"WHAT?" HER SMILE dropped. She shrugged out of his grasp and sat up.

"I want you to move in with me. I know it's a big step but...we will submit the final draft to Mr. Z this week and have a HR meeting soon. I really love you, Laav. I want you here." He got up and held her hands while she looked at him, wide eyed. "What do you say?"

"I..." She bit her lips and broke eye contact with him. She looked at the space between them and began to scratch her temple. "No...I..."

"No?" His hand left hers as his heart dropped. "You don't want to move in with me? Hey, if you need time to think—"

"Don't finish that sentence." Laavanya turned around and began searching for her clothes. "I...I can't move in with you." She put on her undies and her bra. "Ryker, I don't think we should move in together."

"Laav, wait!" He got out of his bed. "Why not?"

"We can't. I can't. I—" She took a deep breath. "This is happening too fast. We were testing how this goes. We...we weren't supposed to—"

"Testing?" Ryker's voice cracked. "Am I an experiment to you, Laavanya? Do you just want to see if you are able to be in a relationship again?"

"No, it's not what you think. Ryker! I need to..."

"Forget it. You don't move in, fine. We can talk about this later." He picked up his clothes and threw them on the bed. He couldn't look at Laavanya. He was trying to understand why she would say no but he simply couldn't understand.

"I am quitting Piper & Lawson. You will find my two week notice at your desk tomorrow," she murmured.

He snapped his neck towards her. "What?"

"My mom is sick. I am moving to India in three weeks"

"Laavanya..." he stopped forward to hug her but she took a step back instead. "I...we can work it out. Babe, don't worry ab—"

"No," she said, tears in her eyes. "I don't know how long I will be gone. I can't stay away from you like that and I can't do that to you either. I love you but I have to go and I won't let you follow." She swiped fingers across her cheeks and rushed outside.

She emailed him two weeks' notice the next day.

***

"Yes, Ma. I will be at the airport in 40 minutes," she muttered as she handed her suitcase to the taxi driver. "Yes, Julie will meet me there."

"You should've been there two hours ago," her mother said from the other line and coughed.

"I am already going an hour early. Anyway, take care. I will call you later. Did dad get your meds?"

"Yeah, all good. Text us before you take off. Oh, and use the washroom before getting on!"

Laavanya groaned. "I am not a baby. I will be okay!" She said before hanging up. She dropped her phone back into her purse and shook her head when the driver asked if there was any more luggage. She was about to get into the car when she heard a soft sigh. She recognised it. She knew whom it belonged to. She spun on her heels and there he stood, tormented.

He hadn't shaved. Or was wearing decent clothes. It looked like he was going through hell. And that's why she knew she had to leave him.

"Laavanya," he whispered, his lips quivering. His eyes carried the weight of the world. "You're leaving."

She could do this. She had to break his heart. She couldn't do this to him. She could be gone for months and years. He was hung up on her for years but she couldn't let him do the same again. She could never find a love like Ryker's again—she had accepted the fact that she was saying goodbye to that one person who had the ability to pull her out of any storm. But it wasn't the same case around.

To him, she was the storm.

She had to lose him. Because he deserves someone better. Someone who knew who to love. And stay in it.

"I will miss you, Ryker. I promise someone better will find you."

"Ther—" He stepped forward, his voice turning high pitched. "There is nothing better for me other than you. Don't you get that? I have wanted you for years and I have you now and I—I can't just let you go."

"Don't do that. Don't make it harder. I am—" The tears filled in her eyes. She stepped towards him and extended her hand to reach his. She held his hand and brought it to her face. Tears had stained their eyes. "I am breaking your heart. Break mine too. Say you hate me."

"Laav, you are my person. Why can't we be together from afar? Why are you scared of us not working out without trying?"

"Because I love you too much and I can't let you get anything less. I am not letting you wait for my call for hours only for me to drain you with my troubles. I can't let you go through months without being able to hold me. I—" She paused. She couldn't form any words further. She knew she was doing the right thing. She knew Ryker will be heartbroken for months but he will move on. He will find someone better.

"I want to be the person you call when you are stressed. I don't care about waiting for months as long as it's you on the other side. Laavanya, please. Say something! I love you, goddamnit."

She let go of his hand.

"Laav, please. Stay," he begged.

"I can't."