SEBASTIAN
Ian doesn’t leave my side as we walk into Be At One with Noah, who starts glancing between us in a way that makes me wonder if he’s picked up on Ian’s lingering attention.
Maybe I’m imagining it.
Noah’s still his usual cheerful self, chatting, smiling, but there’s something in the way he watches me now.
Quietly protective. Almost like he knows I might need it.
I’m doing my best not to encourage Ian, but I also don’t want to be rude. He’s kind, he’s charming, and, objectively, he’s exactly the kind of person I should be open to. But my heart, inconveniently, is already elsewhere.
It’s my first time in this club. While we wait for the others, still parking, I take in the space around us.
The entrance opens into a wide, semi-circular hall that leads into a narrow corridor, dimly lit by clusters of flickering candles and a black crystal chandelier. Burgundy silk lines the walls, broken only by cascades of white flowers spilling from tall glass vases on sculpted pedestals.
The whole place feels intimate, theatrical, like something out of a dream.
Beautiful. A little surreal.
But none of it is enough to distract me from the weight of Ian’s presence beside me, or the ache that’s quietly blooming in my chest for someone else entirely.
The atmosphere is lush, dramatic, and just the right side of decadent.
I’m relieved I dressed up, my outfit fits the vibe perfectly.
Dance music hums faintly behind the walls, strangely at odds with the opulent décor. But I suspect the contrast is intentional, like everything here is designed to keep you slightly off balance.
A queue has formed by the coat check, where people collect wristbands for their drinks. We join the line just as the rest of the group arrives.
Remi heads straight for me. He looks tense, focused, eyes scanning my face like he’s searching for signs of distress.
He touches my arm, warm and gentle, and leans in close to speak.
“You okay, Seb? I’m sorry I didn’t stop Ian, he caught me off guard. I hope he didn’t make you uncomfortable.”
His lips brush my ear as he speaks, and a sudden flash of heat races down my spine, settling low in my stomach.
I flinch, just slightly, and try to keep my expression steady.
“I’m fine, Remi. Honestly. He’s just a friend.”
Remi tilts his head, clearly unconvinced, but doesn’t press.
He gestures down the corridor, and we fall into step with the others, heading toward the main room.
As I walk, I can feel Remi’s eyes on me, trailing warmth along my back.I knew this top would get attention, maybe I even wanted it. Sometimes, I flirt a little too close to the flame.
A few steps ahead, Ian glances over his shoulder and gives me a look that leaves little to the imagination. Remi notices.
For a moment, I’m caught between their stares, the tension between them sharp enough to cut through the air.
It’s almost too much.
Remi’s probably still worried Ian could set me off,
but now that I’ve come out, there’s nothing to hide.
Ian has never broken my trust. If anything, he’s protected it. I’ll have to explain that to Remi soon. I don’t want friction within the group.
Anne’s thrilled to have us all back together, and I know I’ll need every ounce of support I can get when I finally talk to Maddie.
I’m not convinced she’ll take it as calmly as everyone else.
We slip past the black velvet curtains, push open a heavy door, and suddenly, we’re inside a huge, dimly lit club, packed with people.
The music is thunderous. Strobe lights flash over dark walls like frantic fireflies.
“Stick together!” Francis shouts over the music. “We’ll never find each other otherwise!”
Everyone nods. Noah adds, “Use the lips sofa as our home base, yeah?”
He points to a red velvet couch shaped like a pair of lips, and then blows a kiss at Francis, who rolls his eyes while the rest of us laugh.
As my eyes adjust to the dim, flashing lights, I spot the DJ booth and the mirrored bar glinting at the back of the room.
It’s sweltering in here, bodies packed tight, moving, sweating, colliding.
And all I want is to dance.
We start out close, the group still loosely together, but the crowd has its own current, and soon we’re drawn apart.
Still, Remi doesn’t take his eyes off me.
The music pulls us closer again.
I catch his scent, warm spice, something earthier underneath. Sweat, maybe. Skin.
It floods my system.
Then his bare arm brushes my shoulder, skin against skin.
My thoughts scatter like glass.
I need space. Now.
I lean in just enough to be heard.
“Remi, I’m getting a drink. Want one?”
He starts to answer, but I’m already moving, slipping into the crowd before I lose control.
I hear him call my name, but I don’t stop.
I keep going, pushing through bodies and heat, until I nearly crash into Ian, who’s balancing two drinks.
He catches them just in time.
“Seb! You alright? Come on, it’s madness in here.”
Relieved, I follow him.
He leads us through the crush with ease, weaving between dancers until we reach a quieter corner of the room.
He hands me a glass.
“Cuba Libre, right? Still your favourite?” I blink.
“You remember that?” He grins.
“I remember a lot about you.” I shift, suddenly aware of how close we are. But he doesn’t stop.
“You knew I had a crush on you back then, didn’t you?”
I don’t answer, but the silence speaks for itself.
“I always suspected girls weren’t your thing,” he says.
“You cared about Maddie, yeah, but it wasn’t electric.”
He pauses.
“And the night we kissed… I thought maybe I had a shot.”
“Ian, we were kids. We didn’t even understand what we were feeling. It was a long time ago.”
“Maybe. But after that, you were gone. You left Maddie. Left all of us.”
“I know. And I regret how I handled it. But I was scared.”
“Scared of what?”
“Of being judged. Of losing Maddie. Of being exposed.
But mostly… of how my parents would react.”
He stares at me. “So how did they react?”
“They didn’t. I never told them.”
His eyes widen. “Wait, seriously?”
I nod. “Anne only found out a few days ago. Maddie and my parents still don’t know. But I will tell them. Soon.”
Ian places a steady hand on my shoulder. “How did you keep all that inside for so long?”
I let out a breath. “Badly.”
We both laugh, sudden and sharp. And just like that, something tight in my chest eases.
Ian’s still the same kind person I remember. Maybe a little bolder now. Still, talking to him hasn’t distracted me like I hoped.
Not really.
My thoughts drift to Remi.
After a while, Ian suggests we dance. I nod, hoping movement might quiet my mind.
We push into the crowd. Bodies press in from all sides, the heat, the noise, the lights, too much. My head begins to spin, my limbs grow weak, and nausea curls in my stomach.
I need air. Now.
I mutter something about the bathroom and start pushing through the crush.
My chest tightens. My throat closes.
Then, hands. Firm. Familiar.
I turn, startled, and relief crashes over me like a wave.
Remi.
I fall into him, trembling. He wraps me in his arms, solid and warm. No questions. No pressure. Just presence.
He shields me from the chaos, steering us gently away from the noise and the crowd.
When we finally stop, he cups my shoulders and lifts my chin with both hands.
“Seb, what happened? You disappeared. I couldn’t find you, I was so worried.”
“I… I didn’t mean to…”
“I asked everyone to help look for you. But I couldn’t explain why, I know it’s private. They probably think I’ve lost it, but I don’t care.”
He scans my face, eyes dark with concern.
“You’re ghost-white.”
“I feel dizzy,” I whisper. “Will you take me to the bathroom?”
He doesn’t hesitate. Just takes my hand and leads me.
Thankfully, he knows the layout. I barely make it through the bathroom door before I’m on my knees in one of the stalls, emptying everything I drank.
And even then, Remi doesn’t let go. He stays right there, crouched beside me, one hand on my back, the other steady on my shoulder. Grounding me. Holding me together.