Santiago's POV🤵🏽

The creation of the dance had been quite stressful right before it officially started. Jasmine's last-minute nerves kicked into high gear when it would only be hours before the party would officially start. Yet, now that the party had finally begun, one would never be able to tell that the elegant decorations and peaceful mood lighting were done under panicked fingers. Nor would they know that a now poised and calmly sultry Jasmine had been screaming at us a mere 2 hours before.

The party looked perfect.

The room had a long, rectangular shape. It was covered in a deep bluish, purple hue from the coloured lights. Long and wide pieces of fabric were draped along the walls, creating a cozy and expensive feel to the room. There were large round tables that were all placed on one end of the room, leaving the rest of the space for dancing. Behind all of the seating tables for dinner, there were the tables for drinks and snacks, and on that end were the doors that led to the kitchen.

The DJ was on the end furthest from the tables and luckily, his music was actually good. When Mason was scrolling through Instagram a while back, he saw an ad for a DJ and when we heard his mixes, we knew that he would be perfect.

All in all, the party had turned out wonderfully. I was leaning against one of the walls, the guests had barely started to arrive and I did not want to be the one guy sitting at a table alone, so I was the one guy standing alone. I subtly glanced to my right, my eyes on Clark who was talking animatedly to the tall Asian man that had his arm thrown over Clark's shoulder. Liam. I knew about Clark's boyfriend, we have been friends for so long so it would have been weird that I didn't know. Clark did not bring him up that often but it was often enough that I knew that he liked the guy.

I sighed, scowling into my drink.

It was definitely unhealthy to be crushing on a taken man, I shouldn't be going after things that I couldn't have. When he and I had started hanging out, I had thought of our relationship as completely platonic, but by the time I realized that I might really like the guy, I was already too deep and he was already talking about how sweet Liam had been the night before. This would be too much for me, I wouldn't be able to handle the moment that I was really crushed and I knew it. But still, my heart sped up thinking about Clark and dropped when I saw him happily kiss his boyfriend. I looked away from the couple, my gaze crossing over the room in search for something, or better yet, someone, to distract me. My eyes landed on Daniel and the moment I saw that he wasn't talking to anyone, I rushed over to him.

"Hey, Daniel." I smiled widely, walking up to him to stand awkwardly by his right side. Although there always seemed to be that slight tinge of awkward during all of my social interactions, Daniel didn't mind and gave me a wide smile of his own.

"Hey," He replied back, pulling me in for a bro hug. "I haven't seen you since Jasmine let us go and get dressed." I chuckled and Daniel's smile widened.

"Man, that day seems like ages ago!" I laughed.

"Honestly, how can four hours feel like four years?" Daniel asked with bright eyes.

"When Jasmine becomes in charge of your life," Mark answered as he walked up, startling Daniel and me a bit with his sudden appearance.

"Hey, Birthday boy! Are you enjoying the festivities?" Daniel asked after he pulled Mark into a hug. Mark hugged him back before pulling away and tapping Daniel's shoulder twice.

"As well as I can with this stuffy suit on." Mark sighed under his breath, causing Daniel and I to laugh. Mark immediately laughed along because of how irritated he had sounded. "It really isn't that bad but I would have preferred my own button down."

I lifted my hand and shook my head. Mark and Daniel turned to me, not understanding why I did and I gave a small nod.

"Mark, you don't have to explain it to us, we completely understand." I told him, my voice calm and gentle. "Your muscles are just too big, too wide for you to be comfortable in any suit. I get it. Honestly, I have the same issue." Daniel barked out a laugh first, throwing his head back and releasing guffaws that definitely overestimated the funny level of the joke. Mark shoved my shoulder, making me lose my footing quite a bit, before laughing as well. I grinned at the two, feeling accomplished with my joke.

From my peripheral vision, I saw Clark walking over to me, and right next to him was Liam, his boyfriend. I winced and rolled my shoulders back nervously.

Everything is fine, you can do this. I told myself encouragingly. If you could get through not kissing him at that garden, you can handle anything. I looked back up right when Clark was finally standing right in front of me. Clark gave me a beaming smile and my insides quivered. Gosh, what this man does to me.

"Hey, guys." He smiled, his gaze going to Mark and Daniel before settling on me again. "Santiago." He added with a teasing grin. "This is my boyfriend Liam." Clark turned to Liam who had been standing there with a small smile on his lips. Liam reached out to me first to shake my hand. A part of me so badly wanted to ignore it and instead snarl in Liam's pretty little face, but I held back and took his hand like a civilized individual.

He moved on to Daniel and Mark and I sighed in relief.

"It's nice to meet all of you and to see you again Mark." Liam smiled politely, his mannerism poised and . . . honestly, perfect. I wanted to hate him. I just nodded with a forced smile while Daniel and Mark replied with a lot more sincerity.

Liam turned to Clark and threw his arm over Clark's shoulder.

"Let's go meet the birthday girl, I still have to thank her for inviting me to your friend's dinner the other time," Liam suggested warmly, dropping his head to ghost his lips over Clark's ear. Clark blushed harshly but smiled back up at Liam with an adoring expression. The two walked off and I felt my heart clench painfully.

I turned back to Mark and Daniel and the two were watching me intently. I sent them a forced smile and gestured my head toward the bar.

"I'm going to get another soda, I'll be back," I told them, turning and walking off before either of them could say a word. Somehow, it felt as if that moment where I wouldn't be able to handle it anymore was coming sooner than I had thought.

