Melody knew they had to have an in depth conversation about this, knew she couldn't hide from the rising tide of disappointment and hurt in her chest, but she would have done anything in that moment to avoid hearing Ben call last night a mistake. Of course she knew that it was, two people who for whatever reason could never love one another right weren't meant to be intimate like that. She even knew that naming it a mistake was what Ben meant by clearing my head as soon as she'd read the note. But, Melody had asked him to stay, had foolishly thought his question genuine when he likely would have said anything at that moment, and now she was stuck in the consequences.

"Oh." She didn't know what she was meant to say, for the only response he was likely looking for was an agreement. She tried to form it, tried to force out the words yeah, it probably was but they stuck like a ball of lead in her throat. "Oh. I - " she attempted again only to break off completely. He didn't want to hear anything other than an agreement and she couldn't utter one. Not when last night was the safest she'd felt in months, not when his touch had set her afire. Not when she'd meant it when she said stay.

"I don- it - I still think you should stay, if you would like to. For Nora." She eventually managed, her disappointment evident in both her inability to address her thoughts and how she could no longer meet his gaze.

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