[The first time he pauses, Aubrey has to bite her lip, too—on inside, a poor substitute for the tongue. Did he ask for that? But no shit, he probably didn’t. Friends don’t have to ask for that. Because they’re friends, and they—]
[“I love him.”]
[She tastes blood.]
[Aubrey stares straight down. Her fists clench, loosen, tighten again, the nails of one hand digging into the other. Faintly the rest of Armin’s words register; she manages a small nod.]
Right. R-right, right, yeah, I. [She stands, abruptly. Her palms dig into the table, shaking.] Sorry, I—
[Quick glance up. Nearest door—further in, could be the washroom could be the kitchen maybe a closet it doesn’t really matter. God, not again—] Be right back.
no subject
[It sounds so… obvious, when Armin says it.]
[The first time he pauses, Aubrey has to bite her lip, too—on inside, a poor substitute for the tongue. Did he ask for that? But no shit, he probably didn’t. Friends don’t have to ask for that. Because they’re friends, and they—]
[“I love him.”]
[She tastes blood.]
[Aubrey stares straight down. Her fists clench, loosen, tighten again, the nails of one hand digging into the other. Faintly the rest of Armin’s words register; she manages a small nod.]
Right. R-right, right, yeah, I. [She stands, abruptly. Her palms dig into the table, shaking.] Sorry, I—
[Quick glance up. Nearest door—further in, could be the washroom could be the kitchen maybe a closet it doesn’t really matter. God, not again—] Be right back.
[She bolts.]