🍂- Heartstopper - Nick and Charlie -🍂

1.3 - Abuse

TW: abusive relationship, violence

*Nick's POV*

I heard and saw everything. 

After practice, I noticed that Charlie wasn't at his best so I decided to try and figure out what was going on. I knew that we didn't really know each other but, for some reason, I was still extremely worried about him. As I walked through the doors of the music department, I immediately hear screaming coming from one of the rooms. I didn't want to overhear, but I was getting quite scared for Charlie. I had no clue what was going on but I had to figure it out. 

I got closer to the room and tried to peak through the door but it was closed. I discretely managed to open it slightly, just enough to see Charlie pinned to the wall and Ben holding him so tight I could see Charlie cry. I didn't want to step in because I felt like it wasn't my business and I also followed Charlie when I knew I shouldn't have. But watching Charlie crying and begging for him to stop and him not reacting at all to Charlie's words made me so angry, I couldn't just stay there. But I did. I stood there, frozen up. I couldn't move. As much as I wanted to slam the door open and push Ben off of Charlie, my body would not move one bit. I was stuck, watching this horrible scene, unable to do anything. 

Then it happened. Ben's voice got louder. Tension was building up, not only in the room, but in me. He then slapped him across the face. Charlie fell to the ground, not making a single sound. Tears rushing down his face, he just sat there, as unable to move as I was. 

I couldn't do anything. I didn't do anything. 

I ran out the building, tears now falling down my face too. I had no clue of what to do with what I just saw. Did I have to tell someone in the school? Or should I have talked to Charlie's parents? I didn't even know his parents. I didn't even know him. I barely knew Charlie, but I knew Ben and never would I have been friends with someone like him if I had knew. I barely knew Charlie, but I was still incredibly worried about what would happen to him if I didn't do anything. 

Why couldn't I do anything? Why didn't I do anything?

What did I have to do now?