Dirty Little Secret

Chapter Eighteen - A Drunken Mistake

Luke was by my side in an instant to make sure I was okay. That's the good thing about having an overly protective best friend. His drunken state seemed forgotten as he approached me seriously.

There before me, was Chuck, and Michael, locked in each others embrace...kissing. Chuck had Michael pressed tightly against the back wall and seemingly every part of their bodies were pressed closely together. Michael had his hands locked tightly in Chucks dark brown hair while Chuck's hands held Michael tightly by the waist.

''What's wrong?'' he asked me sounding concerned and worried.

I couldn't answer him. I couldn't tear my eyes away from what I was looking at. Luke poked his head into the room and stopped dead in his tracks.

The boys pulled away from each other like lightning and took a good few steps away from each other once they noticed that we had seen them. They both looked beyond embarrassed and neither of them could meet our eyes.

Now the others had also piled into the small storage room oblivious to what had just happened. They boys had stopped just before anyone else came in.

''Is everything okay? What's going on in here?'' asked Abbey. Even when she was as drunk as she was now she still knew how to take charge of a situation.

I tore my eyes away from the boys and glanced at Luke. He looked absolutely shell – shocked and I imagined myself to mirror his expression perfectly.

Quiet, loving Michael, dating Rachael for weeks who seemed to completely love him, and Cheeky, flirtatious Chuck who fucks anything with breasts?...Gay?

Don't get me wrong, I have NOTHING against gay people, it's just...Michael and Chuck? I never even saw this coming. Neither of them have shown any signs at all of even being remotely confused never mind full on make-out-with-each-other-in-a-dark-storage-room-when-no-one-is-looking, gay!

Michael ran a shaky hand through his tousled light brown hair and looked directly at Rachael who was staring curiously between the two.

''I'm sorry Rachael.'' he told her quietly.

''What for?'' she asked him sounding worried.

The poor girl didn't even suspect a thing. This was going to crush her.

''I-I'm gay.'' Michael stuttered.

A chorus of gasps filled the room as everyone took in this new information.

''What do you mean gay? I don't understand, what's going on?'' Rachael asked. Her voice sounded shaky and I felt so sorry for her. I wanted to give her a hug to comfort her or something but all any of us could do was stare dumbly and watch the scene play out before our eyes.

''I'm so sorry Rachael, I only went out with you because I was pretending...I was scared to admit the truth...''

''You don't love me...?'' Rachael whispered as a silent tear made it's way slowly down her cheek.

''I do, just not how you love me...I...'' Michael sighed and turned to a dazed looking Chuck. ''I love Chuck.''

Chuck stared back into Michaels pained eyes with an expressionless look across his face. What was he thinking? Did he love Michael? How did this happen?!

The small room was silent until Rachael's quiet sobs began to echo off of the walls. Her once perfected make up was now running down her face carried by a steady stream of tears. Michael reached out a hand to comfort her but she flinched away from his touch and silently left the room without another word or glance in anyone's direction.

Michael and Chuck were staring at each other strangely when Sam let out a long breath. ''Dude...'' he breathed. I know Sam isn't really good with this but he was trying, in his own way. ''How'd this happen?''