"I love you" I said and he stared at me with the glint in his eye that made me believe that was all he ever had to say, silence.

"I love you" I repeated wishing that maybe he would listen, maybe he would say it back, maybe he'd see that I was his and wanted so badly for him to be mine.

"I love you" I said again and he gazed at me like I owned the sun and built the stars. Stared at me like I was the only thing that mattered, when he so badly needed to be cared for.

"I love you." he said

"but loving you was never enough"

I wanted to say he was wrong, tell him I loved him, tell him he meant the world to me. But he gave me one last loving gaze and the words hung in my throat.

He deserved this. He deserved his peace and happiness, deserved what i was never able to give him.

I watched as he left his life behind.

Left his family alone.

Left his soul behind.

Left me alone.

"I love you"