Tw: Ben (🤮) anxiety, mention of sexual assault, depression

"Charlie!" Tori threw a pillow at her brother who was still sleeping in bed. His alarm was going off, the beeping echoing throughout the second floor. How was he sleeping during this? She hit him with the pillow again as her first attempt didn't seem to work. Charlie let out a sigh and sat up, rubbing his red puffy eyes. Tori raised an eyebrow at him in concern, it meant he had been crying most of the night.

"Missing Nick?" Tori guessed. She knew her brother like the back of her hand and can guess the cause of his emotions unlike anyone else. Charlie nodded and wiped up the dried tears that were under his eyes from before.

"Yes, I had to say goodbye to Nick yesterday, he packed up and left for University. I should be happy for him, which I am!! But it's going to be so weird to be at school without him." Charlie explained.

Tori nodded and pulled him out of bed since she knew that he wouldn't by himself.

"It's okay to miss someone. You're not selfish for that, Nick misses you too for sure. That boy is obsessed with you." Tori teased, smirking at the blush that painted across his cheeks.

"He's not!" Charlie protested, even though part of him knew the truth. He got up and scrambled to find his school uniform to change into.

"Mmm. Just get ready we're going to be late." Tori said before walking out of the room.

Charlie sighed as he began his usual morning routine, how was he going to survive the first day of school without Nick with only two hours of sleep? God, this is already turning out a nightmare of a day. The answer was caffeine. Charlie rushed downstairs to the kitchen, knowing if he didn't get the coffee now he would be late.

"Charlie we got to go!" Tori called from the front door as she put on her shoes.

Charlie whined as the coffee was not ready yet. He had to leave it behind as he grabbed his bag and a jacket, hurriedly pulling on his shoes as he followed Tori out the door. Now he was going to have to survive the day without caffeine.

"Did you sleep? At all?" Tori asked as they sat at their usual spot on the bus. Charlie shook his head with a sigh. "Well, two hours." He mumbled in response.

"Good luck," Tori said as the bus parked at Turham's entrance. She was worried about how he was going to get through the day.

Charlie nodded, giving her a thumbs-up before walking into the building.

There was a space next to him as if something or someone was missing. That someone was Nick.

Charlie checked his schedule to make sure he had the right classroom for his new form and walked to the teacher to get his spot. God, how he wished he would sit next to Nick again.

"Hi, Mr.Spring. Glad you're joining my form! You will be sitting at the table by the back window." The older women announced.

Charlie nodded and walked over to the table and sat down. He set his bag down and got out some homework he had to work on. He didn't realize someone had sat right across from him till they cleared their throat.

Charlie jumped in surprise and looked up to see who his new form partner was. His face fell and he froze like a deer in headlights, he felt like he was about to be hit by a car. Ben Hope sat before him. His worst nightmare is coming true, he had to sit across from the guy that caused him trauma and PTSD.

"I know on sports day you told me to leave you alone. Since we now have to sit together, I wanted to get some closure about what happened and apologize." Ben said, fiddling with his pencil as if he was nervous about Charlie's response.

Charlie stared at Ben, unsure if he was joking or not. The sorrowful expression reflected in Ben's eyes had him second-guessing himself,

Ben's sorry about what happened?

With being sleep deprived, Charlie nodded in reply not sure what else to say.

"I bet it's hard with Nick being gone for university." Ben said, trying to start some sort of conversation.

"It is." Charlie mumbled, doodling a circle on the side of his math homework, avoiding eye contact.

"Didn't Nick used to drive you home?" Ben asked, catching Charlie off guard. "I can give you a ride home if you need. The bus sucks." He chuckled.

Charlie nodded, his head was pounding from not getting enough sleep. He wasn't able to think about the offer as much as he would if he was more awake. A ride home would be nice...he could...say yes. His mind was spinning as he leant against the window sill.

"Sure." Charlie managed to say as his eyes shut, drifting off into a short nap before form ended. He jolted awake at the feeling of a hand gently rubbing his shoulder. Nick? He looked up and felt disappointed as Ben stood there instead.

