Chapter 1: Chapter One
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“I made it!” he says as he steps through the door, just as the bell rings. His friends give him high fives and smirks. Ugh, I can’t stand his disregard for the rules. He slides into his desk next to mine. This is it - my least favorite class of the day: science. I don’t dislike science, per se; it’s just Nick I can’t stand. Nick Nelson. Bane of my existence ever since Sixth Grade, when he ignored me constantly. You may be thinking:
“Charlie, you’re a sophom*ore, it’s been almost five years!”
Okay, sure, that may be a good point, but it’s more than him ignoring me. In the school ecosystem, Nick is the king of the jocks and the sporty kids, while I’m the king of the nerds and the brainiacs. While he runs around as the school’s star athlete, I run the trivia team and math club. Naturally, we are mortal enemies. In fact, we’ve established a little game we like to play. I call it Hope You Fail. It’s inspired by the first time we sat next to each other in this class.
It was the first day of school, and everyone had been cheering Nick on about the school’s rugby game that was happening in a couple of days, so I had whispered,
“Hope you lose the game.”
My stomach had dropped when Mrs. Bodér assigned seats and his name was called for the desk to my right. I must've heard me because he sat right down next to me and said,
“Hope you lose your trivia tournament.”
Mrs. Bodér begins to speak, snapping me out of my memories.
“Mr. Nelson, that was a close call,” she says. “Please, be a little warier of the clock.”
She begins her lecture on bacteria, and I lean over to Nick.
“Hope you’re late next time,” I say with a smile, and I go back to taking notes.
As Mrs. Bodér drones on, I look over at Nick. It would actually be so much easier if he was ugly, but he’s somewhat decent-looking. He has dark strawberry blonde-ish hair, soft brown eyes, and dimples that emphasize his huge smile. Not that I see that smile often. He’s the school’s rugby team captain and football captain, and, if his muscled arms are any indication, he definitely has an incredible physique. I’m startled out of my staring as the principal's voice booms over the intercom.
“Attention, sophom*ores! Happy Friday! I have an important announcement. After counting the votes on all your petitions, the two candidates for the upcoming class presidential election are… Charlie Spring….”
I mentally pat myself on the back, though it’s no surprise I’m nominated. I’m the leader of the nerds. They think I can do a lot as president (and they’re not wrong). I listen back into the announcement.
“And… Nick Nelson! Reminder: voting is two weeks away, so get campaigning!”
Nick’s friends give him a fist bump, and honestly, I’m not even surprised that he’s nominated. The sports kids see him as a great leader and trust him to give them “representation” - as if being a jock is a minority - but I digress. I glare over at him, and as the bell rings, only one thought races through my mind: It’s on .
After grabbing my lunch, I walk to the courtyard, meeting up with Elle on the way. She and I have been friends since 4th grade, and I’ve always felt a special connection with her, as she too adores competition and books. Her light-brown pink-tipped curls bounce up and down as we stroll towards the bench under the tree, where we eat every day.
“Hey, Jason,” one of the basketball players says to Elle, snickering as he walks away.
I’m about to say something when she stops me.
“Charlie, it’s fine,” Elle says, rolling her eyes behind her thick moss-colored glasses. “It’s clearly deliberate. I mean, how can they be ‘accidentally’ deadnaming me when I’ve been out for, like, eight years?”
“You’re right, you’re right,” I mutter as I shake my head. I can't stand people being disrespectful to Elle, but I drop it. We pass the different tables, including Nick’s, as we make our way to the beautiful birch tree that lies in the middle of the courtyard. We sit down at our usual table and begin to unpack our lunches as Tao makes his way over.
“Hi Tao,” Elle affectionately says as she plants a kiss on his lips.
Tao drops his backpack onto the bench next to him and takes out his lunch.
“How lucky am I to have a girlfriend like you?” he smiles lovingly while digging his fork into the bean salad he has in front of him.
“Boo, get a room you guys!” I heckle playfully. “Stop making me the third wheel!”
We resume our eating and keep talking, but soon Tao brings up Principal Lawson’s announcement.
“Can’t believe you have to go up against Nick,” he mentions, shaking his head.
“Not shocked that he’s nominated though,” I say. “He’s a ‘popular’ kid.”
“Yeah, but you have the brains. His plans are probably just to turn every class into gym. Besides, knowing you? You’ll work yourself to death planning everything,” Elle adds.
“I know I have the brains, but do I have the votes?” I say as lunch wraps up. We throw out our trash and get back to class as a growing feeling of dread fills my stomach.
