[she already hadn't liked it at the mouth of the catacombs where her thoughts had been forced to run amok, all so very negative that she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to push herself forward. but a kind man had offered tea and conversation and slowly, she'd managed to get her thoughts back in order.

where she's from, coming out is mostly a thing done so that family knew where a person stood. with her peers, none of them would really care either way.

Lexi had never been in a situation where a person liked her back home other than one disastrous date in ninth grade. so it had never really come up]

Okay. Okay. I think I'm a born worrier, that's part of my problem. And then, as things in high school kept not really getting any better, I sort of hid within my own mind and tried to be anywhere other than where I was at the time. Or I'd think of it as a movie, one I could call cut on at any time. But it didn't really work that way. [and her gaze softens] I know you will. And I'll do my best to be helped with the whole talking thing.

Pretty sure I can? Even though I might be kinda blushy at first.