"You're going to leave soon, aren't you?" Juniper said, her voice sad.
Noah blinked, turning to her. "What?"
Juniper smiled at him, softly this time. Not with her usual fire, but with a strange calm.
"I'm not dumb, Noah. I know you have something planned. I knew the moment I saw you this morning."
She chuckled. "Why do you think I kept cutting you off?"
Noah's mouth opened and closed, and after a few seconds, he finally found the words. "If you knew, why...?" He trailed off.
Juniper exhaled, shifting the boxes in her arms. "I just wanted to keep you to myself for a little longer. Pretend I didn't notice. Then maybe... maybe you won't leave. But I could already tell I was wrong."
Noah slowed. Her words made him a bit... sadder than he expected.
"I was trying to find a way to tell you without lying to you." He said. "Or sounding like an asshole who ditched you for nothing."
