Heartstopper stories

You hate him, right? (part 3)

Content warnings: Don't think there are any

Charlie's pov

After I got home I immediately called my friends. When I'm struggling with something, they are the first people I talk to. After less than half an hour, Tao, Elle, and Aled were at my house. I got them a drink before we went to my room upstairs. "Okay, tell us. What's going on?" Tao asked. I sighed befortellingin them. "You know Nick right?" Aled raised his eyebrows and looked at Elle and Tao. "Yes... What about him?" Elle and Tao looked concerned now, too. I looked at the carpet in front of me before continuing. "He asked me out." Aled and Elle remained silent as Tao went wild. 

"What do you mean he asked you out? You slapped him in the face when he did that, right?" He asked. I shook my head. "I was surprised and shocked. I didn't know that someone like him could like me." "Charlie, wake up. Nick doesn't like you. He's just using you for a stupid joke with his friends. You know how they are. Besides, you hate him, right?" Tao asked. "I don't know. I thought so, but I think there were butterflies in my stomach when he told me he liked me." Tao sighed and sat down again. He didn't know what to say. Elle sat down in front of me and took my hand. "How do you feel about him? Do you like him?" I looked at her. She smiled sweetly at me and stroked her thumb over my hand. Elle can always make me feel so safe. 

"At first I felt very small and humiliated when I was around him. But since we have been locked up in that classroom, it just feels very different. Not necessarily very positive, but not negative either. I don't know him very well yet either. But I want to get to know him better." I put my head in my hands. "Oh god, I rejected him so roughly. I thought he was joking with me, but I'm starting to think he was sincere." Elle chuckled. "I think you should give him a call." "No, I really can't do that. Then he thinks I always change my mind that quickly and he can use that against me if this is really all a joke." "You have to make a choice, Charlie. Either you get to know the boy and go out with him sometime, or drop him and move on," said Aled. I groaned and let my head fall back. "I hate making choices." "Yes, we know." laughed Elle. "Let's do something to clear your head. This much stress can't be good for you," said Tao. I nodded. "We can go to the fair. I heard it's in town right now." Tao was thrilled when he heard about the fair. "Yeah, sounds great! I haven't been to the fair in so long."

-At the fair-

Tao, Elle, Aled, and I walked around the fair looking for the bumper cars. Tao and Elle walked back and forth hand in hand, trying everything out at the fair. Aled and I laughed as we watched them run. "Want to bet they're in a relationship at the end of the year?" I asked. Aled nodded. "I think they'll already tie the knot this month." he laughed. We all continued walking until we encountered the bumper cars. We did four rounds until Tao became nauseous and almost threw up. We climbed out of the attraction while laughing hysterically. I looked around and saw Jason standing in the distance with some friends. He saw me too and waved at me. I waved back. "I'll be right back," I said to my friends. They nodded and went to get some food. 

Jason hugged me when I got to him and patted me on the back. "How are you?" "I'm fine. How are you?" "I'm good too, thanks." Jason signaled to his friends that he was going to walk with me for a bit. They gave him a thumbs up and went back to what they were doing. "Where were you going after school?" Jason asked. I scratched the back uncomfortably. "Nick texted me if I wanted to meet him at the playground." Jason frowned at my answer. "What did he want?" I cleared my throat and looked at him for a second. It almost looked like he was jealous. "He asked me out." Jason looked away quickly. There was a pause. "What did you say to him?" Jason finally asked. "That he's an idiot and has to stop with his stupid jokes. But I don't know if I did the right thing. He might have not been kidding." "I think you did the right thing. You what Nick is like. I hope he finally got the hint." Jason said. He sounded angry. Why is he so angry all of a sudden? Then he stopped walking. I turned to him and looked at him astonishingly. He was nervous.