A story about love

1.

!TW - Black Eye (?), Spinning Throught!

Nicks pov-
I wake up in my incredibly comfortable bed. The clock on the bedside table reads 7 in the morning. The sun shines through my window even though my black curtains are drawn. Tiredly, I rub my eyes and realize that I have to start the day, even though I really just want to stay in bed all day.

I go down the stairs and meet my mom in the kitchen. She stands at the kitchen counter and pours coffee into a thermos.
"Hey Nicky, I'm going to work now. Have a good day!" She says in passing, and just as quickly she is out of the house. I spread myself two sandwiches and make a cup of tea, sit down at the table and eat breakfast in peace and quiet. I send a "good morning" text to Charlie, he usually loves when I do that. But to my surprise he doesn't answer right away - like he always does. But I put the phone down and don't think about it anymore, enjoying my good sandwiches instead.

After breakfast, and some "last minute studying" I'm ready to leave home and go to the park, where Charlie and I always meet before school. I check my phone - still no answer from Charlie. I also try to call him but it goes straight to voicemail. My mind starts spinning but I just try to think positive, his phone can be dead or something.

I stand in the hall and put on my worn out Vans and a blue hoodie before putting on my backpack. I close the front door behind me and start my way towards the park.

—

There are a lot of people in the park, young and old. It's everything from young adults who are out with the dog, to old aunts who sit with their eyes closed on the park benches and admire the spring sun. In the center of the park is a tree that has fallen, creating a seat from the trunk. I lean against the trunk while I wait for Charlie. But to my surprise, he never comes and the clock keeps ticking. A sense of worry and confusion fills my body, where is he? I'm thinking - should I go to school without Charlie, or should I go to his house first, even though I don't really have time? And after some time I decide on option number two. Charlie is more important than school.

With determined steps I walk from the park down the street of houses. It's a 10-minute walk before I reach the right house, Charlie's house. I walk up to the front door and knock nervously on it. But everything in the house is quiet. Everything is deserted. I'm about to knock once more when the door slowly opens. In the doorway, right in front of me, is Charlie. My Charlie who is always so happy and bubbly, is now completely silent, gloomy and wearing an all black outfit. The second I see him, I know something is not right. His blood-shot eyes meet mine - you can see right away that he's been crying big rivers the second before I arrived. But there is another thing about his face that catches my attention even more. Around his left eye he has a large black eye - purple and red colors surround his beautiful blue eye. I don't think about it, but ask at once about what has happened. Even though my voice is filled with concern, Charlie remains silent.

Charlie instead squats down and starts tying his shoes. Meanwhile, I'm standing here, in front of him, with a million different thoughts in my head.

What could have happened?

Why doesn't he want to talk?

Have I done something?

My thoughts are interrupted when Charlie stands up, picks up his bag from the floor and is about to pass me in the doorway. But I choose to hold out my hand, block him from being able to take another step. I give myself a serious look, a look I know Charlie can read. A look that asks Charlie to tell you right away what's wrong. But after a while he turns his gaze and looks down at the floor instead.
"Not here Nick... Not now" he whispers in a shaky voice before walking past me and out into the street. There I stand for a few more seconds, loss for words.

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A/N: Hello! Sorry for bad update lately!
I hope you guys enjoyed this text - I just don't know what to do with it though. Do you think I should continue writing this into a story, or should I use this page as a place for heartstopper one-shots?
If you guys have any ideas on how to continue this story, or ideas for one-shots, you are more than welcome to write them (either here in the comments or to me privately)

Love you🤍