His eyes widen for a single moment before his long eyelashes obscure his gaze as he looks at his hands, neatly tucked beneath the table. The muted light of the downcast weather outside the window delicately outlines his features as he seems to sink into his leather chair at the place they'd come, for what seemed like another uneventful date.

"Oh." His lips part for a moment before hastily pressing against one another, a thin line forming. As he exhales a breathy sigh, his shoulders almost shudder. When his eyes meet hers once more, they are accompanied by a broken smile. "I... understand."

Leah resists the immediate urge to squirm, cast into a situation in such a comfortable place. The quaint demeanor of the restaurant they had been to so many times no longer felt inviting, but an impersonal, icy room in which she couldn't unwind. Even the blazing hearth and the soft murmur of chattering patrons did nothing to soften the walls she could almost see forming in his eyes.

She can't stand the silence.

She pushes her chair from the table, rustling the papers in her purse before pulling out enough money to pay for both of their meals. It was her earnings from the café, but it was the least she could do for Will, the boy who had done nothing wrong but let her fall out of love.

As she stands, so does he, reaching across the table to grasp her rough hands one last time. "What could I have done, Leah?" She looks away from his pleading expression, focusing on his hands which clench hers.

"Nothing, Will." She pauses for a moment. "I just...can't put this off any longer. You deserve someone who loves you more than I think I can."

With those words, she let go of his limp hands and her firm grasp on his shredded heart.