It was like a heavy pressure weighing down on Riza's chest. The questioning look in Roy's eyes made the weight heavier as they stared at each other in silence. A stalemate. His dark eyes were piercing as he stared at her without flinching. It was obvious that he was waiting for her to say something first, but the words refused to come out. She had a lump in the back of her throat that she couldn't form words around.
She wasn't sure she wanted to say anything actually. If she were honest, it might destroy her with his reaction. But she couldn't lie. No, she could if she wanted to, but she refused to. Lying wouldn't help a thing. Honestly might have its disastrous repercussions, but lying would also take its toll her own conscience. She had integrity.
She had to give him credit though. He had spoken the words first; he was just waiting for her to response in turn.
The silence was echoing, deafening as they waited on each other. She could hear the pounding of the silence in her ears making it hard to think clearly, and the weight on her chest didn't lessen. It pressed down on her as if it was trying to crush her and make her lungs cave in by its mere presence. It was hard to breathe with the pressure pushing on her and the words trying to force its way through the barrier that had unconsciously formed in her throat.
He broke the impasse unexpectedly. "Well, what do you have to say?" His voice was light, trying to create levity in the situation where levity was inappropriate. It was an intense exchange, though silent.
She stared at him for a moment. The words she wanted to say, the honest truth, tried to escape around the obstacle that was preventing them from being said. She swallowed hard trying to break down the lump; without breaking the eye contact, her face remained expressionless as she had a silent struggle with herself. He waited patiently; his face was unreadable as he stared at her.