Sun Mote Copse And I'll hate myself for checking as if I don't know

His words had the immediate effect of making her frustration mount, and she finally did snap.  Not at him... but the clear frustration in her tone didn't really have a direction to go.  She was mad at everyone, including herself.

I can't if they won't ever let me!! She burst out.  She wanted to hit something... or scream.  But instead she simply gritted her teeth for a moment, trying to level set.  He wanted to know what happened.  If it was anyone else, as she would with Bronco later, her tale would have spun forth full of expletives.  But with Eljay she had a different tone.  It was weird, wanting to be seen as responsible in someone's view.

She told me that she would take care of it, that I should just keep him warm.  I told her no, that she was the one who didn't know what she was doing.  I tried to do what you said, but she pushed me over.  She conveniently left off the part where she'd shoved first, but in her mind, that didn't need mentioning.  It was different.  She'd been enforcing her right to be there, and Niamh had stomped over that without a second thought.

She doesn't deserve my dad.  Or mom.  She doesn't deserve to be a leader either, she thought silently.  But saying at least that much out loud made her feel better, and her rage quieted down to a sullen weariness.  I shoulda gone with Penn.  

She hadn't meant to say that last part, and the surprise showed on her face for a minute. Hopefully Eljay was the only one around to hear that, because she was not about to get into it with anyone about it right now.