I sighed, shaking my head in dismay. "Alright, fine," I muttered, sitting up. "There's only one way to settle this."
Hugo hummed, amused. "Do tell, oh wise one."
"I'll go see her," I said, ignoring his sarcasm. "That's the only way I'll know for sure. I'll talk to her, spend some time with her, and if I feel… something—" I paused, my chest tightening at the mere thought of the possibility. "Then I'll deal with it. And if not, then I can move on and prove everyone wrong."
Hugo rasped. "Oh, yes. I'm sure that'll work out perfectly. You, the great Axel, sitting down and rationally analyzing your emotions like a scientist observing a bug under a microscope. What could possibly go wrong?"
I ignored him. "And besides," I added, "even if I don't love her, I should at least make sure I'm not leading her on. If there's even a chance that she's waiting for me, it'd be cruel to leave her hanging. She doesn't deserve to have her feelings neglected. María José, she's…"
