No one needs to know what happened here. You're going home and everyone will think we parted ways in London, right after the conference where I fly off to another country and you go back to the busy life in that city. They're going to look at our pictures and think that we had a great time. And when you cry, because I know you will, they'll tell you that it won't be long before we meet again and to make better memories to last another while.

They will not know about tonight. Or how we said goodbye.

So let them think what they want, assume that what we had let gone for quite a while now still exists. Walk away like it isn't breaking my heart more than yours. Even if I ask you to turn around, do not give me the satisfaction of seeing you respond to my call, to know that there still is hope even if there is none at all.

Help me help you pretend, and in the process slowly start to forget me. I was not worth your time anyway but thank you for trying.

Today will be the last time, because maybe by the next you won't even want to meet my eyes, angry and with reason to be. I know you will try to salvage what we thought we had because between the two of us you had always been the sentimental one. I loved that of you. I love that of you even now, among many of the beautiful parts of you I had the privilege to see. But don’t fight this, darling. This had to be.

If anyone asks, tell them we’re fine. At least let me extend the illusion t