The Present

Charlie's 15th Birthday

"Nicky? What are you doing with my stationery box?"

Nick sat up straight, wide-eyed with a blush creeping up his cheeks. Charlie's present was half finished, and Nick didn't really know how to explain to his mum that he was making a handmade, decorated picture frame for someone she thought was his platonic best friend. As he assessed the situation, his mum patiently waiting for a response, Nick thought it may come off as a little, well... gay.

"Um, school project?" Nick replied. His mum's eyebrows raised slightly.

"Are you sure about that?" she teased. Nick sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"It's for Charlie? His birthday is tomorrow and I don't have time to go get him something so I wasn't sure what I should do because I want to give him a present so I thought maybe I could make him something so that's what I've been working on and I don't even know if it looks nice." Nick took a breath, now fully immersed in his stress. His mum stood in the doorway, a surprised look on her face. Nick smiled halfheartedly, glancing away from her. So much for playing it cool.

"Oh, okay. Well, I'm sure Charlie will like whatever you give him, especially if it's something you made." Nick nodded, pressing down one of the stickers on the frame in his hands. "Do you need any help?"

"No, I think I've got it," Nick said. "Um, would you be able to drive me to the bowling alley tomorrow, though? That's where Charlie's having his party."

"Of course, baby, I need to run some errands anyways."

"Thanks, mum." Nick's mum left the room, leaving just him and the half-finished present.

He knew his mum was right. Charlie would like anything Nick got him for his birthday. Charlie was the one who told Nick not to get him anything at all. But Nick couldn't shake the feeling of wanting the present to be perfect. They weren't officially boyfriends, or even officially dating, but Nick liked Charlie. A lot. And he wanted his present to reflect that.

Nick sighed, placing a few more stickers on the frame before shifting focus to the picture he'd printed earlier using his mum's computer. It was his favorite picture of them together, the day Charlie was visiting and it started snowing outside. Their cheeks were rosy from the cold, and their smiles were big. Nick smiled at the memory as he carefully cut the picture to size, gingerly holding the photo so the ink wouldn't smear.

He hadn't realized on that snowy day that he liked Charlie. He knew he liked him as a friend, and he knew he liked him more than any friend he'd had before. Honestly, Nick wasn't sure how long it would have taken him to realize he liked Charlie if it wasn't for what his mum had said.

You seem much more yourself around him.

Nick had been surprised when she said that. He hadn't stopped to consider it, but he did feel like himself around Charlie. With his rugby friends he always felt like he had to put on a facade. He had to be the right amount of cool, funny, athletic, charming. He had to impress people, be good at school, but not too good, else he'd be a nerd. He had to talk to girls he didn't like and roughhouse with boys who were trying to be cool, too.

It was different with Charlie, like his mum pointed out. With Charlie, Nick felt like he could open up. Like he wasn't expected to be anything or do anything, that he was welcome just the way he was. And Nick wanted Charlie just the way he was.

With a final snip of the scissors, the photo was finally cut. Nick slid it into the frame, securing the tabs on the back. He was happy with how it turned out. He could practically hear Charlie teasing him once he opened the present, saying it's cute and that Nick should partake in arts and crafts activities more often.