Notes:
sorry about deadnaming Elle (although we don't know her actual deadname so I just made one up)
Chapter 2: Chapter Two
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
I unlock the front door and step inside.
“Hi honey! I’m in the basem*nt!” my mom shouts at me from down below.
“Okay!” I shout back, and I set my backpack down at the table. My mom works as an EMT and gets her Fridays off, though she usually spends it doing chores or watching reality TV. My dad is still at work and doesn’t usually get home till 5. He teaches history at the elementary school in the town next to ours. Our home is quaint but big enough for my sister and me. Speaking of her, she walks in the door with an annoyed look on her face, having just come home from her football practice after school.
“Mom’s in the basem*nt,” I tell her.
“Ughhh. My math teacher’s gonna fail me if I don’t do this homework. Eighth grade is so stupid ,” Tori replies, unpacking her backpack.
“If you think eighth grade is hard, you’ll love high school,” I say tauntingly.
“Tori, I’m in the basem*nt,” my mom shouts up.
“I know, mom, Charlie told me,” Tori yells back in return.
We finish getting out our homework as our mom walks in, probably to get some snacks to bring down to the basem*nt.
“Good news!” I say to her. “I’m nominated for class president!”
“Yay!” she says with a little clap. She was the one who rooted me on to run, and she saw my leadership potential.
“Nick’s the other nominee though,” I say offhandedly, and my mom rolls her eyes.
“That boy is always getting in your way. What do those kids see in him anyways? Y’know…” my mom starts. “There was this kid at my high school, Ryan, and he was always hanging out with the sports kids. But one day-”
“Mom!” I say, cutting her off. “I have work to do, and so does Tori.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” she says as she walks away, probably to go watch the newest season of The Bachelor.
“I always see so much trash around the school, maybe put recycling cans in the hallways?” Elle says to me as we lie on the carpeted floor of her living room. It’s Saturday, and we’re planning changes I could make once I win this election.
“Yeah, but there’s already cans in the classrooms,” I say dejectedly.
“Well, the sophom*ore dance is coming up in a couple of months, what’s your idea for that?” Elle asks.
“I was thinking Fairy Tale? So princess/prince/royalty looks, and decorations of dragons, witches, things like that. Get what I mean?” I tell her.
“That sounds fun! See, you have good ideas!” Elle says, giving me a little push.
“Hey, you wanna get some pizza?” I ask as we get up from the floor.
“Yes!” she says excitedly.
We walk to Piece a’ Pizza, the pizza place downtown. As we’re waiting on our slices, I see Nick with his friends: Ben, Sai, and Harry. He looks over at the counter and catches my eye. I quickly look away as Elle and I grab our slices. We leave the pizzeria, and when I glance back through the window, Nick’s still looking at me.
Notes:
Okay so I felt like making Tori a younger sister because it gives them a very different dynamic. Also, there's no Oliver (sorry lol). I also wanted to give him a nice connection with his mom (who is now the Hispanic one instead of his dad). I'm really just experimenting with a ton of changes but I'm excited to see how this turns out.
Chapter 3: Chapter Three
Notes:
A bit of a short one, sorry!
Chapter Text
Monday rolls around, and so does science with Nick. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a game coming up, so I have nothing to pray he fails about. Mrs. Bodér wraps up her lesson as the bell rings. Nick rushes out of the classroom, but a piece of paper on his desk catches my eye. I pick it up and investigate it. It seems to be some sort of permission slip, maybe something important. Science is my only class with him, but I grab the paper anyway. There’s a chance I could see him in the hallway, so maybe I’ll give it to him then. Regardless, I slip the paper into my bag and make my way to the courtyard.
As Elle, Tao, and I eat lunch, I mentally debate whether to bring Nick the paper now. I mean, it’s my best chance, but he’s with all his jock friends.
You’ve got this, it’s fine, I tell myself.
I get up and begin to walk over to the wooden table that sits near the main entrance to the courtyard. Eight of the most popular jocks in school sit there, usually being rowdy and annoying. Today, as predicted, they’re being rowdy and annoying. Nick’s usually not the one causing a ruckus, but his friends are constantly making loud noises. Not that I watch him at lunch. I’m almost at their table when I hear what they’re talking about.
“I’m so glad you’re gonna be the class president, man,” Annoying Jock #1 says, hitting Nick on the back.
“Well, there’s still that weird nerd running,” Annoying Jock #2 points out.
