"I'm.. just gonna go, yeah?" Chris says, convinced it's probably for the best. Because Claire's obviously made up her mind here. All he can do is tell her again that he loves her, and listen to her talk about love like it means fucking nothing. Maybe it's cause they come from different places, though somehow, it feels like more than that. But she's put up a wall now and he's left without a sledgehammer.

He can't think of much he wouldn't do, but there's nothing he can do. It's fucked and it's wrong and so many other things all at once.

Chris stands, brushing the sand off his shorts with his hands. Halfway up, he starts to lean over to kiss her on the cheek, then thinks better of it. She'll probably pull away anyway, if he tries it. Somehow, that's worse than not doing it at all.

"I'll see you around."