'A good start.' Right. Luke trembled a little to know that Lizzie was still so upset. What else did she expect him to do, other than to apologize? His breath caught in his throat as she launched into her little lecture (she probably wouldn't have called it that, but that's what it felt like to Luke) about how he should've been open and honest from the beginning, a lecture he'd gotten at least three times from three different people. And he certainly didn't need it now from Lizzie. He knew he'd screwed up. He knew that all too well, especially now. But why didn't anyone seem to understand that it was fucking hard to be open and honest about everything especially where there was so much shame involved. There was a certain point where it wasn't even liking boys that was the problem; it was liking Mao. Liking your worst enemy? How was that even possible?
There might've been the slightest note of annoyance in Luke's voice when he opened his mouth, but as he spoke the pitch changed, escalating toward anger. "People don't care? Lizzie, it's high school! Of course people care! You've seen how much Mao gets picked on." His voice wavered slightly at the mention of Mao's name, but he pressed on, trying to gloss over it. "What you mean is you don't care. But not everyone's like you, Lizzie. People care. Hell. I care. I didn't ask to be like this! I don't even want to be like this." Luke fought fiercely against the tears welling in his eyes, but he couldn't keep them from his voice. "And 'taking people for a ride?' What does that even mean?!"