Heartstopper oneshots/ requests

The girl in the window P3 - final part

I did change the original idea a bit, but this deffo has potential...

Also, I know I've changed the timeline of events. I just wanted to intertwine different elements of the original story/ Netflix show into it

"We're looking for someone to join the rugby team since Nick dropped out" Jackson beamed at the dinner table, his big shoulders taking up so much space I had to fold my elbows in to eat my dinner properly
"Shouldn't you be concerned you've lost a player?" Dad eyed Jackson suspiciously, but I quickly looked down at the table.

I couldn't believe Jackson had actually kicked Nick off the team. It had only been a week since I told him about what I saw that Sunday, yet he'd managed it and I didn't want to know how. I haven't spoken to him since he told me yesterday.

"Well, he wasn't that good-"
"He was the best on the team!" Mum piped up, "I've only watched a handful of your matches and even I know that!"
"Yeah, well" Jackson hesitated, "I guess he wanted to focus on his studies or something"
"Such a shame" Mum muttered, "He had a real talent for rugby"

My teeth were clenched so hard I could almost feel them pressing out of my gums under the pressure.

"Izzy?"
I realised I must have been spaced out. My eyes snapped up to meet mum's, "I'm going out"

Without giving anyone time to say anything, I got down from the table and slipped into the hallway and up the stairs to get my shoes. I had to speak to Charlie, find out what really happened and if my worst fears were right.

It only took a couple of seconds for Charlie's mum to get to the door.

"Oh, um- is Charlie in?" I asked nervously, my heart was beating out of my chest. For some reason I just expected Charlie to get the door.
"Izzy! How lovely to see you, it's been a while! Come in" She moved out of the way of the doorway for me to come in.
"Thanks" I smiled, shuffling awkwardly into the house and she shut the door behind me.

"Charlie! Izzy's here to see you!" She shouted up the stairs, "Well, come through dear. Did you want a cup of tea?"
I followed her into the kitchen and couldn't help but have a look around. It hadn't changed much since I last came in when we all used to play outside together.

We'd spend hours riding our bikes up and down the road and going into each other's houses. Being back in here brought back all of those memories and it did put me at ease a little bit.

"I-I'm fine, thanks" I said quickly, to be honest I felt too sick to eat or drink anything.

"Hi"
I turned to see Charlie at the doorway of the kitchen with a small smile on his face
"Hi" I tried to smile back, but I couldn't. There was a slight pause where I didn't know what to say, especially in front of his mum.

"Can we maybe go to your room?" I asked, absent mindedly letting my eyes wonder to the ceiling
"Oh" Charlie seemed taken back, "Y-yeah, I guess"

Charlie lead the way and my hands were trembling now. I had to know what had happened. What Jackson had done. It was all my fault, I shouldn't have told him. I should have kept my mouth-

"Izzy this is Nick, Nick this is Izzy" Charlie introduced us and for the first time Nick and I actually made eye contact. It felt like for all this time he was someone out of reach, someone who would never know I existed and yet I managed to ruin his life.

"Oh, hi" I tried really hard to force a smile.

Nick was lying on the floor with his textbooks out in front of him. He smiled up at me which revealed the bruise around his eye. Had he and Jackson had a fight?

"So, what' up? I haven't spoken to you properly in years" Charlie said, making me look away from Nick. I looked at Charlie this time who seemed to have resumed his position on the floor so his books were also in front of him.

"I know, it's so weird being back here" I looked around his room, "I um- I" I hesitated slightly, "I heard about Nick leaving the rugby team" I said almost conversationally, like I was just making small talk, "How come?"

Nick and Charlie glanced at each other.

"Oh um, I wanted to focus on revising for my-"
"Jackson kicked you out didn't he?' I blurted out and I watched them glance at each other again
"Jackson's Izzy's brother" Charlie filled Nick in, turning back to me
"Well he-"
"I'm so sorry" I burst out, letting myself join the two of them on the floor, "It's all my fault, I told him about you two kissing outside the other day, I saw you and I thought you looked so cute together and then Jackson brought you up on the bus to school and I told him and-and he, he said that it was disgusting and that if it was true he'd kick you off the team. Nick I-I'm so sorry I didn't know-" I was talking so fast I could hardly catch my breath. My eyes filled with tears and my mouth was so dry it was hard to breath, "I-it's all my fault"

There was a second of silence before Nick spoke, "Don't say that"
"No, it's true. I didn't realise Jackson was so homophobic, I didn't think he'd react like that-" I let the words spill out, "Did he hit you?" I added, my attention being drawn to the bruise on Nick's face again
"Oh, this?" Nick drew his hand up to his right eye, "No, this was someone else"
Charlie looked sympathetically at him, "When did you see us outside?" He quickly turned to me
"On Sunday, you went running after Nick and you kissed him" I recalled, "It was so romantic" I couldn't help but smile and it made them smile too
"We're not out yet to anyone" Nick looked at me seriously, "So, please don't tell anyone"
"You mean no one else knows?" I was confused, "I thought everyone would figure out why you were kicked off the team"
"No, Jackson said either I leave the team or he tells everyone"
"What a lovely guy" I said sarcastically which made Nick laugh
"Honestly, it's fine. I'd rather this and come out in our own time than have everyone know straight away" He looked over at Charlie and the two of them stared at each other.

My heart melted.