Elize's breath hitched, and she pressed a hand to her mouth, stifling a sob that threatened to escape.
Her mind reeled as memories flashed through her... Kael as a child, clinging to her after a nightmare; Kael as a teenager, laughing with her over shared secrets.
Had her love, her affection, somehow led him here?
For some reason, she thought maybe she is the one who misled him by being physcially close to him.
She turned away, facing the mirror "Kael… this can't happen. You can't feel this way."
"I'm your aunt. I've raised you, loved you like my own. What you're saying… it's wrong. It's impossible."
Brandon lifted his head and muttered "It's not wrong. It's how I feel. I know it's complicated and messy but-"
"Stop," she cut him off and turned to face him, her arms still wrapped around herself.
"Don't say it again, Kael. Please. You're confused. You're young, and you're… you're mistaking gratitude, or closeness, for something it's not."
