When Natalie lowered her hands, she wasn't even trying to stop them from shaking. What was the point? Her cheeks were tear-streaked and her voice was heavy from crying – which hadn't even stopped yet. Her hands could shake all they wanted. She didn't care.

She looked up at him, though her vision was blurry. It was still hard to find the words to say anything at all. It took a moment.

"I –– I wasn't stringing you along."

That emerged as the winner, past anything else. She hadn't done this on purpose. She promised she hadn't.