[ dave runs a finger down the cover of the book in his lap. ]

You meant it as a good thing. [ his friends had said it before, too, but always teasing. and usually followed by an admittance they did actually find him cool to some degree. ] You didn't care that I didn't...you didn't see it as me not measurin' up. You said I was stronger than I realized and a better person than you'd imagined him being.