I own neither the Gilmores or 'No Doubling Back' by Jason Mraz.
I wonder which one of us is gonna state the obvious.
And I wonder if you already know that I gotta let you go.
I know this ain't the way I planned it,
I guess I ain't the great romantic and I'm not doubling back now
Luke was at the suppliers, when he slipped back into the diner, unnoticed. He picked up the duffel he had packed the night before and quietly left again.
He boarded the bus and took a seat at the back. Lifting out his novel, he opened it as the bus started to move.
It jerked to a stop seconds later and he glanced up.
Fuck.
There she was.
She normally got an earlier bus to school. Why was she on this one?
He watched over the top of his book, the crowd of passengers blocking him from her view, as she flashed her bus pass, smoothed out her hair and adjusted her heavy backpack.
He watched as she moved her way down the bus, stopping midway and dropping her bag to the floor.
He saw a guy stand up for her and offer her his seat. She smiled up at him in gratitude and pulled a book out of her bag.
His own book sat forgotten on his lap and he watched her get lost in hers.
Twenty minutes he watched her, unnoticed, and then the crowd that had obscured him from view got off the bus.
She glanced back and saw him.
He looked away quickly, but he knew she knew that he'd been watching her the whole time.
She stood up, grabbed her bag and walked to him.
She was nervous. He could tell that much.
Small talk. Avoiding the obvious issues.
He has to tell her. Something. Anything.
"I can't go to the prom. I couldn't get tickets."
She doesn't seem that surprised and he apologises, but even to his ears it seems insincere.
It's her stop and she stands, asking for a phone call.
He tells her he'll call, but in the back of his mind he knows it won't mean anything.
She glances back at him before she steps off the bus, and it takes all his might to stay seated.
He knows its for the best.
He's doing this for her.
He has to leave, despite every fibre of his being screaming out for her.
She deserves more. Far more.
And this is the only way she'll get it.
With him out of her life.
He'll only hurt her more in the long run if he stays.
He's not changing his mind just because he saw her.
He can't.
No, I'm not doubling back now.
Review. Pretty please? :)