HEARTSTOPPER VOL.

1
A boy meets other.
1. Meet
January
Charlie’s phone (Chat with Ben)
-Mon 14 Dec-
[Ben] Library?
[Charlie] Ok
- Wed 16 Dec-
[Ben] Music Room 2?
[Charlie] Yep
-Thur 17 Dec-
[Ben] Library?
Ben: “Charlie, that was only the first bell-“
Charlie: “Yeah… I’ve gotta go”
Ben: “Why?”
Charlie: “Sorry”
(Letter)

Truham Grammar School for Boys

NEW FORM GROUPS!
Dear Charles Spring.
From the beginning of January, all students at Truham will be placed in New ‘vertical form
groups’ for registration at #:30am and 2:05pm every day. Each vertical form will contain 5-
6 students from each year group.
New form: Hamlet 5
For room: B25
Please attend registration in your new vertical form group from the start of the new term
in January.

Mr. Lange: “Well, if it isn’t Charlie Spring! Happy New Year!”

Charlie: “Hi Mr. Lange”
Mr. Lange: “Let’s see… Where did I put you on the seating plan… Ah yes! You’re over
there… -next to Nicholas Nelson”
Mr. Lange: “He’s in Year 11, so only a year older than you!”
Nicholas/Nick: Hi
Charlie: Hi
Day 2
Nick: “All right?”
Charlie: “… All right.”
Day 3
Nick: “Good morning”
Charlie: “Good morning”
Day 4
Nick: “Hey!”
Charlie: “Hey”
-Charlie’s mind-
Why does he always say hello to me every single morning? Is it a joke? Is it like the guys
who used to bully me last year all over again? He’s probably just making fun of me. Why
else would he talk to me? He’s not even in my year group. He probably thinks I’m gonna hit
on him or something-
Nick: “Mm… Charlie?”
Nick: “you don’t have any tissues, do you? My pen... mm.. exploded”
Charlie: “Ah, no, sorry”
Mr. Lange: “Oh dear. Nick, you’d better go clean up in the bathroom”
Mr. Lange: “Charlie, can you go with Nick and open the doors for him?”
Nick: “Sorry about this…”
Charlie: “It’s fine”
Charlie: “Hopefully I’ll miss some of my first period… I have double science”
Nick: “Ugh! Who do you have?”
Charlie: “Mr. Hutchins”
Nick: “Oh my god, I had him last year! He smells so bad of cat food!”
Charlie: “He really does”
Charlie: “So… how did your pen explode?”
Nick: “It’s a fountain pen. They do that sometimes.”
Charlie: “Aren’t fountain pens really hard to write with?”
Nick: “Yeah, but it makes my handwriting look nice”
Nick: “It’s not coming off!”
Charlie: “Haha!! You’re gonna be blue forever”
Nick: “I look like I’m wearing blue gloves”
Charlie: “You can make it the new school fashion”
Nick: “I’ll pretend it’s a tattoo!”
Charlie: “I think that might be against school rules-“
‘beep’ ‘beep’ ‘beep’
Nick: “Oh”
Charlie: “We’d better go”
Nick: “Was that first bell or second bell?”
Charlie: “I don’t know. I’ll check the time”
Charlie’s phone (Chat with Ben)
-Today-
[Ben] Music Room2?
[Ben] Charlie where the fuck are you
[Ben] ??? I’m waiting
[Ben] can’t even be bothered to text me? You’re so fucking useless
Nick: “Charlie??”
Charlie: “Mm -yeah- first bell”
‘Friends?’
Tao Xu: “You’re friends with Nick Nelson now?”
Tao Xu: “Really?”
Charlie: “Mm… yeah?”
TAO XU (FRIEND)
Tao Xu: “But he’s one of the rugby guys! He’s friends with Harry Greene, for God’s sake”
Charlie: “So? Nick’s really nice!”
Tao Xu: “ COME ON. He’s a fucking punk. He calls everyone ‘mate’/’dude’ and probably
throws food at people on the bus.”
Charlie: “…he doesn’t call me ‘mate’/‘dude’, though”
Tao Xu: “You’re in love with him”
Charlie: “WHAT”
Charlie: “That’s not- I- I don’t just fall for any boy who’s nice to me”
Charlie: “He’s probably straight anyway… haha…”
Ben’s girlfriend: “Oh my god. Ben! Shut up!!”
Charlie’s phone (Chat with Ben)
[Charlie] I don’t want to meet up anymore
[Ben] ???