“Yeah, but Nick’s gonna beat him. Right Nick?” Annoying Jock #1 says with a smile, turning to Nick.
My eyes start to water, and I turn around and hurry back to the bench under the tree. The bell rings, and everyone begins to file out of the courtyard.
“Charlie, wait!” Nick tries to say to me through the crowd of people, but I leave him behind, wiping the tears from my eyes. When I reach my locker, I slip the paper back into my bag.
I’ll give it to him after trivia club today. He definitely has some sort of sports practice, so he’ll be in the locker room, I console myself.
As I sit through 6th period, I can’t help but replay what Nick’s friends said at lunch. Maybe I am a weird nerd, but I will NOT let Nick beat me.
Chapter 4: Chapter Four
Notes:
Little bit of a warning: Charlie has some *hormonal* thoughts about Nick towards the end. Nothing too inappropriate, but I thought I'd still warn just in case.
Chapter Text
I push open the door to the locker room hallway. Trivia club has just wrapped up, and I clutch Nick’s paper in my hands. I stand in the middle of the hallway, looking around. To the left, I know, are the coaches’ offices and the storage room, and to the right are the locker rooms. Coach Dante is standing in the hallway, writing something on his clipboard.
“Um, excuse me?” I say to him awkwardly. “Is Nick here?”
“Our star player?” Coach Dante asks with a chuckle. “Yup, down the hall to your right. Everyone else already left, but he kept practicing. If you want to catch him, better go now. He’s almost done changing.”
I say thanks and walk down the hall to the right. I nervously open the door to the locker room, knocking first. Nick’s sitting on the bench in gray boxer briefs, rummaging through his bag.
“Nick, you left this in science,” I say, purposefully averting my eyes from his muscular body.
“Thanks, Charlie,” he says with a lopsided smile, taking the paper from me. “This paper’s really important, and I don’t know what I’d do if you hadn’t found it. And...um...about earlier-
“It’s fine,” I say, cutting him off.
“It’s really not. You don’t deserve to be called names just because we’re running against each other for class president. I’m sorry I just sat there and let them say that.”
“Thanks for apologizing,” I say, looking down.
“No problem,” he says, responding with a little smile.
We stand there for a second, and my eyes start to travel down his body.
I mentally pinch myself, waking up out of this disturbing and hormonal trance.
“Well... I should get going,” I say quickly, pointing to the door.
He nods goodbye, and I walk home, dazed.
That night, I lie in bed, my blanket protecting me from the cool spring air. I close my eyes, and suddenly Nick in his underwear fills my head. I try to shake the image, but it comes back every time I shut my eyelids.
Giving in to whatever my brain is trying to tell me, I gaze into those brown eyes, his hair still slightly damp from the locker room shower. Maybe I've peeked once or twice in class when Nick stretches back and his shirt lifts up, but I've never gotten as good a view as in that locker room.
In my head, I let my eyes travel down his body. His chest...the smattering of hair on his stomach...the lines of his torso that trace down into his underwear…
I throw the blanket off my bed, suddenly very hot.
Snap out of it! I tell myself. This is why you need a boyfriend; you're too touch-deprived. Besides, thereare tons of other hot guys in the grade to thirst after who AREN’T your rival!
Instead of Nick in the locker room, I close my eyes and picture him onstage with me in front of the grade: me as class president, him as a sore loser. I fall asleep with a smile on my face.
Chapter 5: Chapter Five
Notes:
Eeeee, okay I love this one, I hope y'all do too!
Chapter Text
“Attention, class!” Mrs. Bodér says after the last student has filed into the classroom.“We will be starting a new project, due next Friday, on famous chemists…”
I tune out, leaning my head against the desk.
Great, more work to do besides the tons of homework and campaign planning .
Mrs. Bodér begins to wrap up her little speech.
“To complete this project, you will be working in pairs,” she says.
Everyone begins to whisper to each other, but Mrs. Bodér cuts them off.
“Before you ask, you will NOT be able to choose your partners. The list of partners is…”
She begins to list off names. As she keeps talking, I realize the pattern. Everyone’s partners are… the people they’re sitting next to.
Please don’t be Nick, please don’t be Nick , I silently pray.
“Charlie… and… Nick,” Mrs. Bodér reads.
Of course. It’s like the universe hates me. First I have to sit next to him EVERY DAY, then I have to run against him in the election, and NOW, I have to spend time with him. Give it a rest, universe.
The bell rings, usually signaling my freedom from Nick. But not today.
