IC contact

[boughtabookstore]

 You've reached Chief Inspector Roslyn Small at [number here]. Leave your name, contact details, and intent. I will return your message soon.

Comments

[boughtabookstore]

So adding more untruth to it will fix the matter.

[speakveryclearly]

Well, I've spent over two months adding more truth to the matter and it's done nothing to gain me conventional friendship, so I'm pretty much ready to abandon that inexplicably impossible initiative. But I see less reason to stop trying to protect him.

[boughtabookstore]

Given the situation, it's going to take time. Patience is required.

[speakveryclearly]

...

[This strikes a nerve.]

...but it will take more time if I'm honest with him.

Also given the situation he's likely to mistake this for an actual example of malevolent intentions.

[boughtabookstore]

And what is a friendship built on lies?

[speakveryclearly]

Lies of ommission.

Those are in a completely different class from actual falsehoods, right?

[boughtabookstore]

[ a dismissive noise ]

That's a distinction people make when they want to feel better about themselves.

[speakveryclearly]

[It is one of those moments where you can hear the sad rain in the background.]

I don't know how to feel better about my alternate self killing him. I have to compensate somehow.

[boughtabookstore]

Isn't your argument for him trusting you that she isn't you?

[speakveryclearly]

Yeah.

But I still have to deal with it. Isn't fair. That she could get him out of her hair and I have to deal with him when he won't even let me.

[boughtabookstore]

Life isn't fair. You're a teenager, I suppose you still believe it is, but it never will be.

[speakveryclearly]

Oh, I know it's not, Ms. Small, I learned that when my home planet was destroyed by meteors.

[boughtabookstore]

Then perhaps you should take it into closer account in your dealings with life.

[speakveryclearly]

Take into account that I'm a member of a marginalized, ultimately unimportant species, you mean?

[boughtabookstore]

That life isn't fair.

[speakveryclearly]

I see.

...

Can I - negotiate anything?

[This is hard.]

[boughtabookstore]

With whom?

[speakveryclearly]

What if I have to stop stalking him in one Earth month or else you tell him.

[boughtabookstore]

Is that a deal you're willing to make?

Because I don't go back on my word.

[speakveryclearly]

...

Yes. [YEAH.]

......

...I'm going to have to find an Earth calendar, actually, I want to be sure what this means.

[boughtabookstore]

Then we have a deal.

I'll send you a copy.

[speakveryclearly]

Okay...

[IS THAT WHAT YOU GET HER FOR CHRISTMAS???]

[boughtabookstore]

[ yes. yes it is. ]

Then we have a deal.

[speakveryclearly]

If we were speaking in person I would give you an emphatic handshake. But I don't think we can do that so maybe we should just very seriously declare this conversation over instead.

[boughtabookstore]

Good luck. [ and she hangs up, rather unceremoniously. ]