Ben finished checking his bags, grabbed his boarding pass, and walked up to Charlie.

"I don't board for another hour and a half," Ben said. "We can grab some dinner, maybe?"

"I think this is just easier I guess," Charlie said.

"Yeah," said Ben. "Look I'm sorry that... "

"You know what? You don't get to be sorry," Charlie said abruptly. "Fuck you. Fuck you for springing this on me so suddenly and then having to leave so quickly. Fuck you for being so fucking diplomatic about it and for being alright with ambiguity."

"Are you done?" Ben asked, kindly.

"Fuck you," Charlie said, bursting into the tears he'd held in all day.

Ben held him tight. "I hate putting us in limbo. I am so sorry. I understand if this is it for us."

Charlie wiped the tears from his eyes and pushed him away. "You should go."

"Right, " Ben sighed. He kissed Charlie with every ounce of tenderness he had in him. "I love you."

Charlie watched Ben walk towards security checkpoint. He watched one of the best guys he ever knew walk away from him. And part of him, most of him, was tired of watching guys walk away. He ran for the checkpoint as Ben was taking his shoes off at the metal detector.

"You got a boarding pass?" asked the guard?

"No... I just have to say something to my boyfriend before it's too late... "

"This ain't no Kate Hudson movie!" scoffed the guard. "You need a ticket to go... "

"Charlie?" Ben yelled across the checkpoint line.

"Ben! Let me finish out the year at school! Then I'll come to Africa!"

"Really? But what about your life?"

"What about you?! I want to be with you!"

"Sir," the guard at the metal detector said as he ushered Ben through the metal detector.

"I'll Skype you when I get in," Ben yelled.

"I love you too!" said Charlie

###