"Am I right with what I thought? Are you avoiding me because of Saya? Could it be that . . . you like me?"
Ren didn't know where he found the courage to say those words. Maybe it was the alcohol clouding his judgment. Maybe it was the frustration he had kept bottled up for too long. Or maybe—deep down—it was simply his longing for her, finally breaking free.
Evie gasped.
For a brief, stupid second, her mind tried to find an escape route the way it always did—log out, disconnect, disappear. But this wasn't COVENANT. This was real life. There was no logout button here.
Panicking, she pushed Ren away and stumbled back a step, forcing space between them.
"W-what are you talking about?" she stammered.
Ren didn't back down. His eyes were sharp, far too focused for someone who had been drinking all night.
"You heard that Saya and I are going out, and suddenly you stopped talking to me. You avoid me every chance you get. Isn't that right?"
His words hit harder than she expected.
