Feelings - a heartstopper story

Proud

I stayed at Charlie's that night. It may have been a school night, but our parents allowed is to stay after what had happened.
My mum came over to Charlie's house earlier and I explained everything.

*flashback to Nicks conversation with his mum*

My mum came over to Charlie's at 7, almost immediately after Charlie's mum called her. She arrived in an instant, with a worried look on her face. As I walked done the stairs, I saw she was already crying. This was going to be an emotion evening I could tell.

"I- i came out." This was all I could get out before I burst into tears, joining my mums emotional mess.

Me and Charlie, and both our mums were sat in his living room. I begin to re tell the story. From kissing Charlie's infront of everyone, to the fight with Harry. It took a while as I kept stopping to calm down, but with Charlie there holding my hand I knew I'd be okay.

"I'm so sorry mum..."
"I shouldn't have gone down to his level, I know fighting isn't the answer. I don't know what got into me." I look down in shame.
I do know why I did it. It was for Charlie. I couldn't just stand there and let him be horrible to my Charlie. I know it was stupid and my mums probably gonna be super pissed at me but I would do it again if it meant protecting him.

"Awh Nicky darling," I look up. She still has a comforting smile on her face, I think. Is she not mad at me? She has every right to be though.
"You did what you had to do. I know you would to anything to protect Charlie, and I'm proud of you for that."
And at that moment, I'm pulled into a tight emotional hug.

"And I'm very proud of you for coming out, you know that right?" She says as she pulls alway. She lifts up her hands to wipe away me tears and goes to speak again,
"It must have been really difficult"

Yeah it was.
I think to myself. But it was worth it. I would literally do anything for Charlie, I couldn't risk losing him. My life wouldn't be worth living without him in it.

"I love you so much, mum." I whisper into her shoulder
"I love you to, Nicky"

*That night*

Our parents decided that me and Charlie wouldn't go to school tomorrow, just incase Harry tries to start something again. However, they were going to have a chat with our head teacher to hopefully get the matter looked into. Harry has been really homophobic, and the school is said to have a 'zero tolerance policy for bullying' so hopefully they'd do something about it. We wanted to get him suspended at the least, but we didn't want to get our hopes up. I guess we'll just have to see.