CH 2 | Sarah!

As soon as I stepped out, Nat and Rebecca pulled me towards them. Before I stabilize myself, Rebecca began teasing me, "where the hell were you hiding, girl?"

"Uh, I'm not hiding!" I played dumb since I wasn't going to admit that I was with Dom and left my best friends and the party behind!

Nat chimed in, with a knowing smirk dancing on his face, "is that so?"

"Gosh, don't be so annoying!" I exclaimed.

I held their hands in each of my palms, as we strode to the party hall where my friends were all waiting for me to cut the cake.

The hall was filled with around twenty people. Most of them were my classmates and a few seniors who were Dom's friends.

As weird as it may sound, they had become my brothers in these few years. And there was no doubt they would kill me if I didn't invite them to my party!

I shook my head and smiled as I walked up to the table where a three-layered cake sat, and I knew who had ordered it for me, Dom!

My eyes caught a small sticky note resting on the side, "happy birthday, beautiful." That was Dom’s pet name for me!

My eyes gleamed in happiness, and the sweet feeling of bliss erupted in my heart again.

Without wasting much time, I grabbed the knife in my hand. All my friends surrounded me, cheering and clapping while they sang Happy Birthday to me, Jeez!! 

I felt a burning heat boring on me and lifted my head. Only to find Dom standing in a faraway corner, staring at me with his intense stormy blue eyes. A shiver ran down my spine while my face turned crimson. 

I knew that look all too well! The look of desire! He wanted me as much as I did him! 

I gulped a little and cut the cake as I eyed him. I intended to feed him the very first piece, but my anticipation died down when he shook his head no. 

I nodded reluctantly feeling the disappointment creep up in my stomach. 

Soon after, all of my friends were busy on the dance floor but Dom didn't move from his seat. His blue eyes continued to scrutinize me with a heated gaze. 

I involuntarily started walking in his direction with a piece of cake in my hands. 

He raised a brow and eyed me when I muttered, "have this."

"I don't eat desserts. You knew it, don't you?" Dom groaned, his tone was firm, not giving me any chance to retort and I bent my head down in disappointment.

Still, I wanted to try one last time, "just a small bite, please?"

"You're seriously pushing me to my limits today." He grunted and took a tiny piece into his mouth while a scowl danced on his face with how sweet it is. 

Seeing him, a silly smile was plastered on my face because I never thought Dom could be so sweet!

When the realization that he was doing all of this for me struck me, it made me giddy. My heart thrummed so hard that I felt it would burst out of my chest. 

However, he quickly grabbed a tissue and dabbed the corners of his mouth while eyeing me. Abruptly, he pulled me to his embrace taking me by surprise. 

He whispered, his deep voice laced with huskiness, "May I have this dance, beautiful?"

My jaw dropped as I ravaged him with my eyes. He chuckled lifting my chin and making my eyes meet his. "Shall we?" He asked holding out his hand for me to take.

"Yes," I replied while I averted my gaze, trying to avoid becoming putty in his hands. I was sure it'll happen if this continued because I would lose myself if I gazed into his breathtaking orbs!

I placed my hand inside his, and he led me to the dance floor. I could feel eyes burning into my back as the people made their way to us. Our bodies were now flush against each other and he moved his hips to the beat of the slow sexy tone the DJ had selected. 

I mimicked his movements. My hips, now pressed against his swayed enticingly against him. Dom led the dance, and our bodies moved like fine-tuned instruments. 

He was obviously a trained dancer, and with his lead, I was sure I didn’t look like the clumsy mess I normally was. 

He worked our bodies, and we moved together, mimicking a scene straight out of dirty dancing. I had never felt more sexy in my life than I did in this moment. 

And when the beat changed, we changed our partners as that was the custom for this dance. 

I instantly lost my interest in dancing.

Dom was soon surrounded by girls. My right eye twitched when I eyed Dom as he danced with the long-legged, big-breasted blonde. She was squirming against his body like a second skin which was such an eyesore to me.

The blond was soon replaced by a redhead and Jealousy and outrage pooled low in my stomach.

With that, I impulsively strode to the corner where the DJ was set up and clicked the stop button on the music player. 

As soon as the music stopped, they all stared at me in wonder and I eyed Dom one last time and grabbed the mike.

He just looked at me calmly with his brows knitted together, as if he was wondering what I was going to do.

I took a deep breath, and declared proudly, "Dominic is my man! All of you need to stay away from him and keep your hands to yourself."

Everyone gasped and looked between Dom and me. The girls who danced with Dom glared at me, but I flashed my best smile, sure to annoy the hell out of them.

Humph! They want to get into Dom's pants with me around? There's no way I'd allow that to happen!

However, Dom didn't seem too pleased with my declaration. His jaw was clenched, while his eyes lost the warmth they had previously.

I didn't pay any heed and decided to do another impulsive thing that was weighing me down for quite some time. 

I held the mike and pour my feelings to him in front of all of them, "I love you, Dom. I always have and I always will. Please do me the honor of being mine forever?"