—————

The party was now in full swing, the room was filled with so many people that it was analogous to a nightclub at this point. I had spent quite some time hugging the walls, watching others dance, but the "others" that I watched had most often been Clark. When he danced, there was some stiffness about it; I could tell that he was holding back and thinking about every move that he did. But he was also incredibly natural, and when he moved my eyes would go back and forth between his swinging hips and incredibly sexy and carefree expression. My pants were tight and I considered dying every time that Liam would join and rock against him. Luckily, Liam only came two times but the second time was enough.

I walked over to the nearest trash can, dropping the cup that I had crushed in my hand, and swiftly made my way over to Clark. I honestly was not sure what I was thinking, he had been dancing by himself or with one of his friends for the longest time, what would I achieve by joining him? I didn't have a specific answer, but I wanted to be near him. Now.

I got to Clark's side, feeling the loud music thumping through my head, and leaned in slightly so that he could hear me.

"Can I join you?!" I yelled, still fighting to be heard above the music. Clark looked up into my eyes, startled, before breaking into a lazy smile and slowly nodding.

"Yeah, of course. I will always dance with you." He grinned, throwing his arms over my shoulders and swaying to the beat. My heart jumped in my chest but I told myself to ignore the feeling that his words gave me. I closed my eyes for a moment and let my body do the work, natural following along with Clark's movements. Clark's eyes widened in surprise before they warmed. Clark started to move a bit faster and I continued to follow along. Soon, we were completely invested in our dance, oblivious of the occasional stares of those around us who noticed how in sync we seemed to be.

Both of us were smiling and laughing slightly as we moved, but the upbeat songs suddenly stopped and "Perfect" by Ed Sheeren started to play. Clark chuckled lightly at the choice of song and rolled his eyes.

"Man, I love this song, but they play it way too much." He laughed. I nodded but my body was tense. A slow song. Clark looked up at me. His eyes were partially dazed from alcohol but he seemed coherent enough. Should I dance with him? I glanced at his waist where my hands were. Maybe I could just . . .

I brought my hands down to his hips and tugged him closer to my own body.

At first, Clark was tense against me. I could feel that he was hesitant and unsure, but eventually, he relaxed letting me pull him into his my arms. His body was warm, and slightly soft from the little fat, but lean and small enough that I could wrap myself around him. With my hands at his hips, I waited for him to wrap his arms around my neck.

I shivered in anticipation, we would be so close, so intimate. But Clark didn't seem to like that idea and instead slipped his arms under mine, unto my hips. I chuckled when he smiled and I smiled back. We were still staring into each other's eyes when our feet slowly started to move, and soon we were swaying, dancing to the music.

Unfortunately, I had asked Clark to dance right before a slow song and although I loved to be close to him, we were now in an uncomfortable situation. It was uncomfortable how we meshed together so well. It was awkward that we were enjoying it so much. It was uncomfortable how I yearned for more contact, more than we already had. It was odd and weird that he continued to give me that when I squeezed him tighter and pulled him even closer to my body. Our foreheads touched and we both sighed, completely in sync.

I was relaxed, so relaxed that I let my head rest on Clark's shoulder. Clark did not even tense for a moment and subtly adjusted his neck to allow me access. While rocking slowly with Clark in my arms, I became too relaxed. I lifted my head slightly and let my mouth fall onto his neck. I inhaled deeply, taking in the warm and gentle scent that Clark carried, and kissed the skin there softly.

I then dragged my mouth up to his ear, nibbled on the lobe, and opened my mouth to whisper,

"Clark."

Clark's soft moan and the feeling of Clark shivering against me was the short gift that I was given before he abruptly pulled away. I was prepared to fight for the opportunity to hold him in my arms again but my heart was crushed when I finally saw his expression. The heat, the want, the desire that I had for him were all present in his eyes, but stronger than any of that, was an intense guilt that I didn't expect.

Then it hit me

Liam was here.

Clark's gaze left mine and he scanned the room, his eyes searching for the guy he truly cared about, his boyfriend. When Clark's eyes spotted him, all he saw was Liam's back as he walked away. Without a second thought, Clark was going, chasing after a man who wasn't me.

I cursed sharply and crouched to the ground. What had I been thinking, why did I think that would be a good idea? I knew how much Liam adored Clark and knew that Clark cared about the taller man as well. I should have been satisfied with any sort of dance at all. But . . . but when I dropped my head on his shoulder and I forgot for a moment. A wonderful, peaceful, perfect moment where he wasn't dating Liam, and that had been anything but wrong. In that moment, letting my feelings swell for Clark was as right as it felt. But the moment couldn't last forever, and thanks to my idiot ass, it ended sooner than I had ever expected.

I looked up, hoping to find that Clark had turned back, that he had been thinking about me. But he never did, he just ran, never looking back. When Clark left my sight I never found out that Clark would soon know that Liam hadn't seen us. All I knew was that Clark never turned back. He never saw me crumbling in defeat and running my hands through my hair in frustration before storming away. He never saw the only man he had really hurt that night.

Never saw how much this night would really hurt.

I stormed pass Jasmine who tried to stop me by using her long ballroom gown.

"Santiago, what's wrong? I thought that you would stay until eleven at least, it's only ten." Jasmine was standing in front of me, her concern was written all over her face but I just shook my head.

"Jasmine, I really got to go, I can't stay here any longer." I tried to explain, my voice breaking with every word I spoke. Jasmine opened her mouth to complain but U just continued to walk past her.

With my keys and Metropass safely in my pants, I stormed out of the ballroom. I could not stay in that room any longer knowing exactly what I had done, exactly what I had ruined. I had to get out, and sadly, away from Clark.