“Hey, would you want to meet up at Legendairy Creamery later? It’s that ice cream place downtown,” I ask, leaning over to his desk. “We can get a headstart on the project.”
“Oh, sure,” he says. “You’ll probably need my number, so…”
He pulls out a pen and scrounges around in his backpack for a piece of paper. It's times like these where I really hate the school for making us keep our phones in our lockers. Coming up empty-handed, he glances at the clock.
"Probably just faster if I do it this way," he explains with a crooked smile as he writes the 10 digits down on my arm.
“Sure,” I respond sarcastically, unsuccessfully holding in snort.
Nick gives me a look of faux shock at the very undignified noise that has escaped my mouth.
"You didn't hear anything," I say, narrowing my eyes so that he understands how serious I'm being - which is to say, not at all.
"Nothing," he whispers back, mimicking locking his mouth.
I roll my eyes, but I give a little smirk back.
"See you later, then?" Nick calls as he hurries out of the room.
"You bet," I call back, but he's already on the other end of the hall. Maybe working with Nick won't be so unbearable after all.
I push open the door to the ice cream parlor, and there’s Nick, sitting at the table by the window.
“Hey!” I say with a wave.
I walk up to him, unsure if I should give him a high five or a handshake. We settle on an awkward fist bump, and we both laugh at the unusual greeting.
“I was waiting to order ‘till you got here,” he says as we walk up to the counter.
All the different flavors are visible through the clear countertop, and Nick and I spend a couple of minutes choosing very carefully.
After we’re served, we sit back down at the table by the window.
“Y’know, I haven’t been here in a while. Last time I was here, actually, I was on a date with my neighbor,” Nick says, breaking the silence.
I nod along as if I didn’t already know this. I mean, when one of the most popular kids in your grade goes on a date, everyone's bound to talk about it.
“How’d it go?” I ask, knowing full well what happened.
“I guess it wasn’t the worst date I’ve ever been on. She was nice and all, but kinda boring.”
We sit in silence for a second, eating our ice creams.
“Can I confess something?” I ask him. “I kinda already know about this date. I - nonconsentually, by the way - heard all about it through the school rumor mill last year; although...they made it sound like it went really badly. I heard something about a sort of argument between you two?”
“Of course,” he says with a chuckle. “There’s always rumors, y'know?"
"Well, what about you?” Nick says after a pause.
“What about me?”
“When was the last time you went on a date?” he states as if the question was obvious to me.
“Oh, I guess… I’ve never really been on a date,” I tell him, feeling my face redden and my palms begin to sweat.
“What?” he says, genuinely surprised. “C'mon, there’s no one in our school you’ve liked?”
“No,” I lie, not feeling like telling him that I've been way too scared to ask any of my crushes out.
“And no one’s ever asked you out?!” he asks with false indignancy.
I shake my head no, wishing I could leave.
“I don’t believe you! Smart, funny, not that bad looking… those are all pretty good traits to me,” he says playfully. “C’mon! Those hazel-green-blue eyes, that head of dark, curly hair. You’re lying to me!”
I laugh, embarrassed, taking the last spoonful of my ice cream.
"I think we should talk about the project-" I start to say as Nick goes to take a lick of his ice cream, but suddenly it falls off the cone and all over his shirt.
I burst out laughing, and so does he.
“Just my luck,” he says, after our laughing fit ends. “What am I gonna do about this?”
He tries to wipe his shirt with napkins, but it just leaves a huge stain.
"Didn't I tell you that it was smarter to get it in a cup instead of a cone?" I taunt him.
"Yeah, but you can't eat a cup. So, maybe the sacrifice is worth it in the end," he argues back as I shake my head disapprovingly. Then, an idea comes to me.
“You see that house down the street?” I ask, pointing out the window. “The brown one with the front porch? That’s mine. You could probably borrow one of my shirts.”
If they even fit, I add mentally.I mean, I know I'm scrawny, but...compared to Nick Nelson?
“I guess I can’t really walk around like this,” he says, gesturing at his ice cream-soaked shirt.
“Then, let’s go!” I grab his hand and pull him out the door, leaving our ice-cream mess at the table.
Chapter 6: Chapter Six
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Hello?” I push open my house’s front door.
My mom’s sitting on the couch in the living room, watching TV.
“Day off,” she explains to me as we make our way to the stairs. “Hi Nick!” she says, pausing her episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
“Um, is it okay if I let Nick change into one of my shirts? He spilled ice cream on himself.”