"Ready to go? It's a half day today." Ben reminded. Charlie nodded, he grabbed his bag and followed him outside. Part of Charlie's mind was screaming at him to stop now and run away, his flight instincts kicked in as Ben opened the passenger door for him. he was so tired...to tired to deal with the noise on the bus he would get overstimulated. He got into the car and grabbed his phone to let Tori know he wasn't on the bus with her today.

Char: won't be on the bus getting a ride home

Tori: ok. With who?

Char: Ben

Tori stared at her phone in confusion as she got the reply. Who is Ben? She had never heard that name in conversations before. Part of her felt concerned, it's unlike Charlie to get into a car with someone she didn't know.

He always made sure to be safe, was he too tired to make a proper decision? Oh god, this wasn't good. Her gut was screaming at her to make sure Charlie was safe.

Tori: who's Ben?

Char: my ex

Tori froze as she remembered how off Charlie was in the kitchen that morning, fiddling with the spoon in his cereal. How he told her he was a knob and broke up with him. Oh god, what was Charlie thinking?!!

Tori: get out of the car.

Charlie looked at Tori's reply and felt anxiety rise in his chest. He had made an overtired mistake. How was he this stupid? He tensed as Ben placed a hand on his thy as he was at a stop light.

"Why don't we continue what we stared in the music room?" Ben hummed, sliding his hand up Charlie's thy.

Charlie panicked and undid his seatbelt. "Stop the car." He demanded as Ben drove as the light went green.

"What?" Ben asked as if he was oblivious to what he was doing to Charlie.

"STOP THE fucking CAR!" Charlie cried as Ben reached over, sliding his hand up to his hip. Ben huffed, knowing he had to obey Charlie's orders or else he would get in trouble. He pulled over to the side of the road and looked at Charlie in annoyance.

"You're missing out." Ben snapped at him. Charlie rolled his eyes and got out of the car after grabbing his bag, slamming the car door shut as he stood on the curb. He felt tears roll down his cheeks as Ben sped off, he didn't recognize where he was. Ben definitely wasn't driving him home...this was a trap.

Char: I got out. I don't know where I am. God how am I so stupid?!

Charlie sent and sighed in relief as Tori called him. He answered and wiped his eyes as more tears escaped.

"Are you okay? Did something happen?" Tori rambled out, he had never heard her this worried. It just proves how stupid he was.

"I'm not okay." Charlie admitted, he sat at the curb with a sniffle. "He didn't do anything he touched my thy and was about to reach up to my hip but I managed to get out and he dropped me off on the side of the road. I have no idea where I am, h-he wasn't going to drive me home. Fuck, I shouldn't have gotten in his car!" He rambled, his voice shaking as tears rolled down his cheeks. He was full on crying now, he must look crazy to the people in cars driving by.

"Stay where you are." Tori said in a stern tone as she got off the bus at the next stop. She was tracking his phone. "I'm on my way there."

"Thanks." Charlie managed to say and rubbed his face roughly. He felt so ashamed of himself for making a stupid decision.

"Charlie." Tori's voice appeared besides him about 10 minutes later. Charlie got up and rushed over to his older sister, tackling her into a hug letting himself break down sobbing. Tori hugged Charlie close and rocked him, hoping to calm him down quick so they can begin to walk home. She had the directions popped up on her phone.

"It's okay. You're okay now, you're safe." Tori assured. Charlie nodded and wiped his eyes with a sniffle. He began to follow her home.

God, he was ashamed of himself. "I'm so stupid for doing that I-" Charlie was about to apologize but Tori sent him a warning glare.

"Don't you dare blame yourself for this Charlie. It's not your fault. You are overtired, you didn't get any sleep and can't think straight. Anyone would have made the same mistake in that scenario. It's okay to make mistakes, everyone does." Tori ranted. Charlie hid in her shoulder, needing the comfort.

Tori wouldn't usually let anyone hug her this much but she knew her brother needed it and would do anything for him. She hugged him close. "It's okay now. You're okay." She repeated.

"Thank you Tori, so much. I don't know what I'd do without you." Charlie whispered, feeling safe in his sister's arms again.