Heartstopper || Nick + Charlie

Is it over yet?

Charlie pov:

"W-What do you mean?" I asked him. There was a knowing look on his face, and he sighed. I was utterly screwed. Maybe, it could have been about something completely different, right?

"First of all, you are a terrible liar," he stated. My heart sunk, he definitely knew. "Second of all, your bag is way too packed for just a weekend. And third of all, I can tell that you're panicking," he continued. A lump appeared in my throat, and suddenly I was unable to make eye contact. "Charlie, look. I'm your friend, and I care about you, I really do. I just want to make sure that you're not doing something that you're going to regret," he informed, making my heart warm up slightly, and the lump in my throat decrease a little. Though, I wondered why Nick actually cared. "Just tell me what's going on, and I'll help."

Telling him wasn't an option. Lying really wasn't either, since apparently Nick could tell.

"I'm fine, really. I'm just stressed. I haven't talked to my grandparents since I was ten, and you know." Honestly, it was the best attempt of lying that could be mustered up, but from the look on Nick's face, it failed terribly.

"And you're still trying to lie to me," he announced in a disappointed tone. "Charlie, please, just tell me." Nick interlocked our hands, squeezing slightly in encouragement. The blush that spread across my cheeks was embarrassing and sickening, so I tried to forget it. I shouldn't be feeling this way, especially not towards a straight person.

"I just need to get away for a while. Everything's fine," I confessed, unable to lie to him anymore. He dropped his hand from my own, sighing again.

"Do you at least have a place to stay?" Lying once again seemed implausible, so silence filled the room instead. "Charlie, seriously?" he whisper yelled, a genuinely worried look on his face and tone of voice.

"I'm sorry." I told him. He looked at me with a sympathetic look and shook his head.

"No, you don't get to say that. You have nothing to be sorry about." He told me. I opened my mouth to say sorry again but he cut me off. "Nope, what did I just say." He said and I shut my mouth. "Alright, I'll ask my mum if you can stay over at my grandparents with us." He said before starting to walk back to our seats, I immediately stood in his way.

"No, please don't. I'm fine. I don't want to be a hassle. I'll figure it out myself." I franticly told him but he just shook his head and pushed pass me. I grabbed his hand before he could walk out of the cabin and he spun around to look at me. I opened my mouth to talk but he quickly cut me off.

"Charlie, no. I'm making sure that you're okay and you are staying with us. I don't care. If you aren't going to take care of yourself than I will for you." He told me before dragging me back into the cabin that his mum was in. We sat down again and I kept my eye on the floor again. "Hey, mum?" Nick asked. I glanced up to see his mum with a worried look on her face, I quickly looked back to the floor and closed my eyes. Everyone was going to find out now. "Can Charlie stay at Grandpa's and grandma's house?" He asked her.

"Yeah... of course." She said. I sat there confused why she didn't ask any questions but I looked up in time to see Nick give her an 'I'll tell you later' look. I'm so screwed. Nick will tell his mum, then his mum will tell mine and then my mum will get mad at me, and it'll turn into something I prayed would never happen. The rest of the train ride was pretty quiet, beside the occasional small talk but I remained silent almost the whole time. Now I had ruined my life and their trip to visit their family. We got of the train and were walking around the train station trying to find the exit.

"Okay, so, your grandpa is going to pick us up. He said he'll be here in around five minutes." Nick's mum explained. Nick nodded and I just remained quiet, he walked over to me and we just stood there in silence.