It's not you, it's me... Darren had heard that line before - many times. It was his older sister's favorite let down line when she was done with a boy but didn't want to bruise his ego on the off chance she might get bored of the next one and she wanted to keep a potential name in her little black book.
This wasn't just a break-up, it was worse, she was either degenerating him to the level of a booty call - which he doubted since she seemed to have no interest in maintaining this relationship at all - so she was trying to force his hand to accept a friendship that she'd slowly slip out of over time until she was just someone he used to know.
She didn't have to close him off like that - didn't she see that he was willing to do whatever it took to ensure her happiness? Didn't she understand he was willing to risk his life to protect her? He couldn't tell her about his special identity as a knight, it would put her at risk, but he could protect her from the shadows...
If his heart had been breaking before, it was completely shattered now. His hand shook, he blinked back hot tears as he looked her right in the eye.
"Well I'm not sorry...""I'm not sorry I met you, I'm not sorry I liked you - still, like you." He took a deep breath trying to hold back the tears that were welling up in the corners of his eyes. He... he wouldn't let her see him cry.
"But I get your message loud and clear - I'll leave you be, don't worry, I won't insist on being friends - you can go do what you want to do and I won't bother you at all... Goodbye Hafwen. It was good - while it lasted... I'll always remember you..."Okay, maybe he was overdoing it - being overly morose and theatrical but screw it - you only got one good chance to be the guy that got away - might as well be memorable.
Instead of moving away, he decided if he was really going to go for broke - if this was really the end - then he was going to take full advantage of this. Even if she got to see the tears that were starting to fall he didn't care anymore.
He had to know.
He closed the gap between them quickly, his hands catching her face between then, his thumbs resting on her cheeks as his fingers and palms wrapped around the back of her neck, pulling her into a firm and perhaps overly heated kiss. He held it for a moment, then slowly pulled away, resting his forehead against hers.
The tears would be visible now, streaming down his cheeks as he tried to keep his voice steady.
"Our first, and last, kiss... It was sweet - bitter - but sweet." He said, his voice starting to crack as he released her and took a step back.
"Fare thee well, mine lady fair, perhaps, anon, we shall meet again." He bowed low, with a small flourish of his hand, before rising and turning on his heel, to look one last time at her over his shoulder.
"I shall always cherish my memories of you, Hafwen Goodall. Good bye."Then he lost what little resolve he had left, lowered his head, and ran, his arms and legs pumping hard as he tried to put as much distance between her and him before his sobs became audible. She might have seen him cry, but he'd be thrice damned before he let her hear it.
