Simon told Max that he was going to stay with Asher for another day. He planned to surprise him at their place and confront him, but first he needed to calm his nerves and make sure he knew what he wanted to say. Even though Jess, Jeff, and Charlie all agreed that he should let his feelings out and not hold back, Simon didn't want to make a scene. 

Max wasn't supposed to be home either. When Simon told him about his plans, he texted him back that he'd be with his friends and probably staying at one of their houses too, so he didn't need to worry about him. 

The flat was supposed to be empty, but when Simon unlocked the door, the first thing he noticed was a strange pair of shoes just behind the door. Not that Simon was an expert on Max's friends' shoes, but he certainly hadn't seen these shoes at their place before. They were too expensive and too clean, nothing Max's friends would wear. 

Simon had his suspicions, but for some reason he thought that was a line that even Max wouldn't cross. Nevertheless, he decided to keep quiet and not draw attention to his presence. 

He tiptoed around the apartment, but saw no one. The last place left was the bedroom. The door was closed and before he opened it, Simon leaned against it carefully to hear what was going on behind it. 

It didn't take long for his suspicions to be confirmed. The sound of moaning and the creaking of the bed could not be mistaken for anything else. 

It looked like Simon was going to have to make a scene after all. 

Instead of storming straight into the bedroom, he took a few steps back and began to make soft noises to alert them to his presence. He pushed back a chair, then the coffee table in the living room, then shook his head in disbelief. It didn't matter if Max and his side piece had time to get dressed. 

Simon laughed amusedly at himself and then called out, "Max!" He tried to act as if he'd just come home. "Max, honey, I'm home!" He was tempted to laugh, but luckily he held it in. 

There was a sudden thud from the bedroom, and then Max burst out of the bedroom in his boxers. He closed the door behind him and stopped in front of it. He looked startled and was breathing fast, as if he had just run a marathon. 

"Simon," he said his name incredulously. Then he cleared his throat and tried to look less alarmed. "Weren't you supposed to sleep at Asher's?" 

"I wanted to surprise you. I missed you," he said, though he didn't mean it. To frighten him even more, he took a few steps closer, then ran his eyes over him from head to toe, frowning. 

"What's wrong?" he asked. His eyes darted between Max and the door behind him and then he frowned even more. "Max, please tell me what's going on before I assume the worst," his tone was suddenly serious and Max was aware of it. 

Apparently, he couldn't come up with a lie on the spot, so Simon decided to take advantage of that and walked past him at full speed, pushing him aside and opening the door wide.

As expected, he found a half-naked man he'd never seen before sitting on his bed.  

He looked as startled as Max, but there was something else in his expression that Simon couldn't put his finger on. It wasn't his problem, though, and he didn't even really care who he was. 

Simon laughed bitterly and turned back to Max, who was suddenly standing directly behind him.

"Simon, I'll explain," he said, but Simon didn't give him the chance to say more. "Explain?" He laughed bitterly again and then raised his voice, "Explain what? That you knew I wouldn't be home and fucked someone in our bed?!" 

"Hey, I'm sorry." It wasn't Max who spoke those words, and Simon turned in surprise to the half-naked guy who was quickly pulling clothes on from the floor. "I had no idea he had a boyfriend," he defended himself, his voice shaking. 

Simon held up a hand to show him that it was enough and that he didn't need to hear any more. "Great. In that case, I don't care. You can go." He waved his hand towards the door and then turned back to Max, who was still silent. 

"Since you've invited a guest, I'm sure you won't mind if he hears it too," Simon said, not hiding the anger in his voice. His friends were right, he had no reason to suppress his feelings any longer. 

"Are you serious? You're not even going to defend yourself?" Simon didn't hold back and shoved him. Max took a few steps back and Simon immediately followed. "I thought you loved me!" 

"I do love you." Max replied in a shaky voice, quieter than usual. 

Simon laughed bitterly. "Sure, you love me so much that you fuck someone else when I'm not home." 

"It was a mistake." He could have expected this lame argument.  

"Mistake?" He stared at him in disbelief. "You call this a mistake?" He waved his hand at the man who was still trying to dress quickly but failing. "The mistake was trusting you!" 

"Simon, please." Max tried to grab his hand, but he immediately yanked it away. 

"You fucking cheater!" Simon didn't think he could get any louder, but apparently he could. "I trusted you!" He shoved him, and Max let him. "I loved you!" Another shove. 

"Loved?" Max repeated, and only now did Simon realise he'd used the past tense. 

"That got your attention?" He shook his head in disbelief, then laughed bitterly. "You know what I care about? How many men did you fuck in our flat when I wasn't there? Did you fuck them while I was at school? When I was at work making money for our rent?" He couldn't help himself and pushed him again. "Huh?" 

In all his frustration he looked around and when he saw Max's shirt on the floor he picked it up and threw it at his chest. "Are you gonna fucking say something?" 

"Again, I'm very sorry." Max's paramour walked cautiously past him, as if afraid that Simon would change his mind and take his anger out on him. 

"Don't worry about it. He's single now, so it doesn't matter," Simon assured him, then stopped paying him attention. 

It took a moment for Max to realise the meaning of his words, but when he did, his eyes widened and he looked horrified. "What?"

He dropped the T-shirt he was holding and walked over to Simon, despite his previous failed attempt. "I'm so sorry. I swear it only happened once and I regret it so much. You're the love of my life, Simon." He took both of his hands and held them to his chest.

