Texas Time!

Talk it out

Texas and Holly stopped at a diner, so Texas could get them milkshakes while Holly used the restroom. Texas was still feeling kind of appalled, but was able to get through ordering, only stumbling over his words twice. Holly was taking a bit of time, so Texas knocked on the door to the women's restroom.

"You ok in there Holly?" Texas asked.

"Um... yeah... uh...," Holly said.

"That doesn't sound confident, are you ok?" Texas asked.

"Um.... Can we go to the drugstore after this?" Holly asked.

"Mhm," Texas said. Holly walked out of the bathroom, grabbed her milkshake and Texas's arm, before speed walking across the plaza they were in to go to the drugstore. She immediately bought a small box of pads, and a pack of underwear, and then went silently into the drugstore bathroom. Texas understood now, and bought her a box of cookies and chocolates. Once she was out of the bathroom, they walked back to her house.

"You feelin ok?" Texas asked.

"Mhm... it just sucks," Holly said.

"Yeah... it's sucky that this is what happens to you once you hit puberty... it's not even rewarding! It's like, hey, you're an adult now, also f*ck you," Texas said. Holly chuckled.

"Yeah... but I can manage... how are you feeling though?" Holly asked.

"I'm ok... that was just a lot... I hope Tito is ok... and I hope Nekomi isn't killing PJ too intensely...,"

Meanwhile, Nekomi sat PJ down in her kitchen, her and her father silently making tea. PJ was usually used to Nekomi being energetic and cheerful, so seeing her calm and neutral was even more unsettling to him than her threatening him. Nekomi set a teacup in front of him, and then sat across from him.

"You really messed up today," Nekomi said.

"I was-," PJ started defensively, but cowered seeing Nekomi's expression. "...I was just... standing up for myself,"

"Tito was just being a jerk... you punching him was unwarranted. What you said about Francesco was unwarranted. You need to apologize to him, and Texas," Nekomi said. PJ sighed.

"But-,"

"PJ, you need to apologize to him," Nekomi said. PJ sighed.

"I don't know... I... I really don't think he's in the mood for it right now...," PJ said.

"Then wait a bit... but I do want you to try to apologize eventually... but remember that apologizing is only half the battle. You can say whatever you want, but sometimes only actions could prove your remorse," Nekomi said.

"...you're way smarter than you seem...," PJ said. Nekomi chuckled.

"It came with learning a bunch of team sports... it's part of the deal to be a team player," Nekomi said. PJ sighed.

"With art I'm just always in my own head... so connected with myself...," PJ said.

"You forget to consider other's feelings... and I don't think it's because you consider yourself more important than other people, you just don't understand them as well as you understand yourself," Nekomi said. PJ nodded.

"I didn't take that to heart when Texas told me... I was so confused... I knew I loved him, and I thought everything was ok... I guess I wasn't paying attention to his feelings ... I just wanted things to be how I envisioned them...," PJ said.

"You know... based on what you told me, it sounds like Texas and Tito said pretty much the same things to you... you just took it differently," Nekomi said.

"I was mostly confused and sad with Texas... and I never wanted to hurt him, so even if I let my emotions get the better of me, I wouldn't want to hurt him... with Tito... He and I always butt heads. He's not really a reserved person- to me at least... he'll tell me if he thinks I'm being a d*ck... and I was already super emotional earlier, and he started telling me how he 'told me so' and that 'I shouldn't have taken things so seriously, and I 'never listen'.... I hate that he's right... but he doesn't understand why I do it. He thinks it's because I'm an awful person who doesn't care about others but... I... I don't think I'm awful... I do care, I really do... I just... I dunno...," PJ said. Nekomi took PJs hand.

"Tito can never really know what goes on in your head... and you can never really know what goes on in his. That's why it's super annoying when you two start assuming crap and then argue about it," Nekomi said.

"Well what are we supposed to do?"

"What we're doing,"

".....Talk it out... Heh.... Well, I'll leave him alone for a bit... I really did hurt him today, I think it's best to give it some time... then I'll apologize and... we'll see if we stay friends, or just let each other be... I... I wanna try to do better though. I've already hurt Texas, I don't want to hurt anyone else... thank you Nekomi," PJ said. Nekomi smiled.

"No problem,"