"You can talk all you want," Benjamin said with bitterness in his voice. "They will just look at me like I'm crazy for talking back to you."
While he liked have Ari around, he hoped Ray would be there. She was a friend after all, and one he could actually talk with in public. 
"I really appreciate you're hanging out with me," he said as he looked at Ari, again after making sure no-one was around to notice it - how he hated having to do that. "I'm not doing well mentally today, but it helps to have someone with me."