"Ava…" Prince grabbed her shoulders, staring into her eyes.
"P-prince, why are you looking at me like that? What is going on? You are not going to—"
He pulled her into a warm brotherly hug before she could even complete her words.
"Je t'aime beaucoup," he said to her, caressing her hair as if it could possibly be the last hug she would ever get from him.
Ava could feel it, the sadness brewing in him. He'd told her he loved her. Why? He needn't tell her, because they were siblings—they had always loved each other after all. Why? Was he leaving? It couldn't possibly be. This cannot be the last hug either.
"No." She shook her head at him, gripping him tighter. "No, you can't leave, Prince. You can't leave me!" Hot tears began to fall from her eyes.
Prince pulled back to stare at her eyes. He cupped her cheek in his palm and gently began to caress her face, wiping her tears off in the process.
