Eirin balled her fists. "I don't want to be in your way. I don't want to be the reason you're hurting," she said. Despite not being close to each other, Eirin cared for Naya more than she expected.
Naya sighed, a soft, weary sound. "Aren't you friends with Shade? Why are you avoiding him? Just because I like him doesn't mean you should freeze him out."
"But I don't like him the way you do."
Eirin's answer was quiet, honest. The tent was full of other contestants and assistants, a sea of noise and color, but the space around them felt silent and private, their conversation an isolated thing.
"The way you avoid him makes it seem like you're afraid of something," Naya said, her gaze never leaving the mirror. The question, sharp and direct, hung heavy in the air. "Are you afraid of falling for Shade Cromwell?"
