'Cause I'd Find You In Any World (Nick and Charlie - Alternate Universe)

Chapter Forty One

Chapter Forty One.

Charlie:
We get inside the train station and Mia looks over at us.

"I want to get some snacks and a soda or something," Mia says.
"The train ride is less than an hour," James says.
"What's your point?" Mia asks.

We all laugh.

"I could eat some snacks, I'll go with you," Nick says with a smile.

They walk off and James looks at me.

"You look mortified, is everything okay?"
"Dad told Nick and I not to have sex."
"Oh?" James asks with a smirk.
"Shut up," I say.
"I mean, after what you told me the other day, maybe it's right that he said that," he teases.

I smack his arm.

"It's not like he knows what happened. It was just embarrassing to say it in front of Nick."
"Charlie, you know Nick doesn't mind. He's crazy about you and he loves me and Dad, mostly me, but still."

I laugh.

"You are NOT doing that tonight," James says firmly.
"Oh god, not you too," I say as I put my face in my hands.
"It's too soon, you know?"
"James, I'm not going to have sex with him. But that is my choice to make, not yours," I say. "But still, thank you for caring."

Mia and Nick walk over to us.

"Looks like an intense conversation over here," Mia says.

James and I both shake our heads in unison.

"Definitely an intense conversation," Nick teases.
"Come on, lets go, don't want to miss the train," James says as he walks.

Nick intertwines our fingers.

"What was that about?" He asks as he gently nudges me.
"I was telling him what my Dad said to us before we got out of the car," I say.
"Oh yeah?"
"I don't think I'm ready," I blurt out.

Nick stops walking and looks at me.

"I don't think I'm ready either," he says. "Charlie, I don't want you to think that I'm in this relationship for that, you know?"
"I just know you're more experienced and --"

He cuts me off.

"Charlie, if you never wanted to do that, I would be okay. I'm in this relationship because I love you, not to, you know," he says as we both turn red.
"But you are attracted to me and would want to if I wanted to, right?" I ask shyly.

He pulls me in close.

"You are literally the most attractive person I've ever seen in my life," he says as he grabs my hand and continues walking towards the train.
"You must have never looked in a mirror then," I tease.

I roll my eyes but blush. We all get onto the train and start eating snacks.

"For someone who said we wouldn't need snacks for the train ride, you sure our inhaling all of the things I got," Mia says to James.

James rolls his eyes.

"I said we didn't need them, but since they are here, might as well eat them, no?" He asks as he grabs some candy.

Mia lightly smacks his hand and we all laugh. We pull into the train station and see Will and his Mum waiting for us. We all wave and walk over.

"Thank god my Mum has a car that's big enough to fit all of us," he says with a small laugh. "Would have been a bit of a walk if not."

We all laugh, Nick gives him and his Mum a hug and we all get into the car.

"Michael and Erin are going to meet us at my house, I think they're on their way already."

We reach Will's house and see Erin and Michael sitting outside on the steps. We all say hello and head inside.

Nick:
We walk inside and head downstairs to the basement. Will has a bunch of air mattresses set up all together to form one giant bed. He has a whole table full of snacks and drinks and another full of games.

"Jesus christ Will," I say with a laugh.
"I may have gone a little overboard," he says with a nervous chuckle.
"This is awesome," Charlie and James say in unison.

We all put down our bags and start playing games.  Charlie is absolutely crushing everyone at any video game they try to beat him in. Michael and I are playing air hockey on the other side of the room.

"We need to find someone for you now, then we'll be like a super group of couples," I say with a laugh.

He looks up and laughs at me awkwardly. I walk over to him.

"Is everything okay? I feel like anytime any of us mention something like that, you seem to get a little uncomfortable. Do you want me to stop saying things like that?" I ask.

He shakes his head.

"I'm just, sort of, dealing with something right now."
"Do you want to talk about it? It's me, Michael. You've known me for years and if something is wrong, I want to be there for you." 

He whispers something but I can't really hear him.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"I think I'm bisexual," he whispers.
"You think?"
"Well, I am."

I pull him into a hug but quickly pull away as to not draw attention to us or the conversation we are having. 

"You know everyone here would never judge you, right?"

Immediately, my stomach is in knots. When I came out to Michael, his Dad didn't want him hanging out with me at first. They never forbid him from hanging out with me, and they never treated me any different, but Michael shared that information with me. He's not nervous about telling any of us, he's worried about his Dad.

"You know, maybe you should talk to Charlie. He had a really rough time after he told his Mum."

He chuckled.

"Clearly you now know why I get uncomfortable every time someone brings it up."

Then something clicks in my head.

"You like someone don't you?"

"Okay, I think I told you enough today," Michael says with a chuckle.
"I think you really should consider talking to Charlie. It might help give you some insight."

He nodded his head and walked over to Charlie.

"Hey Charlie, up for a game of air hockey?" He asks.

Charlie nods and they walk over to the air hockey table.