Earned It

#TheIntervention

Rumer's POV

I'm strutting towards my car as fast as I can. I've never brisk walked this fast I was practically sprinting. I need to get out of here. I felt safer when I got into my car. I turned the engine on but I started thinking of where to go. Should I just go home and contemplate about what just happened? What the fuck just happened? Did Val just kiss me? And did he just say he was in love with me? What? What the hell is going on?

I wasn't thinking straight enough for me to go anywhere but home. I got into my house and all I want is to lay in bed and sulk about today preferably alone. Wait, what about the routine. Oh God, why am I still thinking of the routine when everything else is just plain messed up.

I was busy over analyzing my life when my bedroom door suddenly opened to reveal my sisters.

"What are you guys doing here? And you, shouldn't you be in New York?" I directed the last question to Scout. Obviously they were surprised to see me home because I was supposed to be in rehearsals for 4 more hours.

"What are you doing here?" Tallulah asked me like I was the one caught breaking into my own house.

"FYI, this is my house. I gave you that spare key for emergencies." I was about to lecture her more but she cut in and I was definitely not in the mood to argue.

"And for surprises. Surprise!!" She said in a less excited tone. "Surprise." Scout chimed in.

"Now why are you home so early?" Scout asked, wanting me to not just answer that question but tell her the entire story.

"Rehearsals ended early." I lied. I felt bad lying to my sisters but I don't want to get in to the real reason right now. I checked their faces and it was obvious that they weren't buying my crap. They know me to well that they know when I'm lying. They jumped right into bed to get the truth out of me.

"Yeah. And I can fly." Scout stated with pure sarcasm.

"4 hours early? You don't look injured. And I'm guessing Val isn't injured." Tallulah stated like she's some detective putting things together.

"How would you know that Val isn't injured?" I asked trying to outsmart them.

"If he was injured, you wouldn't be here coz you'd be with him." Scout stated that like she was so sure that I would be doing that.

"Leave me alone." I whined. I don't want to think of another lie to make my first lie stick.

"Is it Val?" I stopped trying to hide under the covers and looked at them in a questioning manner.

"What do you mean is it Val?" What's that supposed to mean my dear sisters?

"She's acting weird. I'm guessing he told her." Tallulah addresses Scout and they started having a conversation about me like I wasn't there.

"You think he did. I mean, why now?"

"I don't know but I have a gut feeling he did."

"You have a point."

"Uhmmm hellloooo. What are you two talking about? What did Val supposedly told me?" I was getting more curious about what this two really know.

"Oh nothing." Scout told me like I should just shrug it off.

"I swear to God. Don't make me force it out of you." I admit that there was a hint of threat there. "Spill." I practically ordered them.

They looked at each other like they're having some non-verbal conversation and then suddenly Tallulah looked at me.

"Did he finally admit that he's madly in love with you?"

My eyes widened in shock as my mouth hang open. How could they have known? Was Val talking to them? How long have they known? Why didn't they tell me?

"Okay before you totally flip out on us. We were sworn to secrecy." Too late Scout. Don't go defending yourself now. I wanted to yell at them but there was nothing coming out. So what I did instead is get my pillow and whack them with it.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me!!! How long have you guys known?" I asked them as I was continually hitting them.

Scout grabbed the pillow from my hands. "Okay. Stop hitting us. Can we talk like proper adults now?"

"He didn't exactly tell us. We guessed but technically anyone with eyes can see it."

"What do you mean you guessed? When? Where?" I needed clarifications badly.

"It was during that dinner we had. When we were complete. We saw the way he was taking care of you and staring at you and while you were busy chatting with the adults we helped him get drinks by the bar and while waiting we got to talk a bit."

"We asked him if he liked you and he just laughed and said you guys are great friends and you also had a deal about not dating. So we were like, that's totally avoiding the question and he just looked at us like we were supposed to know the answer."