“Of course! Make sure to leave the door open a little bit,” she responds, eyeing our interlocked hands. I quickly drop Nick’s hand from mine - face red, as my mom resumes her TV-watching.
I guess I may be enjoying my time with Nick a bit more than I expected.
Anyways, he follows me up the stairs to my room, taking in all the little details as he walks past them.
“This is my room,” I show him, closing the door slightly.
He looks around at the posters adorning my room, including the one for Brideshead Revisited that hangs next to my bed.
“Lemme find a shirt for you,” I say, rummaging through my closet.
I finally find one that he’ll probably like; it’s a maroon T-shirt with a yellow star in the top left corner, which is hopefully big enough to fit him.
“This should do.” I hand it to him, and he pulls off his ice cream-stained shirt, giving me a clear view of that athletic body of his. I quickly turn around, to give him privacy. All I can think is: Damn, Nick Nelson is shirtless in my bedroom!
“Thanks, man,” he says to me, sitting down on my bed.
“No problem, really,” I brush off, sitting down next to him.
“I like all your posters,” he gestures around the room at my various book and movie posters. “And your huge book collection! I mean, that bookshelf is practically overflowing.”
“Well, English is my favorite subject for a reason.”
“I used to read all the time,” Nick says with a wistful glint in his eye. “I would stay up all night, desperate to finish the story. I remember the hunger I used to have to see where the adventures would go. They were so magical…”
He stares at the bookcase with a look of yearning.
“Why’d you stop, if you don’t mind me asking?” I inquire.
“It’s just that, when I joined the rugby team, practices would end so late that I was too tired to read. I guess I just slowly started reading less and less, and I inadvertently ended up prioritizing sports over reading.”
I nod sympathetically.
“This is kinda random, but do you ever get this feeling that everybody has this idea of you that is so grand and amazing that you can’t live up to it? Like, sometimes I worry that everyone sees me as this amazing jock who's not a real person; just a caricature of me. I know its a caricature that they love, but still. I just wonder if any of them have ever even considered that I loved reading? That I’m more than just a sports player?”
I silently shame myself for putting him in the same box that everyone else at school does. Then, I open my mouth to speak, but he cuts me off.
“Sorry, I’m rambling aren’t I? You don’t have to answer that.”
“No, it’s fine!” I tell him sincerely. “I completely get what you’re saying. I’m so entrenched in trivia club, math club, and other ‘nerdy’ things that people would be so surprised if I joined a sports team, even though they have no idea my opinions on sports.”
“For what it’s worth - and I can’t believe I’m saying this…” I continue, already regretting what I’m about to say. “You’re so charismatic that I’m sure everyone at school would still be obsessed with you even if you quit sports and joined the Worm Lovers Club or something.”
“Thanks,” he says, holding back a smile.
He pulls a graphic novel off my shelf and sits back down on the bed beside me.
“I loooove this one,” he announces, flipping it open. “Page 62-”
“Oh my god, this scene is like my favorite,” I interrupt.
“This panel is so good,” he gleefully adds, pointing it out on the page.
“This one too,” I say, our fingers brushing as I point out the other panel.
We look up at each other, our fingers still softly touching. The Nick Nelson I'm looking at can't be the one I've hated for all these years, can it? Has something changed? I feel something new, like a rumbling in my stomach.
Nick looks like he wants to say something, but a buzz from his phone disrupts the moment and he pulls his hand away.
“Oh, that’s my mom, she’s out front. I gotta go,” he says, grabbing his balled-up ice cream-stained shirt.
We go downstairs to the front door, and he steps out onto the porch. His eyes connect with mine again. Instead of the usual distant feeling I get when those brown eyes stare at me, his gaze feels warm and comforting.
“Thanks for coming. I know we didn't really get any of our project done-,” I start to say, but suddenly, we’re both leaning into each other, his lips on mine.
His kiss is soft and delicate and sends sparks through my body. I feel him pull away, and when I open my eyes, he’s hurrying down the front steps. He gets in the car and it drives away, leaving me standing in the doorway with nothing but the taste of his lips.
Notes:
Okay wait this is really fun! I loved trying to see what would happen if Nick made the first move instead of Charlie.
Chapter 7: Chapter Seven
Notes:
I'm kinda cranking these chapters out, but I'm having so much fun making this little story!
Chapter Text
“Wait, so who kissed who first?” Elle asks.
