Craig smiled as he walked past through the centre of Hollyoaks village. The sun shone warmly on his skin but that wasn't the reason for his good mood.
His phone beeped an incoming message and his smile widened as he pulled the phone from his pocket and saw the name on the screen… John Paul.
Craig quickly pressed "read" to see what John Paul had to say.
"Morning sexy," the message began, "happy 3 week anniversary. xxx."
Craig chuckled at the comment. Had it really only been three weeks? It seemed like a lifetime but at the same time it seemed like the blink of an eye.
Of course their relationship had begun much sooner than three weeks ago but Craig knew that John Paul was only counting from the day they became "official". The day that Craig had stopped fighting his feelings and the very same day that Sarah had decided to "out" him to his family.
Three weeks ago. So much could change in such a short space of time.
Jake had finally stopped blanking him and, although he could tell that his brother was still uncomfortable with the situation, their relationship was slowly getting back on track.
Frankie, realising that her son was happier than he had ever been before had also relented and, with some awkwardness, had welcomed John Paul back into her home, with the unspoken agreement that Craig's bedroom was out of bounds. Craig hoped that one day his mother would be as comfortable with things as Myra had been. The first morning that Craig had appeared at her breakfast table had gained little more than a raised eyebrow from the head of the McQueen family before she asked him what he wanted to eat.
Steph, being the person she was, had never blinked an eye when she found out about Craig and John Paul, it wasn't about her so what did it really matter?
And Jack faced the news in with his usual manner by choosing to ignore it until people stopped trying to tell him.
Craig breathed deeply pulling the sweet morning air into his lungs; things really couldn't be any better.
"Missed you last night," he texted back, "See you later?"
Since the first night he had slept in John Paul's arms Craig had tried to spend as many evening there as he could, but he was conscious of not abusing the McQueen's hospitality and still made his way home most nights, tearing himself reluctantly away from John Paul.
"Me too," a text message came back, "Can't wait. Love you."
"Love you too." Craig slipped his phone back into his pocket with a contented smile.
As he lifted his head Sarah came into his view standing just a few feet from him, her eyes expressionless as he observed him.
Craig felt unable to move suddenly trapped in her gaze. Every inch of him wanted to run away as fast as he could but somehow he just stood waiting as she approached.
"Craig." There was no hint of emotion in her greeting and that made Craig even more nervous, her anger he would know how to react against but this was just confusing.
"Sarah… how are you?" Craig regretted the question instantly; it was such an inane thing to say, especially considering the circumstances.
"I'm OK actually," she replied with the hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Look… I wanted to say… what I did… it was out of order… I'm really sorry."
Craig couldn't believe what he was hearing her apology was the last thing he ever expected.
"No it's fine," he assured her, "I probably deserved it… I should never have done what I did… I'm just sorry I wasn't honest with you earlier… I should have treated you better."
"Yes you should," she agreed with a laugh. "But let's just forget it eh?"
"Really?"
"I need to move on, holding grudges does nobody any good."
Sarah held out her arms.
"Hug for a friend?"
Craig smiled; this really was an amazing day.
"Of course," he said stepping forward and squeezing her tightly.
The last thing he had ever wanted to do was hurt her and feeling her forgiveness in this embrace was more than he could have hoped for.
Without warning Sarah raised her face to his and pressed her mouth against his. He didn't even realise that he had responded until he felt her tongue slip between his parted lips.
Stepping back suddenly Craig shook his head.
"Sorry… that never should have…"
"Yes it should," Sarah replied moving towards him again, "You wanted it as much as I did."
"No… I'm with John Paul… I don't…"
"It's OK," Sarah whispered as she pulled him towards her and kissing him again.
Craig knew that he should push her away, that he should stop her, but he didn't.
Instead he found himself kissing her back just like he used to, the familiar feelings beginning to rise in him as her hands ran down his back, her body pressed tightly against his.
"Is there anyone in at yours?" Sarah asked.
Craig just shook his head. Everyone was out for the day; he had planned to invite John Paul round later.
"Come on then," she said taking his hand.
"John Paul," Craig said trying desperately to stop himself from making a terrible mistake.
