I hung out with The Best Friend again the other night, and he's been talking talking talking since we rejoined, two pieces of frayed rope tied back together. Like nothing happened. Like always. I want to say I'm smarter this time, but, not really. When he gets saucy I tell him to knock it off.
I found out I have this weird ability to handle high pressure situations. Guarding lives, not talking to the police, saving relationships and preventing shitty decisions. I've also realized this isn't something I get from my father, whose first reaction under pressure is to get angry and yell until problems go away. It's also not something I get from my mother, whose first reaction is to hide until things leave. This is something I forged myself, carved out of wood into a human girl doll, one that thinks and breathes and says things like, "I need you to clear the area," or, "No, I wouldn't like to make a statement."
Things like, "Just stay and talk to her."
"Don't let this be something you regret."