Nick & Charlie - A Neverending Story || Heartstopper

Chapter 3: Surprise date

Saturday, 10 pm, two guys texting each other with no apparent reason.

Nick: Well, Char, it's bedtime, but I have a special surprise for you tomorrow 😘

Charlie: And you tell me that right now? Your mom was right, you really are a mess 🙄

Nick: Oi! If I told you, then it wouldn't have been a surprise anymore. But well, if you don't want to, it's ok 🥺

Charlie: Of course I want to, you idiot, but surely tomorrow we'll visit grandps and I'll have to make up an excuse for my parents to let me stay this time.

Nick: Why don't you just tell them about us and finally end all the mystery?

Charlie: I can't do that, Nick. My parents are not like your mom, it would be uncomfortable for everyone and things would change... I know that at some point I have to do it, but I don't feel like now's the right time

Nick: Ok, Char, then make something up, like you're gonna study at Tao's or something 🤔

Charlie: I'm taking your word, I'll be back in a moment 🤗

[5 minutes later]

Charlie: It was a bit hard, but I convinced them and they accepted this time 🤩

Nick: Yesssss! But you should tell Tao just in case

Charlie: Well, what are we supposed to do?

Nick: I'll see you at the train station at 11, don't worry about anything else

Charlie: Okay, until then rugby lad ❤

Nick: Until then, my pretty boy 💕

Before falling asleep and dreaming of tomorrow, Charlie texted Tao.

Tao: You take advantage cause you know I care about you, otherwise I would deeply refuse to cover your back. It's undeniable that Nick Nelson is really obsessed with you, one day he will end up asking you to marry him even if you are 15 years old 😒

Charlie: Ok, thanks, love you, bye 😉

Though he didn't reply to the latter, just imagining it comforted him and made him shiver. Was he really... obsessed too? Whatever it was, the fact is that he really liked feeling like that. Maybe tomorrow's date was a good time to tell him that... he loved him? He began to think about it and ended up falling asleep.

Meanwhile, Nick took a long time to fall asleep thinking the next day needed to be perfect, because it was going to be their first official date.

Next morning, Charlie got up earlier than usual, even though it was Sunday he couldn't wait for the time to see each other again. That day he felt like having breakfast, and so he did, unusually. He dressed in black pants, a T-shirt, and a plaid shirt and combed his hair. His parents were about to leave to gramps' with Tori and Oliver, but before they walked out the door, his older sister showed up at his bedroom door as unexpectedly as usual.

Charlie: For God's sake, Tori! Will you ever stop scaring me like that?

Tori: I honestly swear I'm up to no good. And neither are you, cause you're not going to Tao's, do you?

Charlie: Shhhh, don't let Ollie and mom and dad listen.

And Oliver ran up the stairs.

Oliver: We're leaving, Tori. Bye Charlie, I hope you have a good time with Nick, sorry Tao, hehehe.

Charlie: Am I such a bad liar?

Tori: You try though, Charlie, you try. But you're lucky that mom and dad still see you as the innocent kid who hasn't broken a plate in his life...