It’s Wednesday afternoon, and Tao, Elle, and I are sitting on the shaggy rug in Elle’s living room. We had hoped to do homework together, but it’s turned into a gossip session.
“I told you, we both leaned into it!” I say to her. They keep pestering me about the details of Tuesday’s ‘Nick meet-up’.
"Although..." I trail off. "I think he initiated it. There was something in his eyes that felt so...intimate. Like, I could tell that kissing was the only natural progression."
“And he hasn’t mentioned anything at all to you since then?” Tao chimes in.
“No, nothing out of the ordinary.”
In science, we had worked together on our project fine, but there had been some tension there. I didn’t know what to say, and apparently neither did he, so we just ignored the massive elephant in the room.
“You liked the kiss though, right?” Elle says, interrupting my thoughts.
"Nick's my enemy!"
“That's not a no! I could tell you liked it from the way you described it!”
I guess you can’t lie to your best friends.
“Yes, I liked it,” I tell her with an eye roll.
“The real question is, did Nick like it?" Tao ponders aloud. "It seems like he wanted it, yet he also ran away, like, immediately. Kinda sh*tty, if you asked me, but whatever."
"My advice," he continues, "would be to let Nick bring it up first. If he didn’t like the kiss or feels that he made a mistake, and you bring it up, it probably won’t go well - which would make sitting next to him pretty awkward. If he did like it, let him bring it up to you. Then you can be sure of his intentions."
“Is that what you did with Elle?” I ask him playfully.
“You already know the story! I didn’t feel like waiting for her to do something, so I kissed her on Valentine’s Day, freshman year."
"I still can’t believe it’s been over a year," he looks over at Elle adoringly. "But the difference between me and you, Charlie, is that I knew Elle liked me. We had a special love connection. You and Nick have a connection, sure, but… it seems to be more one of hate than love.”
“You love me?” Elle says, batting her eyelashes in mock innocence as she links her hand with Tao’s.
“Of course,” Tao says affectionately, and he plants a kiss on Elle’s cheek.
Their cuteness is practically unbearable. It honestly feels like they were made for each other; they both love movies, they both love being creative, and they both love art. I swear, it was like the universe pushed them together.
“Hey, you three, you’re supposed to be doing homework, not chatting,” Elle’s mom says, walking past us. We quickly resume our work, but Tao’s advice stays in my mind: let Nick bring it up.
Thursday comes, and with it, science class.
Today we’re taking a break from working on our projects, but we still have to work with our partners on a worksheet.
Nick and I sit together, and we discuss the questions. Every answer he gives, every suggestion he makes, I hope that the next thing he says is what I want to hear.
But it never comes. No ‘I’d like to kiss you again,’ no ‘I’d like to talk after school,’ not even an ‘I’m sorry I kissed you; can we just move past it?’
Something's changed, sure; we no longer seem to be fueled by hatred, though we still play the Hope You Fail game. There's even a sort of playfulness in the air between us, but there's none of that subtext that I had hoped for.
As I walk home from school, I start to think that maybe he’ll never say anything about it. It’s probably for the best. I mean, what was I thinking letting Nick - my rival, my opposite - kiss me? We could never fall for each other. Besides, it probably wouldn't work out anyway.
Chapter 8: Chapter Eight
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Okay, class! Listen up!” Mrs. Bodér yells over the noise of the room. It’s Friday, three days since Nick and I kissed. The awkwardness has faded, and I think, at this point, I’ve let go of my expectations that he may address the kiss.
“I’m feeling generous today, so I’m giving you the whole period to work with your partner on the project. Because I trust everyone here, I’m allowing you to spread across the school to work on it. The hallways, the courtyard, the library, doesn’t matter to me, as long as you are back in this classroom five minutes before the bell rings!” Mrs. Bodér tells us, as everyone starts to get out of their chairs. “And please, don’t be disruptive!”
Nick and I leave the classroom, holding our papers and laptops. We walk through the halls, trying to find a nice space to sit and work.
“How ‘bout here?” I say, looking at him for approval. It’s a fairly useless hallway, with no classrooms in it, only windows looking out to the manicured lawn and the sign that reads WELCOME TO VICTORIA HILLS SECONDARY SCHOOL!
“Seems good enough,” Nick says, sitting down next to the door labeled JANITOR’S CLOSET.
We work for about 20 minutes, getting a good amount of the project done. We pause, and Nick looks over at me. He seems like he’s going to say something, but decides not to. I know that I said I’d let go of my expectations, but - whether it's courage or stupidity that compels me - I’ve decided to take this opportunity now that it’s presented itself.
