Dedicated to heartstopperxo, Ames_22, JayMari-lyn, Narlieship, Robin_Writes_12, Dabisxhawksgirl, nappol, Heartst0pp3r_l0ver, michelle_1456, sachas_diary, Love4Locke, Kind_Butterfly5032, shykidDebs, antoniaeppensteiner, and heartstopp3 for all of the incredibly kind support you've shown every chapter of this story so far! I could not be more grateful!

"Oh, I love it and I hate it at the same time."

"You and I drink the poison from the same vine."

"Oh, I love it and I hate it at the same time."

"Hidn' all of our sins from the daylight."

"From the daylight, runnin' from the daylight."

"From the daylight, runnin' from the daylight."

"Oh, I love it and I hate it at the same time."

"God, I wish I was with you right now, Nick," Charlie thought to himself, his hazel brown eyes blinking absentmindedly at the empty document that was supposedly one of the most important reports involved in his coursework assignments for the year pulled up on his laptop's screen.

He wasn't entirely sure how much time had passed by since he'd continued or rather, began, the grueling process which was his multi-page essay on the Battle of Hasting.

Only that time seemed to have slowed down to a speed even a sloth would call slow since the moment Nick had left Charlie's gaze in Truham's front grounds.

A fact which he firmly attributed to the sun's rather leisurely fall from the sky, its once vibrant hues shining their faint, warm-paletted light in through the open window beside his twin bed.

Not that I think logic really has any place when it comes to Nick Nelson, anyway. But it helps to have loads of backup reasons for when I inevitably complain about all of this to Elle and Tao later tonight.

Nick.

Even just thinking about him brought a sudden wave of both euphoric longing and guilt to Charlie's heart, making his stomach churn with a sort of form of dazed butterflies.

The little flutterings of emotion clumsily finding their way around his chest, his breaths uneven and his mind the exact opposite.

I want to be there for Nick, to hold his hand through all of this like he always does for me.

During, well, everything.

But at the same time, can I really say that's what's best for him if I can't keep that promise?

If I can't stand up for myself long enough to do the same for him, too?

And if I can't even stand up to my parents, how am I ever going to be a good enough boyfriend to protect Nick while he's coming out?

A thought which Charlie was quick to dismiss with a simple shake of his head, the fabric of his fuzzy forest green and azure knitted sweater rubbing gently across his tired shoulders as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"No, you don't honestly believe that. Because Nick Nelson, the most handsome and perfect guy in school, the guy who's your boyfriend, chose you," Charlie silently reminded himself, the softest of half-smiles slipping onto his face at the words his boyfriend had spoken to him so sincerely in recent months when they'd officially began dating (I think that's when it was, at least. This kind of thing can just be so confusing sometimes);

"Look, I don't care about getting into fights or pissing off my mates or anything like that."

"It's all worth it to be with you."

"You are the kindest, most thoughtful and caring and amazing person in the whole world, and if you really want to break up, then I would respect your decision, but I want us to be together."

Words that could easily be attributed to one of the many reasons Charlie could firmly argue why Nick was the best boyfriend anyone, most especially him, could ever ask for.

Charlie's wrists were resting with just the same sloppy posture the rest of his skinny frame held as the young boy sat impatiently still on the old wooden dining room chair his mother had insisted on dragging up to his second story room with the intention of a firmer workspace eliminating Charlie's distracted jumpiness while he was studying. Something that was indeed an admirable effort, though when her son had the urge to fidget, no amount of organization was going to be able to stop him.

And if we're being completely honest, I think something intended to specifically keep me from moving is probably only making me think about doing just that even more than I would've otherwise.

Although on the note of keeping things organized the way his mother preferred them, his desk did appear to mostly retain the generalized pattern it had earlier that morning, his many simple blue-inked pens and pencils contained in a few basket-style cups along the back of its frame.

Only with the sole exception of a few crumpled up pieces of paper he'd scribbled on out of boredom and the full plate of previously fresh steak, green beans, and mashed potatoes his dad had delivered to him nearly an hour prior at this point.

His fingertips tapped thoughtlessly against his computer's keyboard, watching as miscellaneous letters and numbers sprung on and flew off his blank document's first and singular page, movements which had become the bored teenager's only form of entertainment for what felt like an eternity now.

Though, he would call it something much closer to dizzying than entertaining for the longer his eyes stared at the device's screen, the more jumbled his thoughts became.

