  Knock. Knockknockknockknock. Knockknockknock. "Zelda. " I couldn't read the look on his face when he saw me. He kept the door half closed.
"Poe, please don't close the door. I need to talk to you. " He stepped away and gestured cautiously for me to come in. "Your face looks... puffy. " He narrowed his eyes, then offered me a tissue.
"That's because I've been crying my eyes out. " "I'm sorry to hear that. " He sat down on his bed, then motioned for me to follow suit. "I'm not a lachrymal person, you know. " I sat next to him, but didn't cross my legs. "If you say so.
" "Poe... what you said before. About me playing games and trying to beguile. That... that was uncalled for and hurtful. " "I'm sorry your feelings were hurt. " My eyes were locked on his. "Why are you so passive aggressive?
You don't say 'I'm sorry' but you say 'I'm sorry your feelings were hurt. ' I just need to know what it is I've done to deserve such deploration. " "Look... Zelda. I don't even know you. I probably said those things in haste. " "I'd still like to know why you hate me.
" One of my straps on my tank top grazed my shoulder. I let it. "You were... just hitting on me. I don't know. You were coming on pretty strong. But I don't hate you.
" He didn't touch the strap. He didn't even look at it. "Are you gay, Poe? Are you a homo... sexual? " Poe's eyes finally crinkled.
Then stifled laughter. "So let me get this straight. Just because I don't fall for you... that would have you assuming that I am gay? " "Or are you straight but you just think I'm ugly. That's it, isn't it. You just think I'm hideous.
" He laughed again. "My god, are you ever insecure. " He pulled my strap up and touched my arm in good nature. "I'm sorry. OK? Maybe I was a bit harsh.
It's just that... I sort of know about you. I saw you before, when you were fawning over Ess. I heard stuff. " "Oh. " I didn't have anything to say in my defense.
He had me there. He took a sip of his water. He started to chew on his lower lip. God, he looked so pouty. "Poe, I'm sorry if I scared you. I'm so... lonely here.
I don't have any friends. And... I don't know. I just wanted to get to know you better. That's honest, and that's the truth. " "Funny how you have to qualify your truth.
" We both looked at each other and laughed. Semi-comfortable silence. "Pity or charity? " I asked, my hand on the doorknob. "Neither. " "And you're not gay?
" "That's the bit of me you have to find out, I suppose. " Victorious. 