[Charlie] sorry
[Ben] Why??
[Ben] I don’ understand
[Ben] for god’s sake we’re not gonna get caught
[Ben] Charlie!! Don’t ignore me!!!!!
February

Monday 1st February. 10H/11H P.E. (Physical Education)

P.E. Teacher: “Come on, Year 10s!”
P.E. Teacher: “We’ve been doing this all year, and no one’s beaten Charlie’s time yet!”
“NICK!”
Nick: “Yeah?”
“What are you looking at?”
Nick: “Nothing”
“NICK! Pass it!”
“HAHA!”
Ben: “Hey, Charlie”
Ben: “I need to talk to you.”
Charlie: “Mmm… I have a drum lesson right now”
Ben: “Answer my fucking texts, then! It’s been two weeks!”
Charlie: “I already said it I don’t want to meet up with you anymore.”
Ben: “And that’s it, is it? No explanation.”
Charlie: “Well… yeah, I guess so-“
[GRAB]
Ben: “THAT’S NOT ENOUGH-“
“Charlie?”
Nick: “I’ve been looking for you!”
Nick: “Mm… is everything all right?”
Nick: “I didn’t know you knew Ben..”
Charlie: “Mm.. yes?”
Ben: “We’ll talk later, Charlie”
Nick: “Why are you friends with Ben Hope? He’s kind of a jerk”
Charlie: “We’re not friends!!”
Charlie: “I… help him with his maths homework?”
Nick: “…Ok”
Nick: “So… anyway…”
Nick: “I have something to ask you!”
-Charlie’s mind-
Nick: “Charlie, you may not know this, but I’m gay too, and I’m in love with you. Will you go
out with me? I want to be with you forever”
Nick: “Do you want to join the rugby team?”
Nick: “We’re short of a player! Everyone seems to prefer football/soccer…”
Charlie: “Mm… well… I don’t really know how to play. I don’t even watch it on TV”
Nick: “That’s okay! I’ll teach you!”
Charlie: “But… why me?”
Nick: “I saw you run in P.E. You’re really fast!”
Charlie: “Mm… aren’t I a bit small and weak for rugby?”
Nick: “Well, this is only a school team-”
Charlie: “So, you’re saying I’m weak?”
Nick: “No!!”
‘Beep’ ‘Beep’ ‘Beep’
Charlie: “SHIT I’m missing my drum lesson!”
Nick: “The bell? Lunch is over already?”
Charlie: “Can I think about it?”
Nick: “Yeah, sure!”
Charlie: “I’ll see you later!”
-Nick’s mind-
“He plays the drums?”
ONE WEEK LATER
“So, Charlie Spring?”
Nick: “yes?”
“Why him?”
“He’s a fucking stick”
“I mean, I know he’s popular, everyone loves him, but can he even play?”
“I’m sure he’s a nice guy, but we really need him to be good!”
“Does he even like sports? Everyone knows he’s gay-“
[SQUEAK]
Nick: “Hey!”
Charlie: “..hey”
Nick: “So there are 4 ways to score in rugby: a try, a conversion, a penalty, or a drop-goal.”
Nick: “A try is where you ground the ball over the line, conversions and penalties are
where you get the chance to kick the ball at goal without being tackled, and a drop-goal is
where you kick it through the posts during general play”
Charlie: “THIS IS A LOT OF INFORMATION”
Nick: “You’ll probably get it after a few games!”
Charlie: “I hope you’re prepared to see me, someone absolutely bad”
Nick: “You might be better than me, for all we know!”
“CHARLIE SPRING!!”
MISS SINGH. P.E. TEACHER. EX SEMI-PRO RUGBY PLAYER
Ms. Singh: “So, you’re the chosen one”
Charlie: “Um”
Ms. Singh: “What year are you in?”
Charlie: “Year 10”
Ms. Singh: “Have you ever played rugby?”
Charlie: “Mm.. no..”
Ms. Singh: “But Nick says you’re a fast runner, yeah?”
Charlie: “I.. think so?”
Ms. Singh: “Good. We need an extra wing. Know what that is?”
Charlie: “No...”
Ms. Singh: “Nick, why don’t you use today’s practice to take Charlie through the basics?”
Nick: “Sure!”
Nick: “Twist your body a bit more!”
Charlie: “Like this?”
Nick: “Yeah! It’s like more of an underthrow”
Charlie: “So… like this?”
