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"WE HAVE shared life experience, Miller. You didn't turn when Graves did." He shrugs. "That's all."
The way he becomes so casual deflates Ellie's heart. He's retracting back into himself. "I would hardly call it shared life experience, Ghost."
"You understand what it's like to be left for dead, left with scars to remind you of your past. None of the other guys do." He straightens his posture. "You're obviously down about it. Just trying to help you."
Ellie blinks a few times, trying to fight against the new emotion bubbling in her chest. Anger. How dare he backtrack like that? She thought they were actually getting somewhere. But there he goes... Ghost again. She can see those walls he's building, coming right back up.
"You know, you said there's a difference between Simon and Ghost," she says, pushing away from the counter as she goes to walk out. "I prefer Simon."
"What is that supposed to mean?" she hears him bark out from behind her, right on her heels.
"It means, I thought we were getting somewhere. You've been avoiding me and then we were having a great moment. All of a sudden, you're distancing yourself again."
"It's called boundaries, Miller. Do you think after I share just a snippet of my old life, we're best friends? We're gonna have sleepovers and gossip now? Braid each other's hair?"
Ellie scoffs and turns, glaring up at him. Their height difference is humorous. Despite that, she doesn't let him towering over her stop her anger. "I think the thing with boundaries, is that it's important to tell the other person you're setting them."
His gaze hardens. "Alright, Miller. I'll tell you my boundaries. You'll address me as Lieutenant or Ghost from now on. Only Price ever — and rarely — calls me by my first name. There's a reason I wear the mask and why I don't go by that name around the other recruits. I'm sure you can gather why anonymity is important when it comes to what we do.
Second, I'm not Phillip Graves — I'm your Lieutenant. I shared with you because it was quite obvious you aren't doing too well, yeah? Let's keep this civil. I won't bother you and you don't bother me."
"Not to keep throwing your words back in your face, Ghost, but is this your way of giving me hell? Pushing me?"
"No. This is my way of making sure you understand where we're at."
That stings. He's nothing like the man she was talking to moments ago. "So, back at the bar in Chicago... was that you being my Lieutenant? You coming to my room and checking on me?"
He falters. "Any of the other lads would have-,"
"Why didn't they then? Why was it only you?" she questions, crossing her arms over her chest. "You say I can handle things, that I'm capable of holding my own. It seems they feel the same way, so why did you step in then?"
