CHAPTER THREE

                                  CHELSEA

       Glamour was one way to describe the ball. Daintiness was another. 

       The chandelier glittered seductively overhead, long tables with white linens were filled with hors d'oeuvre in  small ceramic plates. And then, other tables had, of course, caviar, and was that  roasted duck? Chicken? Foie gras, oysters, truffles, the typical highlight of rich people's exquisite tastes. Large windows overlooked a very beautiful garden and a large surreal pool that glowed a bluish hue in the dark. It was simply entrancing. To think his father had pulled all of it together, with help of course, it was amazing. The debacle going on in the wide, expansive hall was nearly humorous, the elegance of the guests was intimidating, an array of timeless classiness and bold colours and he'd somehow decided to be himself, meanwhile going against the societal dress code  and went all out in his; purple tux, a matching hot pink mask and bowtie, and suede boots. He could feel his father's glare on him since his arrival at the ball. 

         Not to mention that his father recognized him, even with his mask on. He giggled inwardly. He recognized his father too, like, who wouldn't. Harry Water can put on a hundred masks, paint his body red, but no one could miss the commanding presence he held. His father was a big man, tall and dominating. No wonder he thought of Chelsea as a disgrace. He was wisp compared to his father's largeness.

        Media personnel were here, apparently, they didn't fit in well with their cameras and observant gait and he knew most of them were waiting to eat up the mushiness of him and  Kevin together. They'd just have to wait for the reveal at midnight to capture them together.

        There was something enigmatic and time setting that seemed to drip down the laughs and voices of the guests.It was exciting, the grandeur leaving a mystifying question that held no answer, no matter how one poked. It was obscuring. 

        He sipped his champagne slowly. The entrants had done quite a great job adding to the puzzlement. He couldn't recognize most of them. The few he did, were because of some particular features to their poise and appearances. Larry Barry for example. Ugh, he could've done without the chic hairdo but the  cufflinks and pearl necklace complimented his full out male wear. No one could really understand his style. He could be as feminine as a feminine  but when he rocked the masculine stereotype, he was alpha power. Sometimes he did both at the same time, he was quirky that way. 

        Fortunately, they didn't talk much. There was a quiet competition they both had, being the only queer people in the influencer industry who voiced queerness way to loudly. Chelsea didn't even know what they competed for but it was out there. Anyways, he thinks Larry is evil.

      He leaned against against a wall that hid him in a corner. The dance floor was crowded, the instruments' pure tones accentuated the feet that moved along with them. He wanted to be out there mingling but he'd promised himself to prove his father wrong for the first time. He decided to play a little game and guess which person was Kevin in the crowd. 

        He moved from the wall and weaved his way through half drunk celebrities, and kept his eye out for a familiar blonde hair . There weren't many blonde hairs amongst the drinking guests. He drank his champagne as he moved, he could die for a martini with grapes right now. Maybe after finding his boyfriend. He couldn't wait till midnight. Bodies pressed and prodded him and it was like he would disappear in them, cursed his smallish form. 

       He gulped down his drink and placed it on the serving tray of a passing server . He paused and grinned. There he was, the hair was hard to miss and only Kevin will have a beer in hand at an event like this. He took another sip of his drink and walked towards his beer drinking boyfriend only to stop as he reached him.

    Harry was bent towards another male form, kissing him. Hurt came first, shame then anger. 

     "What the fuck?!"

   Kevin swirled back and widened his eyes, in surprise. 

     " Babe, what are you doing here?"

  He scoffed. "Oh, I'm sorry. Am I not meant to be here?"

       "Right, your father."

      "What the fuck Kevin?"

      "Nothing, nothing is going on."

      "I saw you licking another fucking dude's face and you're saying nothing is going on? The fuck?" He knew he was yelling but the betrayal was just too much.

      "Come one, don't over react."

      "Over react?! I shouldn't over react? You're kissing another person and you say I shouldn't over react." He shrieked. "Fuck you." The person mentioned looked wrecked and properly kissed. It disgusted him. He was suppose to be like that, in front of the cameras. "Why? Why did you do this?"

     He shrugged. "Maybe I liked his face better than yours."

    Chelsea became dumbfounded. How dare he compare him to another guy.

    He lurched pass Kevin for the guy's mask and tore it off. He couldn't identify him. The dude wasn't even a celebrity. He didn't look like a media personality either. His brown hair was dull and he wasn't even that hot looking. 

    "Don't be so pissed Chelsea, I haven't even fucked him like three times yet." Kevin's voice sounded behind him.

    He'd fucked him too and brought him to an event they were supposed to be in together.

    Chelsea was hysteric. He screamed. He took off his mask. He didn't notice the music had stopped for a while now. He didn't care at that moment.

     "You've been fucking someone else behind my back. Did you even use protection?! You fucking betrayed me!" He turned to him. "How could you?"

    "We didn't discuss being exclusive, don't be a whiny little bitch." He gulped down his beer "Besides, I'm a catch."

  "Oh, you're a catch alright. For your information, I'm also a nice catch." Chelsea didn't think, he grabbed the person closest to him and hurled them in for a kiss. Glass shattered on the floorboard but he didn't care. He poured out his outrage, shame and hurt into that kiss and clinged to the person for dear life. He could taste his salty tears in the kiss. He groaned in frustration as their lips were unmoving and the leathered mask restricted more access. He reached behind their head without removing his mouth from their's and first felt soft hair before unclasping their mask. He threw it away and tried again. This time, a tongue reached out and swiped at his teeth. He shivered. 

   He loved the sweetness of the person's mouth and yearned for more. He wanted to numb the ache that grew bigger and bigger in him. He stopped the kiss, still holding the person's arms. He heard a gasp and looked at the face of the person he'd downright ravished. He yelped and whirled back in shock, almost colliding with a table. 

  He immediately wiped his lips with the back of his hand. He shifted his eyes back to the person and couldn't believe he'd just done what he just did. The man before him had an absurdly incongruous face. He'd kissed that person, with the distorted face , whose right eye looked out of order. He shuddered.

   Blue eyes gazed at him, something flashing in them before he turned and disappeared into the now sobered crowd. They whispered amongst themselves and flashes of light now blinded his vision.

   "Chelsea Waters, what just happened?"

   "Who've you just kissed"

   "How long have you known Kevin'd been cheating on you?"

   "Do you know the man Kevin has been cheating on you with? " The questions rang in ears and it dawned on him. 

   

      What has he done?