Nick & Charlie - A Neverending Story || Heartstopper

Chapter 4: Oliver's birthday

A few weeks had passed, school had almost ended, but Charlie was still not fully aware of everything that happened. He still hadn't been able to talk about it with his parents. He thought that he had caused enough shocks so far to then tell them that he had a boyfriend. They were going to see him with different eyes and he would lose the little freedom he had.

The next day was Oliver's birthday, and despite the fact that the little boy was about to turn eight, he was already aware of many things and was no longer the child of the house.

Charlie was focused on reading in his room when his brother walked in.

Oliver: Could Nick come home tomorrow?

Charlie: Not sure, Ollie, don't know if Mom and Dad will agree.

Oliver: But I'd like him to come, I haven't seen him for ages, and I'm sure you'd like it too. Then you can tell mom and dad about you two.

Charlie: Hmmm... well, maybe that's a good idea.

Deep down he knew that he couldn't keep hiding it from his parents forever, besides he didn't want them to end up finding out from other people.

Charlie: I'll see if I talk to them.

And he went down to the first floor.

Charlie: Mom, Dad, could we invite Nick to Ollie's birthday tomorrow? Since gramps won't be able to come, he wants him to come, and so do I.

Julio: Okay, I don't see why that could be a problem, right, dear?

Jane: No, there's no problem with that.

Charlie: And I thought that maybe he could bring his little dog Nellie, Ollie would love to meet her...

Jane: Dog? Charlie, you know we don't want animals in this house.

Julio: Honey, why don't we please the boys and make an exception this time?

Charlie began to pout.

Charlie: Please, mom, please...

Jane: Okay, but it will be just this time as an exception. And you should be thankful that your father allows many things, because if it was up to me...

Charlie: Thank you, thank you, thank you Mrs. and Mr. Spring, you won't regret it.

He kissed each of them on the cheek and walked out of the room, bumping into Tori, unexpectedly as usual.

Charlie: Jesus Christ, Tori! Someday you're gonna give me a heart attack.

Tori: Older Sister Magic, Charles, hardly avoidable. So is Nick coming tomorrow?

The mischievous look of her moving the eyebrows made Charlie blush.

Charlie: Shhhh, please, not a word.

Tori: Okay, but I have to talk to him in private, so tomorrow will be a good time...

A somewhat chilling sensation invaded Charlie's body.

Charlie: What do you mean...?

Tori: Don't worry, my stuff...

And she left. Charlie reflected for a moment on how complex his family was. He really thought that the only one of them all who was really normal was Oliver. But he was still almost eight years old and perhaps the strange gene of the Springs had not yet developed in his organism. "Why am I like this?". Charlie asked himself this question several times a day. But it was really a rhetorical question, one to which he did not expect to find an answer to.