Let It Out
Aubrey's eyes widened, and her lips parted in disbelief. The room felt still, as if the world itself had stopped moving. She stared at Gerald, her chest rising and falling as she tried to process the words he had just said. The warmth of his confession wrapped around her, but instead of sinking into it, she pulled back, shaking her head slowly, as though trying to undo everything.
"No," she said. "No, Gerald, that's… that's not right. You don't feel that way."
Her words were shaky, she stumbled over her words as she tried to dismiss what he had just admitted. She couldn't handle this right now—couldn't even begin to process the idea of Gerald loving her. He had always been her rock, her friend, someone she relied on without question. But this? Love? It felt overwhelming, like too much all at once.