Nick: “Yeah… but aim it at me”
Charlie: “I’M TRYING”
Nick: “That’s it! I knew you’d get it”
Charlie: “That was… ok?”
Nick: “Yep! Perfect Pass!”
Nick: “You have natural talent”
[PINCH]
Nick: “…So we’ve covered passing and scoring…”
Nick: We’ve got about 15 minutes left, so-“
Nick: “-do you want to give tackling a go?”
Charlie: “…Tackling?”
Nick: “It’s not too hard -watch the guys they’re playing a match right now”
Nick: “You just have to take the player with the ball down by grabbing them below their
shoulders”
Nick: “Want to try it?”
Charlie: “I am definitely way too weak to do that”
Nick: “Excuse me -where is your ‘can do’ attitude?”
Nick: Give it a go. Just run at me. I won’t dodge it!”
Nick: “Go on. I bet you can do it”
Charlie: “..Fine”
Nick: “That was perfect!”
Charlie: “Was it!?!”
Nick: “Let’s try it again while running!”
´Stand up´
TWO DAYS LATER…
FICE DAYS LATER…
ONE WEEK LATER
“He’s been doing really well isn’t he!”
Nick: “You’re surprised?”
“Well, all I knew about him was that he’s gay”
Nick: “Mate/Dude, I don’t think being gay makes you bad at sports:”
“I never said that!! Anyway, I can see why he’s popular. He managed to fit in really well”
Nick: “Yeah… he’s just a really cool guy!”
Nick: “Haha! Your hair’s sticking up!”
Charlie: “Is it?!”
Charlie: “I was thinking about cutting it”
Nick: “WHAT”
Charlie: “What?”
Nick: “It’d just be a big change”
Charlie: “So… am I, like, actually any good?”
Nick: “What? At rugby? Of course, you are!”
Charlie: “Yeah?”
Charlie: “Why?”
Charlie: “ I’m just a bit scared of letting everyone down and I don’t even know whether
they like me on the team or… yeah”
Charlie: “It’s silly”
Charlie: “All of the older boys kinda remind me of the people who used to bully me”
Nick: “Well I like you and want you on the team!”
Charlie: “Haha!! Good!”
-Charlie’s mind-
“I like you”
“I like you”
“I like you”
“I like you”
“I like you”
“I like you”
Nick: “So, Is there anything you want to practice a bit more, then?”
Nick: “…Charlie?”
Nick: “Are you okay?”
Nick: “Charlie??”
Charlie: “What?”
Nick: “You okay?”
Charlie: “Y-yeah – sorry – just got a text from- mm – I’m meeting up with someone later.
Sorry!”
Nick: “O…kay”
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Charlie’s phone (Chat with Ben)
-Today-
[Ben] You’re at rugby, right? Meet me in the music block afterwards
[Charlie] Why?
[Ben] Please Charlie I want to talk
[Charlie] Fine
-Charlie’s mind-
“Well, I like you!”
Charlie: “What’s the point?”
“Charlie”
Ben: “You’re wearing a coat? It’s not even cold”
Charlie: “It’s February”
Ben: “Laaame”
Charlie: “What did you want, Ben?”
Charlie: “Don’t touch me”
Ben: “GOD what is your problem? I’m trying to be nice”
Charlie: “I said I don’t want to meet up with you anymore-“
Ben: “Yeah, I don’t believe you!”
Charlie: “…what??”
Ben: “I think you’re scared of us getting caught”
Charlie: “Why would I be scared? Everyone in the school already knows I’m gay! YOU’RE
the one who’s scared of getting caught! You’re not even my boyfriend! I’ve seen you with
your girlfriend at the school entrance!!”
Charlie: “You don’t give a SHIT about me. You just found the nearest guy who was willing
to kiss you and went for it!”
Ben: “YOU went for it too. Don’t be angry at me for not wanting to people know yet.”
Charlie: “I’m not angry about that! I’m angry because you never cared about my feelings.
We only ever meet up when you want, where you want-“
Charlie: “When you feel like kissing a boy!”
Charlie: “I could be ANYONE! You don’t give a shit!”
Ben: “That’s obviously not true”
Charlie: “It is true! You heard the rumors about me and was like ‘Oh great, there’s a gay
boy who I can safely make out/hang out’!!”
[SLAM]
Charlie: “What the f-“
Charlie: “??”
[PULL]
[PUSH]
Charlie: “Stop it!!”
Ben: “You’re so hot when you’re angry”
Charlie: “Don’t!!”
