"But," I paused my lips, drawing away, "sometimes life doesn't ask what you want. It just… redirects you. And no amount of wanting makes the path straighten."
Confusion crept up his face. "Are you saying –"
"I'm saying I didn't come here to hurt you," I interrupted. My chest tightened suddenly. It felt like an invisible thread pulling hard. I glanced past him, toward the far trees and the open dark.
Everything felt wrong.
"I thought I was ready for this."
He instinctively leaned closer. "We don't have to rush anything. I'm not expecting –"
"I know," I rose up. The movement was abrupt and jarring even to me. "And that's the problem."
He rose too, concern etched plainly across his face. "Rosalia, talk to me. You don't look –"
"I'm sorry," I cut in, my breath uneven
