Chapter Text
The eyes on him feel like spiders and ants crawling on his skin, searching for the best place to bite into him and greedily lap up every drop of blood in his body.
“David Nelson was a treasure to our community-” Shut up, shut up, shut up. In spite of Nick’s internal demand, the head teacher continues with his empty words filled to the brim with lies. “-who will be missed dearly as a beloved son, brother, friend and a member of the Truham community.” Nick wants to scoff. How beloved can he be for disowning his own brother? Nick restrains himself, though, partially because he doesn’t want to get in trouble but also because he can feel pitiful eyes boring into his skin that make him literally want to throw up. He should’ve skipped, should’ve- “Died such a tragic death. And that’s why we’re gathered here today. To grieve, yes, but also to raise awareness on drunk driving.”
The auditorium explodes into groans of protest which are quickly silenced by outraged hushes from teachers who give the leftover Nelson brother a paranoid side-eye. Nick closes his eyes and waits for it to end.
Nick really should’ve counted his blessings.
The second they step out of the auditorium, he bumps into one Charlie Spring.
He all but squeaks out a quick ‘sorry’ before scuttering off, small as a mouse, as if he was compelling the universe to make him small enough to disappear entirely. Harry Greene, the prick, scoffs at Charlie’s retreating figure. “Isn’t he that Charlie Spring kid? The queermo in year 9?”
Charlie Spring had been outed the previous month, right around the time Nick himself had his revelation about his own identity.
“Yeah,” says Sai, “Been getting real shit for it.”
It had spread like a wildfire and Charlie Spring had quickly become the hot topic for all of Truham and Higgs. It didn’t take much to realise that he had been bullied for the rumour or that the bullying had really gotten to him. One day the year 10s made a production of him.
“What did he expect though, really? It’s an all-boys school,” Jake responds.
They had found him after school and kept him behind so that he missed his bus. Apparently they dumped juice and pop all over him outside of the school gates, surrounded by laughing students.
“Innit? Like, I’m not being funny but- he could’ve been watching us getting changed.” Several boys exclaim their disgust in response to Harry’s comment.
Nick wouldn’t be surprised if that had been a true story. Charlie had been off for the week that particular story had been passed around. According to Otis, who knew Charlie’s friend Tao, he was off ill from walking home soaking in the British winter. Apparently he was still coughing even when he came back.
“Get to class you lot,” Mrs Singh interrupts. The group disperses with a grumble. Nick sets off to his first lesson, grateful for the getaway but wracked with guilt.
“Nick!” Nevermind. Nick turns back to find Mrs Singh had called for him. “Are you alright? I know that was a difficult assembly, especially for you and I know that what those boys were saying tends to upset you- as it rightfully should-”
Nick smiles a bland smile. “I’m fine, miss.”