Victor's birthday was April 9, and it spiraled out of everyone's control morphing into a massive party. A ballroom was rented at the local Holiday Inn, a DJ was hired, the open bar was planned, and invitations got out far and wide. I watched from the sidelines as the planning got more and more dramatic.

Victor's usually calm demeanor was replaced by annoyance with Jon, Steven, and his older brother who all wanted to throw themselves a party, in Victor's name. Isla and I went shopping in Denis' store and the two of them stuffed me into a tiny black dress. It was entirely too revealing but they convinced me it was a perfect way to celebrate your friend's birthday.

The party started at 9 pm, I asked Victor if he wanted me to get there earlier and he assured me I didn't but he had been annoyed at Jon. Jon had wanted to hire some escorts which Victor was against. I decided to arrive at 9:15, just in case something was needed plus I wanted to give Victor his gift before he was five-shots into a new bottle of Goldschläger. The music was already at full speed when I parked. I subconsciously tugged at my dress, it was incredibly short, and as I walked to the door I could see Steven in a white blazer welcoming people. I knew the boys would be dressed in white blazers with Victor in red.

"BECKY-GIRL IS HERE!" Steven shouted and before I knew it air horns sounded and Jon popped his head out also in a white blazer.

"What the hell is this?" I pointed to the horn in Steven's hand as I held my ear to stabilize the ringing.

"We're announcing when hot girls arrive," Jon said.

I looked him over. "No, you're not."

"No, they're not," Victor stepped out and I did a double-take because he really did look great in his red blazer and fitted black slacks.

"Why not?" Jon sounded almost whiny.

"Because you're objectifying women," I said.

"Give me this," Victor yanked the horns from Steven and Jon's hands. "C'mon, Becka."

I followed Victor inside and Jon stuck out his tongue at me which only made me roll my eyes. They were children sometimes. Not a lot of people had arrived and those that were inside were in their own groups and no one was dancing yet. I followed Victor to a table by the DJ where he hid the horns.

"I've taken these away from them twice already," he said.

"You look like you're having fun at your birthday party," I smiled at him and he looked at me tired and annoyed.

"I don't know why I agreed to this," he said.

I shrugged and handed him the little blue bag I brought. "Happy birthday, Manning."

He smiled and took it from me. "Thanks, Becky-girl. You didn't -"

"I wanted to. Plus, it's something stupid..."

He opened the bag and pulled out the frame I had chosen because it reminded me of him, clean, strong lines, easy to clean. Inside was a photo of all of us the day of the party when he had beat up Alvin for me. We were all on the couch, us two pressed together, sharing popcorn with Yara, Mercy, Steven, and Jon scattered over the sectional. "Friends" was scripted at the bottom of the frame in silver letters.

He looked at it for a while and then back at me and he had the sweetest smile.

"It's not stupid," he said softly.

"You already have everything," I shrugged.

He hesitated, then he pulled me in for a hug which I returned. His arms, massive around me, and I remembered how I'd once thought I would be too big to hold but in Victor's arms, I fit just right. I felt his lips kiss my head and he squeezed me tight, the air got knocked out of me. When he let me go he was staring down at me.

"You're my best friend, you know," he said.

I didn't know what to say. As mad as he made me, as frustrated as I got with him, he truly was a good guy. I mean I loved all of my girls, they were part of me, but here in this moment, Victor was important. Very important. I didn't understand what it meant but I liked that I could make him happy and make him laugh. My heart swelled a little, shifting, as it had not done since the Hurricane. I looked down and pushed at his chest good-naturedly.

An air horn sounded in the entrance and we pulled apart, Victor let out a frustrated growl.

"Where did they even get another one?" I asked.

"Start some dancing, will ya?" Victor kept his hand around my waist as he spoke to the DJ. "I'll be back."

I watched him stride straight to the door and I smiled as I heard him tell them something about objectifying women. The DJ started with Marc Anthony, a sure way of getting a bunch of Hispanics to start dancing. I stood awkwardly looking around, no one was dancing but girls were glancing at guys and guys were not realizing it. Then a hand was in front of my face and when I turned it was Victor.

"C'mon," he said and my stomach dropped.

"I can't dance, I can't dance salsa -"

"Yes, you can," he said and grabbed my hand.

"No, you don't understand, I have five left feet!"

But he was pulling me to the dance floor and people were watching and swiftly he turned me and I was pressed against him. I looked up at him with what had to be a petrified expression.

