CHAPTER SEVENTEEN!
( HENLEY HALL. )

   NEIL HAD TOLD Joan 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. Joan along with everyone else was extremely happy for him. Neil was too lively to go to medical school. Neil, like the rest of them, 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 Joan didn't know why. They 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 Joan as they filed into the dining hall.

"Spaghetti and meatballs!" Jo grinned.

"My favourite," Violet smiled, taking a seat at the long table. After everyone was served, Joan 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. Jo stood up to walk over to him but Violet grabbed her arm.

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

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

"How did rehearsal go?" Joan asked.

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

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

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

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

❦

"Get out of here, Cameron, you fool," Charlie laughed as he grabbed his books. Joan looked over at him and shook her head, laughing. As she did, she caught sight of Knox, who had just gone to give Chris some flowers and read her a poem. Which was Joan's idea, only she didn't know he planned to do it in public.

"Charlie, look!" she 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.

"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 the rest chased after him.

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

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

"Seize the day!" Knox shouted, running down the congested hallway.

❦

That night was the big night. Neil's father let him be in the play, which surprised everyone. Joan sat in her dorm room with Violet as she carefully did her hair.

"Ready?" Violet asked excitedly.

"Almost, just give me one minute," Jo said, applying the finishing touch of red lipstick. "Alright, let's go." They hurried down the stairs and met the rest of the boys before they began walking outside.

"You look... wow," Charlie said once he saw Jo, his cheeks heating up, "You look gorgeous." He kissed her forehead lightly, not wanting to mess up her lipstick.

"Well you look very handsome yourself, Dalton," she grinned. Charlie smiled and stared at her eyes for a moment before Todd tapped his shoulder to indicate they were ready to go. Charlie turned around and steered Joan to the middle of the hallway where they began to walk.

"Where'd you get that necklace?" he asked, tapping the gold pendant on her chest.

"It belonged to my grandma, she gave it to me a couple years ago," she remembered, still smiling.

"Pretty," Charlie commented, grabbing her hand. As they walked, Cameron suddenly stopped and stared at something. Jo turned and looked too. There was a girl, a really pretty girl. Jo smiled and waved awkwardly, to which Charlie laughed and slung an arm over her shoulder. Jo smiled up at him and shook her head, embarrassed that the girl didn't wave back.

"Chris," Joan heard Knox breath.

"Woah, wait a minute," Jo 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 everyone was out of the building and into the cool night air Charlie laced his fingers into Joan's. She snuggled into him slightly as they walked, enjoying the magical atmosphere of the winter night. They then reached Keating's car and everyone piled in.

"Will you be joining us, Mr. Overstreet?" Keating called from his seat in the car after rolling down the window.

"Go ahead Captain, I'll walk," Knox called before turning back to continue his conversation with Chris.

A soft tune played on the radio and Joan was already warming up from the toasty movement of air coming out of the heater. Joan looked out her window as they drove past Knox, laughing lightly at the lovesick smile on his face.

"You look great, Jo," Todd smiled, turning around to face the rest of them from his seat in the front.

"You don't look so bad yourself, Anderson," she replied, patting his shoulder.

"What about me?" Charlie asked, holding up his arms in mock offence.

"He put in extra effort just for you," Meeks winked.

"Oh yeah?" Joan laughed, "You look very handsome, Charlie. I thought I told you that already."

"Yeah, you did, I just wanted you to say it again," he said, leaning back into the leather seat. Joan exchanged a glance with Todd, who just laughed and leaned on the box in-between his and Keating's seat.

"Todd told me something about you getting red? What does that mean?" Joan asked, pressing Charlie's knee.

"You ratted me out, Todd?" Charlie exclaimed, shaking his head. Todd held up his hands, pleading innocence. After a moment, Charlie smirked and looked at Mr. Keating before unbuttoning a few of his shirt buttons to reveal a large red lightning bolt painted down his chest. Joan laughed as he smiled proudly.

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

"You're crazy," she laughed, shaking her head.

"Yeah, but you love it."

"Yeah, I do," she agreed, taking his hand back into hers. After a few more moments, the car pulled up to the theatre. The car doors opened and the teenagers pushed out excitedly. Once they stepped inside, they saw that the audience was completely packed. The stage was set up to resemble a magical forest and lights danced about it. Joan was sitting beside Charlie, both of their eyes trained on the stage. The set 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. Jo grinned and he smiled excitedly at her, pointing towards the stage.

"Hey, hey." Cameron shoved him back into his seat. Keating shushed everyone and Jo 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 Jo and whispered in her ear, "He's good. He's really good." Jo smiled and nodded, sending him a thumbs up. Charlie set his arm over the back of her chair and she leaned back slightly. 

"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 the group 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. The group 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 the rest of the friend group, 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.

"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. Joan stopped for a moment to look at Neil's face. He was on the verge of tears, looking longingly at the rest of them, 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. The group watched as the car rolled away into the darkness. Dread filled Joan's heart. Whatever was about to happen to Neil was bound to be awful. She tried to brush it off for now and just celebrate the performance, but an awful feeling was gnawing at her gut.

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

"Joey!" Charlie called after you. "You coming?"

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

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

"You alright?" Charlie asked, looking at her 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 her hand in his. Jo sighed and nodded. Charlie's comfort was enough to subdue her worries for now.

AUTHOR'S NOTE.
❪ ⋆࿐໋  𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒑𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒎. ❫

The next chapter is very sad and
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!