Chapter Twelve:
Nick:
I can't speak; I'm trying but the words aren't coming out. I can hear my heartbeat in my ears.
"Tyler?" I manage to say.
"Nick," he says with a slight chuckle. "Wow, I can't believe it's really you..."
I get up from the couch and walk up the stairs.
"Why, I mean how ..."
I can't even get a proper sentence out. This is the last person I ever thought I would hear from again.
"Well, first of all, happy belated birthday --"
"Why are you calling me?" I manage to blurt out.
"Um, okay, right to the point... you were always like that. Well, um, I, my parents; wow. I thought this would be easier but I guess not. I finally stood up to my parents, and they, they kicked me out. I just moved in with my Aunt who they don't really get along with but she supports me and I just, I mean who else would I call with this news?"
Who else would I call with this news? Did he think we would just fall into the place we were a year ago? Did he think I was just waiting here for the day he would come back? For all I knew, he was never coming back.
"I mean, of course I had to call you to tell you this. There was no one else I wanted to talk to once I got out of that toxic environment. I almost went straight to your house since I'm only a couple of towns over now but I heard that you moved recently."
At this point I think I've been silent for over five minutes. I can't help it, I'm in a state of disbelief. If Tyler would have called even two months ago, I feel like I would have fell right back to how we were. But things are different now, I'm different. Charlie has changed everything for me.
"Wow," I manage to say. "That's a lot."
He laughs. "I'll say. I also wanted to apologize. I should have fought harder for us; I just, I didn't want to lose my family. And now that I still lost them, it feels like I gave us up for nothing."
"You don't have to apologize. It was never your fault," I say.
I can literally hear his smile through the phone.
"Thank you for saying that. You always knew how to cheer me up. How are you? How's your Mum? Nellie?"
"They're great. Mum got transferred and that's why we moved. How long have you been staying at your Aunt's?"
"About a week now," he says. "Living a lie got tiring and my parents, they just, didn't love me enough to accept me, I guess.."
"I always told you that you deserved better than them."
"I know."
It is still a little unbelievable how easily Tyler and I can fall into conversation as if no time had passed. And yeah, I was caught off guard when he called, but talking to him now, I know that I do not have those feelings for him anymore. Still, I'm proud of him.
"I think it's really great that you were able to accept yourself and stand up for yourself. I always knew you could, I'm proud of you."
"Heh, thanks Nick. So, this might be, well it is, completely out of the blue, just like this phone call. But, I was wondering if maybe you wanted to like get together sometime... catch up?"
"It would be great to see you, but I also need to be honest with you. I'm not sure if you're even looking to maybe start things up with us again, but I um, I met someone," I say.
The line is silent for a minute before he begins to speak again.
"Oh wow. I mean, of course you did. You're amazing, and I'm a moron. I'm so sorry. I don't know why I thought I would call you and everything would be the same. I guess because time kind of paused for me the night that I left and I've been standing still ever since. But wow. I'm um, I'm happy for you, really."
I know Tyler well enough to know that even though he's hurt, he is being sincere.
"Thank you. And really, it's great to hear from you. And if you still want to catch up sometime, or if you need a friend, I'm here."
'Yeah?" He asks hopefully.
"I can't pretend that you and I never happened. But aside from the relationship aspect, you were one of my best friends and I'm here for you if you need me. You just went through a huge change."
"Thanks. It's just, um, it's really great to hear your voice."
Charlie:
I feel like Nick has been gone for hours even though I know it's only been, like, ten minutes. As far as I knew, Nick has not spoken to Tyler since that last phone call a year ago. Why was he calling now? Did something change? Did his parents finally accept him? Does he want to get back together with Nick? My mind is going in a hundred different directions. Nick finally joins us back in the room. I see Will, Michael and Erin's eyes go to him immediately, but Nick walks straight over to me.
"Hey can we talk?"
I nod and he takes my hand as we walk up the stairs. He pauses for a second before he begins to speak.
"I want to talk to you about what just happened."
"Nick, it's fine. It's none of my business," I say.
"I don't think that's entirely true and if you let me explain, I'll tell you why," he says.
I nod and begins to speak.
"So obviously, that was Tyler. He stood up to his parents, again, but this time they kicked him out."
"Oh wow. Is he, does he have a place to go?"
Nick looked at me and smiled.
"You don't even know how the conversation with him went, and your first thought is to ask me if he has a place to go to."
"Well, yeah, I'm not an asshole," I say with a slight smile.
"He moved in with his Aunt last week. He called to see if I wanted to meet up with him and catch up."
"Oh," I manage to say.
"I told him that if we were to catch up it would have to be completely platonic because I met someone."
"Oh?" I say again, but in a more delighted tone.
Nick sits down at the table and gestures me to join him. I sit down next to him and he grabs my hand.