As soon as the words left my mouth, the hall turned silent. Everyone present turned their heads to Dom, but he remained mum while his face turned livid.

I clearly sensed the changes in him with the way his nostrils were flaring in rage. His fists kept clenching and unclenching. His face turned stone cold, while his forehead marred in deep frowns.

He wasn't happy with what I had done!

I realized it was too late, and waited patiently. My hands were turning clammy with each passing second. I clasped them together, trying to stop the tremble in them.

Each second felt as if it was an eternity. And after a painful couple of minutes, Dominic stated. His voice was so cold that it sent chills down my spine, "stop joking around like this. It's not funny, Sarah! "

What the fuck? 

Was I joking? 

Do I look like someone who would joke about something like this? 

Did he think my proposal was a Joke?

I narrowed my eyes and swallowed the lump in my throat. I decided to be brave for once as my conscience was pushing me, "face it. You've already done the hard part, Sarah. Just ask him! You can do it!"

With that, I let the mike down and walked forward until I'm a few inches away from him. I cupped his trimmed cheeks in my tiny palms, even though I felt him stiffen, “I love you, Dominic.” I said, looking into his eyes, losing myself in those bewitching icy pools.

He pushed me away, and I felt my heart ripping into pieces. Yet, I tried to hide the discomfort in my chest and mumbled softly, "I love you, Dominic. I want you to be with me. I'm sick of these games, we’re playing and this never-ending dance of off and on again from you. I want you, and I know you want me, so why does it need to be this way?"

I took a deep breath as I waited for his response. I felt a million pounds lighter. As I had rid myself of the words that had been weighing on me for what seemed like an eternity. 

I had communicated my feelings to Dom a few times, but never as bold and blunt as I had just now. My body trembled, and it took everything in me to get a grip on myself, instead of collapsing right then and there.

He remained mum while his face had become void. There was literally nothing on his face except bone-deep coldness and invisible rage. 

A sigh escaped his lips, breaking the awkward silence, "I do like you, Sarah. You know that, right?" He grumbled as if the very words were torturing him. He ran his fingers through his chestnut locks, as irritation flowed from him in tidal waves. 

I nodded but was feeling the all too familiar irritation growing inside me. "He LIKED me? Is that what he called what was between us? LIKE?" My hands clenched into fists, as I struggled to hide the uneasiness in my heart. 

"You know me, Sarah. You know how I feel about flowers, romance, and love. I don't do romance. I'm not a roses and rainbows man." The words rolled off his tongue, each one smacking me in the face harder than the last. He spat them out as if they left a bad taste in his mouth. 

He took a long breath, and brushed it off, "Ugh! Forget it." He snarled, placing his hand back in his pocket.

"What?" I barked, scowling at him. He licked his lips and averted his gaze, but said nothing! 

I leaned towards him and held his arm for my dear life, "I really love you, Dominic." I repeated, my voice raspy, and tears developed in my eyes. 

Why did I continue allowing this torture? 

He immediately pulled away from me, and a pang of hurt settled in me. "I don't love you, Sarah. I have never loved you. Why don't you understand?" He spat each word with an intensity that slammed in my ears rigorously. 

I jumped back a few feet. As if he had punched me in the face. Though his words wounded me more than anything his fist could ever do to me. 

I shattered into pieces right there in front of the man I worshiped more than anything in this world. 

My world totally flipped upside down with his revelation, he had destroyed me. 

I was now damaged and I was uncertain I’d ever recover. 

My tears fell freely like a burst-out dam, while the people surrounded me with pity and mockery in their eyes. To say I was utterly humiliated would be an understatement. But that was the last thing on my mind.

I felt suffocated as if my air intake had been cut off.

I could feel my body trembling and I collapsed onto the floor in a thud while a gut-wrenching sob escaped my lips. But Dominic didn't come to me nor held me.

He eyed me one last time, and said cruelly, "come to me when you've gotten your thoughts straight, Sarah."

Hearing his words made me even more heartbroken. My vision was obscured by the tears that spilled onto my cheeks like an overflowing fountain. 

He glared at my wretched state, his jaw clenched, and the sound of his gritting teeth could be heard.

He turned away, walking out of the party unaffected by my heartbreak and tears.

All this time. Everything we have been through together. I was stupid. 

Never again would I permit another man the chance to damage me as Dominic had.

All the while one thought lingered in my mind, “Did all the moments we had weren't real?” This question that I deliberately skipped for almost a year had hit me so hard. And I gasped for air as my chest tightened. 

I clearly felt the invisible pain of my heart breaking. 

Dominic was my first love, he’s the only one to whom I gave my everything, that included my body and soul.

Yet, at last, I heard what I hadn't wanted to. Though deep down somehow I knew who he truly was and that he would never commit to me. Dom was damaged and now so was I. 

His words reverberated in my head, breaking me into pieces more than anyone could ever fix, “He never loved me!”

…