Ben: “Come on Charlie I really like you”
Charlie: “Stop it”
Charlie: “S-stop…”
Charlie: “Stop…”
Ben: “What the-“
Nick: “He told you to stop, you fucking idiot!”
-Charlie’s mid-
“Nick!?”
[PUSH]
Nick: “Go on, FUCK OFF!”
Nick: “Are you okay?”
Charlie: “I’m fine”
Nick: “Are you sure?”
Charlie: “…did you hear all of that?”
Nick: “Well… most of it”
Nick: “I just… followed you… You seemed really stressed out while we were getting
changed.”
Nick: “I started getting worried… Mm… so… yeah”
FIVE MINUTES EARLIER
“Get off-“
“Stop it”
Nick: “I just wanted to check everything was okay”
Charlie: “S-sorry”
Nick: “You have nothing to be sorry about!”
Charlie: “Sorry!!”
Nick: “You know, you say ‘sorry’ a lot”
Nick: “Don’t say it”
Charlie: “I kinda wanna say it”
Nick: “Don’t do it!”
Charlie: “haha!”
[PAT]
[PAT][PAT]
Nick: “Come on, we’ll get locked in if we stay here more time”
-Charlie’s mind-
“Idiot”
“I’m such an idiot”
“Such a fucking idiot”
Nick’s mom: “Good practice today, Nicky?”
Nick’s mom: “Nick?”
Nick: “Mmhm”
1. CRUSH
“Hey, did you hear some Year 9 has come out as gay?”
Nick’s laptop screen
[Timeline] [About] [Friends] [Photos]
TEN MONTHS AGO…
Nick: “Huh? No?”
“Yeah, do you know Charlie Spring from 9H? Apparently he’s gay”
“Where did you hear that?”
“Everyone at school is talking about it”
“He’s been getting a lot of shit for it, I think”
(To Charlie)
“gaylord”
“Faggot”
“Ew don’t touch him”
“so gross”
“gaaay”
“I mean, this is an all-boys school! What did he expect?”
“What did he expect”
- Hey so what happened seemed really serious
[Add files] [Add photos]
- I don’t think you should talk to Ben anymore
[Add files] [Add photos]
[BUZZ]
Charlie’s phone (Notification)
Nick Nelson
- Hey just wanted to check you’re okay. Ben’s suck an idiot!!!
Nick’s laptop
[Charlie] yeah, I’m fine, don’t worry! :)
Charlie’s phone (Chat with Nick)
[Nick] Hey, just wanted to check you’re okay. Ben’s such an idiot!!!
[Charlie] yeah, I’m fine, don’t worry! :)
[Nick] You sure??
´Close up´ [Nick] You sure??
Nick’s laptop
…
Charlie Spring is typing
FIVE MINUTES LATER
Charlie’s phone (Chat with Nick)
‘PING’ ‘PING’ ‘PING’
[Nick] You van talk to me about it if you want
[Nick] Sounds like a pretty serious situation
[Nick] But you don’t have to
[Nick] If you don’t want to
[Nick] But I am your friend and I do care
Nick’s laptop
[Charlie] Okay
[Charlie] Might be a bit of a long story lol
[Nick] I don’t mind!!
Charlie’s phone (Chat with Nick)
[Charlie] Well, it started last September
[Charlie] Everyone at school had found out I was gay by then; the bullying had mostly
stopped I guess and people started to be nice to me (there was a group of Sixth Formers
who stopped the bullies) but everyone in the school knew I was gay.
[Charlie] So I was practicing my drums one morning before form in a practice room and I
look up and see Ben looking in through the door window. He walks in and starts telling
me how good I am at playing the drums, and I’m just sitting there like ‘what the fuck’
because I’ve never spoken to him before in my life… but also kind of freaking out
because I thought he was really attractive…
[Charlie] Eventually he comes in and sits next to me and starts talking to me about me
coming out at school, and like, how ‘brave’ I am and stuff… even though it’s not like I
came out because I told a couple of people…
[Charlie] And then next thing I know he’s just kissing me
[Charlie] And yeah, we just continued to meet up sometimes at school before classes.
And like… I was so excited about it. I thought I had a boyfriend, or, like, I was having
some big romance… But I slowly started to realize he was just using me for someone to
make out with… because I was the only gay boy he knew…
[Charlie] and then in January I found out he had a girlfriend. Some girl from Higgs
school. I don’t know if he’s bisexual or gay or whatever but it doesn’t really change
anything. He was just using me.
