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Before meeting Nick Charlie hadn’t understood the kind of romance where forever wasn’t long enough; after all he hadn't wanted to live forever. Oh, how wrong he was...
Charlie grinned before he even opened his eyes, his dimples making an appearance when Nick began to stroke small hearts into his arm with the pad of his thumb. The bright morning light gave the illusion of sated privacy, something both boys wished they had so they could wake up together every day. But of course, the day had to start at one point or another, and this time it was Nick’s rumbling stomach that broke the peace.
Charlie giggled quietly as his eyes peeled open revealing Nick’s growing blush against his freckled dusted cheeks.
‘Someone’s up’ Charlie teased.
‘Shut up’ Nick groaned, ‘I should probably get up anyway’.
Charlie nodded but tightened his grip on Nick at the same time, silently conveying he wanted five more minutes of comforting and warm cuddles in bed. But, by the second time Nick’s stomach rumbled (shaking the room) Charlie let Nick slip out of the bed.
Hoping to savour the lingering warmth of the bed, he mumbled goodbye as Nick left him with a lingering forehead kiss and the knowledge that he was popping to the shops to buy ingredients for a ‘proper’ romantic breakfast in bed.
He’d been lingering in the calm morning radiance for a short while after Nick had left before he was stirred by the door and an incessant ringing sound that buzzed around his fuzzy brain. His brows furrowed in confusion as he wondered if Nick was back already, but he was sure he’d heard the jingle of Nick stealing his keys from the bedside table before he’d left. Seeming as the doorbell didn’t stop ringing Charlie resigned himself to pulling on his hastily thrown shirt from the night before and Nick’s smallest pair of joggers that still pooled at his ankles.
Padding down the stairs Charlie’s head was spinning but through the clouded glass, he swore he could see a mop of brown and blonde hair that definitely didn’t belong to his boyfriend.
‘Imogen?’ Charlie exclaimed, but his features quickly knitted into a sympathetic expression when he saw her red-rimmed and bright blue eyes shine with tears. ‘Would you like to come in?’ Charlie started before adding, ‘Nick’s just popped out to shops’ realising she probably wasn’t here for him.
The lingering awkwardness from when Charlie and Nick first got together was gone but still, the two teenagers hadn’t found something to connect with (other than their love for teasing Nick). They could team up on the older lad with the ease of comfortable companions, but they’d never hung out alone before, so this was unchartered territory.
As she nodded wobbly, Charlie stepped back from the door letting Imogen slip past. He felt a little odd, not too sure how to help considering it wasn’t even his house but sensed that all she needed was a safe place before she could properly talk it out was Nick. Slowly -since his brain was still half asleep and in its constant state of missing Nick- Charlie formulated a plan.
After a moment he faced Imogen, who was gingerly sitting on the living room sofa, before announcing he’d be back in just a minute and promptly heading towards the kitchen. Careful not to spook the resting dog Charlie padded towards Nellie giving her a few sweet strokes and grabbing a handful of the dog treats Nick had bought recently after watching an emotional film about dogs and instantly sprinting to the internet to spoil his favourite girl. With the treats in one hand, Nellie followed Charlie back into the living room, glancing curiously at the foreign girl before bounding up to her almost in an effort to cheer her up. Despite the unshed tears in her doe eyes, Imogen let out a gleeful laugh at the old but still excitable dog's antics.
‘Nellie always cheers me up’ Charlie shrugged,’ I thought she might help you too. She has a special power or something when it comes to emotional queer kids.’
Something about that last line made Imogen tense, transporting her back into the timid girl she’d been when she first arrived. Charlie quickly backtracked, ‘Not that you are, I just meant me and Nick..,’
But still, Imogen hadn’t relaxed, and Charlie saw something like himself in Imogen; her tear-streaked cheeks and bouncing leg…’Unless that’s you too’.
That seemed to be the blue-eyed girls breaking point; thick tears dripped down her rosy cheeks and large sobs left her struggling for breath. In a split second, Charlie darted over, leaving Nellie on the other side of the girl giving her extra comfort. He held for her what seemed like an hour, whispering sweet encouragements and comforts like Nick did for him whenever he broke down. When her shoulders stopped bouncing up and down and she could breathe instead of gulping down air in between sobs, Charlie let go of her shoulders loosening their hug but still keeping hold of her hands.
Unsure if Imogen wanted to talk first, Charlie waited until it was clear she needed a small push.
‘If I’ve got the right idea here, I just want you to know that you’re safe, you’re valid and I’m so pleased that we’ve already come so far, and you’ve been so brave to get to this point’. After seeing Imogen’s small watery smile Charlie felt his heart crack for Imogen even more. ‘I know that I’m probably not the person you came here to see so I wouldn’t be offended if you want to wait until Nick comes home and I can go upstairs but I’m here to listen if that’s something you might want’.
It was silent for a few moments as Imogen’s delicate lips opened as if to speak before they shut again, and her eyes glazed over. Charlie hated seeing her in a position he’d felt before, as though the words were on the tip of your tongue but there was always something in your brain that said what if. What if it went wrong? What if they don’t believe me? What if, what if, what if…
Charlie only just stopped himself from pulling Imogen into a hug as tight as one of Sarah Nelsons when she smashed that taunting voice in her head and hiccupped out the first big words.
‘There’s this girl’. Her shoulders seemed to drop with the weight of those words being shared. ‘But it’s never been a girl before’ she whispered.
