33 pages • 1 hour read
Alice OsemanHeartstopper: Volume Two
Fiction | Graphic Novel/Book | YA | Published in 2019A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapter 3, Pages 151-294Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 3: “Kiss”
Chapter 3, Pages 151-173 Summary
Two weeks later, Nick runs into Charlie in the auditorium. Charlie is helping the orchestra by playing drums, and Nick is struggling with his math homework. Charlie helps Nick solve an equation, and Nick jokes about him being too smart. Charlie walks away to start playing, and Nick sees an old friend, Tara, who came out to him a while ago. Tara asks how things are going with Charlie, already sensing a relationship, and Nick admits that they’re going out. Tara is the first person he tells, and he agrees it’s a relief to let it out. Tara introduces her girlfriend to Nick, and they suggest going on a double date someday.
Chapter 3, Pages 174-195 Summary
Nick comes over to Charlie’s house and tells him that he came out to Tara. Charlie is beyond thrilled to hear it and gives Nick a hug. He’s relieved to know that Nick finally told someone. Nick and Charlie kiss for a long time, then Tori walks in, which embarrasses Nick. Charlie assures him she won’t tell anyone, and Nick invites Charlie to hang out with his friends on the weekend. Charlie is worried Nick’s friends don’t like him, but Nick assures him it’ll be okay. When Nick leaves, Charlie’s sister warns him against hanging out with Nick’s friends, but Charlie doesn’t pay attention.
Chapter 3, Pages 196-236 Summary
Charlie’s dad drops him off at the movie theater to hang out with Nick and his friends and looks at his son with deep concern. He tells Charlie to let him know if the boys bother him at all. Charlie finds Nick, and they have a moment to flirt and say hello before meeting up with Nick’s friends. Nick discovers that Harry is with the rest of the gang, and Harry is known for being a bully. He apologizes to Charlie, but Charlie states that he can handle whatever Harry throws his way. Nick’s friends look at Charlie awkwardly, unsure how to approach him, and Harry smiles with an implicative expression. Charlie looks downtrodden but won’t admit it to Nick, and during the movie, he accidentally grabs Nick’s hand. Nick withdraws at first, but seeing how upset Charlie is, he takes his hand again.
After the movie, Harry starts mocking Charlie, openly asking him about his sexual habits. Nick pushes Harry out of the way and takes Charlie out of the theater, where he apologizes for Harry’s behavior again. Nick is tired of having to apologize and watch Charlie compromise for him, but he doesn’t know how to overcome his feelings of shame. After Charlie leaves, Nick approaches his friends and asks why they don’t like Charlie. They give some vague responses about not knowing him and Charlie being gay, but Harry starts pushing Nick and calls Charlie a “pathetic little [homophobic slur]” (230-231). Nick punches Harry, and Harry punches him back. On the drive home with his mom, Nick is lectured about using fighting to solve problems, but Nick’s mom can also tell that Charlie is special to him.
Chapter 3, Pages 237-278 Summary
Charlie lies in bed thinking of Nick, and they text back and forth about the night. Nick says he doesn’t want to hang out with those other guys anymore, and Charlie welcomes him into his friend group. Nick wants to tell Charlie about punching Harry but decides it’s better to tell him in person. Nick offers to take Charlie on a surprise date, and Charlie happily agrees. Charlie falls asleep holding his phone with one last romantic message from Nick on the screen.
The next day, Charlie and Nick meet up. As they wait for a train, Nick tells Charlie about punching Harry. Charlie jokes that Harry deserved it anyway and hugs Nick as a thanks for defending him. Nick surprises Charlie by taking him to the beach, and the boys play in the water, get fish and chips, and take some romantic photos together in the photobooth. Afterwards, they lie on the sand and listen to love songs.
Charlie asks Nick if he’s ready to come out, and Nick agrees that he wants to tell the people he cares about that he’s bisexual. He feels confident that this word accurately describes his sexuality. He also wants Charlie to have the freedom to tell people he’s close with. Charlie looks at Nick and starts to cry tears of joy, admitting that he never thought he’d find such a wonderful relationship. They agree to be boyfriends and dance around the shore announcing their relationship to the world.
