Enrique invited me to his brother Miguel's birthday party. It was supposed to start at six, but when I arrived, no one was there. Even Enrique's sister Lucia wasn't there. Enrique was even surprised to see me, but I offered to help prepare for the party. It gave me the opportunity to formally meet Enrique's family, even though they kept things anything but formal.

The party only started to kick off around nine and by ten the small house was packed. Cars were parked all over the place, even in the grass of the front yard. There was an inflatable for the kids. Men drank, and women gossiped. Even Enrique's abuela was drinking while everyone danced. Children were scattered around the place, and there was plenty food. There was pozole with meat, pollo con mole, arroz rojo and so much more.

By eleven, Enrique and I walked outside on the patio, and that was when I noticed more people coming in from the front door.

My eyes widened. "Now before they're coming?" I asked Enrique as we found a spot in the corner that didn't have too many people.

He chuckled. "Why do you sound surprised?"

"The party started at six."

"I'm amazed you got here at six," he said. "Who comes to a Mexican party on time?"

Me.

"I'm a very punctual person."

It always annoyed me how Ma and Angelica weren't. Being on time showed respect.

"I've never heard a Hispanic person say such a thing," he said. "Then again, I've never heard a person of color say such a thing."

I got it. I didn't match the stereotype. Even Gyan would tell me about how Indians were never on time to things.

We leaned against the railing, staying close to each other while Enrique drank Victoria, and I sipped on water. I had my fair share of tequila for the night, and I refused to drink beer.

"You seem a little happier," Enrique said. "Still disturbed, but better."

"I'm not disturbed."

I refused to give Steven that power over me. Gyan finally told me a family secret. Apparently, Arya was sexually abused by her stepbrother Aarav for years. It didn't come to light until five years ago, and now he was in prison. Then again, he did try to kill Kenji and Darian, too. It was a wild story.

Kenji and Darian had been through some wild things.

Even with all the Jessica fiasco, their lives seemed pretty tame now compared to the past.

It was incredible because Arya was in such a good place now. She had her beautiful girlfriend. She was satisfied in her career. She had her friends and family. She was nothing like the girl Gyan told me she used to be. Most of all, she was happy. Her mother died. One of her best friends died. She was sexually abused and battled other demons, but she was still happy.

What happened to me was nothing in comparison, but it still hurt.

"I shouldn't be sad," I said. "People go through worse."

"That doesn't mean you aren't in pain," Enrique retorted. "That doesn't mean your pain isn't valid. Someone always has it worse, but we still have to face our struggles that come with their own hurt."

I pressed my lips together, refusing to cry. "This is a happy moment. I don't want to be a downer."

He rested a hand on my shoulder. "You can talk to me. You don't have to filter yourself based on where we are."

"It's pretty heavy." His hand came down. "It makes people uncomfortable."

"Lots of things make people uncomfortable," he said. "That doesn't mean it isn't someone's reality."

"I was raped," I blurted out, and his eyes widened.

"Oh..."

"Initially, I was pissed at myself, for being so naïve," I went on. "How could I meet up with someone from online? Why did I go back to his place? Why did I drink so much? Why didn't I pay attention to him pouring that glass of water? There were so many red flags."

"That doesn't make it okay," he said. "No red flag justifies what he did. This isn't your fault." He looked ahead. "It's so fucked up how our society blames the victim instead of focusing on punishing the perpetrators for their actions."

"I know that now."

He returned his gaze to me. "He's a grown man. He's in charge of his own actions. I don't care if you were buck naked in his bed." I chuckled. "That doesn't give him the go-head to take advantage of you."

He was right. They all were. I wasn't in the wrong here, but it couldn't get rid of that sense of shame hovering over me. Being a grown man made it even worse. This wasn't supposed to happen to people like me.

I scoffed. "He identifies as straight."

"I'm not surprised."

I sent him a look. "What straight man rapes another man?"

Enrique rose a brow. "You're gonna tell me that most of the men in prison are gay or bi?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

He turned his body to face me. "A lot of men in prison have sex with one another. Hell. A lot of the time, it's rape. They're still straight, most of them. Sexuality is weird like that."

My lips parted. "I never thought about that."

"A lot of boy rapists have wives and are with women," he continued. "You're gonna tell me that all these gay men are coming to the surface to rape boys and men? Now, don't get me wrong, some of them probably are gay or bisexual. But boy rapists are still just as likely to be straight, if not more so."

I ran a hand through my hair. "It doesn't make sense."

"It does, actually," he said. "Rape isn't about sex. At least, the core of it isn't. It's about power. Power over someone else. Why do you think when certain groups raid villages, they kill the men and rape the women? They don't all suddenly get horny because of cruelty. It's a power trip. Sex is just a manifestation of that."

I smirked. "How are you smarter than me when I'm older?"

"We're smart in different ways," he said. "You're book smart."

"You're people smart," I said. "Not so much because you're a social butterfly. You just get people. I'm street dumb."

"A lot of book smart people are." I lightly punched his arm as he laughed. "You know I'm messing with you."

"No," I said. "You're right. I'm not all that great with people either. I don't have many friends to begin with, and I suck at keeping the ones I do have. My high school friends. Gone. My college friends. Gone. My mates from Sydney. Gone. It's my fault, too. I'm the one who didn't keep contact."

