Time for the secret to be revealed...

Syed's eyes had been locked on his boss's door for the past half hour. Whispers had been drifting around the office for the whole day, uncertain statements being passed from mouths to ears. Emily had been called in most recently, she knew. She knew something had happened between Syed and Steve; she'd overheard their heated conversation yesterday. She was new, she respected the office hierarchy, if she was asked questions, she'd give the answers, no twisting of the truth with her. Not that she knew the truth, neither Syed nor Steve were prepared to tell her after she interrupted them. The door ahead of Syed clicked open and Emily sheepishly emerged. Then a pair of eyes fixed upon him and his boss, wearing a stern expression, spoke.

"Syed, can I have a word please?" He pushed himself back in his swivel chair and shuffled into his boss's office. "Take a seat." Syed's eyes cautiously followed him as he walked around his desk and sat down opposite him. 'Keep calm Syed. Deep breaths. It will be fine.'

"I'm really sorry to have to drag you away from your work but I'm sure that you appreciate we have to take any accusation of this nature seriously."

Syed felt his heart in his mouth, sweat forming on his brow. "An accusation?" His voice was shuddering.

"Syed it's fine. You don't need to be worried. Emily told me that she interrupted you and Steve arguing yesterday and…"

"I didn't want it! It wasn't my idea! I'm not… He…" His brain was overwhelmed by thoughts and he struggled get his words out properly.

"Syed, if you're saying what I think you are then I'm sure we have no option but to inform the police. Are you saying what I think you are?"

Syed was paralysed with fear, shock coursing through his veins, he felt like he was going to collapse. Not now. He thought he'd gotten away with it. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be. He couldn't deny it now though. He started to talk, but instead burst into tears.

xxxx

Syed hadn't slept a wink, he'd gotten into bed but his mind just wouldn't switch off. When he heard Christian come in he'd pretended to be asleep, he knew he'd know something wasn't right just by looking in his eyes. He couldn't face any more questions, not at the moment anyway. So now he lay with his head on Christian's chest, listening to the steady lull of his heartbeat, hoping it would provide some kind of comfort. Instead it merely served to intensify the current madness in his head. He leisurely stroked the silken skin of Christian arm positioned around his waist, then slowly removed it and carefully got out of bed, taking care not to aggravate the sheets too much. The red digits on the bedside table told him that it was 3am. He knew he had a full-on day at the salon, he needed to sleep. He'd read, that would help.

Grabbing his book he slumped himself down on the sofa and began morosely turning pages. No use. His mind was elsewhere. 'Pull yourself together, Syed.' Steve… Steve. Steve. Steve. Steve. He needed to talk to him again, maybe if he could speak to him when he wasn't drunk, admitted some of his faults in the whole situation, then he'd agree to leave him alone. Yes, that sounded like a good plan. After all, they couldn't change the past now. Syed couldn't undo anything that had happened. The only problem was that he had no way of getting hold of him. He couldn't spend the next few days, weeks, wondering when Steve was going to return to the Square or he'd never be able relax. Cal. Syed remembered the business card in his jean's pocket. Tomorrow, he decided, he was going to see Cal and get Steve's number from him. Then everything would be resolved and they could all move on.

xxxx

"The pink or the red? Syed?" Jodie's airy tones floated over Syed's head.

"Sorry?"

"Which polish? Pink or red?" He really wasn't in the mood for Jodie's inane questions today. "Umm, pink?"

"Yeah but pink doesn't go with everything. Red is a lot more versatile." Jodie stated matter-of-factly.

"Well then why are you bothering to ask me?" Syed couldn't be bothered to indulge Jodie, he was irritated from his lack of sleep and he still hadn't managed to get hold of Cal.

"Everything ok Sy?" Tanya's friendly concern comforted Syed slightly and he smiled. He felt a vibration in his pocket.

"Sorry, do you mind if I just get my phone?"

"Yeah sure, no problem." She looked confused as Syed began talking.

