Kaleidoscope (a Heartstopper fanfiction)

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Thursday morning Charlie came into form with his drumsticks and no books. "What are you up to, then?" Nick asked him. "You joining a rock band or something?"

Charlie laughed. "No. Rehearsal for the concert. We get out of classes all day."

"All day? Sneak me into the orchestra, will you?"

"With all your fabulous musical skills?" Charlie raised an adorably teasing eyebrow.

"Well, that's unfair. I've only had one lesson." Nick smiled at him.

"And you were terrible."

He leaned over, teasing softly, "Maybe you can show me again sometime." He couldn't help remembering the way Charlie's hands had felt on his.

Apparently Charlie couldn't either, because he blushed. "Shut up!"

When the bell rang, instead of going to his class, Nick walked Charlie to the gym, where the rehearsal was being held. "Nick, I think you're going the wrong way." Charlie grinned at him.

"I've never seen a rehearsal before. I'm expanding my horizons," Nick told him loftily.

"You mean you're putting off going to maths."

"Well, that, too." They walked into the gym together. "I can't believe you get the whole day off to rehearse for this."

Charlie flourished the drumsticks. "Sometimes, playing a musical instrument has its benefits."

"When is the concert?"

"Friday night."

"Can I come?"

"What? Why?"

"Because you're performing."

"You don't have to come," Charlie told him. "You've probably got way more interesting things to do."

Which was ridiculous, because Charlie knew perfectly well that most of Nick's Friday nights were spent with him, or doing homework, or going to dinner with his mum. It stung a little bit that Charlie was trying so hard to convince him not to go.

Before Nick could respond, the teacher called to Charlie to get his drum kit set up. Charlie smiled at him and went off to rehearse.

Nick turned to see Tara Jones in front of him. She smiled. "Hi, Nick."

"Tara!" He was surprised how nice it was to see her. "You're in the orchestra, too?"

"Yeah."

"I have literally no musical ability. Charlie tried to teach me the drums once, and I am absolutely crap."

She laughed. "You and Charlie getting along well, then?"

Nick looked over at Charlie, who was in the middle of setting up his drums. "Uh ... yeah." It occurred to him that Tara had trusted him once with who she was. Maybe if he was ever going to reveal who he was, or who he thought he was becoming, Tara was the right person to start with. "Actually ... Well ... We're sort of going out."

Her delighted smile warmed him all through. "Are you?"

"I mean, we haven't made it official or anything, but ... yeah. Please don't tell anyone, though."

"No, of course." She added thoughtfully, "It's funny how things turned out between us."

"What do you mean?"

Tara laughed. "I mean, when we were thirteen, I thought we were gonna be boyfriend and girlfriend forever."

Laughing with her, Nick nodded. "Yep. So did I." That seemed like such a long time ago now. He frowned. "Are you and Darcy out to your friends, then?"