I get it. It doesn't feel very good to be suspicious of the people around you.

( he'd know. had to pick up the same habit at some point, and... it's a difficult one to drop, once it's in your hands. once you see the way that people tend to be. the way that they are. it's certainly not something that you become on purpose, and if there was a way to undo it, he doesn't doubt that the both of them would jump at the chance. )

Anyway, I already said that's nothing to apologize over. Like I said... if you'd be willing to consider someone like me as a friend, I'd be lucky for that.

( but he still doesn't sound certain that she would be... by no fault of hers, mind you. )

You weren't wrong either, about my wish.