[Charlie] I tried to end it but he just kept disturbing me. I thought I’d just meet up with
him one last time to tell him to leave me alone but… yeah. That didn’t go well I guess
haha
Nick’s laptop
[Nick] FUCK I hate Ben so much. I knew he was a an idiot, but… jesus. Please don’t ever
talk to him again
[Charlie] I definitely won’t!!!!
[Nick] I’ll kick his ass if he tries to approach to you
[Charlie] Thank you for being there
[Nick] Generally or in the music block?
[Charlie] Well…
[Charlie] both
[Nick] Not a problem😊<3
 - I love talking to you
- I’m so happy that we’re friends
[Charlie] <3
-Charlie’s mind-
“Should I have told him all that?”
“Maybe he felt awkward”
“Maybe he won’t want to be friends anymore-“
[RUFFLE]
Charlie: “Hey!”
Nick: “Hey”
“Charlie, what the FUCK is going on!?”
Charlie: “What??”
Tao Xu: “NICK NELSON!?”
Tao Xu: “I thought you didn’t like him!”
P.E. CLASS
Charlie: “…Please don’t say it so loud”
Tao Xu: “You’ve been all over him for a month!”
Tao Xu: “Texting??”
Tao Xu: “You’ve started eating lunch together??”
Tao Xu: “And don’t make talk about rugby…”
-Charlie’s mind-
Nick: “NOPE not so fast”
Charlie: “Haha!!”
Charlie: “NICK!!”
Nick: “We’re going this way”
Charlie: “Oh my god put me down!!”
Nick: “Nope”
Nick: “Okay, let’s go”
Tao Xu: “Charlie!!”
Tao Xu: “I’m not being funny, but, he’s straight.
Tao Xu: “Just look at him. He’s the typical straight guy”
Charlie: “I know”
Tao Xu: “You’re just causing yourself pain!”
Charlie: “I KNOW”
“Tao and Charlie! Stop chattering and start kicking that ball!”
“And Tao, take that hat off!”
Tao Xu: “But siiiir, it’s freezing!”
“This is England, not Antarctica. Deal with it”
Tao Xu: “Charlie, you need to give up on him”
Charlie: “I can’t”
MARCH
Nick: “Yeah, it took me like 3 hours to bake it all, but my nan loves cheesecake, so…”
Nick: “wait, I think I’ve got a picture of it-”
Nick: “Oh! That’s my dog, haha”
Charlie: “WAIT!”
Charlie: “Do you have a dog?”
Nick: “Yeah! Her name’s Nellie”
Nick: “She’s pretty old but I love her”
Charlie: “I wish I had a dog. My parents don’t like animals”
Nick: “You should come to my house and meet her!”
Charlie: “S-seriously?”
Nick: “Yeah! Are you free on Saturdays?”
Charlie: “I think so!”
[SCRIBLE]
Notebook
MY ADRESS(Nick)
34 River Crescent
Charlie: “Wow, that’s only a 10 minute walk from my house!”
Nick: “Is it!?”
Charlie: “Yeah, I live on Britannia Road!”
Nick: “Saturday, then?”
Charlie: “Okay!”
“Did you two swop seats?”
SATURDAY
VICTORIA ‘TORI’ SPRING. OLDER SISTER.
Victoria: “What are you doing?”
Charlie: “Do you think it’s too short?”
Victoria: “You’ve had cut it that short before…?”
Charlie: “I know but… did it look better long?”
Victoria: “It looks the same, to be honest”
Victoria: “Are you going out?”
Charlie: “Yeah, with friends”
Victoria: “Tao?”
Charlie: “No… his name’s Nick. He’s in my class”
Victoria: “Hm”
Charlie: “What?”
Victoria: “Have fun”
[PRESS]
Nick: “hey!”
Charlie: “Hey”
“BORF”
Nick: “Haha! This is Nellie”
“BORK”
‘IN LOVE’
Charlie: “Hi Nellie!”
Charlie: “You’re so adorable”
Nick: “Did- did you-“
Nick: “Did you get a haircut?”
[BRUSH]
Charlie: “M-mm”
Charlie: “I-Is it bad?”
Nick: “No no! No! It- you look- mmm- great”
Nick: “OKAY COME IN OR NELLIE WILL THINK WE’RE GOING FOR A WALK”
Charlie: “Okay”
Nick: “It’s so cold”
Charlie: “I heard it’s gonna snow!”
