Say what you mean

I think I have lost count of the life lessons I learn from Hamoodi. Here is another one. I can't believe there are moments of me being such a girl - the saying one thing but meaning another thing part.

Hamoodi: Why did you come to the camera shop with me?
Me: Because I want to learn photography!
Hamoodi: ... Not because of me?
Me: .... And also because of you.
Hamoodi: You don't have to say that if you don't want to.
Me: What do you mean by that?
Hamoodi: You don't care about me.
Me: What?! How could you say that? Of course I care about you!
Hamoodi: But you did it for your own benefit, not for me. You are selfish.
Me: Well, I said that because I don't want to sound like I am your hero, that you cannot communicate with people without me helping you.
Hamoodi: But I do need your help. Why couldn't you just say you went there to help me?
Me: Because I don't want you to feel like I am doing you a favour by going to the shop with you. I went with you not because I wanted to help you. But because I like to spend time with you, talk to you and stuff. I don't want you to thank me for that.
Hamoodi: But I did say 'thank you'.
Me: Exactly what I don't want you to do. I don't want you to feel like you owe me. So I lied. Fine, I am sorry. I should have told you that I went there because I cared about you, that I worried that the boss may not understand you the way I do. Do you really think that I like photography? If I like photography that much I could have bought my own camera and stuff.
Hamoodi: Then why didn't you just tell me this the first time I asked you?
Me: Because... *declared defeat* Because girls say things that they don't mean! You have to listen in between the words we say to get what we say.

To cut things short, we resolved our conflicts :) I am glad that we talk things out. Effective communication and attentive listening are very important in a relationship, any kind of relationship. The more a person means to us, the more reasons for us to communicate properly to ensure we stay the same page and understand each other better.