Honestly I could not have explained why I cared so much, but it was like someone had stuck a blunt sword right through my chest and was prying my ribs apart and crushing my heart. Even this, even this I could not have. But of course I couldn’t. I couldn’t believe I’d been so stupid. I couldn’t believe I’d thought I could pass for an actual person. More than anything at that moment I wished my father were here, just sitting there watching cartoons with me. Being with him was the last time I could remember when it took no actual effort for me to believe that I was a real person.
