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Nick couldn't wait to get back on the rugby field. After sitting hunched over his work all day, his muscles were stiff and sore, and he wanted fresh air and the chance to stretch.

But he dreaded the practises at the same time. He wasn't speaking to any of them, Harry was actively mad at him, and the team played terribly as a result.

So when he walked into the locker room and saw Charlie there, already kitted up, he was absolutely delighted. "What are you doing here?" he asked, just barely managing not to hug him.

Charlie was beaming. "I joined the team again."

"I see that." Nick hurried into his own kit, and they walked out to the pitch together, the other lads swirling round them. But he felt badly, if Charlie was pushing himself to come back here for him. What if he got mistreated again? "You know you don't have to do this if you don't want to."

"I want to. Otherwise we'll barely see each other this term. And I've missed rugby."

He loved it when Charlie put on airs. "Have you now?"

"Yeah. I love running around and falling over."

"Oh, well, you are very good at the falling over part."

Charlie poked him in the shoulder. "I'm good at the running part, too, actually."

"What, running away from the ball?"

"Okay, well, if you don't want me here—"

Nick hastened to stop him. "Oh, no no no no. Come on." He took Charlie's hand, dropping it quickly when he remembered where they were. "I need you." He hadn't realised how much until he saw Charlie there in the locker room.

Otis came up behind Charlie, slinging an arm round his shoulders. "Oi! You coming back to rugby?"

"Yeah."

"Yes, lad! Come on, then." With a pat on Charlie's back, Otis hurried off, Charlie right behind him. Nick stood and watched them, glad to see one of his friends warming up to Charlie.

Christian and Sai walked up then. "You all right, Nick?"

He thought about saying something to them, but he still couldn't get past the way they had just stood there and let Harry be rude to Charlie at the cinema, and other times.

Then Harry came up, too. "What? Are you still in a mood with us?" The three of them sped up to join the warm-up, Harry calling out, "Let's go, lads! You've all been playing like girls lately."

Unfortunately, the practise was a disaster. Charlie did well, especially for not having been there for the past couple of weeks, but Nick couldn't bring himself to play the way he should. To think, he'd once won a trophy for best team player. Now he could barely stand to look at them, much less pass to them.

Coach Singh was displeased, yelling, "Why aren't you guys playing like a team?"

Coming back to the locker room, he avoided all the others, unable to keep from hearing their grumbling. They all knew he was the reason they weren't playing right. But, really, they were the reason. How hard would it be to apologise? And none of them had.

He and Charlie changed next to each other, Nick feeling completely defeated. First the GCSEs and now rugby. All the joy had been drained from school … what joy there was in it to start with.

Sitting up from tying his shoes, Nick saw that Charlie had a chocolate bar on his lap and looked at him questioningly.

"I … got you a present."

"What? Why?"

"Because … we've been going out for two months."

"As in … it's our two-month anniversary?" it hadn't occurred to Nick that this was something to celebrate. He was tremendously glad it had occurred to Charlie.

"It sounds silly when you say it like that."

"No, no, no, it doesn't."

"And now I'm embarrassed." Charlie stood up.

"No! Look. Um … I … I did not get you a present," Nick admitted.

Shrugging on his jacket, Charlie smiled. "It's okay. I didn't want it to become a thing, so …"

Nick stood up, too, moving closer. "It could be a thing." He wouldn't mind at all being one of those couples that overcelebrated every anniversary and milestone. Looking down at the chocolate bar, he smiled for what felt like the first time all day. "And how did you know that this is my favourite chocolate bar?"

Charlie blushed. "Uh … You mentioned it ages ago, so …"

How lucky was he, to have a boyfriend who listened, who remembered the little details, who so thoughtfully brought him a gift just when he was feeling low? Overcome with a rush of affection, Nick leaned his forehead gently against Charlie's. "Thank you." Then he kissed him, just once, because they were in the locker room, meaning to leave it there.

But Charlie curved his hand round Nick's neck and kissed him again, and really, what could you do when your boyfriend was as cute as Charlie and wanted to make out with you?

The closing of the door round the corner reminded them why this was a terrible idea. "And that's why we shouldn't kiss at school," Charlie said as they jumped apart.

"Oh, but kissing's so fun."

"But you getting outed because we got caught kissing is not."

Nick felt a surge of guilt. He shouldn't have to worry about being outed anymore; he should have already come out on his own. He'd promised he would. "I … I want to tell people. You know, like Imogen. I just … It's hard to find the right time."

"You don't have to tell everyone, or anyone, if you don't want to."

"You're making me want to kiss you again."

"I'm being serious!"

"So am I." He loved it when Charlie blushed. "Hey. If we're out by the time we're on the Paris trip, we can, um, kiss on the Eiffel Tower."

Charlie smiled, and they both reached for their bags. "No more kissing at school. It's too risky," he pronounced. Nick thought he'd have a hard time making that stick, since half the time it was Charlie starting it anyway.