All Chapters of Unleashed Desires: Chapter 21 - Chapter 24

The room went completely silent after I told Dam how I felt about Mark. I didn’t add anything else, there was nothing more to explain, and I wanted to give him the space to process it. He just lay there on the couch, completely still, eyes wide open, like he couldn’t decide whether to breathe or shut down entirely.The sight alone made a small, awkward laugh slip out of me. It wasn’t funny, not even close, but it was the kind of nervous laugh that escaped when things got too tense and too real all at once. He didn’t react. He just kept staring at the ceiling, unmoving.“One moment, I need to use the bathroom,” he finally said, his voice way too calm for how fast he jumped up. Before I could say anything, he practically sprinted down the hallway and into his room, the door clicking shut behind him.At first, I waited. I sat there on the couch, clutching a cushion and replaying the moment in my head, wondering if I should have phrased things differently, or if saying it at all had been

Mark stayed close for the next thirty minutes, always beside me, always checking in. If someone brushed past me too much or tried to approach, he’d shift a little closer like some kind of quiet shield. And I liked that, it made me feel seen.But then… he started drifting. Not in a dramatic way, but slowly.One moment, he was behind me, dancing and holding his drink. The next, he was waving at someone across the room. Then he disappeared into the crowd.I wasn’t pressed about it, honestly. We weren’t dating, and I didn’t expect anyone to babysit me. But it was interesting watching the shift. Every time he came back, he’d be a little hyped, a little sweaty, and every time he vanished, I’d spot him dancing with some girl or chatting close to someone.It was weird, but not weird enough to ruin my night. Just… noticeable.Still, I stayed in my happy bubble. I had waited so long to breathe again after exams. Nothing was going to ruin my vibe. Not even Mark being half-present, half-MIA.