“Listen, Nick, about Tuesday… I’ve kinda been waiting for you to bring up what happened, but you still haven’t said anything... and I just can’t wait anymore. I kissed you... and I don't think I regret it. I’m sorry if this ruins our... friendship - or whatever this weird partnership thing that we have going on is, but-” I say, rambling, before Nick cuts me off.
“Charlie,” he says. “I wanted to kiss you then."
A pause.
"And I want to kiss you now." I watch him eye my lips. "Can I?”
I nod my head yes as he leans in closer, but suddenly I stop him.
“What if someone sees us? We’re at school.”
“Don’t worry,” he says, looking around slyly. “I know where no one can see us.”
He gets up and looks at the slightly ajar door to the janitor’s closet with a cheeky smile, flashing me those irresistible dimples. I follow him into the small space, my heart rate quickening.
With my back against the wall, he presses his lips to mine. As we lean into each other, I take in every muscle, every immaculate spot of skin that isn't covered by his clothes. Our bodies, our mouths, begin to move as one.
At this moment, time is irrelevant. A minute could pass, or a lifetime, and it wouldn’t have mattered. The only thing that matters is now.
His fingers on my chest as his mouth is on mine... so this is what passion feels like. Like a spark that has only just been lit yet feels like it could burn forever. I could burn forever in this moment, set ablaze by this deep longing I never knew I had.
I can't think - I can only feel; feel his body leaning closer to mine; feel the soft cotton of his t-shirt as my hands rest on his body; feel my heart as it beats faster and faster in my chest.
Suddenly, we hear a buzzing sound, and we pull away from each other.
“sh*t, that’s my watch timer. We have to get back to Mrs. Bodér’s class!” I tell him as we exit the janitor’s closet.
We grab our stuff and run through the corridors. I lace my fingers through his, and we keep running, desperate to make it in time.
We slide through the doorway to Mrs. Bodér’s room just in time, and as we walk to our desks, Nick keeps his hand in mine.
“Who’s putting that smile on your face?” my dad asks as I check my texts.
We’re in the dining room, and he, my mom, Tori, and I are eating dinner. Nick has been texting me non-stop since school ended, but I can’t resist responding.
We've decided to meet up at Bailey Park tomorrow evening to walk and chat (and make out, I'm hoping).
“Is it a boy?” my mom asks as she furtively glances at my phone, clearly excited at the prospect of romance for me.
“You’ve been watching too many dating shows,” I tell her. “But...yes, it is a boy.”
“Wait a minute, who?” Tori asks, her interest piqued.
“Nick Nelson. We kinda kissed. Twice.”
“Nick, your archenemy Nick?” my mom asks.
“Well, not really anymore. I guess we've just kinda connected better.”
"I knew I sensed something when he came over the other day..." she says almost to herself. “Anyways, that's good! But you have to make sure he has integrity, because when you beat him in the election, you have to know that he’s not gonna be mad.”
“Thank God your father’s not intimidated by a strong woman, or else we never would’ve had you two!” my mom laughs.
Tori and I look at each other and cringe, but my dad laughs and everyone resumes eating.
I send Nick one last text: Good night <3
Notes:
Who doesn't love a good Janitor closet make out session? ;)
Chapter 9: Chapter Nine
Notes:
It's been a bit since I've updated, but I've finished my final exams and my school year, so I'm back to writing! Can't believe I'm on chapter 9 already!
Chapter Text
The cool spring air blows through the trees as I walk up to Nick. The sun has begun to set, and the warm pink tones of the sky illuminate his features. We’re in Bailey Park, a sprawling area of green on the edge of town. We share a quick kiss, and he holds my hand as we walk.
“Good to see you,” he says, a smile on his lips.
“You literally saw me yesterday,” I respond playfully.
“It’s been too long!” he laughs, and I can’t help but laugh too.
We walk down one of the many paved paths in the park, as the leaves sway back and forth.
“The sky is so pretty… would you mind taking a picture and sending it to me?” Nick asks me sheepishly. “I kinda left my phone at home. I was helping my mum out, and she needed me to do something and I must've left my phone in the backyard and just never grabbed it.”
“Of course,” I say, snapping a quick pic and then texting it to him so he has it once he returns home. “It's just you and your mum, right?”
"Yeah, my parents have been divorced for a while and my dad lives out in France now. My brother's off at Uni, so I guess it really is just me and her. And, of course, my border collie Nellie. I'd show you a pic of her, but..."
