Let's talk about Love.

                                    

                                          
Warning: Mature content.
                          
'I love you.' he says. She's silent, shocked. He waits for a response, nervous but smiling, thinking that she'll be happy and maybe even say the same. 
                          
'That's not funny Varun.' she tells him. It is his turn to be shocked but he doesn't fall silent.
                          
'It's not supposed to be funny. I love you.' 
                          
'You know, I'm used to your jokes but this is going a bit far.' she states, unable to believe that he may be telling the truth.
                          
'I'm not joking Alia! I wouldn't joke about love, you know that.' he defends himself.
                          
'I thought you wouldn't but this has to be a joke.' 
                          
'Why? Surely it's not that hard to believe that I've fallen for you.' He persists.
                          
'Varun stop. You've had your fun now stop.' she pleads
                          
'Alu I'm not messing about. I'm serious.' 
                          
'Enough Varun!' she snaps. 'You know, I can't believe you. People make jokes about me all the time but you have to be the first to have gone this far.' She's in tears because this hurts more than anything anyone has ever said to her or wrote about her. Her best friend is taking advantage of her feelings.
                          
'Alia-'
                          
'No. I don't want to hear anything more.' He watches her as she walks away, not sure what just happened or what to do next. 
                          
***
                          
They don't speak for a year. It's more than a little difficult, but they try to move on. He succeeds, she's making little progress. 
                          
Just when she's almost conditioned herself to act indifferent about him and her brain has stop connecting almost everything with a memory of them, she gets a phone call that pretty much shatters all her hard work. 
                          
She can't imagine why Natasha Dalal, the girl who had once been Varun's on-again, off-again girlfriend and is a good friend of Alia's, would be calling when they haven't spoken in months. Still, the actress answers the call, happy to talk to an old friend. 'Hey, what's up?' 
                          
'I've got news.' comes the reply. There is no greeting but there hardly ever is when conversations need to be quick and to the point. 
                          
'Okay, tell me then.'
                          
'I'm getting married.' There is a brief moment of shock and then excitement takes over. 
                          
'Congrats! When? Who?' 
                          
'Thanks. The wedding is actually next month, I didn't want to tell you while you were still so busy but I don't know if you got the invitation so I thought I best call you and check.' Natasha explains.
                          
'Honestly, I'm not sure if I've got the invitation but I'll be there for sure. You didn't tell me who though.' 
                          
'Because you have to meet him in person.'
                          
'Okay. When?'
                          
'You free next week?' She checks her calender and sees that she is free. It also comes to her attention that it'll be eight years since she met a certain someone and there's a sharp pain behind her rib cage that has nothing to do with physical injuries. Somehow, she pushes aside the odd sensation and answers.
                          
'Yeah, I'm free all week.' 
                          
'So shall we say Wednesday lunch?' The sensation returns because Wednesday is that day and she's sure she'll be a mess but she can't really go back on what she said less than two minutes ago.