CHAPTER FIFTEEN!
( HENLEY HALL. )

   NEIL HAD TOLD you earlier that he got the lead role of Puck in the play at Henley Hall. Today he was heading out for rehearsal, as the play was tomorrow night. You along with everyone else were extremely happy for him. Neil was too lively to go to medical school. Neil, like the rest of you, had parents who were always putting too much on him, only for him it was worse. Mr. Perry was insufferably unsympathetic towards the wishes of his son, and you didn't know why. You could all blatantly see that it was hurting Neil, but Neil wouldn't ever say a word about it. He'd only brush it off and continue on.

"What's for dinner?" Violet asked you as you filed into the dining hall.

"Spaghetti and meatballs!" you grinned.

"My favourite," she smiled, taking a seat at the long table. After you were served, you noticed Neil walk into the dining hall with a sad expression on his face. Every so often Neil would have the very same expression, tight-lipped and glossy-eyed. You stood up to walk over to him but Violet grabbed your arm.

"Not a good idea. Let's talk to him later," she warned. You nodded and sat back down. You watched as Neil took a seat and was quickly greeted by his group of friends. You smiled softly, he was lucky to have so many people who cared. Sometimes it's just not enough.

As soon as dinner ended, you and Violet caught up to the boys. You decided not to say anything about his father, in case it was too sensitive.

"How did rehearsal go?" you asked.

"It was great. The rehearsal was great," Neil smiled cynically. "It's what happened after. My father told me to quit the play."

You sucked in a breath and immediately felt anger rise in your chest. You clenched your fists and breathed deeply. You didn't know what to say. None of you had an easy ride at home, but Neil had it worst of all.

"You should talk to Keating," you said. He was the best mentor any of you had ever had, surely he would know what to do.

Neil looked at you and wrapped an arm around your shoulder in a half-hug. "I think I will," he stated decidedly.

❦

The school bell rang loudly and you grabbed your books.

"Get out of here, Cameron, you fool," Charlie laughed. You looked over at him and shook your head, laughing. As you did you caught sight of Knox, who had just gone to give Chris some flowers and read her a poem. Which was your idea, only you didn't know he planned to do it at her school. You only hoped he did it privately.

"Charlie, look!" you said, turning Charlie's shoulders to face Knox. Charlie grinned and grabbed Knox's jacket.

"Hey, how'd it go? Did you read it to her?" he asked excitedly.

"Yeah," Knox nodded casually.

The group of boys quickly began laughing and patting Knox on the shoulder. You chuckled as Charlie shushed them.

"What'd she say?" Pitts queried.

"Nothing."

"Nothing. What do you mean, nothing?" Charlie shouted.

"Nothing," Knox grinned. "But I did it." Knox walked down the hallway and you all chased after him.

"Seriously? She didn't say anything?" you prodded.

"Yeah, I know she had to say something!" Charlie said.

"Seize the day!" Knox shouted, running down the congested hallway. You giggled and followed him to your next class.

❦

That night was the big night. Neil's father let him be in the play, which surprised all of you. you sat in your dorm room with Violet as you carefully did your hair.

"Ready?" she asked excitedly.

"Almost, just give me one minute," you said. "Alright, let's go."

You met the rest of the boys and hurried down the stairs. As you walked Cameron suddenly stopped and stared at something. You turned and looked too. There was a girl, a really pretty girl. You smiled and waved awkwardly, to which Charlie laughed and slung an arm over your shoulder. You smiled up at him and shook your head, embarrassed that the girl didn't wave back.

"Chris," you heard Knox breath.

"Woah, wait a minute," you muttered.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's go," Keating urged as Knox left the group to talk to Chris.

"Go ahead, guys. I'll catch up," Knox called.

"Yeah, come on, guys," Charlie said, hustling everyone out. Once you were out of the building and into the cool night air Charlie laced his fingers into yours. You snuggled into him slightly as you walked, enjoying the magical atmosphere of the winter night.

"Todd told me something about you getting red? What does that mean?" you chuckled, looking up at him.

Charlie smirked and looked around before unbuttoning a few of his shirt buttons to reveal a large red lightning bolt painted down his chest. You laughed as he smiled proudly.

"It's an Indian warrior symbol for virility. It makes me feel potent," he said.

"Well, it is pretty hot," you laughed, shaking your head. "You're crazy."

"Yeah, but you love it."

"Yeah, I do," you agreed, taking his hand back into yours. You then reached Keating's car and you all piled in.

"Will you be joining us, Mr. Overstreet?" Keating called from his car.

"Go ahead Captain, I'll walk," he replied.

❦

The audience was completely packed. The stage was set up to resemble a magical forest and lights danced about it. You were sitting beside Charlie, both of your eyes trained on the stage. The stage was painted to look like a beautiful palace, lush with greenery. From behind a bush, Neil emerged, wearing a crown of twigs and berries. He was Puck!

"Hey, there he is!" Charlie cheered, standing up in his seat. You grinned and he smiled excitedly at you, pointing towards the stage.

"Hey, hey." Cameron shoved him back into his seat.

Keating shushed all of you and you turned back to the performance.

On stage, Puck hid behind a tree as a girl emerged, similarly clad, but with beautiful flowers in her hair. Puck tip-toed over to the girl.

