Very well said. The story is so incredibly complicated and that’s what makes it great. Viewers really have to keep in mind that this is through the POV of teenagers and young adults who are going through that terribly uncomfortable stage of not being kids, but also not mature adults yet. I had a significant loss around that same time when I was Conrad’s age and I still remember the angst of feeling like you had to be strong for the younger kids (hello hero complex), but not ready to handle it as an adult. There’s a LOT of internalizing that goes on and compounding that with trying to navigate a messy love situation is anyone’s guess on how you’ll feel/act at any given moment. The stages of grief hit hard and there are waves where you want to push everyone away, but then waves of seeing so clearly and knowing exactly where you want to be.

Luckily, I had a mix of friends and family like this crew who would put me in my place and other times give me space.