Risky Romance [COMPLETED]

Chapter 13

Rhea was stunned. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"You- what??!"

"I like you", Varun repeated.

"What does that mean?"

Varun groaned. Dear Lord, this girl wouldn't just let it go. "What do you think it means?"

"I don't know, you tell me."

He sighed. "It means I like you. You are beautiful, smart, humorous and fun to hang out with. What's not to like in you?"

Rhea was confused. "Okay let me get this straight. What the hell is your definition of liking someone?"

Varun pinched the bridge of his nose. He could not do it. He could not tell Rhea how he felt for her. He just could not cheat on Kritika. He just knew Rhea for a few hours, for crying out loud. He had known Kritika for years. More than his girlfriend, Kritika was also one of his best friends. Bhavesh was right, he should not have led Rhea on. He regretted mentioning his "feelings" to her already. He was going to have to stay away from Rhea. But before that, he had some damage control to do.

"I like you as a person, Rhea", Varun began, slowly. "That does not imply that I have feelings towards you."

Rhea could literally hear her heart shattering into a thousand pieces. She was such an idiot! Ofcourse, he didn't have any feelings for her! Then what was all the flirting for? She was going to clarify a few things. "Okay, so, the entire flirting thing was-"

"-was just me being nice to you, it wasn't flirting, for God's sake", finished Varun, feigning anger.

"And what about-"

"Look Rhea, whatever you are thinking, is one hundred percent wrong", said Varun. "My behaviour towards you was nothing more than a friend's. I do not have feelings for you. I came to Goa to enjoy, not because you told me to. I have a girlfriend, Rhea. So just stop overthinking." He was pretty certain Rhea loved him. Yes, he sounded like a cocky, obnoxious, know-it-all, but she was such an open book, he could practically read her mind. He had to make her fall out of love with him. "Trust me, you are so not my type", he added as an after-thought, barely keeping from gritting his teeth.

"Oh okay", was all that Rhea said. She ended the call immediately. At that moment, Varun hated himself. He hated for what he had put her through. She was his responsibility! How could he live with himself, knowing that the one person he cared about so much, for whom he agreed to come to this stupid trip with her ex boyfriend, just so she would be happy, was in pain?

He gritted his teeth and punched his pillow and tried to fall asleep but simply couldn't.

Meanwhile, Rhea felt like she was being burnt alive. She never knew the amount of pain she was going through, existed in the first place. She let the tears fall freely. She was supposed to be a very strong person, damn it! She should not cry due to guys! God, how gullible was she? She thought Varun was flirting with her, even though he was just being nice? She totally misinterpreted him. Or did she?

That's it, she decided. No more guys, and their stupid drama. Varun was right, she was overthinking. But she loved Varun.

Hold on. Back up a second. Loved Varun? Since when did she start falling in love? That too with a boy she just met? Was that even remotely possible?

Why not? Varun was perfect in every way. He was kind, caring, supportive, helpful, funny- and not to mention absolutely handsome. She enjoyed a lot with him. He had the capability of making her smile. Well, she may not be his type, but he definitely was hers. But she knew what she had to do. No matter how much she loved somebody, she would never encourage cheating and she would never stand in the way of true love. Varun and Kritika sort of belonged with each other. She was going to stay far away from Varun. This whole trip was a mistake, she thought, gloomily, as she tried to fall asleep, soaking the pillow with her non-stop tears.