Chapter 3, Pages 279-294 Summary
When Nick gets home, he decides to tell his mother that he’s bisexual. She’s understanding and accepting, as well as glad that he told her something so personal. Nick cries, hugs his mom, and explains that he’s had feelings for Charlie for months, even before they started dating. Nick asks his mom if she’s surprised, and she admits that she already had her suspicions. Relying on motherly instincts, Nick’s mom assumes what he’s thinking and tells him that Charlie can’t come with them on their summer trip. Nick whines and pleads with his mother, and the story ends on this cliffhanger.
Chapter 3, Pages 151-294 Analysis
In the story’s rising action, Nick comes out to his friend Tara, which proves a monumental step in his personal journey. Nick sees Tara as someone he can trust because she came out to him as lesbian some months before, and he knows that she will both keep his secret and react with understanding and compassion. Tara doesn’t make the news a big deal, instead already having suspected that Nick and Charlie were somehow involved with one another. When Nick tells Charlie about coming out to Tara, the moment is filled with celebration and praise for Nick’s bravery and efforts to change himself for the better. Charlie yells, “OH MY GOD!! THAT’S AMAZING!!” (180) and hugs Nick, instantly affirming him. The illustration shows Nick and Charlie wrapped together, both with wide grins on their faces and an atmosphere of hope and relief. Charlie feels proud of Nick for coming out to someone and thrilled with the prospect of being an official, out couple at school. He knows that Nick did this not just for himself, but for Charlie, and for everyone who is in fear of coming out. The decision represents an upswing in Nick’s self-esteem and in his willingness to be true to himself no matter how others respond.
Nick and Charlie are not quite in the clear, as Nick still must confront his friends, who have been his biggest obstacle from the beginning. Because Nick has grown up assuming he is straight and hanging out with only one group of people, he fears the unknowns of what might follow if he lets them go. With Charlie by his side, along with the assurance that Charlie’s friends are willing to welcome him as part of their group, Nick finally feels safe enough to stand up for himself. Nick watches all night as Charlie is bullied and left out at the movies, and he only makes a mild effort to stop Harry from saying things like, “What’s it like being GAY?” (216). When Charlie leaves, however, Nick finally breaks, figuratively and literally. Oseman symbolizes this by having the panels look like shattered glass. This represents the story’s climax and the end of Nick’s tolerance for prejudice. He communicates through punching Harry that he is fed up with being stereotyped, seeing Charlie bullied, and feeling like he can’t be himself around the people who claim to be his friends. Through his efforts to Overcome Internal Anti-Gay Bias, Nick becomes a fighter against the external anti-gay bias that fills his world. While Nick’s mother doesn’t approve of him punching Harry, she also perceives that Nick would only do something so drastic for someone he really cares about. Charlie, therefore, inspires Nick to speak up, to act, and to prioritize love over his desire to fit in.
Charlie and Nick’s romantic day at the beach is important because it represents the calm after the storm that they endured for the sake of their relationship. While they had to keep their relationship hidden before because Nick was unsure about coming out, he is now ready to embark on that challenge with Charlie’s support. The day is filled with whimsy and carries a lighthearted tone, and the boys simply enjoy each other’s company. While Charlie and Nick are growing up, there is also still a certain innocence and childlike wonder that exists both within and between them. They decide to be boyfriends, signifying the relationship as official, and shout it out to the world. When Nick comes out to his mother in the story’s conclusion, it is an emotional moment that represents a difficult and potentially painful conversation that many people in the LGBTQ+ community will experience. Nick cries and wears his hood up, showing that he is still unsure and defensive about this newly discovered aspect of his personality. Luckily, Nick’s mother is understanding and glad to be trusted with this information, and Nick now knows he has someone else’s support. While Nick’s own journey of self-discovery and acceptance is far from over, he has overcome one of the greatest hurdles in this process and can look ahead with newfound confidence and fortitude.
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By Alice Oseman