Nick: “Oh my god, snow!?”
Nick: “So this is my house!”
[LICK]
Charlie: haha!”
Nick: “Argh! Why are you so good at this!?”
Charlie: “I have a six-year-old brother. Mario Kart is my life”
Charlie: “And you get to be good at real sports. I get to be good at fake ones”
Nick: “You’re just good at everything, you nerd!”
Charlie: “I’m not good at everything”
Nick: “You are! Let’s see, you’re good at video games, sports, maths, essays, making
friends, playing the drums, mmph-“
Charlie: “It’s snowing”
Nick: “here!”
‘Too big’
Charlie: “I’m freezing:”
Nick: “You should have worn something waterproof”
Charlie: “I didn’t have anything! I’m not an ‘outdoors guy’ like you!”
Nick: “I hope you don’t catch a cold…”
Charlie: “Haha!! It’ll b-be worth it!”
Nick: “wait there!”
Nick: “There”
Charlie: “Oh- th-thanks”
Nick: “Sorry I don’t have any joggers to give you, I think they’d all be too big haha…”
Nick: “You should probably go and sit a radiator for a bit!”
Nick: “You really have to go home?”
Charlie: “Yeah… My dad said I had to be home for dinner”
Nick: “Well… Niellie will miss you”
Charlie: “I’ll miss Nellie too”
Charlie: “And thanks for the hoodie. I’ll give it to you on Monday!”
Nick: “No problem!”
Nick: “Don’t slip and die on the ice!”
Charlie: “I’ll try not to!”
[CLICK] [FSSSHH]
Nick’s mom: “Charlie seems like a lovely boy. When did you meet him?”
Nick: “A couple of months ago. He’s in my class”
Nick’s mom: “He’s very different to your other friends, isn’t he? You seem much more like
yourself around him”
Nick: “Do I?”
Nick’s mom: “You do!”
Victoria: “Are you okay?”
Charlie: “I fell for a straight boy… haha…”
THE NEXT SATURDAY
[KNOCK] [KNOCK]
Charlie: “Hey!”
Nick: “Hey!”
‘boom’ ‘tss’ ‘boom BOOM’ ‘tss’
Charlie: “Haha, you’re terrible!”
Nick: “I’m doing my best!”
Charlie: “Here, let me help you”
Charlie: “Look, like this!”
‘boom’ ‘boom TSS’
‘boom boom boom’ ‘TSS’
‘boom’
‘boom boom’
Charlie: “There, you’re a pro now!”
Charlie: “haha… mmm… well… that’s probably cheating…”
Nick: “Charliiiiiie”
Charlie: “Yeah?”
Nick: “Are you done yet?”
Nick: “Homework is BORING”
Charlie: “I’ve still got three more questions to-“
[SNATCH]
Charlie: “Hey! Give that back!”
Nick: “No way NERD”
Charlie: “Haha ha!”
Nick: “Noooooo unfair!”
Nick: “HEHEH no you don’t”
Charlie:” Haha!”
Charlie: “..wait”
[GRAB]
[FALL]
Charlie: “Whya are you so strong?”
Nick: “I’m not strong, you’re just small”
Charlie: “It’s your fault for being a rugby guy”
Nick: “Excuse me? A ‘rugby guy’?”
Charlie: “Yeah!!”
[POKE]
Nick: “Oh YEAH. Well why don’t we go out for Nando’s then, mate/dude? Ayyy, GUYS GUYS
GUYS”
[PROD]
Nick: “What? I’m just kidding or not? mate/dude ,‘bro’“
Charlie: “OKAY, okay, stop, you win”
[blush][blush]
[blush][blush]
Charlie: “haha”
[ROLL]
Nick: “Mario Kart?”
“Charlie, we’re home!”
[blink][blink]
Charlie: “Huh… did I fall asleep?”
Nick: “Yep, you missed the end of the movie”
Nick: “And I kinda need to go home”
Charlie: “I wish you didn’t have to go”
Nick: “I wish I didn’t either”
Nick: “You look so cute like that”
Charlie: “Really?”
Nick: “Yeah”
Nick: “Okay… haha… see you on Monday”
Charlie: “Bye…”
[SLAM]
‘Appear’
Victoria: “I don’t think he’s straight”
‘STOP’
Nick: “What is happening to me?”
[SHUT]
Nick’s mom: “Nicky? Did you have a good day?”
Nick: “Yep”
Nick’s mom: … are you okay?”
