He squeezed his eyes shut. “I tried to forget you,” he said. I cringed. Every word seemed to cause him pain. I couldn’t understand the reaction that sent through me. I was connected to him. He was like my brother, only so much closer. His blood pumped through mine in different ways than anyone had ever experienced, i think. “Why didn’t you,” I whispered back. His eyes opened, tortured and big. “I can’t,” he said. I looked down biting my lip. “I can’t forget you either,” I said. I looked up and there was relief in his eyes, and pain too. Still so much pain. “That hurts, doesn’t it?” he said. So simply, so quietly. As if he didn’t know how much every word affected me. As if he didn’t know how I felt about him. “Of course,” I said. I was done putting on a brave face. That facade had been knocked down. He took my hand, and his fingers felt like ice clamped around mine. He shook his head slowly. “If I had known…” “How could you know?” I said. My lips quivered. The time had come for me to let loose, and let go.