"We told him that he should just tell you but he said it would mess up your partnership because you don't like him that way. So he'd rather keep you as a friend and partner than lose you in all aspects.

"And then he asked us to keep that conversation a secret and so we did because we know he'd tell you in due time plus the fact that it will be messy when more people get involved."

I am still trying to absorb the details they just gave me. How could I not know this?

"And you didn't give me a heads up because?"

"Because we're not to meddle in this kind of business and be caught up in the middle of some drama. The last thing we want is to play match maker to someone who doesn't want to be matched."

"What really happened today? How did it all go down?" They both had that evil curious faces and after today's revelations I guess I should just tell them.

"We were rehearsing for our next performance. Our theme was sort of 50 shades inspired." They tried not burst out laughing at that. "So we were thinking of gimmicks and while doing so he..." and then I doubt myself on telling them.

"He what??" They said in unison. Eager much?

"He kissed me and told me he was in love with me after we did a little confrontation." I got it out as fast as I could. Then I hid myself under the covers like a teenager.

"HE KISSED YOU AND SAID THE "L" WORD?" Seriously, are they twins? Do they have to say everything in unison? They tried to pull me out of the covers and it took a while before they managed to do so.

"What did you do?" Scout asked me wanting the exact details of how it went down.

"Did you kiss him back? Did you say it back?" Tallulah was trying to make things easier by presenting the options and me just needing to answer a yes or no. But I know I had to explain my side.

"Well, I sort of did for a while but then snapped back to reality." I honestly admitted. I did kiss him back, I admit that but I knew I shouldn't have.

"Holy crap. You kissed him back and then you tell him you can't. What is this a flipping chick flick?" Tallulah pointed out how this story is like some lame ass rom-com.

"The let me guess. You walked out and now you're here hiding from the world and we probably need to go to the grocery to go get you a pint of ice cream or worse you already have it in your fridge." Scout added. Omg I am a lead character in a chick flick. The look on my face just confirmed Scout's theory.

Suddenly Tallulah's phone rang. She checked the caller i.d. and her eyes widened as she slapped Scout's arm to let her see the phone screen.

"Who's calling?" Somehow they are leaving me out in this convo yet again.

"It's your prince charming." Tallulah teased. My own eyes widened. "Don't answer it." I told her but of course she doesn't listen.

"Hello." She answered calmly but kept mouthing for her to hang up while Scout was mouthing put it on speaker

"Yeah. Scout and I are at her place already. Wait I'll speaker so Scout can hear you."

"Hey Val!!" I wanted to smack both of my sisters by doing this but I can't help but just listen in.

"Is you're sister with you?" Why is he asking for me? I mouthed to then to say no and thankfully this time they listened.

"No, she's not. We're in her room and she went to the kitchen to get some water. Why what's up? Are you trying to reach her? I think her phone's not with her."

"Uhmm. It's nothing. I just wanted to know if she got home safe." Aww. Valentin. Why are you so caring like that? But no. RUMER NO! He kissed you and told you he loves you and you had a deal.

"Ohh. Yeah. She's in one piece. What happened? You sound different. Did you finally tell her?" Okay my sisters are good in information gathering. I wonder how many times they done this.

There was a long pause from the other line followed by a deep sigh. The three of us exchanged looks.

"I actually did. But it's all wrong. I did all wrong and now we're ruined." I can hear the sound of remorse in his voice and it made me feel a pang of guilt. Maybe I shouldn't have reacted the way I did.

"What's your plan now?" That was the big question and I want to hear him answer this one.

"I'll just have to keep convincing myself everyday not to love her the way I do. Especially now that I've proven she's far from feeling the same." Even my sisters were saddened by what he said. And now I feel even guiltier. "Thankfully, she didn't slap me though." He added, trying to make the conversation light and funny.

"By the way, never tell her about our convo. I know you're her sisters and all but I just don't want to create more drama. It's bad enough that I have to face her again after what I did but I just want to help her win now. That's what she really wants anyway. I'll pass on the supposed surprise dinner tonight. Just tell your folks I have flu or something that's why I couldn't come."

