The argument made her forget her fear for a moment and she put her hands on her hips. "Only the ones that dress and smell like they haven't washed in weeks.

Because being petty was deginitely a de-escalation strategy.

Benny raised his chin to look down at her and folded his arms. "I'll have you know I smelled amazing for someone who spent months at sea. I have washed since then and I smell far better than you now." He pinched his nose to mock her. "You smell like a poor person who probably has to bathe at the same time as your siblings to save on water and soap."

"Least I have siblings," she snapped right back, remembering what hee had said at dinner. Then she grasped.

Any playfulness in his voice or mannerisms immediately vanished at her words. His expression darkened as he glared at her. "You think that's funny? My not having parents is a joke to you? Maybe they didn't want me, maybe they died. I don't know. But either way.. you find joy in a tiny child wandering the cruel streets just trying to survive?"

He clenched his fists and curled his lips as his voice normally an unusually higher tenor lowered from his anger. " You think I should laugh if you find yourself in such a spot? Your old man isn't in the best of health and he isn't no spring chicken. Shall I laugh at the idea something bad happen and you kids have to fend for yourself, you damned little bitch?" Perhaps that was too far, but she had truly struck a nerve.

She regretted it the instant she said it. When he spoke, she only regretted it more. She had not meant to laugh at an orphan's fate. She knew how rough their life was. She had lost her own mother and her brothers. She knew what the loss of family meant. Rose turned red up to her neck and ears, looking down and taking in every verbal blow. It had been wicked to mock that, no matter how ill-mannered the young man had been. When he called her that last word, she was absolutely horror-struck. No one had ever used such language in front of her, let alone at her, and Rose felt tears burn in her eyes simply because she could not believe someone would be angry enough with her to talk that way. "I'm sorry!" she said in a high-pitched voice. "I didn't mean to say that. I know orphans have it awful. I would never... I'm sorry!"

Benny wished he was happy to see her cry. But he wasn't. At the moment , nothing could soothe the anger and he could almost taste the bile rise in his throat.

"You don't know! You could never know! You never been in my shoes. You don't know what I've been through and what I had to do just to be able to live to see myself grow up. You think me grabbing you to have a private conversation, to check to make sure you were ok and safe was awful? Because I'd been around terrible people once  and tried to be compassionate? You don't know what bad is. If you did you would never venture outside your house again. So don't you go telling me you know! "

He was so angry every word had his voice raise until he was nearly shouting in her face. He had even walked up to her and poked her in the shoulder.

Rose looked down, cringing a little as he continued to shout. She felt bad for what she had said, but now she was also starting to feel afraid again, especially when he approached her and poked her shoulder. She stepped back quickly. "Please don't do that," she barely more than whispered. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

Benny calmed himself, and stood back. His angry look didn't subside. He folded his arms as he gave her a hard look. "Why should I do what you say? What have you done to earn any respect from me? Because you're a woman ? That it?"

He shop his head. "I bet you are sorry you said it. You are maybe even slightly sorry you thought it. But you still don't get it. No matter how often you say sorry, you can't truly sympathize. So I don't forgive you. Words are just words in the end, aren't they?"

Rose was highly uncomfortable - and still shivering. "I don't know what it's like being an orphan, but I didn't mean to mock it. We try helpin' em. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Well, she had, but...

"You slapped me! You would have done it again had anyone been around to protect if you if I'd have slapped you back or worse. You're lucky I'm more of a gentleman that that. Though I'm not that much of a gentleman." He said and frowned looking her up and down. "You are just.. I don't even want to look at you. Pathetic. Soaking.. Just go back to doing what you're doing!" He started to walk off.