Prompt: "I'm sorry"
"I can't."
The words were out of her mouth before she even had the time to think.
And Victoria watched as his face fell. He really hadn't expected her answer to be what it was and, truth be told, neither had she.
She opened her mouth. She wanted to take it back, but the words weren't there. She had no idea what to say to make it all better.
He cleared his throat and she just watched as he closed the velvet box and tucked it back into the front pocket of his pants. "I'm sorry," he began and it only confused her. He was sorry? She frowned. He shouldn't be sorry. She should be. And she was...
"Hunter-"
He shook his head and straightened in his seat. "It's OK."
It was her turn to shake her head. No, it's not!
But he wasn't looking at her and he damn sure wasn't a mind reader so he continued. "I just thought that we were... I just thought it was..." He sighed and shook his head again. "I'm sorry."
No! Stop saying that!
She wanted to scream it, but for some reason was unable to. She merely watched in silence as he looked around the restaurant and signaled for their waiter. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears...
He glanced at her as he waited for the waiter and she wanted to cry even more at the look of misery in his eyes.
"I'll drop you back home," he whispered.
Victoria shook her head, unable to say anything else except, "I'll catch a cab. You shouldn't have to-"
Hunter disagreed. "It's late, I'd feel better if I dropped you off." He sighed. "I shouldn't have assumed that you would say yes. We've never really talked about marriage... I'm sorry."
Victoria chewed on the inside of her cheek as she stared and just said nothing. And as she watched him pay for their dinner, her thoughts screamed at her.
No, Hunter. I'm sorry. I am so fucking sorry! I want to marry you! Of course, I want to marry you!
But she just wasn't able to say the words.
The drive back to her apartment was filled with silence and before she entered the old building, she turned and looked at him one last time, knowing that their relationship was at it's end. And she finally whispered the words she should have said the moment she had told him no. "I'm sorry."
But he was already gone.