Chapter 22

Coming back from their holiday, she finally thought her life will go back to normal, everything will be under her control, no Rihito, no messed up feelings. She didn't want to acknowledge her feelings, she wanted to run away from it, run away from him. Nothing good would come out of it anyway, she thought.

But the more she was trying to run away, the more she was getting cornered as they are yet again forced to move in together in 'their' new house, a wedding gift by his grandparents.

"This is too much!" Rina shouted in frustration. "And here I wanted to stay away from him." She sighed lying on the bed. "Well, at least I get my own room."

She opens the door, making her way to the kitchen to get herself some water, she bumps into Rihito in the hall.

"Hey!" He greets with a goofy smile on his face.

Looking at him, her face lightens up, unconsciously a smile forms on her lips. "Hi."

"Good morning." He hugs her and in response to that, her heart quickens up. She's about to hug him back, Wait! Stop it, Rina! She mentally scolds herself.

"Whatever." She pushes him and walks away.

"What's with the cold response?" He follows her.

She tries to open the refrigerator but he blocks her.

"What?" She glares at him.

"You've been avoiding me." He pouts sulkily.

If you think he's cute. You're dead!

"So?" She shoves him to the side and takes the bottle out of the fridge.

"Woah! So, you're actually avoiding me?"

Without replying she tries to walk away but he corners her against the wall.

"Hey!" She shouts.

"Did I do something?"

"Move." She glares at him.

"Why're you upset?" He frowns.

"Out of my way, Rihito." 

"Not until you tell me what's wrong." He comes closer.

"Your wish." She smiles at him and the next moment he feels a sharp pain on his stomach. "Ouch."

"You asked for it." She rolls her eyes making her way back to her room.

Once inside, she shut the door and drops onto the floor, keeping hand on her drumming chest she takes a deep breath trying to calm herself, "What the hell is wrong with me?" 

***

That Afternoon, the girls decided to meet up at their hangout spot, Ai's bakery.

"So how was your adventurous holiday? Oops I mean your honeymoon?" Teresa elbowed Rina.

Rina glared at her best friend giggling beside her.

"Oh come on." Teresa poked her arms.

"As you mentioned it was adventurous?" Rina shrugged.

"I had my doubts but I can't believe he managed to convince you into this." Teresa stared at the pictures on her phone of her BFF's skydiving, bungee jumping, and all the stuff they did, it even had sneak peeks sent in their group chat, consisting of members: Rihito, Teresa and Ai.

"And I can't believe you teamed up with him behind my back. You even sold out my secrets." Rina gave her an accusing look.

"Yup, at a fair price. Look at your happy face I got in exchange for your secrets." Teresa showed her picture.  "you're so happy here." 

"Geez, I can't even say anything now, can I?" Rina pouted sulking.

"I love you too best friend." Teresa sent a flying kiss to her.

Just then Teresa's smile was replaced by a scowl on her face as her phone rang, cutting the call she turned back to Rina, "So how was the experience."

"It was awesome." She smiled back.

Her phone rang again, "Why you?" She glared at the number and She blocked the number.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She shook her head but her face said something else.

"Okay here's your food." Ai brought a few pastries and icecreams. "You're still on it?" Ai looked at Teresa. "Here, have some and cheer up." She scooped up the ice cream and offered her.

"What happened?" Rina asked.

"They fought again." Ai shook her head.

Now it was Rina's phone that rang, Rina looked at her screen and sighed, "I think you should take this Teresa." Rina waved the screen in front of her.

"Why is he calling you?" Teresa glared at the screen flashing her husband's name.

"Cause you just blocked his call," Rina retorted, "Just take the call."

"Fine." She got up from the chair, walking up to a corner "What?" She yelled picking the call.

As Teresa was busy fighting with her husband, Ai took the seat beside Rina, "So how was your fake honeymoon with your fake husband?" she wiggled her eyebrows as a playful smile played on her lips. 

Rina's eyes widened in shock, "Oh my god who're you? What have you done to my sweet innocent Ai?" 

"Being with Teresa is rubbing on me I guess." She winked.

"Scary! Just one Teresa is enough." Feeling the chill, Rina hugged herself.

"So?" Ai pressed further.

"So?" Rina shrugged.

"What happened?" She raised her brows.

"Nothing." Averting her gaze, Rina shook her head. 

"When he dropped you earlier, the way you were acting was not just 'nothing.' so what happened?" Ai pursued.

"We kissed." Rina blurted out.

"Oh my!" Ai exclaimed happily. "Wow! See, he does like you!" 

"Yeah right! He was drunk, Ai. He doesn't even remember." She answered in an annoyed tone.

"What about you then? You like him?" Her best friend threw the question at her.

"That's the problem, I don't know... I just...don't know..." Her voice shook. "I've always known what I wanted, I've always had a clear view of my path but this I don't know... he stirs me up." She closed her eyes reminiscing every moment they spent together. "I'm all messed up, I need some time away from him, I just need some time to think, to arrange everything in order, to figure this out, to figure myself out but I'm stuck with him in the same house." Rina rants out.

"Hey, calm down!" Ai pats her back. "It's okay. I know you've always thought straight but sometimes isn't it okay to be like this too? Feelings for someone can't be controlled, it just overflows, losing yourself, being swept away, it's okay to let yourself fall in love."

"But I don't want this. I'm scared, letting go of my control, letting myself swept away, I've already been fooled once." Rina let out an exasperated sigh. 

"But he's not Eros. He's Rihito." Ai argued.

"That's the problem. He's Rihito, he is him." She retorted.

"You..."

"Let's stop this. I don't want to talk about him." Rina stopped her from uttering another word.

"But..." Ai tried to continue but as soon as she saw Teresa coming to their way, she stopped.

After making up with her husband, when Teresa returns her smile disappears as she senses the tension in the air.

"Something wrong?" She asks taking her seat.

"Nothing." Rina gives a smile but her eyes are distant.

"You're hiding something from me?" Teresa eyes them suspiciously.

Hearing her words, Rina feels a pang of guilt, heavy on her chest.

"Aren't you hiding something?" Ai distracts her with her question.

"What?" Teresa blinks.

"Your smile just now, looks like you made up?" 

"Oh yes." Teresa smiles with a slight blush. "He's on his way here." 

"My my look at you blushing." They tease her.

***

Getting back home, her eyes land on Rihito who was walking around the hall, half-naked.

"What the?" She glares at him.

"Oh you're back?" he comes running to her. "I missed you. I was getting bored alone." He hugs her. Flustered she pushes him away, "Put on some clothes, will you?" She shouted turning her head away only to find a messed up house. Clothes lying on the floor, water splashed on the ground, packets of chips lying around.

"But I'm hot." He complained. "and I'm hungry, make me some food please." He smiled at her.

She glares at him then at her messed up house, "What the hell have you done to my house?" She yelled.