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Nick's house was silent, other than Nellie, who got sleepily off the couch and came to the door, wagging her tail and being adorable as usual. They all crowded round her for pets, while Nick made sure no one else was home. David was supposed to be out late with friends, and Nick's mum had mentioned something about errands and a late movie, but it always helped to be sure.
Not long after, they heard the tentative knock at the front door and hurried to open it. There was Tara, and she stepped inside and into Darcy's embrace immediately. Then the rest of them piled around, all hugging and laughing.
"Love you guys," Isaac said.
Charlie agreed. "Love you lots."
Then they let go. Nick led Tara and Darcy into the living room, closing the doors behind them for privacy. He turned to the others. "Pretty sure we've got some fairy lights and things in a cupboard somewhere. Let's make this look like prom, shall we?"
So they all hurried off, scouring Nick's house for decorations, putting things up. Fairy lights were everywhere when they were finished.
The living room already had lights up—Nick's mum liked to sit there on summer evenings with just those lights on.
Charlie could see that Tara and Darcy were on their feet, embracing. Slow-dancing, it appeared. He couldn't wait any longer before he poked his head in, whispering, "You guys okay?"
Nick, over his shoulder, said, "Shall I make some tea?"
They nodded, smiling at each other. "Yeah. Let's have some tea."
So they came out and Nick made tea for everyone, and found beers for those who wanted one. They played beer pong briefly, but Elle was way too good at it.
For a while they separated, all the couples on different couches in each other's arms, Isaac on the floor with his book, Nellie's head on his leg being petted slowly as he read.
They played some kind of game that involved picking up boxes with your teeth. Isaac beat them all at that one.
The others went to the kitchen to scrounge what was in the refrigerator. Charlie didn't want to—this was too nice a night to worry about food. Nick seemed to understand, because he held Charlie there on the couch, kissing him. It was so easy to lose himself in Nick's arms, to kiss him like there was nothing else important in the world.
"Okay, lovebirds." Elle sat herself down, and the others surrounded them, all of them piled on the couch together laughing, trying to decide what to do next. None of them had said anything, but they all wanted to make sure Isaac felt included, that this wasn't just couple time, but full friend group time.
So they played hide-and-seek, naturally, everyone scattering. Strict rules about not hiding in couples weren't made, but were followed anyway.
"You know," Darcy said, when her last ridiculous non-hiding place had been found too easily by her estimation, "I missed most of the actual prom. Let's dance."
"Good idea." Tao and Elle smiled at each other, and Nick plugged his phone into his portable speaker and started some music.
They danced together as a group, they danced in couples, they laughed as though humour had been invented just for them. It was magic.
And the best magic of all, to Charlie, was when Nick pulled him into his arms and they slow-danced to the sappiest, most romantic song Charlie had ever heard. "You complete liar," he whispered into Nick's ear.
"Why?"
"You can too dance."
Nick chuckled against his shoulder. "Only with you. Only ever with you."
Sadly, even the most perfect night imaginable had to end eventually. Everyone collected their things, helped Nick tidy up a bit, and then headed out, hugging Nick and Charlie at the door as they went.
And then it was just the two of them, standing there in the doorway together, like this was their house and they lived here together and they never had to say good-bye again.
Charlie called out "Bye!" after everyone else, then turned to his boyfriend. Nick reached out and Charlie came into his embrace, putting his arms round Nick's neck. As always, Nick lifted him off his feet, turning him round as he reached out with one arm to close the door.
He spun them till Charlie was dizzy. Or maybe that was just being with Nick. Maybe … maybe this was more than just having a teenage boyfriend. Maybe this was something real, something more. For the first time, Charlie could imagine a future where they were grown up and still together, moving in together, living together, never parting except to know they would be back here together at the end of every day.
He didn't just like Nick, Charlie realised. He loved him. He was in love with him. From his smile and the hair that constantly fell into his face to his strong arms and broad shoulders to the generous and loving heart that lay beneath his gigantic comfy jumpers. Charlie loved all of it.
Nick carried him to the stairs before putting him down. "There we go."
He reached a hand out to Nick, leading him up the stairs. To his own bedroom, granted, but part of Charlie was still pretending this was their shared grown-up house.
They fell onto the bed together, snuggling in close, lying there in each other's arms. It felt so good, Nick's familiar heartbeat beneath his ear, Nick's much-loved scent all around him, the feeling of being completely safe and cared for. Charlie lay there contentedly for a long time, listening to Nick's breathing slow and even out, dreaming hazy daydreams.