"He doesn't need to know," she assured him, "It can be our little secret. Just once more… for old time's sake… I think you owe me that much."
Without know why he was doing it Craig allowed himself to be lead back towards the Dog.
Sarah simply smiled as she walked, she had known he wouldn't be able to resist but she had expected to have to try a little harder. She had forgotten just how weak Craig could be.
---
Craig seemed in a daze as he entered the living quarters above the pub leaving Sarah to push the door closed behind her.
She lead him with confidence to his bedroom, a place she knew only too well.
"Damn," she said suddenly.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm supposed to be meeting Hannah, can I borrow your phone to text her? My battery's dead."
"Err yeah sure," Craig replied handing his mobile to her.
"You couldn't get me a drink could you?" Sarah asked as she tapped out her message on the phones keypad.
Craig nodded and left the room to get her something from the fridge.
Sarah pressed send on the phone with a smile and waited for Craig to return.
"Here," he said as he came back into the room and handed her a bottle of lager.
Sarah took the bottle gladly and poured some of the cold liquid down her throat, never taking her eyes from Craig as he watched the neck of the bottle disappear between her lips.
Craig tore his eyes away from the sight before him and without realising it his gaze came to rest on the picture of John Paul he kept in his room.
"I don't think this is such a good idea," he said looking back at her.
But Sarah had no intentions of letting him off so lightly. Quickly slipping her top over her head Sarah approached him.
"Shh," she breathed against his skin, "It's OK… everything is OK… trust me."
Pulling him into a kiss Sarah felt his resolve begin to melt as the passion with which he returned her kiss quickly grew.
Dragging Craig's tee shirt off over his head Sarah lowered her mouth to his chest causing him to whimper with pleasure as she bit the flesh lightly.
Continuing to kiss his body Sarah let her hands trail downwards quickly releasing the fasten of his trousers, she smiled as the effect she was having on him became apparent.
"I guess I'm early."
Craig's head snapped around at the voice in the doorway, a feeling of sickness washing over him.
"John Paul…" Craig searched for words but his mind was an echoing blank, the pained look on John Paul's face cutting into him like a knife.
Sarah pulled her top back over her head with a smug grin and she watched with satisfaction as her ex-boyfriend awkwardly fastened his trousers.
"John Paul… it's not…"
"Please don't tell me it's not how it looks," John Paul's voice cracked as he spoke while unshed tears blurred his vision.
"I'm sorry… I don't know what…" Craig shook his head. He knew that nothing he could say would make this all right, how could he have been so weak, so stupid?
"I just don't understand," John Paul said sadly, "Why ask me to come round if SHE was here?"
Craig frowned, "I didn't…"
"I got your text… telling me everyone was out… that you'd leave the door on the latch for me…"
"Oops," Sarah said with a malicious laugh, "Guess I didn't text Hannah after all… and didn't I close the door properly? How careless of me!"
Both men stared in stunned silence at Sarah as she moved towards the door.
"But thank god you arrived when you did," Sarah said to John Paul, "I thought I might actually have to sleep with him for a second."
"YOU did this?" John Paul couldn't quite believe what he was hearing.
"I've done you a favour," she replied as she left the room, "You think he cares about you? He's only ever cared about himself. You have no idea how easy it was to get him here. You're better off without him, we both are."
"John Paul please… I…" Craig reached out pleading hands desperate for the man he loved to understand the stupid actions that he couldn't understand himself.
"Spike was right," John Paul said softly, "I didn't think he would be… but he was… you're not the person I thought you were."
"I am," Craig insisted, "I was stupid, I know that, I don't know what I was thinking… what we've got… I don't want to lose it."
"What we HAD," John Paul snapped back his face twisted in pain and rage, "You haven't lost it Craig… You've thrown it away."
"John Paul," Craig's voice was pitiful as he grabbed on to John Paul's arm.
"Get your hands off me," John Paul growled shaking Craig grip loose, "Just leave me alone."
John Paul turned and ran from the room as the tears began to tumble down his face, leaving Craig behind sinking to the floor as his own tears sprang from his eyes.
How quickly perfect joy could turn to perfect misery and Craig had no one to blame for it but himself.