I shake my head at him, feigning disappointment.
“If you don’t mind me asking, how did your mom feel when you came out?” I ask, curious to know Nick after all this time.
“So, I actually told her pretty young. I guess I kind of always knew I was bi, and I saw no point in hiding it. I’m so lucky to have had a good experience, 'cause I know there are so many others out there who aren’t that lucky, and... I don't know... I don't even want to think about a world where she wasn't really loving...But, yeah, thankfully nothing bad happened and she just responded with love and affection. I’m honestly like really glad she never doubted me or didn’t trust me to know myself, and now she sings along with me to Lady Gaga songs and understands if I say ‘slay’ and knows the bi flag colors… I’m rambling, Charlie, aren’t I”
“No! Well, maybe a little…” I say with a laugh.
“I... guess I just kinda feel so comfortable around you, like you know me. I mean, that night when we first kissed, I just felt like I could talk to you about anything. I don’t feel like I need to limit myself around you,” he says as we make our way along the winding path. "For the first time in a while, I feel like I can be me... with you."
I mentally note the situation's absurdity; in one week we went from "hating" each other to feeling so comfortable that we're holding hands and talking about our families.
“What about your coming out?” he inquires.
“Well, my mom has always been an ally and had gay friends and stuff, so when I showed an interest in boys when I was little, she automatically accepted me and I never really had to come out because I was just always out. I mean, when Tori came out as on the aro/ace spectrum a couple years ago, my mom was also super supportive of her too. To be honest, I think my mom’s too much of an ally - she produced two queer children.”
We laugh as we walk over to the wooden bench in the center of a circular path.
I sit there for a second, looking at Nick.
“What?” he asks.
“I just… really want to kiss you right now,” I say timidly.
“Well then do it-” he starts to say, but I cut him off with my lips on his. It’s a sweet, tender kiss, and we sit like that for a little, the stars beginning to twinkle overhead.
“So, I wanted to talk about the election. It’s, like, two weeks from now,” Nick says as we turn the corner into the park section with the playground. “I thought maybe, by talking about it, we can feel a little less tense. I want us to see it less as some unspoken elephant in the room and instead more just as an event that’s happening.”
I pause, looking over my shoulder.
"I swear I heard something," I mutter to myself.
"Sorry, continue," I say, smiling at Nick.
“I think everyone just expected me to run for President, and so I did because I was scared of letting them down and not living up to this image they have of me. Obviously I would have fun as President and I definitely want to help, but I’m just not sure that being Class President would have been a goal I strived for if people weren’t pressuring me to do it."
“I can kind of relate,” I tell him. “Because I’m seen as, like, a stereotypical nerd, Class President is just a box I think they expect me to check off. But, I'm also doing it because I do really think I can make our school a better place. I mean, I’m already an overachiever; it’s not like you can over-overachieve, and this is just the perfect opportunity to do some good for the school community. Besides, the amount of plans I have? You would not believe it. It feels like they just came to me.”
“What are they?” he asks with interest.
“Repairing sports equipment, improving the library, fixing the desks, getting better food options in the cafeteria…” I prattle on as Nick and I walk past the slide and monkey bars.
At this point, the sky is darkening and the moon's glow lights our path through the park.
We stop in front of the swings as Nick gestures to them.
"Want to sit for a second?"
"Sure," I smile softly.
We stare at the night sky for a little, holding hands while swinging slowly.
"I'm happy we've gotten to know each other better," I look at Nick sincerely. "I don't know why it took so long, but..."
He looks away furtively, and I give a little laugh, resting my head on his shoulder.
The moonlight shines on us like a spotlight, and I can't help but feel that the two of us are some sort of star-crossed lovers. Like, somehow, we were meant to be here, together.
You're probably thinking, Charlie, you've literally been holding a grudge against Nick for years and now you're suddenly acting like you're inRomeo and Juliet. Have you gone mad?
Yes, dear reader, you are correct. I have definitely gone mad.
“Hey,” Nick mentions as we get up and make our way to the nearest exit to the street. “I actually live a couple of blocks away from you. So if I stopped by your house on my way to school, would you wanna walk with me?”
“Of course!” I reply with a smile. “I think I’ll take any excuse to spend more time with you at this point.”
We share one more quick kiss before exchanging goodbyes. Nick looks like he's about to say something, but changes his mind at the last minute.
As he begins his walk home, I catch a glimpse of something strange in his eye.
It almost looks like...
Regret.
