"Clarice! Please, do not cry... What Rufus said is not true..." Val frowned, wringing his hands together. "He only says the things he does because he is insecure. And... He is bitter that I have found someone that I care so deeply for, whereas he has not." He cautiously took a step toward her, reaching out to touch her shoulder. "Please, stop crying..."
She pulled away from him and turned around to face him, “H-He’s n-not wr-wrong!” she half shouted and half sobbed, “I-I’m a, I’m, I’m h-horrid!  I d-do l-look like a, a g-grizzled m-man!  I’m n-not p-pretty, I’m n-not f-feminine, I’m j-just, just, j-just ugly!  I’m ugly V-Val!!”