Reluctantly, I confessed

I quickly checked around the hallway, then gently pressed my lips to his. For a few beautiful seconds, he responded in kind, then clearly reality caught up to him and he pushed me away.

"Well?" Liam asked expectantly.

Shuffling my feet, I avoided his gaze. "Look, it was just a bit of fun, I didn't -"

"But you fucked, right?" he said.

I looked at him, but his face was a mask. Slowly, I nodded.

His jaw clenched briefly. "Right."

"It didn't mean anything, we're still just friends," I said. "I love you, bro."

Running a hand through his hair, Liam sighed deeply and avoided looking at me. I tried to kiss him again, but he ducked out of the way. "Hey, just ..." he trailed off and shook his head. Almost as an afterthought, he asked, "How many people have you cheated on me with?"

Oh Jesus, I thought to myself. Chrissie ... Freddie and Nick ... that's it, right?

"That many?" he said.