Jason's grip on my hands tightened as soon as the words left my mouth.

"You don't mean that," he stated in denial.

"I'm sorry, Jason," I whispered miserably. "I do."

I slumped back against the couch, wishing that the plush seat would just swallow me whole. Pressing my cheek against the backrest, I lowered my gaze to our entwined hands.

Jason mirrored my action, laying back so his lips almost grazed mine.

"I don't believe you," he said, his voice quivering.

For a moment, his usual confidence was gone, replaced by an uncertainty that was alien to his nature.

It's your fault. You're no good for him.

Yet another reason to end it with Jason. He deserves so much more than you.

My throat constricted as I imagined Jason finding someone else at university. A confident, gorgeous, popular girl. Everything that I was not. I pictured him mentioning me to her fleetingly with detachment and disdain.

"Leena?" Jason called for my attention.

"Please, you have to believe me," I pleaded. 

"I don't want to. I know you're afraid that things will be different after you go home," he said. "But there's nothing to be afraid of because I love you. We can figure this out!"

"Jason, it isn't as easy as you think," I sighed, infuriated with myself for failing to convince him. "Did you even think about the time difference between London and LA? You'll have to sacrifice so much to keep in touch with me. All the —"

I was interrupted by the sound of an unfamiliar ringtone. With a quick apology, Jason stood up, reaching into his pocket to answer his phone. I tapped my fingers against the couch, not paying attention to Jason's conversation.

"That was my mom," he said a few moments later, kneeling on the floor so his mystifying eyes were level with mine. "She needs my help with something."

"Is she all right?"

"Yeah, she is. But she needs me to pick up some paper for her."

"Oh," I said, staring at my denim-clad knees.

"I'm sorry," Jason said. "I have to go."

"It's okay," I nodded reassuringly.

"I'll come back after I help her," Jason promised, standing up.

"No, you should go home and get some sleep before your night shift," I said, getting to my feet. "Will you come over tomorrow?"

"Of course," he said, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to my forehead. "Leena, I don't want you to think about ending things anymore. When I see you tomorrow, we'll talk about all the time difference stuff. We can figure it out, easy."

I tipped my head to meet Jason's eyes. He smiled at me, the relaxed confidence and brightness returning to his face.

"I love you," he whispered. 

Jason held my face in his hands gingerly as though I were made of glass. With a hopeful smile, he made a request that caused my heart to drop like a dead weight. 

"I really hope I'll hear those words from you tomorrow."

***

"Are you sure you're all right, darling?" Claire asked, examining me closely from across kitchen counter.

"Claire, I told you," I sighed, piercing a cherry tomato in my breakfast salad with a fork. "I'm just fine!"

"Have you talked to Jason?" she asked, swallowing the last of her salad.

"Oh, yeah," I assured her. "We sorted everything out."

I almost wanted to laugh at how easily the lies came.

Practice makes perfect, I thought to myself bitterly.

"That's great, Lee," Claire said, her sincere smile filled with relief. "What have you two decided?"

"Well," I fumbled, making a show of chewing a piece of lettuce. "We —"

Thankfully, my phone started ringing from inside my pocket. I tried not to let my relief show as I apologised to Claire hastily.

"Have to take this," I said, getting up to put my bowl and fork away.

"Okay," she smiled, dismissing my apology. "I have to go now, anyway. We'll talk later, Lee."

Claire called goodbye over her shoulder as she left the house, her smart briefcase in hand.

Puzzled by the unidentified number in the caller ID, I brought my phone up to my ear and called, "Hello?"

"Lee," Chris shouted, his voice causing me to freeze. He sounded disgruntled when he said, "I'm calling from a friend's phone. I've tried calling you so many times from mine, but I couldn't get through. I couldn't send you any emails either."

"That's because I blocked you," I replied bluntly. "And I deleted my email account."

It'll get ugly.

"What?" Chris sounded appalled. "What the fuck?"

You'll just drift apart.

"Stop calling me," I hissed, my voice shaking with anger. "I've had enough of you. I don't want to talk to you again."

"For fuck's sake, Lee—"

Chris's words were cut short when I hung up on him. 

Exasperated, I stomped up the stairs, throwing my bedroom door open. I turned my phone off and shoved it into the bottom-most drawer of the desk that stood to the left of the room, relishing the momentary respite.

***

I stared out at the ocean through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the sitting room, a defeated sigh escaping my lips. Jason's arms folded themselves around my waist from behind. Instinctively, I shrank into his warmth, savouring the feeling of his body flush against my back. My head rolled back onto his shoulder when his lips grazed my neck. 

"What's wrong, Leena?" he murmured. "You haven't said anything since I got here."

Unwilling to tell him about Chris, I remained silent. I wanted, so badly, to turn around and kiss Jason until everything else faded into the background. I yearned to pretend that everything was perfectly all right. But there was no time left for wishful thinking.

Three, two, one.

"I found out that London is exactly eight hours ahead of LA," Jason broke the silence, his smooth, deep voice caressing my shoulder. 

I reached up with my hand, blindly running my fingers along his cheek until I touched his lips. 

"There's no point in talking about that," I said in hushed tones. "There's no point in thinking about a future for us."

Jason stepped back from me. My body instantly regretted the absence of his hands. Bracing myself, I turned around to face him.

"Leena," he warned, wide-eyed. "What are you . . . ?"

"We have to end this, Jason," I muttered.

"You can't do this," he protested, running his hands through his hair in frustration. "Y-you're going back on Monday. We don't have much time left."

Jason's denial had given way to fear. He had finally understood the extent of my seriousness.

"I know we don't have time, Jason," I cried. "That's why we have to stop arguing about this and make the most of the three days we have left!"

His lips parted in utter disbelief when he said, "You're telling me that we should go out, have fun the next three days, and then just forget each other?"

"It's what's best for us," I grimaced. "Please, don't fight me on this."

"Fine, I won't," he said, exhaling deeply. "But I won't do what you're asking me to do, either."

I looked up at him in confusion.

"I won't break up with you," he explained. "So, if you really think you're right, you should dump me."

"What?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Tell me you don't love me," he said, his eyes darkened by hurt and disappointment. "Dump me, and I'll go."

"No, Jason," I whispered hoarsely as tears welled in my eyes. "I won't do that. I can't."

"But you can't love me either," he said dejectedly.

There was a moment of utter silence before I broke into uncontrollable, pathetic sobs. Jason surged forward, enveloping me in his embrace. He walked me to the couch and pulled me onto his lap. 

"I'm so sorry, Leena," he said into my hair. "I'm so sorry."

"Why are you apologising?" I spoke incoherently. "This whole mess is my fault."

"Please, don't cry. I can't bear to see you cry," he said, wiping my tears with his fingertips. "I just don't know how to make you understand. We can't give up on each other."

I breathed in slowly, trying to compose myself. Jason reached up to tuck my hair behind my ears, resting his hands on my neck. 

"Why are you so scared, Leena?" he asked, his eyes searching my face for answers. "Are you hurt about something? Is that why you think we can't work things out?"

I opened my mouth to object to him.

"Don't deny it," he stopped me. "You're hurt about something, Leena. Please, just talk to me."

I can't tell him about Chris.

I steeled myself, forcing down the reluctance that I had meticulously built over the past several years. Drawing in a deep breath, I decided to tell Jason about my mother instead.