Spying

“I can't sing,” Aurora muttered. Her cheeks reddened, almost matching her lipstick.

“Of course you can!” Isabella said. “I've heard you! You're...” She trailed off as Aurora jerked her head up, startled. “I mean, when... um...”

“When what?” Aurora said. “I've never sung around you. Or anyone.”

“There was... there was one time...” Isabella trailed off, taking her turn at flushing and glancing aside.

“When?” Aurora said. She didn't understand why she felt so angry, but there it was. This wasn't something she'd shared!

“I was going by your house on a weekend. Just going for a walk. I guess you'd left a window open or something. I heard you right after you got out of the shower. I just... stopped. Listened. I didn't even know it was you until I put facts together...” Isabella chewed at her lip.

Aurora bit her tongue until she'd almost drawn blood. Why did this feel like such an invasion? “You never said anything.”

“I guess... I knew it was a private moment. I'm sorry. But you really are amazing for someone with no training or anything. Do you really just sing in the shower or whatever?”

Aurora turned away. “I don't want to talk about it. Any more spying on me you want to admit to?”

Isabella's face turned whiter than her snow-bleached hair. “No. No, I didn't think I was...”

“Just drop it,” Aurora said.