Contemplation

A rush of emotions flood your mind. Disgust is the one that surfaces the most. The thought of everything you'd done with Jessica, replaced with the face of this skinny nerd. All of the sweet moments, the quiet moments and even sexual moments. Your mental perspective re-framed all of these memories in an instant. It was not Jessica. It was never Jessica.

But throughout all the disgust, you remembered your tender feelings for Jessica. The love that was between you two. Even if the Jessica that had dated you was a fake, nothing but a husk worn by Aaron to deceive you, there was no denying that your relationship had felt real. And if he was to be believed, he only wanted to deceive you about his identity and not his feelings. You'd never really known Jessica. All you knew was the Jessica worn by Aaron.

"... I don't know... Aaron? Jessica? I don't even know what to call you..." a raspy response comes from your mouth.

Between his tears, Aaron picks up Jessica's empty husk and holds it tightly to his body. "You don't have to call me anything. If you'll have me, I can keep being Jessica. It'll be like nothing has changed." His voice is quiet and the words barely whispered. You sense some hope in those words but they betray his nerves.

The love you felt for Jessica wasn't false. Sure it was misdirected but the Jessica you fell in love with and cared deeply for was the one you dated. The one you'd gotten to know for the last 20 months. Heck, the real Jessica probably wouldn't have given you a second look so she really wasn't even a consideration here. You really wanted Jessica back but could you even condone this?

As much as you loved Jessica, you can't help think about the innocent girl who got caught up in Aaron's obsession. Jessica was the victim here and if you let this continue, the real Jessica was as good as dead.