"Cal. Yeah it's me, Syed. I was just wondering if you wanted to meet for lunch. Well you said you fancied a catch-up and I thought the sooner, the better! Did you see the pub on the Square? Yeah, the Queen Vic. Shall we say there at one? Ok then, see you soon." Syed ended the call to find Tanya looking at him questioningly.

"What?"

"Cal", Tanya mimicked his tone of voice. "I hope you're not 'doing a Max' and playing away from home!"

"Of course not! He's just an old friend." Syed was stunned that she could even think that he would cheat on Christian. "We haven't seen each other in a while, bumped into each other at R&R last night." Tanya still looking slightly unconvinced. "Honestly Tan, we're just a couple of mates enjoying some lunch."

She put her hands up in defence. "Fair enough. Is he fit though?"

xxxx

Syed was now convinced everything was going to be fine. He was going to meet Cal, have a bit of lunch, catch-up, reminisce about old times, and then he'd casually mention Steve and get his number. That was the plan anyway; he was shocked as he pushed open the door into the Vic and walked in to discover Cal sat in the corner with Steve. Both were dressed in sharp suits, looking like classic business men. Well that was his plan ruined. He could always turn around and walk out? "Syed! Over here mate." Call beckoned him over. Syed forced on a smile and strolled over. Maybe he'd be able to talk to Steve when Cal went to the toilet? Steve might think more rationally if he wasn't drunk, they could arrange to meet up another time. Talk things through.

Cal made to get up, "Syed, hope you don't mind Steve tagging along? Something came up at the last minute, didn't want to cancel on you though. Thought I'd mix business with pleasure. Don't mind I hope?"

"Not the first time you've mixed business with pleasure, eh Syed?"

Cal turned to look at Steve but seemingly decided to ignore the comment. "Drink? I'll get us some menus too."

"Thanks, orange juice for me please." He sat next to Steve with a soft thud.

Steve whispered in his ear, "It's nice seeing you in daylight, I forgot how good looking you were. Those eyes, just like chocolate." God, he was sleazy.

Syed jumped as he felt Steve place his hand on his thigh. "Get your hands off me."

"Or what? You gonna make up some more lies?"

Syed look at him, his eyes were full of hatred. Steve really despised him didn't he? "I was thinking about what you said last night, about me being responsible for your marriage ending. I can see where you're coming from…"

"But?" He interjected him, removing his hand from where it was placed.

"But I don't think I'm to blame entirely. Regardless of you being arrested surely your wife was questioning what you were up to? I never realised that they were planning on having you arrested, one minute I was in the office and the next you were being taken away. I know it would have caused questions to be asked but it didn't change what you were doing. What you would probably have carried on doing, what I expect you still do now?" Syed was thankful that it was a busy lunchtime and Cal still hadn't been served.

"Well I was doing a pretty good job of keeping it a secret before. But then when I got released and my wife came to pick me up, started asking me questions. I think that that was when she finally twigged that I'd been doing a little more than just drinking with the lads."

"But how am I to blame for that? You can't have been happy in your marriage if you were going out and picking up blokes all the time. Surely it was a bit of a relief when it all came out?" Syed was getting frustrated now; this was like trying to get through to a brick wall.

"I was happy! It's not just about the marriage anyway. Regardless of my divorce my family now treat me differently; they've never looked at me the same since." He took a deep breath and Syed looked him, really looked at him. He was hurt. Syed knew rejection; he laid a sympathetic hand on his shoulder and tried to keep his tone gentle yet solid.

"It's not my fault that they can't accept you because you're gay."

Steve shrugged his hand off, "I'm not gay."

"Bisexual then. What does it matter?" Syed didn't notice Christian enter the pub and make his way over to them.

Steve was incredulous, "They don't treat me differently because of my sexuality. They treat me differently because despite you getting the charges dropped I was still arrested on suspicion of rape. Because you were too scared to admit that me and you had willingly slept together."

There was a smash as Cal dropped a glass on the floor; Syed quickly looked up, startled to see Christian stood in front of him, a look of bemusement on his face.

"Rape?"

Hope you enjoyed it? Please leave a review if you did :)

The next chapter will be one big flashback...