Apart

Episode Information

Airdate

October 3, 2024

Written by

Alice Oseman

Directed by

Andy Newbery

Run Time

36 min

Episode Guide
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"Together"

Apart is the eighth episode of the third season of Netflix's Heartstopper, and the twenty-fourth episode of the series overall. It also serves as a season finale.^[1]

Synopsis[]

Nick and the girls go on a road trip to look at unis, as he tries to decide whether to stay near Charlie or move away. Sahar's band plays at a fete.

Plot[]

With their clothes on the floor, Nick and Charlie lay in bed, as Nick mentions how this was not what he expected would happen today. Charlie jokes that he can’t believe they waited so long. A self-concious Charlie then asks Nick if he minded that he kept his shirt on during sex. To which Nick replies that he loved every moment that just took place. Nick mentions how there are loads of things they can do, as Charlie reminds him that they will need to practice a lot to get better at it. Charlie then asks Nick if he did some research on the topic of gay sex to prepare for their first time. Nick tries to half-heartedly deny it, until he admits that he has.

Undeterred, Charlie wants to see Nick’s search history, and despite Nick’s protests, opens his laptop. Once it's on, he sees that Nick has been looking at universities recently. He then tells Charlie that he and the girls will be going on a short road trip to visit some of those universities. Charlie mentions how some of them are really distant. To which Nick replies that his top choices are local. The two boys then kiss, as Charlie promises to help Nick study. However, before they can resume their previous activities, the front door to Nick’s house opens. After Nick informs Charlie that it is probably his mom getting home, Charlie quickly gets up from the bed and rushes to look at all his discarded clothes. Nick can’t help but laugh at the situation, even as Charlie tells his boyfriend it is not a funny situation. Eventually, the two manage to get dressed, and Nick drives Charlie home.

Inside, Jane apologizes for snapping at Charlie, and lets him know that as his mother, she can’t help but worry about him. But she knows how overbearing she can be and confesses that her own mother behaved much like Jane did with Charlie. Jane further tells Charlie how her mother was quite controlling, and not very nice to her at times, and even though she swore she wouldn’t become like her, somewhere along the way she has transformed into her a bit. Charlie counters that Jane is nothing like his grandma. Jane admits she can be quick to anger, which is unfair to him. Charlie for his part confides in his mom that he just wants to live his life like a normal teenager. In the end, Jane and Charlie reach a compromise. She agrees to let Charlie sleepover at Nick’s, but only after GCSEs are over.

The next day at school, Charlie can’t help but smile as he arrives at study hall and sits with Tao and Isaac. Both boys quickly deduce that Charlie finally had sex with Nick.

Nick and Charlie can’t keep their hands off each other, and even almost get caught once more by Sarah.

Later, Charlie and Nick say goodbye to one another, as Nick gets ready to head out with the girls for their visit to the University of Kent. As begins to drive out, Nick watches Charlie wave goodbye to him.

At the University of Kent, despite it being his top choice for how close to his home it is, Nick is not all that taken by it. When Tara asks him what he liked about it, all Nick can say is that it is close to home, and that way he would be near Charlie and his mother wouldn’t be on her own. Imogen points out that he and Charlie may still end up apart if he goes somewhere else the following year. Elle mentions how she wants to study somewhere that has a big queer scene.

Later, at the University of Oxford, Nick and Imogen end up sharing a room for the night. Imogen jokes how it is weird that at one point, she used to have a crush on him. The conversation takes a serious turn when Imogen admits that she doesn’t think ever really liked Nick romantically. That in reality, it had more to do with feeling the pressure to have a boyfriend, because as a cool girl, she was expected to have one. She then confesses to Nick how even though she liked getting attention from guys because it made her feel important, it had more to do with feeling like she was doing life right. She further realizes how she doesn’t think she liked Ben either or her Year 10 boyfriend. Imogen then confesses how now that she really thinks about it, she doesn’t think she is truly like a boy in a romantic way.

The next day, Nick and the girls sit by the river as they discuss what they thought of Oxford. Tara realizes she is sick of academia, and didn’t really like any of the universities they have seen thus far. Imogen and Elle suggest that Tara can always take a gap year to re-assess. When asked about it, Nick admits he doesn’t know what he would do with a gap year. In the end he really does want the university experience. He wants to meet new people, play uni sports, and join societies too. Afterwards, Nick is roped into going to the store and buying condoms and lube for him to use with Charlie.

Meanwhile, Charlie practices his drums with Sahar as Tao films the moment, and Isaac watches. When the band takes a break, Charlie admits to Tao and Isaac that the video Tao made helped him out a lot. He would watch it over and over, especially whenever he felt down. Isaac wonders why Charlie is acting sappy; to which Charlie responds that he just wants his friends to know how important they are to him, because while he was away, he realized he doesn’t say it enough to them.