"You have a friend in me," he reassured me. "I'm not going anywhere."

I sent him a sad smile. We were friends, but I didn't know how long that would last. At the same time, nothing lasted forever. That didn't mean I couldn't enjoy it while it did. I had to own up to this flaw of mine. Only I could fix it.

"I have to put in more effort," I confessed. "Relationships take time and work, but I never valued them much. Not like I valued school and my career. I don't want to be like that anymore. I don't want my life to be defined by my education and my occupation."

I didn't want to feel worthless just because I wasn't where I wanted to be education and occupation wise. My value shouldn't have been determined by external factors. School and work were important.

But so were the people around me. They brought a joy in my life that school and work didn't. Just like my education and occupation brought out a different type of joy. One wasn't more important than the other.

Gabriel Acosta wasn't his grades and his job.

Who I was was separate from that.

"Then be who you want to be," Enrique said, "not who you think you have to be. Success comes in different ways. You don't have to have a fancy job and the best grades to be successful. Sometimes, having a strong support system that gives you a sense of fulfillment is success."

We both turned our gazes forward. "I may never be a lawyer."

"And that's okay," he said. "As long as you're okay with it."

I was. I left Gyan. I left my home for more than five years to pursue that dream. Now, it may never happen.

And I was okay with that.

"I don't need Steven," I said.

"You don't."

"I don't need to seek out friends," I added. "If it happens, it happens. I need to put that energy into nurturing my friendships and other relationships."

I wanted Gyan to fight, but it was time I fought, too. Nothing worthwhile came easy.

"Exactly," Enrique said with a smile. "There are so many ways to be happy, Gabriel. Not just one."

I smiled, a genuine one for the first time in days.

"Enrique!" Lucia peeked her head through the back door. "Gabriel! Ven a por el pastel!"

Enrique grinned at me. "Cake time."

The other people in the backyard heard and headed inside as well. We gathered around the dining room table as Miguel sat in front of the cake. It was tres leches cake with fruit scattered on top of it. We all sang the birthday song in Spanish, everyone smiling, and the happiness radiated from the room.

I'd always wanted a big family. Being at this birthday party confirmed it. I loved the energy of everyone gathering together. I didn't have much of that growing up with Ma and Angelica. Most of our family was either in Colombia or out of state. It was just the three of us. Now, I had my dad. But I also had Gyan. And Kenji. Even Enrique.

My family extended beyond blood.

I just had to take care of them.

When the song was over, some people smirked. "Que le muerda! Que le muerda! Que le muerda!" everyone chanted, and I followed along.

Miguel leaned forward and took a bite from the whole cake. That was new. Before he could sit upright, Enrique and Lucia grabbed him and stuffed his face into the cake. Everyone busted into laughter while my jaw dropped. Even Miguel laughed as he took some of the icing off his face and licked it.

Then we had cake, everyone acting like what happened earlier was normal. I shook my head as Enrique and I had cake in the living room with Lucia and her fiancé Matías and some of the children.

"Does that happen often?" I finally asked.

"All the time," Lucia replied.

"You can't have a Mexican birthday party without it," Enrique said. "It's the highlight of the evening."

I wondered if it was a Mexican thing. I wondered if they did it in Colombia because I never had that growing up. I learned something new today.

Gyan wasn't Hispanic, but he also expanded my world in a way Enrique couldn't. They each brought something unique to the table.

By midnight, I was tired. I was off the next day, but I needed the rest. The party didn't look like it was ending anytime soon. Geez.

"I'll walk you out." Enrique placed a hand on my back to lead me out while I waved goodbye to everyone.

"It was great meeting you, Gabriel," Lucia said, waving back.

"Gracias por venir!" Miguel shouted to me.

"Gracias por invitarme!" I shouted back as we walked out.

My Uber was a minute away. "I could have driven you," Enrique offered.

I shook my head. "Stay with your family."

He watched me silently for a few seconds. "Thanks for trusting me. You're incredible."

My cheeks felt warm. "You're pretty great yourself."

He watched me some more. "Gabriel?"

"Yeah?"

His lips met mine as his hand dug into my curls. My eyes bugged out as his lips moved against my still ones.

When the shock wore off, I pushed him away, staring with a frown. "Enrique."

He rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding my gaze. "I'm sorry."

My Uber arrived. "I have to go." I opened the car door.

He finally glanced my way. "Gabriel, wait."

"Bye." I hurried into the Uber, and I was more than grateful when the driver drove off.

Why would he do that?

We were friends. He was one of my few friends.

I sighed as I leaned back in the seat. I shouldn't have, but when I couldn't take it anymore, I glanced back. He was out of sight, too far away.

I shouldn't have been disappointed.

I had Gyan. I couldn't want anyone else. Even if that person was as amazing as Enrique.

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* What do you guys think of this chapter? The party? Enrique and Gabriel?

* I had so much fun writing this chapter. It also has a lot of themes that are really relevant for me as a person who went to a college where everyone was a high-achiever, being a big fish in high school. I love how Gabriel is growing and coming to terms with things. I write things that I see as relevant and relatable. Maybe this is for some people out there. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.