“I love you.”
Words that were often exchanged between us, but this time I meant them differently.
I was hoping that he would hear the goodbye in my tone and that the noise from the next table wouldn’t drown out the intention of letting him down gently.
Maybe lunch hour was not the best timing for breaking up, but I didn’t want to do it at my place or outside in the pouring rain.
But he sits there stuffing his mouth with chips, oblivious to the fact of our last date, the tomato sauce dripping on his beard.
“I love you too baby.”
It’s hard to hear those words because I want it to be over, but I cannot bring myself to do it.
He licks his fingers and it feels like he’s kicking my stomach just from being himself.
The girls at the next table giggle in our direction and that feeling in my stomach worsens, he’s embarrassing me again and this time I cannot swallow it.
Instead I finish my tea, facing the fact that I’m a coward, deciding that I’ll delay the truth in my soul and send him a text when I get home tonight.