Well, if things went according to the eldest's plan, the two families would soon be interconnected. The Vance-Hill connection had been constructed upon a foundation of one-sided deceits. From their initial encounter on the cruise, her immediate family had lied to safeguard their secret, which ultimately unveiled itself. It was ironic seeing herself in the same position, fibbing to defend her name and more importantly, her secret. I guess the apple didn't fall too far from the tree, right?

Truthfully, generations of family rivalries had bridged the relationship between the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. She was caught between two worlds; choosing her morals or her family: the latter was selected. She defended her family, even if it meant losing herself in the swarm. Andrew would be her little brother, but nothing changed there. She made a promise to protect him... and broke it when he needed her the most. He's not ready, she repeated in rumination. He wasn't ready for their history, more so, she wasn't ready to reveal hers.

Emma furrowed her brows, listening to the boy as he articulated with some form of newly uncovered confidence. Throughout years of their friendship, she couldn't recall a single time Andrew spoke back to her. "I want to know about you and Aurelia."

"Oh. My. God, Andrew! Why do you keep pressing me about her?" She slammed her palms on the wooden tables, cups quivering over the impulsive action. Sliding her hands down her face, her lungs grew large before unleashing a profound sigh. She was peeved, undoubtedly. However, after living in her room for days, the brunette lost even more of the ability to regulate her emotions.

"A- An- Andrew -- look at me--" she violently stuttered, overwhelmed by unwanted thoughts. Why wouldn't he simply leave it alone? What he didn't comprehend was simple. It was more than the Gryffindor, it was the not-so-glorified legacy of her family tree. She constantly endured the weight of her grandmother, and truthfully her family. Emma didn't want to tarnish her image. She closed her eyes, taking another deep breath to alleviate her nerves. Her voice had softened and slowed, almost like consoling a child after a thunderstorm. "I don't want to talk about it. Leave it alone, please?"

The Ravenclaw plucked her cup from the table to give it a swirl, before taking a swig of liquid. Her gazes again met the darkened veins on his arm. "Yeah, I was serious by the way, you're not contagious, right?" She snickered to indicate her joke. Before he could get a word in, her voice sounded once more, a slight Spanish articulation playing with her words. "I was in Brazil with my mom, a lot of things changed."