nick and charlie: love is the strongest force

chapter twenty six

Tw: separation anxiety, sh

Nick lay in his bed, the shadows of his room creeping up the walls as the night stretched on. His pillow was damp with tears, and his chest ached from the relentless sobs that had wracked his body since Charlie had left. He felt trapped in a suffocating fog of despair and anxiety, unable to find any relief.

He hadn't eaten since the day before, the thought of food turning his stomach. His mum had tried to coax him out of his room, but he had refused, pulling the covers tighter around himself as if they could shield him from the world. The sound of his own crying filled the silence, a painful reminder of the turmoil within him.

The next morning, Sarah knocked gently on Nick's door. "Nick, sweetheart, it's time to get up," she called softly. "Breakfast is ready."

There was no response from Nick. He lay still, staring blankly at the ceiling. Sarah opened the door and stepped inside, her heart breaking at the sight of her son. He looked so small and fragile, curled up in his bed with tear-stained cheeks and red-rimmed eyes.

"Nick, honey, you need to eat something," she said gently, sitting down on the edge of his bed.

Nick shook his head, his voice hoarse from crying. "I'm not hungry, Mum."

Sarah sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know you're feeling really low right now, but you need to take care of yourself. Please, just try to eat a little."

Nick didn't respond, his eyes glazed over with a distant sadness. He felt like he was drowning, the weight of everything pressing down on him until he could hardly breathe.

Sarah's eyes filled with tears as she watched her son suffer. She knew she needed to do something to help him, but she felt powerless in the face of his pain. "Nick, I think you should talk to Geoff again. He might be able to help you feel a bit better."

Nick shook his head again, burying his face in his pillow. "I don't want to talk to anyone," he mumbled, his voice muffled.

Sarah sighed, feeling the sting of helplessness. "Okay, sweetheart. Just know that I'm here for you, and so is Charlie. We love you so much."

Nick didn't respond, his body curling into a tighter ball. Sarah kissed his forehead and left the room, feeling the weight of his pain in her own heart.

Hours passed, and Nick remained in his room, the minutes blending into a blur of tears and silence. He couldn't find the strength to move, to eat, to do anything but cry and stare into the void. The isolation and fear consumed him, leaving him feeling utterly alone.

The afternoon light faded into evening, casting long shadows across the room. Nick's mind raced, the darkness inside him growing more overwhelming by the minute. He felt trapped in a never-ending cycle of pain and hopelessness.

Desperate for any kind of release, Nick's eyes fell on the small pencil sharpener on his desk. He stared at it, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew it was a terrible idea, that it wouldn't solve anything, but the urge to feel something, anything, other than the crushing weight of his emotions was too strong.

With trembling hands, he reached for the pencil sharpener, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps. He took it apart, extracting the tiny, sharp blade, the metal glinting ominously in the dim light. Tears streamed down his face as he pressed it against his skin, his mind screaming at him to stop, but his heart crying out for some form of escape.

He took a deep breath and pressed down, the sharp pain cutting through the numbness, giving him a momentary sense of relief. He cried out, a mix of pain and despair, but he couldn't stop. The tears flowed freely, his body shaking with sobs as he inflicted more harm on himself.

As the blood began to well up from the shallow cuts, Nick's vision blurred with tears. He dropped the blade, his hands covered in a mix of blood and tears. The pain brought a twisted sense of clarity, but it was fleeting. The darkness quickly closed in again, leaving him feeling more lost and alone than ever.

Nick collapsed onto his bed, curling up into a tight ball, his body wracked with sobs. He felt a deep, aching emptiness inside him, a void that nothing seemed able to fill. The weight of his emotions pressed down on him, making it hard to breathe, to think, to exist.

As the night wore on, Nick lay there in the darkness, his mind a whirlwind of pain and confusion. The reality of his actions began to sink in, and he felt a deep sense of shame and guilt. He knew he needed help, but he didn't know how to ask for it, how to let anyone in.

And so he lay there, the silence of the room only broken by his quiet sobs, as the darkness of the night mirrored the darkness within him.

Then, suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching his room. The door creaked open, and Sarah's voice called out softly, "Nick, are you okay in there?"

Nick's heart pounded in his chest, fear and panic surging through him. He couldn't let her see him like this. He tried to wipe away the blood and tears, but it was too late. The door slowly opened wider, and Sarah stepped into the room.

Her eyes widened in horror as she took in the scene before her. "Oh my God, Nick!" she cried, rushing to his side. "What have you done?"

Nick's vision blurred as the room spun around him, and he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness. Sarah's frantic voice was the last thing he heard before everything went black.

A/N
Arnt I dramatic