Aurora’s throat tightened.
What did he an?
"I always see you," he continued, eyes still staring into nothing.
"Every ti I close my eyes... or even when I’m awake... you’re there. I talk to you. I imagine what you’d say. And now... now the illusion is talking back to ."
Aurora felt like she couldn’t breathe.
"Spencer," she whispered again. "I’m not an illusion. I’m really here. It’s . Aurora."
Spencer let out a short, dry laugh. It didn’t sound happy.
He looked back at her with tired, glassy eyes.
"Yeah... sure. That’s what the last one said too. And the one before that."
"It’s really ," she said again, her voice cracking. "I saw the post. I heard the audio. I know what it sounded like, but it’s not true. I ca straight here because I was scared... scared that you’d be upset."
Spencer rubbed his eyes and shook his head slowly.
"You always say the right thing," he muttered. "Even my imagination knows how to make it sound real now. That’s ssed up, huh?"
Aurora reached out and gently took his hand in both of hers.
It was cold.
"I’m not in your head, Spencer," she said, looking straight into his eyes. "I’m here. I promise. I’m real. Please... look at ."
Spencer finally looked at her again, longer this ti.
His brows furrowed. His lips parted slightly.
Sothing in his eyes changed—just a little. Like maybe... maybe he was starting to believe.
But then he pulled his hand away and shook his head again.
"You’re not real," he said softly. "Because if you were real... you wouldn’t co back after hurting ."
Aurora felt her heart break a little more.
"I didn’t an to hurt you," she whispered. "Please... just let explain."
But Spencer leaned back against the couch again, covering his face with one hand.
"I’m tired, Aurora," he whispered. "Even fake you... is too much right now."
Aurora didn’t know what else to say.
Aurora sat there, still on the floor, her knees aching, her heart even more.
Then, in a small voice, she asked, "Why... why do you think I wouldn’t co back to you? After everything?"
Spencer was quiet for a mont.
Then he looked down at his hands and whispered,
"Because you don’t care about , Aurora. You never did. Why would you? Why would you even wonder if I was hurt?"
Aurora felt like soone had punched her in the chest. Her breath caught. Her hands curled into fists on her lap.
"That’s not true," she said softly, her voice shaking.
"I do care. I care about you a lot. But I... I just don’t know how to show it. Sotis everything feels too big. Too loud. It’s all new to , and I ss up because I get scared too."
Spencer looked up slowly, his eyes wide and watery. He looked at her like a sad puppy.
"Really?" he whispered. "You’re telling the truth?"
Aurora nodded slowly.
She stood up and gently sat down beside him on the couch.
Then she wrapped her arms around him.
"I care about you, Spencer," she whispered in his ear, holding him close. "I just... don’t always know how to say it."
Spencer’s eyes blinked slowly like he was trying to believe it.
Aurora leaned back a little, still holding his hand, and added,
"And about Aiden... we’re not together. I swear. He was just trying to tell how sweet you are. That’s all."
Spencer’s lips parted. "Are you... are you serious?"
Aurora nodded. "Completely."
She gently pulled away and reached up, cupping Spencer’s face with both her hands.
"Honestly?" she said softly, looking into his eyes, "I was the weird one. Not you."
Spencer blinked. "What?"
"I called you creepy and possessive and all that when really, you were just hurt and scared," Aurora said, her voice heavy with regret.
"I didn’t even listen to you. I was just mad because I didn’t know how to deal with it."
Spencer tried to speak, but she kept going.
"I an... even with Mia. I knew she was a lesbian, but I kept being all friendly with her and even called her baby. I thought it didn’t matter, but I never asked you how you felt.
You were just trying to ask for an answer, to calm your heart, and I made fun of you instead."
She looked down, ashad. "I’m sorry..."
Before she could finish, Spencer grabbed her hands and kissed them.
"No," he said gently. "Don’t say sorry. Please. I should be the one saying it. You didn’t know... anything about my past. And it’s not your fault."
He smiled a little. "If I were in your place, I might’ve thought the sa way. I just... I don’t let many people close, Aurora. You’re... one of the very few."
