Jared insisted, "Dr. Bozzelli, have this apple. Please don't refuse!"

Thomas waved his hands repeatedly. "Jared, you eat it. I have no appetite right now!"

"Then let me peel a pear for you. I remember pears are your favorite!" Jared continued.

"Save it for yourself, Jared. I really can't stomach anything right now," Thomas replied.

"How about some grapes or peaches? The fruits this season are sweet and juicy," Jared persisted.

Thomas, growing impatient, shouted, "Enough! I said I didn't want to eat. Why are you being so insistent? You're never this attentive normally!"

Jared was stunned by the outburst, and tears of hurt began to well up in his eyes again. "Dr. Bozzelli, you're refusing everything. Are you disgusted with me? Are you disgusted because my hands aren't clean enough? Because I used my hands to scratch… down there?"

Thomas's face twitched as he silently cursed, 'This damn kid knows exactly why, so why the hell is he still trying to make me eat?'

However, he