Half a heart

Ready to Run

⚠️Tw: Anxiety, Ben Hope, crying,abuse⚠️

Nick's POV:
When I saw Charlie leave science class, a pang of concern shot through me. He looked scared, you could see the fear and anxiety in his eyes and his usual calm demeanor replaced by an aura of distress.

Once the class was over, I quickly stashed my belongings in my locker and grabbed my rugby gear, gearing up for the practice I had scheduled after school.

As I made my way to the sports change rooms, the sound of raised voices caught my attention, I was unsure if I should approach or say anything so I stood outside a little long before the voices got louder.

Frowning, I approached cautiously and peered through the door, my heart sinking at the sight before me.

There was Charlie, his cheek marked with a red handprint, a clear sign of violence and sign that someone has just put their hands on the most beautiful, innocent, sweetest and intelligent boy ever.

Without a second thought, I rushed forward, grabbing his arm and pulling him out of the room, guiding him towards the nearest bathroom.

"Charlie, are you okay?" I asked urgently, my voice laced with concern.

I quickly wet some paper towels with some cold water from the bathroom sink and gently dabbed at his face and the bruise, trying my best to soothe his distress.

Tears welled up in Charlie's eyes as he spoke, his words choked with emotion. "H-he is m-my b-b-boyfriend and he got angry at me for not answering him last night and I was telling him what happened, but he didn't believe me, so he slapped me for supposedly being with another person." Charlie managed out during sobs.

I felt sorry for him, Charlie was the sweetest person ever and he got with a dick like Ben Hope. "You're safe now, Charlie. You're with me," I reassured him, pulling him into a comforting embrace.

Soon enough Charlie's sobs quietened down into quiet sniffles, I still held him in my arms until he broke away and remembered that he had running practice.

Realizing that Charlie was now running late for his own practice, he started to panic. Without hesitation, I offered him an alternative, suggesting that he join me at rugby practice instead.

After a quick change into his PE uniform, we made our way to the rugby field together. I could see the uncertainty in Charlie's eyes, so I made it clear that he could stick by my side or opt to run around the track if he preferred some space.

Throughout practice, I kept a watchful eye on Charlie, making sure he felt supported and safe. Despite the chaos of the game, his presence on the track remained a constant, his determination evident in every stride.

As practice drew to a close, I could see Charlie was still running around the track, his curls sticking to his forehead and the way he looked so at peace when running with his headphones on.

My mum was on her way so I had to approach Charlie, signaling that it was time to stop and pack up because it was time to leave and get him home.

Despite his headphones drowning out my initial attempts to get his attention, I eventually managed to catch his eye, informing him that my mum was waiting to pick us up.

"Hey, Charlie, let's head out. My mum's waiting for us," I said, offering him a reassuring smile as we made our way off the field, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead...