Aroace thoughts/rants

Does she need a better reason

So I'm writing a book called No Regrets, the main characters are both aro, and Rue is romance repulsed.

I sent my work to beta readers and I'm getting feedback and it's been so lovely and I mean no like hate to the person who left this certain piece of feedback but like I don't know how to 1 respond to this feedback and 2. Apply it to my story bc it kinda makes sense but also isn't entirely true and maybe I'm just wrong but like idk that's why I'm talking about it on here.

The reader knows she's aromantic but I don't think she knows she's romance negative/repulsed and I don't think this beta reader knows that's a thing because she said Rue wouldn't have any negative feelings towards romance unless something happened- which isn't the true part because I am that. I have negative feelings towards romance and nothing happened to me, know one really left me for their romantic partner- I'm just terrified of it happening. I just drifted naturally from my friends from not seeing them often because we don't have classes together and we don't hang out after school bc we never really used to do that all the time before. But then like maybe I'm just like stubborn for not liking romance for no reason, or maybe I do have a reason and the reason is that fear of losing my friends bc they chose their significant other over me every time.

The part that may in fact be very true to what the beta reader said, is that readers won't really like that she's hateful towards romance for no reason and the paragraph I wrote should be past tense or something.

Here's the paragraph I wrote:(italics is what they highlighted to talk about and the rest is for more context for you guys)

This is the problem Rue has with everyone, the problem she has with the concept of romance and the fools who fall into society's claws. 
They'll say 'best friends forever' until they get horny for someone else and all of the sudden their best friend is thrown to the side like nothing and all they care about is their boyfriend or girlfriend.  How is that fair? Liam fails to realize how much he means to Reggie. Just because there's nothing romantic, doesn't mean it should get placed as the second choice

And I don't wanna like put them and put their entire comment because I do think my story needs a lot of work and maybe that paragraph could use some work but the reason it's in present tense is because she's talking about what's presently happening to Reggie. She hasn't experienced friends ditching her for romance but she fears/thinks that's what's happening to Reggie (it is) and because she cares about this topic and really cares about him, it's hurts her just as much as if it were to happen to her.

And I don't wanna be confrontational and explain that the the best reader because I'm scared of confrontation and I don't wanna seem rude or unappreciative of the feedback. Especially because I think it's just coming from a place of not understanding aromanticism entirely.

But this is what I was afraid of. She said it won't sit right with the reader if she hates romance for no reason and that they'll see her as mean and one of my fears was that people wouldn't like Rue because of her dislike towards romance.

I just don't know what to do here because I agree my story needs worked on and maybe I can make clearer why she has a problem with romance but I don't want to like change her character to give her a reason bc she kinda already does have one? So maybe I should just try and make that clearer?

I don't know.

Anyways that's all I have to say, thanks so much for listening and I hope you all have an amazing day/night. I'll see you on the new book because this is part 200. Best wishes, Take care 💚💜

Edit: you know what, no. I went back to read the whole scene again so I could try and work on it bc I have a lot of study hall this morning so I have the time.

Liam and Rue are arguing bc Liam doesn't trust Rue and says she'll hurt Reggie and rue says "like you haven't?" Because Liam always is with his girlfriend and Reggie just wants to be able to spend more time with him, but Liam's never available so when he meets Rue he connects easily because she's there.

And he's craving platonic love and she's the only one there to give it to him.

So that's why Rue said Liam has hurt Reggie and then it goes into her monologue I put early with "they say best friends forever until they get horny for someone else and all of the sudden their best friend is thrown to the side like nothing and all they care about is their boyfriend or girlfriend.   How is that fair? Liam fails to realize how much he means to Reggie. Just because there's nothing romantic, doesn't mean it should get placed as the second choice every single time"

It directly says in the book, "that's Rue's problem with everyone, with the concept of romance and the fools who fall into society's claws"  and it goes into the monologue/her thoughts.

She may not have a personal experience with friends choosing romance over her but she's always been afraid of it happening because that's what society pushes, they push romance. And now she's watching Reggie lose his friends to romance.

Sorry I should stop thinking about this because I know the beta reader who left it definitely doesn't mean any harm and is trying to help make the story stronger so it's all good it just kinda made me realize I really need to write this book because like it'll give perspective on aromanticism hopefully and hopefully on two different level because Rue is romance repulsed/negative and Reggie is more like indifferent/neutral, definitely closer to positive than Rue is. So it hopefully will not only show aromanticism as a whole but how it can be different depending on the person.

Anyways. Now I'm done. Thanks again for listening and I hope you all have a wonderful day/night. Take care 💚💜