"Just follow my lead."

And he was moving but soon I was stepping on him with a grimace. For someone his size, he was surprisingly dexterous. It wasn't that I didn't know how to dance salsa, I knew how to dance it perfectly well by myself but I always had the hardest time not leading and it became a mess. He stopped us and stared at me.

"Don't move," he said. Then he placed a hand on my back, his palm flat and he flexed his fingers. "Learn to read my fingers. This means, move to the left, this means to move to the right."

I nodded, taking a breath, embarrassed that we were being watched, dancing salsa was something I was very self-conscious about, I should know how to allow a man to lead me in the dancefloor but the truth was that I seldom get asked. It was always Yara and Mercy who got twirled around, never me.

"Slowly, like how I dance with my mom," he grinned and I scowled at him. "Ok, good, this way."

And his hips were pressed against mine, he turned me, his hands pushing and pulling me in the dreaded twirl and then he was catching me back. I let out a laugh, it was the first time I'd been able to do a proper turn.

He was smiling at me. "Something I can do that you can't do, is this how you feel all the time?"

"Exhilarating, isn't it?" I said.

Then he twisted me, turned me, our backs pressed and once more he took my hand and pulled me back, his steps quick and his hand on my back, pushing and pulling. His hands were at my hips as the rhythm shifted and I met his eyes, I noticed they were dark. Almost black. I felt my breath quicken; my throat closed. His gaze was so intense that I felt heated and for a moment we were alone, the music playing for the two of us and I saw almost like a sequence of events all the moments in my life that had left me to this dance, to these arms, with this man. Leaving Puerto Rico, our house in Miami destroyed, arriving in Kissimmee, Mr. White's English class, sitting behind Victor, Victor acting a drunken fool to get Clem to dance with me, the girls leaving me so I had to find solace in him, all of it.

The song ended and it was as if the two of us took a breath and shook ourselves off. He stared at me and I at him and for a wild, absolutely crazy moment, I thought he would kiss me. He didn't. I shook myself off but still clutched at him because I felt a bit dizzy.

"I'm going to get a drink," I said and he nodded.

I walked with a determination to the drinks table to get a cup of whatever punch was being offered. I noticed more people had started dancing and the party was nicely getting on its way. What had been that? My brain was still a bit rattled. I mean, this was Victor! Victor Manning with the big ears who had sat in front of me in 7th grade, who had teased me and had made me so angry but also lately he'd been so... wonderful. What was wrong with me? I honestly could not be so much of a hopeless romantic to fall for my best friend, could I? I almost groaned when I turned back to the dance floor to find Victor dancing with another girl, she was tall and blond and pretty, her long hair down to her waist and she was a really good dancer. She didn't step on his toes, she twirled to the salsa, and as I watched them, I saw how nice they looked together.

I was pulled from my stupor when Steven sidled up to me, a wide grin on his face. "I've been raised with enough of you Puerto Ricans to know how to twist and turn."

I laughed and I let him lead me to the dance. He had no idea what he was doing but given that apparently, I only knew how to dance when I was with Victor, we made a hilarious pair. I danced a few more times, even twice more with Victor but slowly the guys got more and more and more drunk and I decided to make a quiet exit out the back. There was no one waiting by the door when I left, no air horns, but I swore I still smelled Victor on me.

Recommended 90s Playlist (will grow with each chapter)

1. Gettin' Jiggy With It - Will Smith

2. Kiss The Rain - Billie Myers

3. Come Baby Come - K7

4. Tubthumping - Chumbawamba

5. Bitch - Meredith Brooks

6. Something to Talk About - Bonnie Raitt

7. WannaBe - Spice Girls

8. Miami - Will Smith

9. Ghetto Supastar - Pras

10. All Cried Out - Allure

11. The Way - Fastball

12. Walkin' on the Sun - Smash Mouth

13. Can't Get Enough of You Baby - Smash Mouth

14. Stay (I missed you) - Lisa Loeb

15. Pretty Fly (For a White Guy) - The Offspring

16. Sex & Candy - Marcy Playground

17. Lullaby - Shawn Mullins

18. Inside Out - Eve 6

19. My Way - Usher

20. Last Kiss - Pearl Jam

21. She's So High - Tal Bachman

22. Slide - The Goo Goo Dolls

23. Y Hubo Alguien - Marc Anthony