O ME, O LIFE! (THE ORIGINAL DEAD POETS SOCIETY MEMBERS STORY)

Chapter 25

Mr. Ronald has been their teacher for the last three years, and each year before checking their schedule the boys prayed they got him as their English teacher, to their luck they always did get him each semester.

'I have been a teacher for quite long time now' he began 'and I know this sentence starts when the teachers are about to completely bash the class but no I am not here to say any ill about you boys. If I am correct this is the last year for you?'

'Yes, Mr. Ronald.'

He nodded 'good, now I know you all are excited to finish this year and be happy that there will be no more of my long lame classes.'

'No' they all said together earning laughter from him.

'Alright, but you all are happy to spend this year here, I have been honored to be your teacher all these years, I meet and known some of the greatest students here in my class, for this is the last year in Welton, I want you all to start in a good note and for that I have an idea of giving each one of you a paper, write something you want to read on your last day of school, your dreams, you goals and whatever you wish for. I promise you all, that I will not touch any of the papers nor read them, on last day of school I will hand each one of you the papers back to read and look back at the first day of last year in Welton. Agreed?'

'Yes, Captain' Dylan said causing the others to laugh.

'It is good to have you back Dylan.' He just smiled back at his teacher. Each of the students received a blank paper and eagerly wrote down what they had in mind, Mr. Ronald let his students take their time writing for the rest of the class.

Dylan felt needle like sting pain every other minute when he wrote down or even held the pen in his hand, that didn't mean he wasn't able to write what he was writing, he hissed quietly but not low enough for Noah to notice, sitting beside him, Noah turned his head towards Dylan and asked if he's okay to which Dylan nodded adding a joke of "got sting by the future plans". It is how Dylan was, joking his way out of concern whenever he could, he ran.

The bell rang and all the students gave their papers back to Mr. Ronald, folded this time, he kept them in a small box in his office with him.

Last year of Welton surprisingly wasn't much work to be done, they had less classes four to three and a lot of free time to kill, they often gathered in the library, each one of them doing their own work but enjoying the company of each other.

Stanley had been fully focused on a book he found about world worst illness, he had his extra notebook beside him on the table as he read the book taking notes and writing down important information.

'Hey Tool do you have yesterday's history notes? I need to do this work and I can't find mine.' Henry asked him from across the table to which he nodded looking in his bag 'I think I left them in my notebook, the one I gave to Dylan. Dylan do you still have my book with you?'

'Oh yeah but it's; in my bag, in my room.' Dylan replied, Stanley got up 'I'll go get it then.'

Leaving his work Stanley went to Dylan's room to get the book, he looked through the bag and pulled hi book out but a paper fell out of Dylan's bag, he picked it up, a sign on hospital was on top of the paper. He wasn't trying to be noise and look at it but he flipped it open say it belonged to Dylan, it was his results, being curious Stanley read the paper, he had to read the paper over and over but the three lines were still there. The name of illness he read about in a book that he found in a library, Dylan was sick, severally sick and he didn't tell anyone? Stanley folded the paper putting it in his jackets pocket. And tried to take a deep breath and went back to the library with the book in his hand.

He handed the book to Henry and sat there looking over at Dylan and Noah quality laughing about something, now he could clearly see it, Dylan looked sick, why haven't he noticed before?

John noticed Stanley looking at his friend so he nudged him 'tool? You okay?'

He nodded and went back to reading his book; which means he just sat there staring at the book can't stop thinking about the hospital results he saw in Dylan's bag.

The first soccer match of year had all the students gathered around; Stanley sat beside his friends, every now and then glancing at Dylan. Few minutes later he saw Dylan got up and excuse himself to the bathroom, he followed Dylan. He just wants to ask him about the papers and why he haven't old them yet?

Stanley stormed into the bathroom slamming the door making Dylan jump 'Gezz Tool, you scared the hell out of me-'

'What's this Dylan?' he pulled the result papers putting them on the sink 'why does it say that you have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis? Is this a prank you are trying to pull? Because if this is a joke then I want to tell you that this is not funny.' Stanley pushed his glasses with his trembling hands, feeling hot tears form in his eyes, Dylan said nothing and picked the papers from the sink.

'Dylan' Stanley managed to say without crying 'tell me this is a joke please just tell me you were going to pull a dumb prank on us to make us worry a-and th-then you would say oh no I was just jokin-' he didn't say the rest of his sentence as he started to sob removing his glasses, Dylan went to hug him but Stanley pulled away 'you can't do this to me, to us! You can't lie to us make us dream about the stupid dumb future if you are not in it, this is not fair! I don't want to have a future if you are not part of it, d-do you h-hear me?'

Dylan hugged his friend 'I am sorry' he cried 'I didn't want you to find out this way, I didn't want any of you to find out?'

Stanley pulled away from the hug with blurry eyes 'why? You were going to leave us like we don't matter?'

He shook his head 'because I didn't want to die in front of my friends, I rather be living my last days with you guys then to have you look at me like I am dead already, I don't want to lose a life I don't have. This is all I have now, my dreams are your to make true, go in the world and make your dream a reality, I don't want you guys to see me as a dying person when you last see me.'

Aiden didn't enter the bathroom, he heard it all but he didn't enter, leaving the corridors he heard the students outside cheering and screaming, he went back and took his seat beside his brother; unaware about what is going on with Dylan, something inside Aiden wanted to scream and cry or at least tell his brother that his friend was dying.

For the first time he felt like a stranger in his friend group, and it broke his heart.