[ He lets his hand drop when he hears Rebecca's voice, shoving his fist deep into his pants pocket so he can dig his nails into his palm instead. ]

I did. I wrote letters, even though I felt sort of stupid doing it. But not everybody responded— how are they supposed to like this?

[ This isn't the "other side" he'd envisioned at all. Though, he didn't have a clear idea of what that other side was, anyways, just sort of a vague... not here. ]