And so it goes...

"Okay..." I slowly replied. What else could we have to talk about? We had plenty of time at dinner. He could have also said something back at his apartment. I mean, we were silent for a good hour. Why was he waiting until the very last moment?

We remained silent for several minutes. I was just about to finally ask him what was going on when he finally spoke. "This might be tougher than we thought, you know?" He was saying 'we' but he clearly meant 'I.'

"What might be tough?" I asked.

"Never seeing you," he replied. "I don't know what that's going to do to us." I was starting to feel like we accomplished nothing the whole night.

"It's not like I'm moving. It's not even like I'll be unavailable all the time. I just have school most week nights and my new Assistantship. When I met you, I had just finished my spring semester. That was the only reason I was even at the bar. But I was also single. Now that I'm with you, I'll arrange my time different."

Justin began picking at the peeling leather on his steering wheel. "I'm a girlfriend guy, you know? I like being in a relationship. I never understood guys who prefer going from girl to girl when you can have one amazing girl who's always there for you. But I don't know if I can handle all this time apart..." His voice trailed off and he looked away from me.

I ran my fingers over his shoulder. "I'm going to do my best," I quietly said. I could feel my eyes tearing up. I didn't like where this conversation was going but I felt helpless.

Justin turned back to the steering wheel. He still wasn't looking at me, but I could see his face. His jaw was clenched but there was sadness in his eyes. It seemed like he was trying to keep it together.

"It's not just that," Justin replied. "I've been thinking. I love spending time with you, but if I'm only going to see you like, once a week when you're completely drained anyway, what's the point?" At that moment, he looked at me just in time to see my eyes widen. "I don't mean there's no point, but come on, Caroline. If the positions were switched, would you want to sit at home while your friends are out meeting new guys."

I swear, when he said that, I saw red. "You want to meet new girls? Is that what this is all about? If it is, just say it," I demanded.

Justin put his head to the steering wheel and took a deep breathe. I could barely hear him when he began speaking again. "It's not that. I want to be with you, but if I can't go out with my friends and you're off at school, I feel like, I don't know. I guess I feel like I'll become resentful."

I took a deep breathe and looked out the window, still trying to hold back tears. Thirty minutes ago, we were all fixed. How did we end up here?

"If you're going to resent me for enriching my future, I have nothing to say to you."

"Stop trying to make me feel like the bad guy," Justin snapped. "I'm telling you how I feel."

The waterworks were now in full force. I put my face in my heads and began sobbing. I couldn't hold it in anymore. I felt Justin's right hand on my back, going up and down.

"Caroline," he began in a soft voice. "Maybe we can just take a break. I'll let you get used to your new schedule and maybe, in a few weeks, we can reconsider things."

I wiped away my tears and looked Justin in the eyes. "What's really going on, Justin? Be honest with me. You make that stupid comment about wanting to be out with your friends meeting new girls and then you try to play it off like it's my fault. I can make time for you, so what's the real reason?"

Justin let out another heavy sigh. "Okay, well yeah. It's not just the time, but here's how I see it. You're going to be at school or work a lot. Then you have to make separate time for your friends and family. That doesn't leave much time for me. And I don't blame you, but what am I going to do with all my free time? If I hang out with my friends more, I'm going to want to talk to girls and stuff. I would hate it if the roles were reversed and you did that. I don't want us to grow apart and then hate each other."

He was making some sense, but I still didn't think we had to break up over this. Couldn't we give it another few weeks? Then I remembered how I felt in the beginning of the night. I really liked Justin, but I had my doubts, too. Maybe this was a good opportunity for both of us to split without a messy, aggressive break up.

I felt my eyes fill with tears again. "So, is this it?" I asked. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Justin rubbing his eyes and I secretly hoped he was wiping away tears. I can't be the only one who feels better when the guy is also crying.

"At least for now," he softly replied. "Let's take some time apart and maybe we can get dinner in like, two weeks?"

We sat in silence for a minute before I slowly nodded. "Well, I guess I should go in." I turned and gave Justin one last look. I couldn't believe how the night turned out.

Justin put a hand behind my ear and gave me a slow and passionate kiss before I went inside. I felt so sad but I told myself it was for the best. Right?