Tao: has anyone heard from Charlie?

Isaac: nope 🙁

Elle: I haven't either

Elle: I'm worried.

Elle: He hasn't replied in 2 days!

Nick: I may know why...

Tao: what did you do!?

Elle: Tao!!!!

Nick: no he's right.

Nick: I kissed him...

Isaac: ....

Elle: oh boy.

Tao: This is bad.

Nick: Ik.

Nick: I messed up big time! 😣

Nick: He came over complaining about Josh.

Nick: I wasn't thinking straight.

Isaac: since when has anything you've done straight?

Nick: Ha. Ha.

Nick: I don't know what to do...

Charlie laid in his bed, curled up under the covers. He didn't have the energy to check his phone, which had been blowing up with text messages. Did they forget that he was in the group chat?

What dumb dumbs.

However, Charlie was too anxious to check the group chat. He had cheated on Josh. He called Josh out for being dramatic about how he acted when he found out he was hanging out with Nick, but he proved his point.

(TW)

The teenager was feeling like a terrible
boyfriend and an awful human being.

Was he being overdramatic?

Yes, but his mind had been spiraling for two days straight. He hadn't left his bed or been eating because he was stressed out. Charlie knew messing up his progress for this was wrong, but he couldn't control it...His parents didn't seem to understand it; they kept checking in, nagging him, and making him feel worse. The only one who knew how to make it better was Tori. Charlie didn't know what he'd do without her, to be honest...She helped him survive.

Charlie sat up; he knew he looked like a complete mess. This was not how he wanted his break to go whatsoever!

(End of TW)

"Charlie, why is Josh calling me?" Tori quizzed as she stood at her brother's doorway, sipping her drink.

Charlie looked at her, "I messed up." He rubbed his face roughly. Tori walked in and sat down, putting her cup on his bedside table. She had worry shining in her eyes. She always had a soft spot for her brother; he was too lovely for this cruel world. Tori would do anything to protect him, to shield him from pain.

She nodded for him to go on.

"I went to Nick's house after the bowling night because Josh got mad at me for hanging out with my ex. I proved him wrong. I'm such an awful person. I cheated! I kissed Nick." Charlie ranted shakily; his eyes whelmed up with tears.

"Oh, Char," Tori embraced him. Charlie clung onto Tori and hid in her shoulder with a sniffle. "Mistakes happen! Ever since you were little, You have been so hard on yourself! Did you kiss Nick, or did he kiss you?" Tori quizzed.

"Uh, Nick kissed me. But I didn't stop him or pull away." Charlie explained.

"Well. I advise giving Nick some space and trying to smooth things with Josh. Be honest, no apologizing." Tori said sternly. Charlie nodded with big eyes and hugged her; he needed this. "Okay." He promised.

Tori smiled at Charlie, a rare sight, before she walked out to give him privacy to call Josh. He ignored the other texts.

"Babe? Oh, Thank god! Why haven't you been answering my calls or texts!?" Josh asked in worry as he answered.

Charlie picked at his hand anxiously, "I have to say something. I went over to Nick's house after the bowling night a-and....and uhm, he kissed me." He admitted, "I just thought it's better to be honest." He rambled.

Josh sighed deeply, "He KISSED YOU!? That FUCKING PRICK!" He seethed.

Charlie jumped. He did not expect that reaction. "He must've gotten caught up in his old feelings. It's my fault for going over in the first place." He rambled.

Josh sighed, "Thank you for being honest with me. But I don't want you to hang out with Nick ever again." He stated, annoyed.

Charlie froze,

was he being serious?

"Josh..." Charlie tried to say.

"No," he interrupted, "I don't think I can trust you with him." Josh scuffed.

Charlie had teary eyes.

Josh didn't trust him anymore...

"So you don't trust me?" Charlie asked quietly. Tears now rolled down his cheeks at this point. This was not how he expected the phone call to go.

"No, Charlie, It's not that I don't trust you. I don't trust Nick around you." Josh reasoned.

Charlie didn't know how to respond. He didn't tell Josh that he didn't pull away to stop the kiss since it would make everything worse.

"I don't like you telling me who to hang out with, Josh. It's controlling." Charlie whispered.

Josh went silent for a second, "Fine. But if this happens again, you're not allowed around him. I got to go, babe; Jax just got here." He informed.

(TW)

"Oh." Charlie picked at his hand more to the point a little spot was bleeding from how anxious he got during the call. He hoped this wasn't a relapse but didn't think so. Or was he in denial about it?

(End of TW)

"Uh, love-" Charlie tried to say, but Josh hung up. He sighed and was about to nap when the doorbell rang.

Charlie sat up in confusion; he thought nobody was supposed to be coming over.

Someone downstairs opened the door.

"Nick, Come in! Charlie is still upstairs. I don't know if he's up yet. He hasn't come down for breakfast." Julio said in amusement. Shuffling feet echoed throughout the house, meaning that Nick had entered it.

'Ah,

Oh,

Shit,

Shit,

Fuck,'

Charlie panicked himself; he hurried up and quickly got dressed out of his PJs, falling over. He rushed to the bathroom to brush his teeth and finished getting ready, not hearing Nick enter.

"Uhm, Charlie, I hope it's okay that I came over...I wanted to talk about this in person." Nick announced, figuring that Charlie was in his bathroom. He awkwardly sat on his ex's bed.

"I'll be out in a second!" Charlie called as he was brushing his teeth.

Nick smiled as he was back in Charlie's room, one of his favorite spots. His smile soon faded as he saw a notification on Charlie's phone.

Charlie had left his phone on his bed.

It was a picture of Josh kissing Jax.....

A/N: ah, cliffhanger! Let me know what you guys think!!