"Yes, you did." No need to soften that blow. "But admitting it a good thing. There are plenty of people who refuse to own up to their mistakes, and that always makes things worse in the long run."

She touched his arm, unable to touch his cheek the way she normally would if she was speaking to someone of her own height. "And I know you're not the type to just put yourself in danger for kicks or experimentation... Someone you cared about left, didn't they?"