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"I don’t want to meet up anymore."
"???"
"Sorry"
"Why???"
"I don’t understand."
This quote takes place in the beginning of “Meet,” when Charlie sends Ben a text message to break up with him. Since Charlie came out as gay in Year 9, he and Ben have been in a quasi-relationship. When he feels like making out, Ben texts Charlie a time and place, and like an obedient lap dog, Charlie shows up. By the middle of Year 10, Charlie finds the relationship less than fulfilling and he continues perfunctorily, more out of habit than desire. The final straw comes when Charlie catches Ben holding hands with a girl from a nearby school, publicly declaring his connection with her. This is the kind of relationship that Charlie wants, and he’s tired of settling for less. But Charlie is uncomfortable with confrontation, and he lacks self-confidence. So, he sends Ben a perfunctory text message and refuses to explain himself, leaving himself vulnerable to Ben’s further advances.
“Charlie Spring!!"
[Miss Singh. P.E. Teacher. Ex Semi-Pro Rugby Player.]"So you’re the chosen one."
This quote takes place in “Meet,” after Nick invites Charlie to join the rugby team. Miss Singh greets Charlie with enthusiasm, calling him “the chosen one” because Nick has recommended Charlie for the rugby team. For the boys, this may hold double meaning, foreshadowing the ways that, for Nick, Charlie is his chosen person, the one he will eventually fall for. This serves as one of many heart-stopping moments in the graphic novel, when the characters realize that a life-changing event is on the horizon but remain powerless to respond. To the barrage of questions that follow, Charlie is barely able to stammer single-word responses. The situation is but one example of the many times Nick and Charlie are confronted with a reality that is too big or too overwhelming to process.
“You can talk to me about it if you want.
Sounds like a pretty serious situation
But you don’t have to If you don’t want to
But I am your friend and I do care.”
These text messages take place late in “Meet,” after Nick intervenes when Ben attempts to sexually assault Charlie. Alone in his bedroom, Nick is worried about Charlie and reaches out to him, hoping that he will open up about his relationship with Ben. This illustrates both that Nick is unable to stop thinking about Charlie and that he is genuinely concerned for Charlie’s well-being. In this, Nick stands in stark contrast to Ben, who not only behaves violently towards Charlie, but also has spent most of their romantic relationship ignoring Charlie’s needs, berating him, and treating him with profound disrespect. Here, Nick agonizes over the right thing to say to Charlie in this delicate situation and strives to show Charlie that he’s safe and that he wants to be there for him. Nick is, first and foremost, on Charlie’s side, something Charlie badly needs after a year of intense bullying. Nick’s concern illustrates that he experiences a range of deeply felt emotions toward Charlie and has his best interest at heart.