"If I'm being honest with you, if this conversation happened a couple of months ago, I'm not sure what would have happened. But, meeting you, getting to know you and the person you are.. Charlie, I'm not interested in anyone else. And I don't know if that makes you uncomfortable because we've only been on one date, and I know things are clearly going to be a little difficult with you not being out, but I, I don't care. I just want to continue this," he says as he gestures his hands to me and him.
I look at Nick and place my hand on his. For sixteen years, I always assumed that I wouldn't find someone, that I was destined to be alone because I wasn't brave enough to be myself. But now I think that the universe made me wait this long to bring Nick to me. He is kind, thoughtful, beautiful, caring and I just don't think there's anyone better in this whole entire world.
"I want to continue this too. Thank you for being honest with me. I was a little nervous, I won't lie."
"You have nothing to be nervous or worried about. I'm not interested in anyone else," he insists, while looking into my eyes.
I pull him close and crash my lips into his. He deepens the kiss and I am just completely lost in the moment. I could live in this forever.
[MEANWHILE IN THE BASEMENT WITH EVERYONE ELSE]
James:
As we wait for Nick and Charlie to come back downstairs, I can't help but notice Erin. She is beautiful. How dare Nick not mention he has a cute best friend when I practically pushed he and Charlie together, super offended and will be yelling at him about it later FOR SURE. Mia waves her hand in front of my face.
"You okay in there?" She asks.
"Erin. She's gorgeous, isn't she?" I whisper.
Mia looks over at Erin and back at me with a smile.
"Go talk to her, you moron."
"What do I say?"
Mia rolls her eyes and drags me over to Erin, Michael and Will and we sit down next to them.
"So you guys have known Nick for a long time?" Mia asks, starting up a conversation.
"Pretty much my whole life," Will says.
"About five years now," Michael says.
"Three years. Nick was my first friend when I moved into town actually," Erin says.
"You guys been friends for a long time?" Will asks.
"Our whole lives actually. Our parents went to school together," I say.
Mia gives me a look to continue the conversation with Erin as she continues to talk to Michael and Will.
"So is this your last year in school too?"
"No I'm actually sixteen. Nick just saw me eating lunch alone on my first day and kind of took me under his wing."
"Oh, you're the same age as Charlie and Mia. I'd like to think I took Nick under my wing too," I say proudly.
"So nice of you," Erin says sarcastically but laughing. "Nick told me that you're a big reason as to why Charlie and Nick got together."
I sit up taller and more proud.
"FINALLY, getting the recognition I deserve! He would never tell me that to my face, but yes, that's very true," I say with a chuckle.
She laughs.
"So tell me about yourself James," she says as she looks up at me and smiles.
Once her piercing green eyes looked into mine, I forgot everything about me. Who am I? This girl is way out of my league and I don't even know how to speak right now.
"Well, um, it's my last year here before I head off to University."
"And what do you want to do?" She asks.
"I want to be a psychologist, or a guidance counselor. Honestly, I just want to help kids. I realized it while growing up with Charlie. He's always confided in me and I'd like to think I've helped him grow and become more confident in himself."
She looks at me with a soft smile.
"That's really sweet."
There's a moment of silence before I ruin it because that's what I do.
"You're beautiful," I blurt out.
"Well, thank you," she says, laughing ...and blushing? I hope so.
"Do you think maybe I could get your, if you want to, and then maybe we could --"
What the actual fuck am I saying right now? She looks at me and laughs, grabs my phone out of my hand and starts to put in her phone number.
"So are you going to ask me out then?" She asks as she looks up from my phone at me.
"What?"
"I figure that's where you might be going with this, so I thought I'd help," she says as she hands me my phone back.
"Wow. Very blunt," I say with a small chuckle.
"Yeah, kind of my thing," she says with a shrug.
"So is that a yes?" I ask.
"You didn't ask me anything," she jokes.
"Would you maybe want to go out sometime?"
"Yeah.. maybe," she says with a smile.
Nick:
I take Charlie's hand and we head back downstairs. Will looks at me.
"Alright?" He asks.
I nod my head and squeeze Charlie's hand.
"Alright."
"OKAY NOW CAN WE PLEASE CONTINUE THE PARTY?" Michael begs.
"Truth or Dare?" I ask.
Everyone agrees and we all sit in a circle. We start to play and at first it's just dumb things, like prank calls, running outside with only boxers on, things like that. James just dared Charlie to tape pillows around himself and let him punch him. He is literally so ridiculous. Now, it's Charlie's turn. He looks at me, more confident than I think I've ever seen him.
"Nick, truth or dare?" He asks.
"Truth," I say.
He looks around for a second before taking a deep breath. I honestly have no idea what he's about to say.
"Do you want to be my boyfriend?"