PAS DE DEUX | Dead Poets Society

04.

Madeline shuffled a few pages for about a minute before finally deciding on a poem that she was confident in correctly translating, "Alright, uh... You saw a maiden on a a cliff... Above the sea, all dressed in white as - as, raging in the stormy mist, the wave and shore were locked in fight... As bolts of lighting flashes and poured. A crimson glow about her shape; as round as her head the... the... oh the tempest roared and winds assailed her streaming cape. I splendid sea and storm and mist! I gleaming heavens flashing free! And yet that maiden on the cliff outshines that sky and storm and sea..."

Anais nodded contemptibly as Madeline removed her eyes from the book, looking up at the girls before averting her eyes far past them, "Is that... is that a boy?"

The two connected eyes for a second before a wave of fear washed over the boy's long face, he grasped the handlebars of his bicycle before ultimately taking off and out of sight.

At the mentioning of a boy, Anais whipped her head around in a worry, "A boy?" she questioned, laughing nervously while Nancy was too careless to see, "That's impossible."

Madeline shook her head, confident that the khaki pant, red checked shirt wearing person was indeed a boy, "What other girl do you know wears pants Anais?"

Anais squinted ahead and around, not seeing anyone or anything, "Whatever..." Madeline brushed off, "Let's go inside, it's getting windy."

Anais nodded slowly, still leaning on her other arm as she stared off in the distance behind her, contemplating who was the Henley Hall visitor.

*

Todd yawned deeply, holding the phone up to his ear lazily, "I'm starting to unlike English..."

On the other end, Madeline frowned, "No... why?" she asked confused, remembering how many times before he would talk about the class and his teacher in good spirits.

Todd shook his head, "I have to write a poem of my own..."

Madeline shrugged, "That's not too bad-?"

"And read it aloud on Monday," Todd finished.

Madeline sighed, realizing where Todd's problem lies, "I mean... do you have something at least?"

Todd nodded, "Yeah - yeah but... I don't know, it's stupid."

Madeline groaned from the other end huffing, "Todd no, stop, just... just read it to me first and I'll be honest. I promise."

Todd sighed, taking a second to smoothen out the already crumpled piece of paper in his pocket, "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," he read, "And still we sleep. 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 savoir when salvation's in our hands... And still we sleep. And still we sleep... And still we pray. And still we fear... And still we sleep."

Madeline stood in the hallway with furrowed eyebrows at the floor, not because she was confused by her best friend's poem but instead that she was confused where a poet has been inside him all along, "Todd..." she breathed out.

Todd gritted his teeth embarrassed, "It was bad wasn't it?"

"No... oh my god...," she breathed, "You have to read it! You need to read this in front of the class."

Todd shook his head, "Madeline you know I can't do that..."

"It'll..." she started, "Just imagine like you're reading it just to me... or just by yourself," she enlightened but Todd was too stubborn.

"I can't," He reminded, "I'm not like you, Madeline. I don't perform in front of others under a huge spotlight."

Madeline shook her head, "Todd, reading a poem that you especially made isn't performing. It's - it's art. It's just life in itself. You have a gift or at least a story to tell, why keep it to yourself?"

Todd sucked in a breath, "It's more complicated than that..."

Madeline chewed the inside of her cheek, "I know..." she spoke, "I'm sorry."

*

Anais sucked in a breath, gasping for air as her back was pressed against a small shed on the outskirts of Henley Hall. She craned her neck breathing out her words, "Practicing with your other girlfriends since school began huh?"

The brunette boy mumbled against her neck before hovering right above her face, "I don't have any other girlfriends," he replied smirking, "Just one apparently," he teased, trailing his fingers across her collarbones to remove her hair from her face.

Anais scoffed, "Oh c'mon Charlie we're not together," she spoke, unable to look away from his close eyes.

He raised his eyebrows, "Of course, of course... Summer fling right?" she nodded, crossing her arms as he raised to rest his hand at the wall behind her, "It's not Summer anymore, darling," Charlie noted.

The annoyed brunette girl shook her head, "Maybe I just wanted a pack," she held up the pack of cigarettes in her hand.

"And a kiss from me apparently," Charlie snickered, "You want me, just admit it."

Anais looked back up at him through her eyelashes, she didn't answer instead only moving to kiss around his collar. Another lazy yet satisfied smirk fell upon his face as he whispered slowly, "To indeed be a God..."

Cherri's Note:
Charlie and Anais?!!! Omggggg
Also Knox's song this chapter: I Will Follow You by Ricky Nelson (lol)
Enjoy the rest of the book 📖