I can't stop thinking about the notification. It's been twenty minutes since my phone call with Charlie and I'm already anxious. Stepping over to my window I crack it open a smidge, hoping the gentle spring air will calm my nerves.

All I have to do is be honest, I remind myself. This is no different than any other conversation. Except it is. This was a, "we need to talk."

Gosh, I love him so much, that I can't handle losing him.

Eventually, I do the only thing my body can and fall asleep.

I'm woken nearly twelve hours later by my alarm clock. The buzzing, blaring noise, roared in my eardrums. I groan and turn over, still tired. Sometimes there's such a thing as too much sleep.

Rolling out of bed I fix my sheets, stumble to the bathroom, and begin my morning routine. Ten minutes later, I sling my bag over my shoulder and make my way down to the kitchen.

"Morning," I hear as I walk down.

"Morning mom," I say sleepily.

"You were really tired huh?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess," I shrug, pouring myself a cup of coffee. She gives me a skeptical look. "What?" I ask, taking a sip.

"You feeling okay? You've seemed off lately,"

I shrug. "I've been alright,"

"Getting enough sleep?" She presses.

"Mom, I've been fine,"

"Then where's that smile of yours?" She cooed, reaching out to grab my chin.

"It's right here," I try, smiling.

"It's that boy isn't it?" I look down. "He's always had such an effect on you,"

"We're fine,"

"Well tell me, next time things are tense," Damnit. I lied to her and she knows it.

"I- I will," I say heading out the door. "I gotta go, love you, bye!" I sigh as I shut the door behind me, heading off to school.

-

"Hi," He says, as I pull him into the music hallway.

"Want to go somewhere private?" I ask. It was our lunch hour and I figured we could both use some privacy for this.

"Sure," He smiles weakly. I take his hand and we head to the art room; what used to be our usual spot to get some alone time. It also happened to be the spot Charlie used to avoid bullies. Yeah, maybe I didn't think this through. We take a seat on the floor and open our lunches. Charlie's been eating even less recently, and it really has me worried.

"So," I try. "How has your day been?"

"It's been alright," He shrugs.

"Has it really?" I ask gently.

"No," He says reluctantly, "It was kind of awful,"

"Wanna talk about it?" I ask. I missed this.

"Yeah, I do," He says, looking over at me with his soft blue eyes.

And so I listen.

Nearly half an hour has passed by the time Charlie finishes ranting, I sit watching his hands gesture all about, his lips part and touch, giving him my utmost attention. He looks adorable. Finally, he sighs.

"Feel better?" I ask chuckling a bit.

"Yeah," He smiles. He's less timid than before, he's grown into himself, more comfortable. I can only hope that even partially, that's because of me.

We sit in silence for a moment.

"Nick?" He asks.

"Yeah?" I say as I rest my head on a nearby cabinet.

"I'm glad I met you," He repeats the words back to me as if I hadn't already said them to him. It takes me back to the moment in the arcade, the first time I kissed him in public with no hesitation. I kissed him because I wanted to. I kissed him like nothing else mattered.

"Now I'm blushing," I say, trying to hide my face in my hands.

"I mean it," He whines, taking my hands in his. "You changed my life," I sigh, a warmth washing over me, I'm incapable of speaking, or at least of speaking properly. Surely if I tried something stupid would come out. "I know things have been weird," He pauses. "Between us," Here it comes. "It's why I wanted to meet today," I nod, heart sinking. "To talk," He pauses like he wants me to chime in.

"I don't know what to say," I tell him honestly, hands still in his.

"That's okay," He tries. "I've been thinking about it a lot, and I'm not even sure I'll make it to a sentence," I let myself laugh.

"You go first," I say, even though I'm terrified of the outcome.

"Okay," He says, letting out a breath. "Nick," He starts.

The door creaks, "Mr. Ajayi?"

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