says it’s important for a healthy lifestyle, especially for our kine’.”
The triclops seemed to fidget a bit, not sure what to make of Ms. Alstad at this point. Strangely, she felt at ease, but that might have been the fresh injection of sugar into her head, or perhaps she had become a bit more comfortable in expressing herself. It was hard to say, Drysi couldn’t pin it down, but there was a something she could pick up in Ms. Alstad that she had felt from Mr. Flynn, Mr. Caxton and Ms. Smith. It was something she couldn’t quite define.
“I thought I had this handled, but it seems like I didn’t. I–... Now that I think about it, there’s a lot in there I’ve not addressed,” Drysi ran her thin fingers through her hair, looking a little lost, “I spoke t’Mr. Flynn the other day and I told him… well… that I… I told him somethin’ that I’m not proud of, somethin’ that resulted from… after the… kidnappin’. He didn’... didn’ hold it against me, but now, looking back, I feel like it’s a terrible thing to feel. T’be so angry at someone. I don’t want t’feel that way.”
Drysi unfurled from her position on the chair and leaned on the table, “Ms. Alstad, have y’ever hated someone so much you’ve… you’ve thought–... thought bad things… about them? Like... bad bad.”