"i think i love you."

it just seems to slip out of him. fall out from those perfect lips in a hasty five words. five words that i've never heard before. five words that i never expected. five beautiful, horrible, wonderful words.

"you... what?"

"i'm sorry." his verdant eyes shift away from me, to the rocky path that we're sitting on. his lips press together in a thin line. "i shouldn't have said that."

"no, no—it's okay," i quickly add, trying to shield his feelings while simultaneously trying to figure out my own. 

"i'm leaving in two weeks. i can't—i can't just say that, then leave and hurt you."

"what if... what if i don't mind being hurt? as long as hurt doesn't exist in the meantime?"

his smile comes back, albeit forced.