Charlie felt like this was a page in the same book as Nick Nelson, one Charlie loved to read.
‘Nick told me he was having a big gay crisis. Do you think that you might be too?’ Charlie softly asked, careful not to break the delicate intimacy of the moment.
‘A very big crisis at that’ Imogen joked, giggling as Charlie joined in with her.
‘You’ve probably come to the right house for some experts in dealing with gay crises’ Charlie pondered but he was smiling as Imogen nodded solemnly.
‘I didn’t know where else to go’ she whispered, ‘I saw Nick go on his journey to you, but I never thought it could be me too’.
The small vulnerable girl sitting on his boyfriend's sofa cracked Charlie’s heart in two, he just wanted her to know everything would be okay.
‘I know I might not be the perfect example, and I still think you should talk to Nick, but it’s okay not to know who you are straight away. When I realised that whilst the rest of the boys were discussing which girls had grown boobs over the summer and I was off staring at a cute boy's new haircut it clicked, but that doesn’t mean I was never scared or unsure. And Imogen’ Charlie paused, squeezing Imogen’s soft hand, ‘remember that just because you think you might not be straight you don’t need to have a label if you don’t feel comfortable. Sexuality is fluid and I want you to feel like you can pick what makes you feel like you’.
It was silent for a moment when the two teenagers embraced.
‘I think I like queer’ Imogen whispered, ‘I think that feels like me’.
‘That’s wonderful, I’m so so proud of you’. And Charlie was, he saw how strong she was to admit that out loud (it had taken him months of whispering it into the mirror before his mouth could let the words out without fearing someone would hear even when he was alone).
The feel in the air between them had changed during their tentative interaction and both the teens could feel it. Charlie felt like today he’d made a friend that would hold his hands in the good and the bad (and she was; Imogen was next to him when he’d had a fight with Nick and shown up outside her university dorm room, but she also hugged him tight whilst standing in a beautiful dress as maid of honour at his and Nick’s wedding).
But right now, Charlie and Imogen sat in comfortable silence, soaking in the moment until a key turned in the front door.
‘Honey I'm home’ Nick’s sweet laced coated the house in warmth.
Sparing a look at Imogen who took a deep breath and nodded Charlie called out, ‘In the living room’.
Only a moment later Nick chucked off his dirty vans and bounded into the room just like Nellie does after missing Charlie too. His quick steps soon halted though when he saw Imogen’s small frame tucked into his boyfriend's side.
‘Hey Im, not that I’m not happy you’re here but why are you here?’ Nick's head titled to the side as he asked, and God how could you not love him when he acted like a sweet golden retriever- but as he caught sight of the dried tear tracks on her rosy cheeks, his face immediately scrunched in concern.
‘Well, I have something to tell you’ Imogen said, her voice shaking ever so slightly betraying her nerves.
Nick moved to sit on the other side of her and smiled reassuringly not pressuring her to say anything until she was ready.
‘I’ve been a little confused lately’ Imogen began, ‘but I think I’ve figured out why. I think I might be queer’. She even seemed to laugh in disbelief as she said it but the grin overtaking her face was like the sun.
At that Charlie shuffled out of the room giving Imogen a hug and Nick a peck on the cheek, allowing the two friends to have a well-needed talk. Charlie was glad that they both had someone to relate to, knowing his scary it was to come out all alone, he was glad Imogen had a wonderful queer family to look towards for guidance and support, but most of all love.
It was around twenty minutes later after a cup of tea and a mindless scroll on Twitter that Charlie heard his name being called and a teasing whine from Imogen reprimanding Nick.
‘Charlieeee…Char’ Nick called, and how could he resist.
‘Yes Nick’ Charlie giggled out.
‘Our Imogen here has a crush’ Nick staged whispered and after sparing a look at Imogen's burning cheeks but bright smile that signalled she was okay with him knowing, Charlie squealed.
Both him and Nick looked at each other before whining out ‘Who?’ in sync.
‘Her names Sahar and she’s in my year at school’ Imogen murmured but she was smiling as she spoke. 'She tried out for the netball team a couple of weeks ago as well and we got talking…’
The rest of the time Imogen was there the three of them giggled constantly, talking about crushes (and boyfriends) and wholly solidifying their friendships.
All three of them would look back at that day, reminiscing the warm feeling it had installed in each of their hearts that never seemed to dim. Yet, at the time as Nick held Charlie close bidding goodbye to Imogen who walked out a lot happier than she walked in, none of them knew what a momentous moment it was.
‘I’m so happy for her’ Charlie whispered into Nick's pec where his face was smushed.
‘Me too’ Nick answered with a peck on Charlie’s head. ‘I’m so grateful to have you in my life’ he whispered. ‘And that you made me really see myself for the first time ever’.
‘It was always you’ Charlie had whispered back, ‘just needed some help to come out’.
‘Come out huh?’ Nick giggled back.
‘Dork’ Charlie said back but the I love you didn’t go unheard.
‘Nah just love you too’ Nick grinned. So yes, young love wasn’t perfect, it had its twists and tangled vines, Imogen still had a long way to go but with friends who had that rare forever kind of love, she couldn’t have asked for anyone better to guide her journey.
‘I never did get breakfast either’ Charlie said, acting outraged but not bothering to try to leave his boyfriend's snug embrace. And, okay they were young and probably a little silly, but they were the best friends Imogen could ask for…even when they were being absolute idiots.