"I'm sorry, that was unbecoming of me but. Not everyone could be that accepting, y'know? I'd be a laughingstock if it got out and frankly, that would kinda destroy everything i'd built till now. Yknow my persona? Not that i care that much ok maybe i do care about it that much but. I like it this way and okay maybe i was shocked because of all things id never dreamt of getting validations like that from people around me. i mean irl. the internet doesn't count. It's always, it's always the thing people laugh at in small talks, ok? like look, franky's a pansy, luke's sooooo gay, all that kinda jokes...so sorry? sorry?"

He was raining down apologies like there was no tomorrow at the message bubble and didn't stop babbling until the character count limit was up. It was probably incoherent but he sent the whole thing anyway hoping it would show just how sincere and distraught he was. If he gave himself time to rethink on his word choice, he would've given up on sending one at all. She probably figured out already how much of a dork he really was.

That night was a sleepless one.

She didn't reply, mercy on him, but the next day someone tapped on his shoulder at lunch and whispered, "You self-absorbed little twit," with a hint of smile.

She sat her tray down the table, cast a fleeting look around the dining hall, and asked him how his book report was going along, pretending nothing ever happened. He took the silent forgiveness she extended with extra heaps of gratitude.