Charlie moaned in frustration as he pushed himself out of his designated seating arrangement, falling face-first dramatically on his twin mattress, its springs bouncing noisily under the unexpected pressure of his plummet.

The sooner I finish this work, the sooner I can see Nick again. But how am I supposed to finish it when all I can think about is him?

A dilemma that was mutually the most aggravating and exciting circumstance he had found himself in before. For both sides of said problem involved him having someone to be so annoyingly happy with.

Though, his romantic tribulations were momentarily interrupted by the light chirping of his cell phone's notifications. A sound which immediately urged Charlie to pull his face away from his black and white-striped comforter to check its alert to see if said boy in question was indeed his virtue, also.

What? I said it was frustrating having such a great boyfriend, not that I'm not just as annoying as he is, also!

And after a few seconds of intense digging, his left hand finally fumbled his phone out of his ripped black jeans' back right pocket, his fingers wasting not a single second before clicking it open and checking its notification's ID;

Nick💙: Hey! Missed you at school today :(

Nick💙: Could especially use some good cuddle time after having to deal with Ben 😒

The moment Charlie had read through his boyfriend's messages, he instinctively pushed his back against the pillow barrier at the head of his mattress, the short curls of his hair swooping messily across his forehead as he instantly texted a response back.

Sure, he wasn't exactly playing things cool, but did that really matter when Nick liked him just being himself.

I need to still make sure that person is perfect like he deserves, of course. But that doesn't mean it doesn't feel nice to know I don't have to be ALL the time with him, also.

Char💛: Hi! Missed you, too!

Char💛: I REALLY wanted to meet up with you, but my parents pulled me away to study

Nick💙: Ugh...I hate studying...

Char💛: Me too 🙄

Char💛: I'm sorry about Ben. What happened?

Nick💙: Thx

Nick💙: Nothing much. Just him being awful as usual

Nick💙: At least this time he didn't get us in trouble with Mr. Farouk, I guess

Char💛: Ok, well I'd be more than glad to give you that cuddle as soon as I can find a way to escape

Nick💙: 🥰🥰🥰

Nick💙: Well, if you're already going that far, maybe we can just run away to Paris together, instead?

Charlie felt a warm smile spread across his face as he slouched comfortably into his fluffy feather pillows, his fingers happily tapping a reply to his boyfriend's sweet suggestion.

Paris with my handsome boyfriend? Yeah, that's pretty much all I need to know to say yes.

Char💛: Sounds perfect ❤️

Char💛: As long as you bring a hoodie for us to share, that is

Nick💙: You mean for you to steal? 😏

Char💛: BORROW

Nick💙: I would call it that, if I ever got my other ones back

Char💛: Well, I told you I'm always cold!

Nick💙: Lol

Nick💙: Are you saying that I warm you up then?

Char💛: Maybe...

Nick💙: Then it works out for the both of us then :)

Char💛: 💞

Char💛: Just to be clear though, we both know I was going to keep taking them anyway, right?

Char💛: Just so I'm being honest and all

Nick💙: For sure. Lol

Char💛: Thx 😅

Nick💙: I should probably get back to my GCSE's now

Char💛: Ok, good luck!!

Nick💙: I'll need it 😬

Char💛: Agree to disagree 😉❤️

Nick💙: Thanks xoxo

Char💛: xoxo

Charlie breathed a tired breath as he watched the rapidity of his boyfriend's texts slowly peter out until they stopped with the last virtual hug he wished him, his hazel brown eyes once again finding themselves staring across at an immovable device's screen.

Only, this time, they seemed to thoughtfully lock onto the last few nervous messages his partner had sent, his fingertips sliding over them as if, no matter how stupid it may sound, their touch would somehow soothe the words' meanings.

A concept that was derived from the frontmost part of the boy's mind where, indeed, he'd felt the same way at school with the touching of their two previously separated hands, also.

And I know that me being there probably wouldn't make that much of a difference with his actual studying and all. I just wish I was there to support him. To remind him how amazing he is.

A frustrated consideration that instantly made the boy practically jump onto his gray-socked feet, his curls bouncing along with his movements as he immediately snatched up his thin, chocolate brown denim jacket and white Converses from the foot of his mattress.

I might not be able to get past mum and dad before finishing my coursework, but I think I know someone who can...