At the University of Leeds, Nick tells the tour guide that he is between sports science and psychology for what he wants to study during his university years. While the girls aren’t necessarily vibing with this university, Nick, in contrast, is falling in love with it.

During his routine check-in with Geoff, Charlie admits to being more upbeat in these last couple of months. Thanks to all the progress he has made with Geoff, he asks the older man if they could make their sessions once every other week now. Charlie then goes on to say how through these therapy sessions, he has realized that even though he loves Nick, he also needs other people too. Such as his sister, his parents when they are not being annoying, and of course his friends and his therapist. It has further dawned on him that this doesn’t mean his relationship with Nick isn’t strong, in fact, he would argue it is stronger than ever now.

At night, Nick goes over his orientation packet and then checks on his phone what the distance between Truham and Leeds is. Dejectedly, he realizes it is quite far, at approximately 4 hours and 27 minutes.

On the car ride home, Tara brings up Nick really liking Leeds more than Kent. Nick admits that even if that is true, he doesn’t want to move too far away because it will hurt Charlie. From the backseat, Elle gives him some tough love. She tells him how Nick is too much of a people pleaser, and thus is always putting everyone else’s feelings above his own. A long distance relationship may be hard, but it is not impossible. Elle argues that Nick must put himself first. Imogen then mentions that regardless of what Nick chooses, Charlie will support him because he just wants himt o be happy. Nick confesses that he is also afraid of being away from him because he doesn’t know who he is without Charlie. Tara responds from the passenger seat, that perhaps it is time he finds out.

At home, Charlie is shirtless as he decides between two shirts; his typical long sleeve one that makes him more comfortable to hide his scars, or a short sleeve red and pink shirt. After some deliberation, Charlie ends up choosing the short-sleeved shirt, which is quite the progress for him. Tori smiles happily as he sees this choice when she knocks on his door so they can get going.

Later, at the Truham summer festival, Charlie runs into Darcy, Tao, Isaac and Sahar, and when they are all sitting down, Tao mentions that he hopes the others hurry up so that they don’t miss Charlie and Sahar’s performance. While Charlie texts the others in the group chat to see how far away they are, Tao admits that he is okay with Elle going to a different university. He mentions how he does not need to be with her every single second of every day. Which the group cheers to. Michael, who needs to talk to Charlie then interrupts them. He admits that Tori is avoiding him after he broached the subject of being boyfriend and girlfriend. This surprises Charlie, who assumed they already were. So now he wishes he hadn’t said anything, as it has made things awkward between them. Which wasn’t what he ultimately wanted.

Charlie goes in search of his sister, and eventually finds her. He tells her that Michael is looking for her, and in the distance she sees Michael waving at her. She panics and has her and Charlie get on the ferris wheel to avoid Michael. Charlie tells Tori that Michael really likes her, and wonders how she feels about him. Tori states that she doesn’t ever feel anything. But Charlie counters by saying that is not true and she feels a lot. But it is just trapped inside her, and he knows how that feels better than anybody. Tori jokes that she doesn’t want Charlie to use what he has learned from Geoff on her. Charlie goes on to tell Tori that she has so much love to give, and that it is okay if she does not give all of it to him.

When they get off the ferris wheel, Tori goes to Michael, and the two go back to their usual dynamic as Charlie watches on. He then receives a message from Tara telling them that she and the others will be late due to a traffic jam. Eventually, the others get out of the traffic jam, and Elle and Imogen pressure Nick to go faster so that they don’t arrive too late and miss Charlie and Sahar’s performance. Nick and the others get there a bit late, so they run to the concert stage. Charlie finally notices Nick in the crowd, who takes a picture of his boyfriend on the drums. Nick then notices Charlie is wearing a short-sleeved shirt, and he tells him how good he looks. After the performance, Jane and Julio say goodbye to their son, but Jane can’t help but look back. However, her husband tells her Charlie is alright. She nods, and says she knows he will and they leave the festival. As Julio mentions that for once they will have an empty house.

Later that night, as the festival begins to wind down, Tori and Michael say their goodbyes. Isaac wonders if they are dating. To which Charlie says he is still not really sure. Afterwards, Ivy Olsson arrives to pick up Darcy and Tara. Eventually, Nick drives them back to his place and two two passionately make out as they take their clothes off. Not before Charlie tells Nick to take his shirt off too. Once Charlie is also shirtless, Nick smiles and kisses him on the forehead. He tells Charlie he loves him, and how he thinks Charlie is so fucking hot. When all is said and done, the two fall asleep in each other's arms.