The speaker looks back on a breakup that left both people hurting. They tried to settle into a "sort of friendship," but the poem makes clear it's a shaky compromise. One person wanted closeness, the other wanted space, and neither could give way.
What stands out is the speaker's honesty about their own mistakes. They admit they tried to buy affection and impress their partner out of fear of losing them, then recognize that real love shouldn't work that way. There's also a quiet irony in the third stanza: the speaker hoped this person would be their rescuer, but ended up having to save themselves.
The mood is wistful and a little bruised, but not bitter. The speaker still remembers how brightly the other person shone. The closing question, whether it was worth discovering they weren't meant to last, is left hanging, which suggests the speaker is still sorting out the answer.