[She sighs, and then moves slightly, as though she wants to take his hand, but thinks better of it, and puts them behind her back instead. She wanted to avoid it, but... it's not fair. To him or to anyone else. She had to face this task like she'd faced everything else.]

I... know what you're trying to say. But I need to tell you something, before you say anything else.

You've seen my 'bonds,' so you probably already know this, but there's someone very important to me here now... Someone I thought I'd already lost.

[Logically, she probably doesn't owe him anything. He'd chosen to be with her, and then chosen again to cut it off before anything even more serious developed. He didn't have a claim now.

But it's hard to think logically when he looks so conflicted, and when she knows he's sincere. And it's not like she hadn't been just as selfish by accepting his request at all. She'd used him as a rebound and now look where it had gotten them both.

But... no. That attitude isn't fair to him either. They'd both been happy at the time; complications now don't change that. Even if it means she can't avoid hurting him. (Even if he'd hurt her before.)

She holds her chin up and looks directly at him.]

I don't regret what happened between us, Theo. But I also can't go back to it. I... love him. And that means I can't be more than your friend from now on.