Charlie and Nick: A Heartstopper FanFic

Starlight

Leaving Nick behind outside of the store, Charlie cautiously proceeded inside. When he looked back, Nick was walking away. With his pillow swinging along with each step, Charlie passed the grand piano on display, the racks of guitars, and random music equipment to the drum section, listening to the rock music playing from the store's sound system. Waiting for Charlie was a drum set.

He sat down and set the plastic bag with the pillow inside on the floor between his feet. A pair of drumsticks lay on one of the drums’ surface. Picking them up, Charlie held them hesitantly as he weighed his options. Nick had told him to take him out of the equation, that, for once, Charlie should only think about himself. That was easier said than done. Was this worth being away from Nick? A gig subbing in for a better drummer until he was ready to take over? Nick had only been in Paris for seven days before his homesickness for Charlie overrode his prior obligations. Would he quit his job to become a temporary groupie? Was it awful that Charlie sort of wanted him to? The idea of waking up without him everyday wasn’t appealing. Add on that Charlie would be awaking in a new city everyday, and the tour idea seemed unworthy of his consideration.

The store’s speakers crackled before a new song began to play. Starlight by Muse, one of Charlie's favorite bands, flowed out of the speakers. As he listened to the music, he closed his eyes and tried to picture himself on stage again. It had felt amazing. That shyness he always carried around with him was buried beneath the sudden confidence that draped over him like a costume. Charlie kind of liked that costume. It was fun to pretend for a moment that he was…well, more.

He hadn’t even realized that he was playing along to the song until he opened his eyes. He had an audience of two, the store clerk and a teenaged girl.

Charlie stopped drumming when he locked eyes with the store clerk. He must have been making quite a racket.

The clerk only smiled and waved his hand dismissively. “Keep going.”

When Charlie looked at the teenaged girl, he could see her eagerness to hear more.

He continued, drumming along to the song until the very end and new song started.

“Not bad,” assessed the clerk.

“Are you a professional?” the girl inquired. “I reckon you’re in a band.”

“No,” Charlie replied with a shy chuckle. “Sort of, I think.”

“I wanna play like that,” the teen told the clerk. “He's much better than Charles.”

Charlie was confused. “Sorry?”

The clerk playfully ruffled the top if the girl's short hair. “She just started lessons. Charles is her instructor.”

“He's rubbish,” she said.

“He isn’t rubbish,” the clerk corrected her.

“Do you give lessons?” she asked Charlie.

“Um,” Charlie started.

“Jessa,” the clerk scolded. “He's a customer. Leave the bloke alone. Apologies, mate.”

“It’s no bother,” Charlie told him. “But I’ve never given lessons before, except maybe once but he didn’t really learn.”

“I'll learn,” Jessa told him with pride. “I'm going to be a rock star.”

“Leave him be,” the clerk told her before introducing himself. “I'm Patrick by the way. That’s my daughter, Jessa.”

“Nice to meet you,” Charlie said as he put the drum sticks down and shook Patrick's hand. “I'm Charlie.”

“No way,” Jessa said, her mouth agape. “New Charles.”

Patrick placed his hands on his daughter's shoulders and guided her away from Charlie. “Let me know if I can help you with anything.”

Charlie checked his phone. It was time to meet Nick outside.

Still stirring in indecision, Charlie stood from the drum set and made his way to the store's exit. On the glass by the entryway, there was a bulletin that caught Charlie's eye. It was a help wanted sign.

Charlie doubled back to find the clerk. Patrick gave him a job application and a kind goodbye. As he started back to the exit, Charlie realized that he knew exactly what he wanted to do.