#rivervale_lodge

"He acts it."

"He hates us. Maybe not Zane? But the rest of us."

Her frown deepens.

"All he wants is to be with Earth Runes, and it's obviously such a big terrible thing he has to interact with us. Like we're a punishment for him."

A deep breath. "Dagmar...I'm not trying excuse his behavior...but I want to make sure....are you absolutely certain you're not misinterpreting his behavior?"

She seems to be taking this very seriously.

She frowns. "It's probably me."

"I'm probably wrong. But that's how it feels."

A slow nod. "That's valid. The feeling part. Doesn't mean you're wrong." A sigh.

"I feel stupid for trying so hard to help him."

"Well...sometimes people turn out to be a major disappointment."

"Yeah."

"It's... it was tough, when he started badmouthing Rivervale. When he was still here, right?"

"And I wanted to defend my friends, but I didn't want to upset him either."

Brow furrow. "I don't think I was aware he was doing it that openly."

"Oh, he'd go on all the time about how mean everyone here was to him."

A deep breath. "Well...in some ways, we were. Or I can see why he'd think so."

"And I didn't wanna be lumped in and have him hate me, too. But I guess that didn't work out."

"Like... at least Nadeen is trying, I know she is."

"For my sake."

"But I still hate it when she's mean to Symon."

"He's my best friend, you know? Sure, he can be creepy sometimes, but, like, that's just him."

Kerri is quiet as the floodgates seem to have been opened and thoughts start spilling out. She merely nods.

"I know she's trying. And Varich can't help it, I don't think."

"Symon says he's okay, that she's just being honest. But I feel like... like I'm being a bad friend?"

"And at school, Nadeen always wants to hang out and she should, since we're dating, but then it feels like I never get to spend time with anybody else, especially not Symon.... and it was way easier at regular school when I had different classes with different people..."

She quietly says, "You're a loyal friend being pulled in different directions. That's difficult. Does Nadeen know you'd like some Symon time, too? Time she can't be part of?"

She shakes her head, rubbing the back of her neck.

A pause. "That's a tough conversation. And...I think it's the kind that I might be able to help with, if you like. I could talk to Nadeen. Just to introduce the problem. You'd still have to talk with her to resolve it."

"I... I don't think that'd be a good conversation..."

"Well, not an easy one. Might be a necessary one, though."

"I'll find time for Symon. We're going on a quest."

"And...you told Nadeen it was a quest for you and Symon?"

"I haven't told her we're going on a quest."

"You haven't told your girlfriend that you're going on a quest with your friend. Does she know about the quest at all?"

"...No..."

A pause. "That's a problem, hon."

"If I go on a quest with her, and one with Symon, then it's fair."

"Hiding the fact isn't really fair, though. I mean...okay, maybe your quests don't have to be her business, but it seems that's a boundary discussion you really need to have with her."

"I'm not hiding it, it just hasn't come up."

"It hasn't come up...because you're avoiding seeing Nadeen by avoiding the farm?" Kerri gently suggests.

She picks at her sleeve. "..maybe."

"It's a conversation you're scared to have."

She looks down. "I don't wanna screw everything up."

Kerri nods. "I get that." Then gently, "Like not wanting to screw up being a big sister, or having a squire?"

She bites on her lower lip, and nods.

Kerri nods again. "It's scary."

"You have a complicated situation to deal with, and it's got all kinds of emotions mixed in. I don't blame you for being wanting to avoid it. But...I don't think that's the right thing to do."

"I don't want to make anybody mad."

"Or hurt anyone."