"Okay. We understand. Get well soon, I guess."

"Thanks girls." And with that he hang up. My sister's waited for me to react.

"So?" Scout asked. "So, what?" I answered her. "Okay I will go straight to the point because this is becoming more of a chick flick by the second and I can't let us go down that route. Do you not like him?"

I never even thought of that. Do I like Val? Can I be in love with Val? I mean, how do you exactly know if you like someone in that way?

"I don't know." That was an honest answer. I really don't know.

"What do you mean you don't know?" They asked me like the answer I gave was the stupidest answer anyone can give.

"It means what it means, I don't know." I know I sound defensive but I really don't know.

"Okay. Wait a second. Let us assess your 'I don't know'." Really? Even my I don't know needs to be rationalized. Can't it just mean what it's supposed to mean?

"How do you suggest we do that? Are supposed to take an exam or some magazine checklist quiz like in a chick flick?" I was being sarcastic but for a moment there they did consider doing that.

"Just answer this. Do you consider Val important?"

"Of course I do but that can't automatically mean I'm in love with him."

"Hold your horses. Chill out. It's a yes or no question and it doesn't require anything else but that."

"Yes he is!" I reiterated my answer for the question.

"Do you think about him a lot or do you find him in your thoughts often?"

"Well, trying to remember the routine means remembering what he said about it and how he did it. So I guess yes." That's acceptable right? Of course he's part of the thought when it's the dance he taught I'm thinking of.

"Stop giving pathetic answers. Do you think of him as more than a partner? It could be always, sometimes, never. Just pick one." Someone's getting impatient.

"Fine. Sometimes."

"Have you shared something personal with him? Like stories and all."

"Yes."

"Have you ever been so worried for him?"

"Yes."

"Do you text him to check on him or just to say good morning or good night or just to say something random?"

"Yes."

"Do you get the urge to call him when you're bored?"

"Yes."

"Do you feel happy talking to him?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever had feelings for him, like sexual?"

"What?" I can't believe they're going there. But the question is have I ever thought of him in that way?

Before I even got to answer Tallulah butted in and answered for me. "Of course she does. She kissed him back remember. Plus the fact they spend most of their rehearsals touching each other in a not so friendly way." Is that a feasible evidence? The dancing requires such thing. It's not like we're doing it just for nothing.

"Okay. Stop it with your questions. They're not helping."

"Fine. Just answer this last one. If you find out that Val is dating someone else and starts missing out on post-show family dinners, skipping lunches, calling some other girl babe, driving someone else home, wanting to end practice early coz he has a date, what would you feel?"

For a moment there, I couldn't just say something sarcastic to defend myself. I am literally cornered there. What would I feel? I love sharing meals with Val. I love the fact that we spend a lot of time together because I can really be me when I'm with him. It didn't matter what my last name was. I can just talk to him about whatever, whenever. I love the fact that I can share some of my interests with him and the fact that he willingly joins my dubsmashes even though it looks awfully stupid sometimes. I love knowing that he will defend me to all the haters and he never fails to remind me of how amazing I am. I love that fact that he always takes into consideration how I'm feeling. If I'm tired, if I'm injured, if I was hungry, if I was nervous, if I was scared and no matter what I was feeling he always had the perfect thing to make it better. I love having him around because I've never laughed as hard as when I am with him. I love that he gets along with my entire family after meeting them just once. And then it freaking hit me like that yellow school bus on Mean Girls, I had a realization just like Alicia Silverstone's character had one at the mid-end of Clueless. "I love Val. I am majorly, totally, butt crazy in love with Val." Did I just say that out loud? OMG! I did end up being the lead character of a chick flick. I saw my sisters high five each other like they just cracked the year's biggest love case.

"And he loves you too! So what's stopping you from being with him?"

That's is a very good

question. What is stopping me from admitting to myself that I am in love with

Val?