“No.” The word came out harshly and suddenly, and filled with all the anger and frustration that had been building up. He couldn’t even bite it off before it finished. The silence lingered before he went on. “That’s not what I’m saying. I don’t want you to be sorry.”
Irritated with himself, Johnny turned toward the wall again, he knew that he needed to not look at her for a moment, so he wouldn’t see the inadvertent hurt he was causing, or he was just going to make it worse.
His head was bent, and he rubbed at the hair back there. Hair that he’d thought he should maybe cut shorter, but couldn’t bring himself to do. Katie had liked it a little shaggy. And on top of that, Mary hadn’t said anything to encourage him to convert to the current style of the era.
“This is so fucked up.” he muttered it, and thought too late that she might be too close and hear it.