Nick: “Yep. Fine”
[GRAB]
‘pijamas’ ‘puff’
[CLENCH]
Nick’s laptop screen
“am I gay?”
“how to tell if you’re gay”
[read] [read] [read]…
Nick [Sigh]
“I like girls but now I like a boy????”
[HOVER]
[SHUT]
[ROLL]
Nick: “help…”
APRIL (TWO WEEKS LATER)
‘TRUHAM GRAMAR’ 32
‘VISITORS’ 36
‘a reserve’
Charlie’s phone texts (Chat with Tao Xu)
[Charlie] Hey Tao… so… about Nick Nelson
[Tao Xu] What?? Did something happen???
[Charlie] Well… I think he might like me back
[Tao Xu] EXPLAIN
[Charlie] Over the past two weeks during the Easter holidays we’ve hung out like almost
EVERY DAY
[Charlie] He’s a lot more… I don’t know… physical? We hug now?
[Charlie] Sometimes I just catch him looking at me…
[Tao Xu] Look… Charlie… I didn’t want to say anything but… I’ve asked around and I’ve
heard Nick’s had a crush on a girl called Tara Jones from Higgs school for, like, 3 years or
something
[PEEEEP!]
Nick: “CHARLIE!!”
Nick: “WE WON!!”
‘STAND’
Nick: “HAHA”
Nick: “WOOOOO!!”
-Charlie’s mind-
Charlie’s phone texts (Chat with Tao Xu)
“… Charlie… I didn’t
I’ve asked around
crush on a girl
school for, like,”
30 MINUTES LATER
Charlie: “You’ve still got mud on you!”
Sai: “So Nick has a crush on Charlie, right?”
Sai: “We’ve all been thinking it!!”
Christian: “They do seem really close”
Christian: “But Nick’s not gay, is he?”
Sai: “Well, I guess we don’t know”
Omar: He doesn’t look gay. And didn’t he have a crush on that girls Tara Jones?”
MISS SINGH (P.E. TEACHER AND COACH)
Ms. Singh: “You can’t tell whether people are gay by what they look like”
Ms. Singh: “And gay or straight aren’t the only two options”
Ms. Singh: “Anyway, it’s very rude to speculate about people’s sexuality”
Ms. Singh: “Go home, guys”
Sai: “I can see it. Nick and Charlie”
“Are you going to Harry Greene’s party on Saturday?”
Charlie: “Well… I was invited, but I… I don’t know. There’ll be like two hundred people
there, right?”
Nick: “PLEASE COME. All my other friends are idiots, and I don’t wanna have to spend an
entire evening with them.”
Charlie: “Sounds like you need new friends”
Nick: “Well… I have you now, so…”
Nick: “…so will you come?”
Charlie: “YEAH DEFINETLY”
Charlie: “It’ll be fun if you’re there!”
“You’re on the list?”
Charlie: “Mm… y-yeah… Charlie Spring?
Nick: “I’ve been looking for you!”
Nick: “Haha!”
Charlie: “Haha ha!”
Nick: “It’s so loud in here! Do you wanna go get a drink?”
Charlie: “Yeah Sure!”
“Hey Nick!!”
“Why are you hanging out in here? How BORING”
HARRY GREENE (THE BIRTHDAY BOY)
Harry: “I’ve got some important news”
Nick: *sigh* “What’s up. Harry?”
Harry: “Tara Jones is here”
Nick: “Wh-what?”
Harry: “Remember her? The girl you had a crush on all through Year 7 and 8?”
Harry: “The one you KISSED at the Year 8 Higgs-Truham disco?”
Harry: “Well, now’s your second chance”
Harrt: “RIGHT, CHARLIE?”
Nick: “That was YEARS ago! I haven’t even spoken to her since then!!”
Harry: “COME ON, she’s just down here!”
Harry: “Plus, she’s really hot now”
Harry: “HEY, GIRLS!”
Harry: “TARA! I’ve got someone who wants to see you”
Harry: “You remember Nick Nelson, right?”
Tara: “Mm… yeah… hi”
Nick: “hi”
Charlie: “Stupid”
Charlie: “Stupid stupid stupid I’m such a stupid IDIOT-“
[BUMP]
Charlie: “OOF”
Charlie: *GASP*
Ben: “Charlie?”
Nick: “Anyway, sorry about this… Harry sort of dragged me over here”
Tara: “It’s fine, I know what he’s like!”
