What She's Worth (Reylo)

Chapter 23

"Did you just tell that boy that you're in love with me?"

Time seemed to slow until it eventually stopped, yet Rey could still feel blood rapidly draining away from her face. Her stomach churned, her legs shook and her whole body ran cold. Was this what it felt like to be close to passing out? Maybe it would've been better if she did, she thought bitterly, as her panicked eyes focused and unfocused on Ben Solo's still shocked expression.

"He knows. He knows. He heard everything."

"Rey..." He took a few steps closer, but thankfully not close enough to touch. She didn't know if she could take it if he touched her. "Why did you tell Kreio that you're in love with me?"

Center. She needed to find her center just like she did when she had been training earlier. She needed to concentrate. Needed to...

A wave of calm gently washed over her and she thanked the suns for the idea that whispered in her mind like a gentle breeze.

Time started again, and she stood with confidence, arms folded across her chest and a smirk across her lips. "Isn't it obvious, Ben?"

Ben blinked, confusion clearly written all over his face. "Obvious? What?"

"Ugh, you're really dense sometimes." Rey made a show of rolling her eyes. "I was finding a reason to make him back off. Seems he's a lot more determined than I thought."

"So...you're not in love with me?" Ben ventured. She wasn't sure what to make of his tone of voice. Or if she could continue to lie her way through this.

Still, she was able to keep her cool and made sure to show him the way she wrinkled her nose. "Me? In love with you? Please, who would want a moof-milker like you?"

"Lennett does."

The mention of that name put Rey on edge, and it took all her willpower to remain focused. "Of course she does. But I'm not Lennett, am I?"

Ben stared at her, his brown eyes so intense that it made Rey nervous. For a moment, she thought he might be on to her, until he said, "So let me get this straight. You were using me as an excuse to turn him down?"

"Well..." Now that he put it that way, it didn't exactly sound good, Rey thought. "I...guess?"

Ben folded his arms, his expression severe. "Rey. That's not very nice."

"I know it's not. But I panicked, alright?" she exclaimed, her voice so full of desperation, she even convinced herself of her act. "And he was the one who made the suggestion that I was in love with you," she said while making quotation marks in the air with her fingers. "I just went with it."

"Still, you shouldn't be toying with that boy's feelings," Ben continued with a shake of a head. "That's so...unlike you."

As if she needed more reasons to feel bad about herself, Rey thought miserably. "I'm not toying with him. I'm just sparing him from the truth. What did you want me to do? Tell him straight out that I don't like him in that way?"

"Yes. It would've been more merciful than giving him false hope." Again, Ben was using a tone of voice Rey couldn't comprehend. Was it irritation? Disappointment? Or did she just hear a hint of sadness?

She let out a deep breath and held her hands up as if in surrender. "You're right. I'm sorry. I'll go clear things up with him one of these days."

"Good." Ben's eyes searched hers before a smile formed on his lips followed by a chuckle.