Earned It

#TheAdviceOfMakingItRight

She knew it was going to be difficult. She spent the weekend crying over the could have beens. What it could have been if she didn't come up with that stupid rule? What it could have been if she kissed Val back that time he first told her he loves her, I mean loved her. What it could have been if she blurted out her feelings even if he was trying to say that he was over her. So many things are running through her mind. She felt like she was bound to have another breakdown episode but she's trying to convince herself that she was okay because she has to be okay.

"How quickly did the tables turn?" She said to herself as she was driving on her way to the studio. This was their first rehearsals since the incident and the first rehearsal after she tried to confess her feelings. Now, the first rehearsal that she has to pretend that she's perfectly fine with Val.

Val was already in the studio choreographing their dance when Rumer walked in with a small smile on her face. There was still a sense of awkwardness between them and of course Val has no idea about what happened to Rumer after he just confessed that he was moving on after confessing he was in love with her.

"Hey! Ready to rehearse?" A chirpy Val greeted her. He seemed perfectly fine and this just hurt her even more but she has to keep her smile on so he won't notice that she was slowly wanting to curl up on one side and ball her eyes out.

"Let's get started." She said trying to sound optimistic and energetic. She placed her things down and got ready to start rehearsing. They were going to pick up where they left off. The Viennese waltz that triggered this entire thing.

"So was Max able to teach you the entire routine?" Rumer remembered that Max did take Val's place as her partner for a couple of days and taught her the dance but her mind was to pre-occupied to actually absorb what Max was saying.

"Yeah he did. But it's been a while so I need to refresh it a bit." She honestly said.

"Sure. No problem so let's start from the beginning." Val was patient with her like that. They started dancing until it was time for that part that they had to stare at each other. This time, Val seemed unaffected and it was Rumer who was fighting all her instincts of kissing him out of her mind. For a minute there she tensed up and Val felt that.

"You okay?" He asked concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said but was wondering who was she trying to convince, herself or Val?

"Are you sure?" Val knew the exact reason why she's feeling this way but he didn't want to bring it up because he didn't want to talk about it.

"Yeah." She said in a more convincing manner this time.

The rehearsals were more quiet than the usual and it was because everything has changed. Even though they said that they were fine, it was obvious that they weren't. There wasn't banter anymore, there weren't inside jokes or references that was mentioned. The thing that made them so good together was missing. Their genuine chemistry was missing in action.

Rumer figured that her little reaction to the dance earlier probably made it awkward for them because the mood went downhill from there but she doesn't want Val to think that she's being weird after their talk. So she tries to act normal.

"Hey! You want to grab some food?" She asked nicely like everything that happened prior didn't make her want to live in a cave.

Val was fixing his bag and was scrolling through his phone. "Thanks, but rain check? I have somewhere to be tonight." Just as he finished that sentence his phone rang. "Hello?" he answered with a smile on his face as he checked the caller ID. Rumer didn't catch the caller ID but she can definitely say it was a girl. She just pretended to fix her stuff while eavesdropping on him.

"Yeah, I know I'm already late." He sounded sweet which made her want to listen in even more. "I'll be on my way. I'll ring you when I'm near. (pause) Yes. I won't forget. (pause) I have to go. I'll see you later. Please drive safely. (pause) Yes, I know. I love you too." As soon as those last three words escaped his mouth she wanted to shut off and have a self-induced coma for the next life time. It was bad enough that she couldn't say she was in love with him but here he was shoving into her face that he has moved on.