"Why not?" she asks, like she genuinely can't understand why he is both acting so contrite and so stubborn simultaneously. "Do you understand how this works? If I punish you, it isn't going to give you a free pass to continue your behavior. I am never going to allow you to behave this way! Why cause yourself the trouble? For nothing?"

She takes her hands off her desk and straightens her body, frowning deeply.

"And stop lying to me, Universe. If you were really sorry or if you really didn't want to cause trouble, you'd listen to what I'm telling you."