Aurora’s heart ached again, but in a different way this ti.
Spencer took a breath and added, "I don’t know what Aiden told you. But I promise, I’ll try to control my possessive side. I don’t want to scare you."
Aurora let out a small chuckle. "It’s okay. You’re trying. That’s what matters."
Spencer gave her a sheepish look. "Also... I’m sorry for how I acted. I know I was harsh and—"
"Nope," Aurora said quickly, holding up a hand. "Not your fault. This is our first ti figuring things out, right? We’re gonna ss up. That’s just how it is."
She smiled.
"From now on, we talk. Before we jump to ignoring each other or freaking out, we talk. Deal?"
Spencer nodded slowly, his voice soft.
"Deal. I wanted to talk to you, I really did... but I was scared I’d make things worse. That you’d hate ."
Aurora giggled quietly and shook her head.
"I won’t be scared of you, dummy. Yeah, maybe I pushed you away before... but that was just shock. I don’t hate you. I could never hate you."
She looked away, her cheeks turning pink. Then she mumbled, "I... I like you."
Her eyes widened when she realized what she said out loud.
She slapped her own forehead. "Ugh! I didn’t an to—"
Spencer stared at her, his eyes shining.
"Wait... what?" he said. "You like ? Like like ?"
Aurora groaned, hiding her face in her hands. "Don’t make it weird!"
Spencer laughed, his whole face lighting up. "Are you serious?! You’re serious?!"
Aurora peeked out from behind her fingers and mumbled, "Don’t take it to heart. It was just montary words..."
But Spencer couldn’t stop smiling. "Too late. You said it. I heard it. And... it made really, really happy."
Aurora’s cheeks were burning now.
Spencer leaned closer, his voice soft again.
"By the way... when you said you were real... I believed you. Right away."
Aurora looked at him, surprised.
"Then why did you pretend like you didn’t?"
Spencer shrugged with a little smile. "Because I knew we needed to talk first. Really talk. And fix things. Before I let myself get too happy."
Aurora blinked.
Then, with a small smile, she leaned her head on his shoulder.
"You’re still a weirdo," she whispered.
Spencer grinned.
Aurora sat there with her head resting on Spencer’s shoulder, both of them quiet now. The room was still.
The kind of stillness that made everything feel like it was moving in slow motion.
Spencer turned his head slightly and looked at her. Aurora slowly looked up, too.
Their eyes t.
For a second, they just stared at each other, breathing the sa air. Aurora’s heart beat faster. Her cheeks felt warm again. Spencer’s eyes were soft, like they were saying a thousand things without words.
And then... they both leaned in, slow and careful.
Their lips touched.
It was soft.
It was warm.
It was quiet and slow and a little shaky. But it was real. It wasn’t like the movies or the books. It was better—because it was theirs.
Spencer’s hand ca up and gently touched her neck, then moved down slowly until his fingers brushed just above her collarbone. But then... he stopped.
He pulled back, just a little, and rested his forehead against hers.
Aurora didn’t say anything. She wasn’t upset. She didn’t pull him closer either. Deep down, she knew this wasn’t the right ti to go further. Not yet.
She still had fears. Still had walls.
And Spencer?
He didn’t want to rush. He didn’t want their first ti to be quick or confusing or done in the middle of ssy feelings.
He wanted it to be special. He wanted her to feel safe. Not because she felt guilty or pressured, but because she wanted to.
He pulled her closer, arms wrapping around her.
"Can you stay tonight?" he whispered into her hair. "Just... just stay. Please."
Aurora blinked. She wanted to. She really did. But—
"My parents will kill ," she said softly. "They’ll freak out if I don’t co ho."
Spencer pulled back and looked her straight in the eyes.
"Then I’m coming with you."
Aurora giggled. "You can’t just show up at my house and crash in my room."
Spencer crossed his arms like a little kid. "Why not? I’ll sleep on the floor."
Aurora raised her eyebrows. "My parents won’t let that happen."
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