"No matter what I do, it’s not going to be enough, is it?" I touch a strand of her hair, tucking it behind her ear. “You’ll still have him inside your heart.”

A hole tore through my chest, my knees shaking as my entire world tips the other way.

We stare at each other for the longest time, our eyes never pulling away. It was then, in that moment, that I realize this wasn’t all just a cruel nightmare. That I wasn’t going to wake up.

Because when I saw the look on her face, it wasn’t sadness, or anger. It was guilt.

In her fists she’s held my heart time and time again, but I’ve finally realized I have never held hers.

A crack sliced it’s way through my battered heart. "But I love you, Luke."

How are words meant for so much love, so full of regret?

"At some point, you’ve got to realize that some things aren’t meant to work out. Some people are meant for you, and sometimes you have to let things go. I know I’m not the one for you. I don’t want to be with someone who could be happier with someone else and I would never want to take that from you. And I want to be someone who actually wants me. And I know that’s not you."

I watch as her eyes close, a single tear falling off the cliff of her nose. "I’m so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you."

I want to touch her. To tell her it’s okay. To say I forgive her. My head is shouting at me, making it hard to make sense of anything but that single tear.

But I don’t.

"I know.”

She stood there with tormented eyes, not knowing to say anything else. So I made the decision for her her. "Goodbye."