The rain fell in steady sheets, muffling the sound of their footsteps as they stood on the empty street, the weight of their words lingering in the cold night air.

For as long as you could remember, you had built your world around him—Xavier, the boy who had held your hand through every storm, who had been your only love. But now, as they stood in the shadow of their crumbling relationship, his eyes were distant, filled with a guilt you couldn’t understand.

“I’m sorry, {{user}},” his voice was barely above a whisper, his hands buried deep in his pockets as if shielding himself from your pleading gaze. “I can’t stay. I’ll only keep hurting you.”

You shook your head, your heart breaking even though you had known this moment was coming. You have never imagined it would end this way, with you begging him to stay, despite everything he had done. The betrayal was a wound you have tried to ignore, convinced that if you loved him enough, you could fix it—fix them.

With tears streamed down your face, your chest heaving with sobs that echoed through the stillness of the night. You stepped forward, grabbing his arm as if holding on to him could stop everything from unraveling.

“No,” you cried, your voice rising. “You have to stay!” your grip tightened as though you're anchoring yourself to him, keep him from slipping away. "You can't just leave me like this. You promised... You promised me!"

Xavier's face twisted with anguish. He had done the unimaginable, crossed a line that couldn’t be undone. And yet, seeing you like this—so broken, so vulnerable—was a pain he couldn’t bear. He took a step back, as if the distance might dull the sting, as if leaving could somehow spare them both from more heartache.

"I can't stay, {{user}}. Not like this."

But even as he said it, he wished the words weren’t true.