[ she nods quickly, turning her head away from him and looking down at her lap. hearing that their friendship is important to him doesn't do anything to soften these blows, even if his words to touch her. they've talked about being best friends before, sure, but when was the last time he said something like that to her? honestly, these rare, genuine moments are probably one of the things about him that she likes the most. she likes his jokes and his teasing, she likes the way that they look out for each other, she likes how much fun she has when she's with him and that she can really let loose and be herself— but she also likes it when she gets a glimpse of what he's really dealing with. a glimpse of what's going on below the surface. and even if she's hurting, playing the supporting role is something she's very good at. so, after a moment of hesitation, she reaches to lightly lay her hand over his. ]

Alvin... [ and she gives his hand a small squeeze. ] Don't worry about things like that. We've been through way worse than a little crush before, you know.

[ of course, she knows what she feels for him isn't just a little crush— it's definitely deeper than that. still, after hearing that her feelings are one-sided, actually saying that would be too hard. ]

I'm not gonna ditch you just because you don't see me like that.

[ now it's her turn to force a smile, even if what she's saying is true. she's not going to give up on their friendship. ]