Off To Uni! (Written after Nick & Charlie by Alice Osmen)

Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX:

[THE NEXT DAY]

Nick:
I open my eyes and see Charlie already awake with breakfast and coffee waiting for me. I sit up and rub my eyes.

"Am I dreaming? Are you actually awake before me?" I ask, laughing.

He looks at me and smiles.

"I know, I thought it was weird too. Figured I'd bring up breakfast today since you've been spoiling me nonstop and we leave tomorrow."

Wow, tomorrow is already Sunday. I leave for Uni on Monday. I can't believe how fast time has gone by. I watch Charlie make his way over to me with breakfast and sigh.

"Did you not want this for breakfast?" He asks, confused.
"Is it weird that I miss you already? I already miss ...this" I gesture to us just having a normal morning together.

Charlie places the breakfast and coffee and the nightstand, crawls into bed with me and hugs me. I squeeze him tighter.

"Do you... maybe... want to spend the night with me up at Uni on Monday? You don't start class for another two weeks anyway," I say. "I can drive you home Tuesday night and then you can come up again Friday with Mum and stay the weekend?"

I'm not ready for this goodbye. Charlie may have panicked about this early on but I'm panicking about it now. I look up at him as he brushes some of my hair out of my face.

"Are you sure you want me to come Monday? You don't want to have the week to settle in, make friends? Also, you'd be coming out straight away if I'm there. What about your roommate?"

I sit up and face him.

"I have nothing to hide. You're my boyfriend and I'm in love with you. Whether you come Monday or Friday, everyone will know. It doesn't matter to me. I just .. I just really want you there. You don't have to if you don't want to..." My voice trails off.

Charlie quickly kisses me.

"Of course I'll stay over Monday. So long as Mum and Dad say okay," he says. "I might need to pack more things to keep up there with you seeing as you're obsessed with me and want me there all the time," he teases.
"I'd move you in if I could," I say.
"I've been trying really hard to keep it together since our fight, but I hope you know how much this is killing me and how much I'm going to miss you. Your face, your hair, your freckles, your touch, your lips," he says as he kisses me.

I deepen the kiss as I wrap my arms around him. I know Charlie loves me but the reassurance right now is everything. Charlie is usually the one who will get insecure about our relationship even though he has no reason to be; but now, I get it. I've been insecure lately. I've been clingy. I've been afraid that he's going to get annoyed with how much I want him around. I love him so much; there's no one else in this world for me.

He pulls away from the kiss and looks into my eyes. I melt.

"I'm sorry if I've been clingy lately. I'm just ... everything is just really hitting me now. And I don't know, like, I know I'll be physically fine up there, but emotionally, I just, I just... need you... you know?" I say, embarrassed.

Charlie:
Is Nick really apologizing for being clingy? For the last two years, I'm pretty sure I've been the most clingy boyfriend. I take his face in my hands and look into his eyes.

"Are you really apologizing for wanting to be with me all the time before you go off to Uni? I wanted to be with you all the time even before all this Uni stuff. I'd be with you everyday if I could."
"I just don't want you to get sick of me and how much I want to be with you."
"Never," he says firmly. "Nick, you are literally the most amazing, caring, smart, funny and thoughtful person I've ever met. You are also quite possibly the most attractive man on this entire planet. I know we hit that rough spot the other week but it made things all more clear. You're it, Nick. I don't ever want to love anyone else. And I don't care who says Uni changes things, that you and I are young and will end up going our separate ways. I want you and me, forever. "

He presses his forehead against mine, and I can see him fighting the tears swelling up in his eyes. He always try to be the strong one for me but I know some days he need me to do the same for him. He is always there for me when I fall down my rabbit hole of insecurities and I will always be there for him when he does the same.

"I love you so much. Thank you for saying that. I know it already, but I needed to hear it. You're my forever too, you know," he says.
"I know. Even when I'm insecure about everything, I know."

We just look into each other's eyes for a minute. Our foreheads still pressed against each other. One tear escaped from his eye and I take my thumb and wipe it away.

He kisses me deeply. I run my fingers through his hair as he begins to lay down and pull me over him. I wish I could bottle this feeling. His lips crashing against mine; the way he traces his fingers up and down my spine, through my hair; his body pushed up against mine. I just want to remember it all the time. We break away from the kiss and stare at each other; me still completely on top of him. He looks over at the nightstand and smiles slightly.

"I think we should throw away the breakfast, it's probably cold," he says.
I laugh. "The one time I wake up before you and we're still in bed."

He places his arms around my back.

"Might as well just stay in bed until it's time for lunch," he shrugs.
"You sure?" I ask.

He smiles as he pulls me back down to his level.

"I know we should be exploring, but I just want to stay here and be with you. Is that okay?" He asks.
"More than okay," I say as I kiss him.

Nick:
We spend the day in bed, getting lost in each other and watching TV; laughing and talking; simply just cherishing these days we have together. My phone goes off and I see that my dad texted to let me know that he's going to meet us outside the hotel in an hour; he says he knows a really good restaurant nearby. I look down at Charlie whose been falling in and out of sleep for the past hour but since he's laying on my chest, I can't tell if he's asleep or awake.

"Char?"
"Mmm?" He mumbles.
"You awake?"
"I was never sleeping," he protests.
"Lies," I say laughing.

He flips over so that he is still has his head on my chest but now he is facing me.

"My dad wants to meet us outside in an hour. He said he knows a good restaurant over here. Are you sure you want to come?"
He grabs my hand with his. "Of course I want to."

We get out of bed and get ready. We head outside of our hotel room and I see Dad there, waving at us. We walk over, say hello and start walking to the restaurant. There is still a bunch of awkwardness between us, but it does seem like he is trying more.

"So how are you two?" He asks, looking at both of us.

I grab Charlie's hand and smile.

"We're doing really great. Trying to enjoy these last couple of days together," I say.
"Well, Mum told me she got you a car. That should make things a little easier for you both."
"Yeah, a lot easier I think."
"Excited for Uni, Nick? Still going to be playing Rugby right?"
"I'm excited for certain things, Rugby is definitely one of them."

We reach the restaurant and get seated. We small talk and it's actually quite nice. Ever since I came out it's been a bit rocky between us, but he has come around a lot.

"I'm just going to go use the restroom before we leave. Do you guys want come see my house? It's really beautiful. It's only about 15 minutes from here. I'll drive you guys back to the hotel later."

He gets up and Charlie looks at me.

"Do you want to spend some time alone with him? I know you don't see him much," he says.
"No, it's fine. I want to spend time with you."
"Nick really, it's okay. You should take this time with him. Plus, I want to do something for you and need some time to get it done."

I look at him curiously.

"What could you possibly be doing? You can't even speak a word of French," I say laughing.
"You'll just have to wait and see," he says as he kisses my cheek.