Voicemail (IC Contact Post) OLD - at capcha

[abrightboy]

 This is Bright. Leave a message.

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[abrightboy]

You know exactly which one was the worst one.

[citizendetective]

Are you calling me a liar, Malcolm?

[She says, tucking the paper under her arm specifically so that she can cross her arms and frown at him.]

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm just looks at her.]

Do you want to learn this or not?

[citizendetective]

Sure, but you have to assume I'm not lying to you.

[abrightboy]

Then tell me the truth.

[citizendetective]

The truth is that I can't think of the worst time, and if I could, I-- it would probably be a time that I couldn't tell you about.

[HUFF!!!]

But the worst time, well, recently - I also forgave them. Because they were under a lot of stress, and they apologized.

[abrightboy]

Is that an answer to the question I asked?

[citizendetective]

Um, yes? You asked me to tell you about it. I told you the most important thing about it.

[abrightboy]

The fact that you think so explains why everything on that paper is wrong. I'm going to babystep you there. Tell me what this person did to let you down.

[citizendetective]

Well--

[She pauses.]

Is this what it's like talking to me?

[abrightboy]

That’s not an answer, either.

[citizendetective]

No, but trust me, Malcolm, I'm making connections.

[H U F F.]

She-- was ungrateful for my help. And cruel.

[abrightboy]

Who was? What did she say?

[He won’t address the other thing right now, in the interest of keeping her on track.]

[citizendetective]

Why do those details matter here?

[abrightboy]

Why would I ask if they didn’t?

[citizendetective]

Tell me why they matter, and I'll tell you.

[abrightboy]

Because you can’t feel what I felt until it’s directly comparable to something you already felt.

[citizendetective]

And you really think you need names to make a direct comparison?

[She rolls her eyes, turning to rest her arms on the railing.]

She told me I couldn't make her need me here. She said people liked her here - and they didn't like me.

[abrightboy]

I don’t need them. I already know how to do this. You’re avoiding names and details because you don’t want to feel those feelings again, but feeling them is the point.

[He moves to stand next to her, but not too close. He leans his back on the railing.]

Why did that hurt you? Because she was supposed to be someone who did like you?

[citizendetective]

Yes.

[Misty keeps her gaze resolutely fixed outwards, at the stars.]

But she apologized, and I think she actually meant it.

[abrightboy]

You're still focused on the wrong thing. You want the moral of this story to be that I should forgive you because you forgave her and you're skating past the actual story.

So how did you feel when she did that to you?

[citizendetective]

... Like I didn't have control over her anymore.

[Misty says, after a moment of hesitation.]

[abrightboy]

Is that the only reason you want to be close to people? To wield power over them?

[citizendetective]

It's the other way around.

[She says, squinting down at her nails.]

I want to wield power over them so I can stay close to them.

[abrightboy]

That's not what people want from their friends.

When she betrayed your trust and you thought you lost that control, how did you feel?