CHAPTER TWENTY!
( RECONVENE. )

   THE BELL SOUNDED and it was time to go home from school. The amount of homework was significantly less than Welton, which you were happy about. However, you had to go home now, which you weren't as happy about.

You stepped outside with Charlie, sighing deeply. The wind whipped at your cheeks and the snow crunched beneath your feet.

"My dad's picking me up, we better not be seen," you frowned.

"Okay, good luck at home," he offered.

"You too," you laughed. As you turned towards him he pecked your cheek. You giggled and looked back around to search the parking lot for your father's crimson car. Instead of your father, you saw a brown bicycle with a boy wearing a uniform you'd seen many times before.

"Knox!" you shouted, waving frantically. "Charlie! It's Knox!" Charlie turned on his heel with a grin and started to chase Knox down the road. You laughed and followed before Knox halted and got off his bike.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Charlie asked.

"Alright, so here's the plan. On Friday we're all gonna go to the cave and hold a meeting in Neil's honour. Ten o'clock. Can you do it?" he asked breathlessly.

"Hell yeah, we can!" Charlie exclaimed.

"Well... I dunno, my father isn't an easy person to fool," you shrugged sadly.

"Well he hasn't met me yet," Charlie smirked. You grinned and looked back at Knox.

"I'll find a way."

"Perfect, see you guys there. I really really wish I could stay but you know how Welton is on a Monday," he groaned.

"Yeah, we-"

"Y/N!" A loud honk of a horn followed. You snapped your head back to the parking lot to see your father's face in his car window.

"Damnit," you muttered. "See you guys."

"Hey, I'll miss you Y/N," Charlie patted your shoulder.

"Me too!" Knox added, opening his arms for a hug.

"Y/N! Come on!" your father shouted again.

"I'm really sorry, see you Friday, Knox. See you tomorrow Charlie."

❦

You peered through the crack between the wall and your door. Your father clicked off his reading light and trudged up the steps to his room. You had the same feelings of anticipation that you did the very first night you snuck off into the woods for the very first Dead Poets Society meeting.

You waited a moment before carefully closing your door. You tip-toed down the stairs and made your way carefully to the back door, which was the furthest door from your parents' room.

You slipped out into the winter night. You scurried down the back alley to the next street and waited patiently for a boy in a car, hoping everything went to plan.

"Hey there, strange wanderer!" A voice came from your left. "Hop in."

You smiled and swung the door open to sit in the passenger seat. You noticed a saxophone stored in the back seat and grinned to yourself.

"I'm surprised you actually managed to take the car," you laughed.

"Oh baby, you still underestimate my power." Charlie then began to drive at a terrifying speed down the road, laughing all the while.

You couldn't help but laugh with him. "Slow down you lunatic, you're gonna get us killed."

"Okay, okay fine. I just can't wait." You drove until you finally saw the misty figure of Welton. Good memories and bad flooded your mind. You parked a little ways away in a secluded area as not to be spotted.

"Let's go!" He reached behind him and grabbed the saxophone before opening his door and running through the snow, childlike excitement in his voice. You opened your door and locked the car.

"Hold on, Y/N. Grab the wine!" Charlie called, throwing you the keys.

"The wine?"

"Yes, the wine. Hurry up!"

You turned the key and opened the door. Low and behold, in a black bag was a high-end bottle of wine that you were sure he stole from his father and a few glasses wrapped in paper. You took it, then locked the doors again. You ran up to Charlie and tried to match his speed as pillowy snow filled your shoes. You didn't even care about the twigs that were getting caught in your hair and sleeves as you tore through the forest. A familiar light was coming from the cave.

"Wanna scare them?" Charlie asked.

"Go ahead," you laughed.

You stood behind as Charlie ran and jumped into the cave, yelling like a madman.

You were sure you heard a scream, and you were sure it was Meeks. You followed right after Charlie. Everyone was sitting around a small fire in the middle of the cave, staring at you and Charlie with their beautiful smiles. Once you saw everyone's faces you immediately felt like crying. It had been only days, but it felt like years. You saw the god of the cave that Neil had brought, standing in the corner. Todd stood up and stepped towards you with a smile, his eyes were a mix of emotions, but predominantly sad.