Tara: “And I think he must be one of the only people who doesn’t know I’m gay”
Tara: “Haha, you didn’t know either? That’s my girlfriend over there”
Tara: “So… I heard you’ve been hanging out with Charlie Spring a lot recently…”
Tara: “Is that… I mean… are you just friends, or…?”
Nick: “Mm… well…”
Tara: “You can always talk to me about it if you need to…”
Nick: “Where did he go?”
Nick: “Did any of you see where Charlie went?”
“no”
“nope”
“no, sorry”
Harry: “Why do you even hang out with him?”
Nick: “We’re friends-“
Harry: “BUT WHY?”
Nick: “We just are-“
“But he’s just some nerdy Year 10”
“He got really popular after all that bullying shit last year, right?”
Harry: “Do you just feel sorry for him because he’s gay?”
Harry: “No WAIT, do you think he likes you!? Oh my god, how SAD”
Nick: “You know what, Harry? FUCK YOU”
Nick: “You’re a pathetic, homophobic, idiot, self-obsessed and I really dislike you”
Nick: “Happy fucking birthday”
Tara’s girlfriend: “Actually, I love him”
Nick: “hi”
Charlie: “Um… Sorry…”
Charlie: “Your friends were kind of intimidating-“
Nick: “DON’T APOLOGIZE! They’re all idiots!”
Nick: “I’d rather just hang out with you, anyway”
Charlie: “So… I just ran into Ben”
Nick: “SHIT. Are you okay?”
Charlie: “Y-Yeah, I mean… I dealt with it”
Charlie: “He… mm… he tried to apologize, but…”
Ben: “Look, I’m sorry, okay? You ended up in a bad mood because of that?”
Charlie: “Leave me alone”
[GRAB]
Ben: “Oh come on, Charlie!”
[SLAM]
Charlie: “DON’T TOUCH ME”
´Staff only’
Charlie: “Then, he just left, so…”
Charlie: “Yeah, I think he got the message this time”
Nick: “I’m so proud”
Charlie: “Shut up, now I’m embarrassed”
Nick: “Haha!”
Nick: “It’s, mm, kinda noisy in here, isn’t it?”
Charlie: “Yeah…”
Nick: “Shall we go somewhere quieter again?”
Charlie: “Okay”
Charlie: “Let’s have a race!”
Nick: “To where!?”
Charlie: “Anywhere!”
Nick: “Unfair!”
Nick: “You’re faster than me!”
Nick: “I’m DYING!”
Charlie: “It’ because you’re old”
Nick: “I’m only 18 months older!!”
Charlie: “Okay, old man”
‘Function Room B’
Charlie: “…Woah”
Nick: “Yeah”
Nick: “Jesus… I knew Harry was rich, but this hotel must have cost a fortune”
Charlie: “He should go on that TV show, ‘My Sweet 16’!”
Nick: “Is that the one where they cry if their parents don’t get them the car they want?”
Charlie: “Yep”
Nick: “He’d fit right in”
‘EXHALE’
Charlie: “S… so…”
Charlie: “Was Harry being serious? Do you like that girl?”
Nick: “NO! No, definitely not!”
Nick: “We… we kissed at a party when we were like 13 and I liked her at the time, but I’ve
honestly barely thought about her since then and I DEFINITELY don’t like her that way”
Charlie: “Ah… Okay…”
Charlie: “Mm… so…”
Charlie: “…you don’t have a crush on anyone at the moment?”
Nick: “Well… I didn’t say THAT…”
-Charlie’s mind-
“had a crush on a girl…”
Charlie: “Haha… what’s she like , then?”
Nick: “You’re just going to assume they’re a girl?”
Charlie: “So, it’s not a girl?”
Nick: “M-mm”
[SHRUG]
Charlie: “Would you…”
Charlie: “…go out with someone who wasn’t a girl?”
Nick: “I don’t know”
Nick: “Maybe”
Charlie: “Would you like to…”
Charlie: “Kiss someone who wasn’t a girl?”
Nick: “I”
Nick: “don’t know”
Charlie: “Would you like to kiss me?”
Nick: “Yeah”
Charlie: “are you okay?”
Nick: “I-“
“Nick? Are you up there?”
Sai: “NICK!? I know you’re up here somewhere!”
Sai: “Harry wants to talk to you!”
“Come on, Nick!!”
“Why are you hiding?”
Nick: “I have to”
Nick: “I’ve got to go…”
‘SHUT’
Charlie: “I’m sorry”
“I’m sorry”
“I’m sorry”