Running From Him (ManxMan) ✔️

Chapter 49: Honestly

🏃‍♂️Clark's POV🏃‍♂️

"Santiago, I have something to tell you . . . "

Half an hour has passed since then. The only thing of substance I have told Santiago is how I found out about Idris Elba recently got married. And I hadn't even known who he was until I saw a photo of him and found out about his shows.

I admit it, I was stalling. After trying to start off strong, I deflated like a beach ball. The next thing I knew, I had changed the subject and began showing Santiago funny photos and mentioning pointless gossip.

Santiago tried to be patient with me, listening to all of my words and laughing at all the right times --because the jokes were funny. There was no other reason for laughing-- but eventually, his patience began to wear thin once again.

"Clark." He sighed deeply, placing a hand on my shoulder to stop me from frantically scrolling through my saved Instagram posts. "I know that you are nervous and tried to change the subject, but I can't help but be curious. Why did you call me up here?"

My scrolling was successfully halted, not by his gentle touch but by the words that left his mouth. The two of us had been seated on my temporary bed, legs crossed yoga style and knees brushing. I was forced to turn off my phone and focus all of my attention on Santiago again. I looked into his brown eyes, instantly nervous again, and stared down at my blanket.

How do I start talking about this? How in the world do I go about telling him this?

I tried to meet Santiago's eyes but didn't even get up to his nose before I looked back down again.

"Santiago . . . " I start slowly, trailing off as I search my mind for the correct words. "We have been friends for a while now, right?"

Santiago nods slowly, watching me through curious and analyzing eyes.

"Yeah, we have." He agrees, speaking hesitantly and cautiously.

"Then, that means that we are growing closer." I say, taking long pauses between my words as I start. "And, when two people grow closer, they have to do something like a physical act for that closeness."

Santiago was confused, and honestly, I was too.

What am I saying?

"You know, we should make a handshake." I blurt out, my hands moving out before I think the words through. "That can be our physical act because I worry that my other best friends will be hurt if I start publicly announcing that we are best friends now."

Santiago hesitated, but eventually agreed. The progress was slow at first, but after a good fifteen minutes, we had a new handshake. Santiago was momentarily distracted, but his mind came back to me.

"Is this really why you called me up here?" Santiago questions. I made an attempt of ignoring him, practicing our new handshake midair by myself. Santiago grabbed both of my hands in his, bringing them up to face level so I was forced to look into his eyes.

The tingling that went up to my hands through my skin was unreal, and I took in a stabilizing breath.

"No." Came my small reply. I sighed heavily. I guess I couldn't really stall any longer and said the first thing that came to mind. "You're so nice, Santiago. I don't think that you even realize how amazing you are because you keep spending time with me."

Santiago was taken aback by that last comment, unable to come up with any reply. But I'm not sure that I wanted him to. I worried that if he said anything, I would stop speaking and wait for another day. I suddenly felt like saying everything to him, and I didn't want to stop.