Heartstopper: Volume Two

During the first week back at school after their romantic moment together, Nick and Charlie become more open in their relationship while still trying to keep it hidden. This proves to be complicated, as friends almost instantly start to notice that something is different between them. Nick and Charlie constantly exchange looks and flirt with one another through subtle touches, and Nick pays more attention to Charlie than anyone else during rugby. Charlie gets hurt during a practice, and Nick helps him get off the field and ice his leg. Nick protects Charlie physically, while Charlie protects Nick emotionally. Nick’s boldness increases with each passing day, and he eventually kisses Charlie in the locker room, risking the possibility of being caught.

Nick is slowly opening up to the idea about being with Charlie publicly, but he continues sending mixed signals. This is particularly evident when Nick rolls away from Charlie at the park when they are about to kiss and a couple of people walk by. The people are strangers and don’t matter in Nick and Charlie’s world, but Nick still struggles with his internal anti-gay bias and feels like he is somehow doing something wrong. He is in the middle of trying to analyze and label his sexuality, while Charlie just wants to be in the moment. Charlie continues to play the forgiving and understanding role, which he never complains about, but which Nick eventually grows tired of asking from Charlie.

The Effects of Peer Influence on Self-Esteem most affect Nick in Volume Two. Charlie has already been through and overcome the burden of bullying, while Nick still fears being seen as different or somehow less than because of his sexuality. Nick is stereotyped by almost everyone around him except Charlie; both Nick’s friends and Charlie’s friend Tao see him as a big, tough rugby player who could only be straight. Nick has lived by this social image for so long that he fears what might happen if he disrupts it. Even Charlie’s friend Tao thinks that Nick is straight and goes to the point of telling Charlie that he shouldn’t trust Nick’s intentions. This is largely because Nick is still friends with “exactly the sort of people who bullied [Charlie] last year” (127). Charlie confronts Tao about his shortsightedness regarding Nick, which makes Tao reconsider his perspective. Nick harbors guilt for not being there to help Charlie last year, even though he didn’t know him; the protective feelings that Nick has for Charlie grow stronger each day. Along with this, Nick’s feelings of guilt for making Charlie lie and keeping their romance a secret start to weigh on him. This weight is soon to inspire significant change in Nick and the way he sees himself and the world.

Alice Oseman’s highly emotive, simple, and flowing illustrations add depth to Charlie and Nick’s characters as well as to their love story. Much of their relationship is unspoken, in part because they are keeping it a secret, and in part because The Sparks of a First Love aren’t always communicated aloud. Charlie and Nick don’t always need to speak to express their emotions, like when Nick unexpectedly gives Charlie a hug after hearing Charlie defend him to Tao. Another such moment is when Nick gifts Charlie the photograph of their snow day for Charlie’s birthday. Not only is it a symbol of Nick’s affection for Charlie and how much he loved that day, but it is told almost entirely through panels without dialogue. Charlie’s facial expressions, which indicate joy and bashfulness, and the photograph itself effectively communicate the circumstances. The lack of speaking emphasizes their connection, which allows them to understand each other innately, but it also shows Nick’s struggle to articulate his feelings to others. Oseman will occasionally add a hovering emoji or punctuation mark to clarify what either Charlie or Nick is thinking, which is also a nod to the texting lifestyle of teens.