Soho Dreams: a Soho Nights Story

Episode 17

Despite only being in the team a couple of weeks, Luke was already becoming the star player. It was hardly surprising really. He'd played rugby for as long as he could remember and lived and breathed it. Being on a brand new team gave him a fresh love for the game and he wanted to do the best he could for the boys.

The team's first away game was coming up and the boys had planned to make a weekend of it. They'd booked a coach to pick them up at the bottom end of Soho, straight after work on Friday. They'd play the game Saturday morning, go on a night out to (hopefully) celebrate their win, then travel back Sunday.

Luke had told Max he could go with them. He'd met the other boys on several occasions, so would fit in fine. But Max didn't want to be one of those boyfriends. He wanted to give Luke time with his friends and his own life. So he told him he should go and have a good time with the boys on his own. Luke agreed with the condition he could take Max out for dinner the night before. Max happily agreed. He was always happy to spend time with Luke.

They went to a restaurant called Velveteen. It was at the very top end of Soho. It was a restaurant and bar, which sold the most incredible (and expensive) cocktails. They very rarely went there. It wasn't the kind of place you went to as part of a drinking session down Soho. But it was a special occasion and Luke wanted to treat his boyfriend. They would only be apart for two days, which they did throughout the week anyway. But it would be the first weekend since they met that they wouldn't be spending together.

Luke was so excited about the game, but also about his life. He'd been so nervous to go out to Pride the weekend that he'd met both Max and the boys. His life was in tatters at the time, now it was the best it had ever been. He felt lucky as he looked across the table at this beautiful boy who he could call his own.

They'd both dressed up for the occasion. They'd put on their best shirts and shoes. Luke had worn a blue blazer to match his shirt, whilst Max had put on a bow-tie. They had a main and a dessert and were both full.

'Can you manage a cocktail?' said Luke.

'Yeah,' said Max, 'but let's not pay the prices of the bar here. It's two for one cocktails at The Admiral. Let's go there instead.'

So they paid the bill and walked hand in hand through Soho to get another drink.

The Admiral tended to be the busiest bar in Soho on Thursday nights, due to the drinks offers they put on to get people on for mid-week drinks. They had two pound a pint, twenty per cent of Prosecco and wine, but it was the two for one cocktails that drew most people in.

Luke ordered two Espresso Martinis whilst Max found them a table.

As Luke left the bar, he looked around to see where Max was sitting. Max held his hand up so Luke could see him.

'Here you go baby,' said Luke. He placed both drinks on the table.

'Cheers,' said Max. 'Here's to us.'

'To us,' said Luke and they gently tapped their glasses together.

'So...have you watched it yet? Since that day I mean,' said Max.

Luke didn't have to ask what he meant.

'Of course,' said Luke. He'd watched it about a million times and saw something he hadn't noticed before every time.

'So have I,' said Max. 'I've watched it every night.'

'Me too.'

They looked at each other and smiled. It was the kind of knowing smile you only ever get as being part of a couple. They loved that they'd created this beautiful piece of film that was only for them.

'I'm glad we did it,' said Max. 'I'll watch it every night whilst you're away.'

'Maybe we could make a sequel when I get back.'

'I like that idea.'

After drinks, they walked to the taxi rank. Max had college the next day, so they weren't spending the night together. He made sure Max got in a cab first then he got in the next one.

'Drop me a text when you get in,' said Luke.

Luke sat in the back of the taxi, thinking about the amazing night they'd just had. He waited until he pulled up out front of his apartment before he looked at his phone. He tapped his right pocket where it usually was, but it wasn't there. He checked his right jeans pocket, then all the pockets in his blazer. It was nowhere to be found. It must have slipped out of his pocket in the last bar.

Shit! he thought. He needed his phone. It had all his contacts, notes and music on there. He was going to be away for a few days and needed it so he could speak with Max each night. But then it hit him what else he had saved on there.

The movie of him and Max in bed.

His whole body went cold. He couldn't believe he'd been so stupid to lose his phone when it had something so personal on. He didn't even have a screen lock on it.

The taxi he'd got just got out of was turning around at the end of his road to make it's way back to town. Luke held out his hand again. The driver looked confused but stopped.

'Can you take me back into town please mate?' he asked. The diver nodded and took Luke back to where he'd just picked him up.

He jumped out of the taxi and walked at speed back to The Admiral. It was quieter than it had been earlier. He first looked at the table where they'd previously been at. Nobody was occupying the table, but also no phone. He figured that if somebody had found it, then they would have handed in. He asked behind the bar, and the young woman went off to check. She reappeared moments later shaking her head.

He knew he'd had it in there. He'd checked the back of the taxi when he'd got back in, so he had to have lost it the bar. He left his name and asked them to call him if it showed up.

He knew how much shit he was in. He wasn't quite sure how he was going to tell Max. But then he remembered it was stored in his Dropbox. He got a taxi back home, opened up his laptop and moved the file from his Dropbox to his desktop. He Skyped Max to tell him what had happened, sure that he'd avoided a crisis by moving the file.

Author's Note

Crisis averted, right,? Read on to find out.

Hope you're all keeping safe x