"Todd." You ran to him and engulfed him in a tight hug. "How have you been?"

"I've been... I don't know," he replied sadly.

"I get it," you hugged him a little tighter before letting go.

"Hey, Y/N, I think you owe me a hug," Knox grinned, pulling you in.

"I think so too," you hugged back.

You smiled at Chris who was at Knox's side and hugged her too. "Nice to see you again, Y/N."

You turned around to see Violet, she was the one to run up to you and hug you. "It's so lonely without you as my roommate," she said.

"I'm sorry, I miss you too."

"It's okay, if anything I respect you even more now," she smiled.

"You better write to me, and call too once my grounding period is up."

"I promise I will," she nodded. You gave your hugs to everyone else. You were a little sad to see that Cameron wasn't there, which perplexed you because the way you saw it, he really didn't deserve any redemption for what he did.

"Did anyone say anything to Cameron?" you asked, taking a seat between Charlie and Todd. Charlie hadn't wasted any time in opening the bottle of wine, he was already drinking out of one glass and held another out to you. You shook your head and he just shrugged, taking a sip out of that one too.

"I did, but he didn't want to come, I think he's too ashamed. He hasn't really spoken to any of us at all since it happened," Violet explained.

"I mean, I'm pissed at him, but he was a part of this too," you said. Everyone, even Charlie, begrudgingly agreed with you.

"He's still a lowlife coward though," Charlie said, taking another sip of wine.

"Yeah," you laughed.

Just then Keating poked his head into the cave.

"Keating!" A chorus of cheers.

Charlie quickly hid the wine and glasses behind a ledge. You walked up to Keating after everyone had given their hugs.

"Good to see you again, Y/N," he said, hugging you.

"Good to see you too, Captain," you smiled.

You sat back down and Keating stood thoughtfully at the mouth of the cave for a moment before speaking again. "'I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.'"

Silence. The words cut so much deeper now. Todd put his head in his hands and let out a small sob. You tried to comfort him but Charlie stopped you.

"Let him be," he whispered. You nodded and put your head on Charlie's shoulder while he rubbed your back.

Keating spoke again:

"dive for dreams
or a slogan may topple you
(trees are their root
sand wind is wind)
trust your heart
if the seas catch fire
(and live by love
though the stars walk backward)
honour the past
but welcome the future
(and dance your death
away at this wedding)
never mind a world
with its villains or heroes
(for god likes girls
and tomorrow and the earth)"

Keating paused then looked around. "That was Mr. E. E. Cummings." No one spoke. "Now, who else would like to read?"

"I have something," Todd said. "I finished writing this for Neil, but he never got to read it." A tear ran down Todd's cheek that he quickly wiped away.

He stepped forward and took some crumpled papers from his pocket, passing slips of paper to each of the others.

"Everybody read this between verses," he said, holding up the slips of paper.

Todd opened his poem and read:

"We are dreaming of tomorrow, and tomorrow isn't coming;
we are dreaming of a glory that we
don't really want.
We are dreaming of a new day when the new day's here already.
We are running from the battle when it's one that must be
fought."

Todd nodded. Everyone read, "And still we sleep." Todd continued:

"We are listening for the calling but
never really heeding,
Hoping for the future when the future's only plans.
Dreaming of the wisdom that we are
dodging daily,
Praying for a saviour when salvation's in our hands.

"And still we sleep.
"And still we sleep.
And still we pray.
And still we fear ..."

He paused sadly, "'And still we sleep.'" He folded up the poem. Tear stained face and quivering lip, he stared at the fire. Everyone in the cave applauded.

"That was great!" Meeks cheered. Todd almost smiled, modestly taking in all the praise. Keating smiled with great pride at his student's enormous progress. He plucked a spherical icicle hanging from the roof of the cave and peered into it.

"I hold in my hand a crystal ball. In it I see great things for Todd Anderson," he intoned. Todd faced Mr. Keating, then suddenly, powerfully, they hugged. "It's gonna be okay, Todd," you heard Keating whisper.

❪ ⋆࿐໋ 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒑𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒎. ❫

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

Hi guys, home stretch here. Almost done. I love you if u made it this far because seriously only like 20% stuck with me, you are amazing if u did and i'll be manifesting good vibes for u lol.
- s.