"Once?" He repeated after him and laughed. He knew it wasn't true, but he decided not to tell Max his discovery. Not yet. "And I'm supposed to believe you?"

"I know how it looks. I know I let you down..." Before he could say more, Simon jumped in. "Let me down? You think you let me down?" He jerked his hands out of his grip. "I'm sorry I met you, Max." 

Max certainly hadn't expected to hear those words. Maybe it was an act, maybe he was truly sorry, but tears suddenly began to glisten in his eyes. "Simon..." Simon didn't give him the chance to say more. 

"I don't care about your excuses. I want the truth. How could you do this to me? How could you?!" He pushed him away to put some distance between them. "Was I nothing to you? Was this whole year nothing to you?!" 

"Of course not!" Max replied immediately. "I haven't lied to you about my feelings, Simon. I love you. Only you. You're the only one who has a place in my heart." 

This was not a good choice of words.

"The only one in your heart, but not in your bed, right?" Simon snorted, feeling tears welling up in his eyes as well. But they weren't the result of sadness... Well, not just sadness. All the pent-up emotions were bubbling to the surface and he couldn't or rather didn't want to suppress them any longer. Max deserved to see what his betrayal had done to him. 

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Simon," Max said in a softer tone. Maybe he thought that if he calmed down, Simon would do the same, but he was wrong. 

"Then you're out of luck, because you broke my fucking heart," he told him honestly, and even though a few weeks had passed, tears suddenly rolled down his cheeks. He wasn't sorry for losing Max, not anymore, but he was sorry for all the good memories that suddenly had a bitter aftertaste. 

"Simon," Max addressed him again, his lower lip quivering. "I'm sorry. I'm so terribly sorry. You can't imagine how much I wish I could turn back time." 

"But you can't," Simon jumped in. "You're a fucking cheater, Max, and I hope you rot in hell." His words, coupled with his tears, seemed ironic, but he didn't care. 

"Please, Simon." Tears rolled down Max's cheeks. Simon could count the number of times he'd seen him cry in his life on the fingers of one hand, and he certainly didn't expect it to happen now. "I know I can't ask you to forgive me, because it's unforgivable, but give me one more chance. Just one chance to prove to you that you're the only one for me. I love you. I can't lose you." 

"You lost me the moment you decided to give your body to someone else," Simon told him, then snorted. "In our apartment." 

"I wasn't thinking. I made a mistake, Simon, and I'm sorry." Max suddenly dropped to his knees. "I'll beg you until you forgive me, even if it means I don't get up for the rest of my life. I promise." 

Simon laughed through his tears and shook his head in amusement. "Now all you have to do is open your mouth. I'm sure your next visit will appreciate it." 

It was obvious on Max's face that his words had displeased and maybe even offended him, but he didn't say it out loud. Instead he continued his apology. "Simon, please. I'm begging you. I'll do anything to make it up to you. Anything to make you forgive me. If you want, I'll never leave this apartment again. You can keep me on a leash like a dog. 

"Dogs that behave like you need to be neutered first," Simon replied immediately. "Maybe it would be good for you. Who knows if you haven't picked up some kind of STD somewhere." 

"I'm not a whore," Max defended, and this time his tone hardened. Right then, though, he realised he still needed to beg for forgiveness. "I promise it only happened once. I was stressed out from school and I made a mistake. I don't want to give you excuses, so please just let me make it up to you."  

"How? You want to have make-up sex in the same bed? I'm sure it still smells of him." Simon waved his hand behind him. "Or we could invite him over for a threesome, how about that? I'm sure you'd like that." The irony helped him fight back the tears, and so Max was the only one who continued to cry his heart out. 

"With him it was just about sex." Apparently, Max realised that his original tactic wasn't working, so he tried something else. "I don't want just sex, Simon. I have given you my heart, my soul. You're my soulmate and I'm yours. I know you feel that too, Simon." He stood up. "I love you."

The moment his palm landed softly on Simon's cheek, Simon was overcome with rage and without thinking, he kicked Max in the most sensitive spot. 

The sound of pain he made was louder than the moans that had betrayed him earlier. 

He was instantly back on his knees. 

"In case you haven't figured it out yet, let me tell you again - we're done. I'm breaking up with you. Don't contact me. I don't want to see you. I'm coming to get my stuff tomorrow and I don't want you here when I come. Do you understand?" 

Max didn't react to his words, still holding his crotch with both hands. 

Simon lifted his leg and nudged him in the chest. "Do you understand?" he repeated more forcefully. 

Max nodded silently, but Simon was sure he wouldn't give up so easily. Luckily, he'd anticipated this and had arranged with his friends to help him move the rest of his things. 

"I'm sorry I met you, Max Buron. I'm sorry I lost a year of my life because of you, and I'm sorry I didn't figure it out sooner." He was tempted to shout at him some more, but he knew it would be useless. He'd got the message and there was nothing else he could do but break up with him. 

Before walking around him to leave, he decided to dedicate his last words to him. "If you ever really cared about me, you won't lie. If anyone asks why we broke up, you'll tell them the truth. Let everyone know you're a fucking cheater."

"I won't lie," came Max's quiet promise behind his back as he walked around him, almost reaching the front door. 

Simon chuckled. "Goodbye, Max."