Evermore :||: Nick & Charlie

Chapter 6: I'm Getting Feelings that I Didn't Before

Charlie's POV

Nick was acting strange in form, unless I'm just reading into it wrong, but something is definitely up.

I quickly try to bury myself in school work to distract from my mind racing. I try my best to concentrate, but seeing that look in Nick's face is all that's on my mind. He looked like he was about to cry.

I don't think he knew that I noticed it, but I saw the tears coming to his eyes before he looked away from me. On top of that, he squeezed my knee, something he's never really done before.

He clearly has something on his mind.

After Spanish, it's lunch. I would normally not be excited for lunch, but knowing that Nick is back is what's making it better. This is the last time throughout the school day that we can sit and talk with each other. The other times we see each other are in passing while walking to our other classes.

I send him a quick text telling him to meet me in the art room, but when I get there, he's already sitting there with his lunch. He smiles when he sees me, and I smile too.

Okay, I was definitely just being weird about form earlier.

"I missed you." He says as I sit down.

"I missed you too." Not even caring that we literally just saw each other a little over four hours ago.

"Do you want to come 'round mine after school?" He asks after taking a bite of his sandwich.

"I'd love to." I say with a smile. I notice his eyes scanning me, confusing me. "What?" I ask, shifting uncomfortably in my chair.

"S-sorry, just...um...are you gonna have any lunch?" He asks, his voice shaky.

"Oh, um..." I look down and nervously fidget with my fingers. I look back up at him and smile. "I was in such a rush this morning, I left my lunch sitting on the counter." Finally, a good excuse.

"You can have some of mine. I don't mind." He says, sliding his food in between us. I stare at the food, my eyes fixated on everything about it. All it is is a sandwich, a bag of crisps, an apple, and a chocolate bar. Fairly standard lunch, but I can't help but think otherwise.

It's poison.

You're going to die if you eat it.

Stop...

"Sorry...I just-" My voice gets caught in my throat as I stare intently at everything in front of me. I feel Nick's hand gently grip my shoulder, but I can't move. Nothing like this has ever happened before. I can't hear anything but my own thoughts and I can't see anything other than the food sprawled out in front of me.

"Char...?" Finally, I blink and look over at Nick. "I didn't mean to..." He swallows hard. There's that look again, the same look he had in his eyes during form.

"I'm fine." I say with a smile, but I know he doesn't believe me. I can't even imagine what I must've looked like just then.

Nick's POV

After I offer Charlie some of my food, I watch as he stares at it for a solid three minutes. He's not saying anything, he's not moving, his breath is exactly the same, but looking into his eyes, I can tell that he isn't here. I place my hand on his shoulder, hoping some physical contact might bring him back, but it doesn't.

"Charlie? Are you okay?" I ask him, panicking at his reaction.

He says nothing. "You don't have to eat it, it was just a suggestion." I state, but again, he doesn't move a muscle. "Char...?" Finally, he blinks and looks at me. "I didn't mean to..." I swallow, my voice cutting off.