Aurora's throat tightened.
What did he mean?
"I always see you," he continued, eyes still staring into nothing.
"Every time I close my eyes… or even when I'm awake… you're there. I talk to you. I imagine what you'd say. And now… now the illusion is talking back to me."
Aurora felt like she couldn't breathe.
"Spencer," she whispered again. "I'm not an illusion. I'm really here. It's me. Aurora."
Spencer let out a short, dry laugh. It didn't sound happy.
He looked back at her with tired, glassy eyes.
"Yeah… sure. That's what the last one said too. And the one before that."
"It's really me," she said again, her voice cracking. "I saw the post. I heard the audio. I know what it sounded like, but it's not true. I came straight here because I was scared… scared that you'd be upset."
Spencer rubbed his eyes and shook his head slowly.
"You always say the right thing," he muttered. "Even my imagination knows how to make it sound real now. That's messed up, huh?"