"Either I mistake your shape and making quite, Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite Call'd Robin Goodfellow." the girl said.

"Thou speak'st aright; I am that merry wanderer of the night. I jest to Oberon and make him smile, when I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile," Puck whinnied like a horse and laughter rippled through the audience. "Neighing in likeness of a filly foal: And sometime lurk I in a gossip's bowl, In very likeness of a roasted crab, And when she drinks, against her lips I bob, And on her wither'd dewlap pour the ale. The wisest aunt, telling the saddest tale,"

Charlie leaned over to you and whispered in your ear, "He's good. He's really good." You smiled and nodded, sending him a thumbs up. Charlie set his arm over the back of your chair and you leaned into him slightly. He smiled and placed his other warm hand on yours.

"Sometime for three-foot stool mistaketh me; Then slip I from her bum, down topples she. And "tailor" cries, and falls into a cough, and then the whole quire hold their hips and laugh, And waxen in their mirth and neeze and swear, a merrier hour was never wasted there. But, room, Fairy! here comes Oberon," Puck continued.

"And here my mistress. Would that he were gone!" the fairy exclaimed. The characters scurried to hide behind the trees, lifting their twig covered hands to camouflage.

❦

The stage was dark. Suddenly a spotlight flicked on to reveal Neil with his back to the audience. He slowly turned around to face the crowd.

"If we shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended," he began, looking down at you and the rest of his friend with a small smile. "That you have but slumber'd here, while these visions did appear. And this weak and idle theme, no more yielding but a dream. Gentles, do not reprehend: if you pardon, we will mend: And, as I am an honest Puck, If we have unearned luck, now to 'scape the serpent's tongue, we will make amends ere long; Else the Puck a liar call; so, good night unto you all." He stretched out his hands to the audience, "Give me your hands, if we be friends, And Robin shall restore amends."

Neil backed away into the trees once more, hiding his face behind his hands as velvet curtains closed. You began to applaud enthusiastically, grinning widely. After a moment, the curtains opened once again. Charlie was the first to rise to his feet, followed shortly by you and the rest of the boys, and then by the rest of the audience. The actors bowed and then pushed Neil forward to take a second bow.

"Yawp!" the Dead Poets Society members shouted in honor of Neil's incredible performance.

"Yeah, Neil!"

The deep blue curtains closed again as the cheers of the crowd echoed through the hall.

People immediately began filing out of the theatre forming a crowd in the entrance. You all stepped out, gushing over the play.

"There he is!" Charlie exclaimed, pushing to get to Neil who was being pulled through the crowd by a man with cold eyes and a tight lipped scowl. It was his father. The boys all tried to talk to Neil and stop him.

"Neil, Neil, you were great," Charlie beamed.

"I can't, guys," Neil mumbled sadly. You stopped for a moment to look at Neil's face. He was on the verge of tears, looking longingly at the rest of you, but still avoiding any eye contact.

"Neil! Neil!" Todd called after him. Neil's father only continued dragging him out.

Outside of the crowd, Keating managed to catch up to Neil. He took hold of Neil's coat.

"Neil. Neil. You have the gift. What a performance," Keating praised. "You left even me speechless. You have to stay with-"

"Get in the car," Mr. Perry ordered Neil, cutting off Mr. Keating. "Keating, you stay away from my son," Mr. Perry warned angrily

"Neil!" Charlie shouted. "Neil! Mr. Perry, come on!"

"Don't make it any worse than it is," Keating said, grabbing Charlie's arm gently. You all watched as the car rolled away into the darkness. Dread filled your heart. Whatever was about to happen to Neil was bound to be awful. You tried to brush it off for now and just celebrate the performance, but an awful feeling was gnawing at your gut.

"Is it okay if we walk back?" Charlie asked Keating. You turned to see Keating's response, and the look on his face only confirmed your worries. "Captain?" Charlie asked when Keating didn't move. Keating turned and nodded slowly, not uttering a word. You stared at Keating for a moment and he met your eye, he seemed to notice that the look in your eye mirrored his own. You stepped forward and hugged Keating, but it didn't feel like a breach of boundaries. You had never hugged a teacher before, but you'd also never gone to a play with one either. Keating hugged back. After a moment you pulled away.

"Y/N!" Charlie called after you. "You coming?"

"Go on," Keating nodded. You quickly caught up to them, leaving Keating to stare after the car.

Charlie hung back to walk with you as everyone talked to Knox excitedly about Chris. You wished you could talk to Chris or even just Knox, but you didn't feel right.

"You alright?" Charlie asked, looking at you worriedly.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine but I- What do you think is gonna happen to Neil?"

"I don't know. I feel a little weird too, but he'll be alright. He always is," Charlie said, taking your hand in his. You sighed and nodded. Charlie's comfort was enough to subdue your worries for now.

❪ ⋆࿐໋ 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒑𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒎. ❫

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

I'm sad... The next part makes me cry... I don't really wanna write it but it has to happen. Anyway, thank you guys so so much for all the comments and reads. I never expected this to surpass 1k reads, so thank you. I'm literally the worst at updating, sorry this took so long, so this chapter is a little longer. I'm gonna post the next chapter in a couple days, even tho it makes me sad.

- s.