Neil and Todd looked through the forest as they tried to retrace their steps to find the cave, Neil had found an old annual with Keating's year on it and after a few minutes of interrogation he managed to find the location of where the dead poets meetings were held. It didn't take much thinking, he only wondered what the forest looked like at night and why his brain had told him to bring along Todd.
Todd jumped every now and then when he heard the leaves and branches crumbling underneath a wild animal's foot. By the time they both got to the cave he was tightly gripping Neil's wrist, Neil looked down with a smug smile on his face. "Scared, Anderson?"
Todd gulped before shaking his head, Neil hummed sarcastically. "Have you ever been this far into the forest before?"
"Once," Todd spoke truthfully, remembering his little adventure with Sigrid on their first days at Welton, "But it was too dark for me and I kept on tripping because Sigrid was running too fast."
Neil's smile slowly fell from his face as he tried to play off his discontent, he released himself from Todd's grasp and got in the cave. Todd watched, "I think it's quite awesome that I've made it this far when it's still light out. I'm sure it's a new sight for both of us, I'm happy I could share it with you."
Neil signaled him to go inside the cave, "What, did you think you'd run back to the dorm at the first sight of a deer?"
"Maybe," Todd listened, he looked around and noticed how humid the cave was. "But this seems a little scarier."
"Even with me?"
Neil hadn't realized the words that had spilled from his mouth. Todd looked at him for a couple seconds in shock before giving a nod of affirmation, "I think you make it a little better."
The car stopped at last, Charlie was embarrassed to say the least to be terrified of someone's driving, Sigrid was nonchalant of his dismay and took the keys out of the ignition. She handed over the keys before taking off her seatbelt, "What should we do now that I'm feeling spontaneous?"
"Have sex," Charlie put the keys in his pocket as he looked at her with a serious expression, Sigrid's nostrils flared before she hit him lightly on his shoulder.
"You're gross!"
She opened the door and got out of the car, Charlie did the same and quickly came up behind her as she tried to walk away, she pouted as she looked over her shoulder. He hugged her waist loosely, "I was kidding, Sig. Whatever we do, or don't do," he snickered a little, "Is totally on your terms. I don't mind the waiting."
"I'm waiting for you to be a gentlemen," she squinted as she removed his arms from around her body and held his hand so he could walk next to her, he looked like a puppy following her. "Besides you have your first kiss a couple hours ago, I doubt you'd be worth the five minutes."
"Seven and a half, take it or leave it. Please? With my confidence I could forget I'm a sad little virgin."
"If you keep on talking you'll be a dead and sad little virgin," she grimaced, "Go back to calling me wobbly-legged, and average, even uncreative. Dalton, you're being way too sweet affectionate right now and part of me can't believe you."
He furrowed his eyebrows, "You literally told me that I was too mean for you to pick up that I liked you. Is it possible you were lying?" He feigned his shock.
"Well of course, how else was I supposed to flirt back if I couldn't call your forehead huge or making fun of the fact that your mom still calls you ducky?"
"I had an emotional attachment with that toy, don't bully me for loving Fitzgerald."
"Look, I just need to bully you for that," her lips went in a straight line before she laughed at how unamused Charlie looked. "Aw what if I just start calling you Fitzzie? It's revenge for bambi."
"I hate that idea."
Charlie looked at the sign they were in front of and sighed, "Want to go inside? I'm sure my mom's friends are going to call her if they see us outside talking like we're not supposed to be in school."
Sigrid looked at the sign and face a look of uncertainty, "A dress shop? What would I need a dress for? If we're gonna ditch we might as well go find a park and steal the swing sets so we could watch some kids cry, not look for dresses that I'm probably never going to wear."
"It'd be nice to have...options," Charlie looked at the dress in the front windows, "I don't think my mom would appreciate you going to the dinner in the same green dress she dropped you off in."
"Dinner?"
"The dinner..?" Charlie trailed, "The one that we're having with my parents over the weekend because you still haven't turned in the sketch you promised you'd commission for my mother and I need my monthly visit early so I could get my allowance? I blew it on all the paper I used for the poem. Yeah...I need more money so I need to kiss up to my dad. Unless you want to spare me a twenty?"
"You wish. Do I really need to get a dress?"
"Would you rather give my mother a heart attack by going to the dinner in pants?"
Sigrid tsked before walking inside the store, "Fine but no Orange, floral prints, or anything that slightly resembles an animal."
One dress turned into three, and three dresses turned into matching shoes and eventually driving to Maisie's house for a haircut. Charlie sat in the passengers side with a smile as he enjoyed his cotton candy and moved the bags for his feet to fit.
"Where are we going again? It's almost four and I want to shower."
Sigrid turned to the left and looked for the sage green house with the white curtains, she looked over at him for a second. "Maisie's. She's been my friend since grade school, since we're going out on this little adventure I figured you'd want to do something fun. She has a pool."
"Really?" His eyes lit up. "Wait...but I don't have extra clothes, do you?"
"No," she pursed her lips before parking. She had difficulty doing so, Charlie made sure to bully her and even got out of the care to help him. He exaggerated signaling forward and nearly gave her a heart attack when he told her to stop with a worried look on his face. She got out of the car and threw him the keys again. He held his hand out as she got up to the pavement.
"She's friends with Pittsie, I'm sure you guys will get along well."
He was a little hesitant to go inside. "Just so you know, I don't know how to swim."
"There's a first time for everything."
She walked up to the porch and he jogged up behind her. Maisie opened the door and locked directly at him, he felt worried that she was judging him. Sigrid looked up at him and pulled on his sleeve, "Act normal."
"I'm shitting my pants," he whispered at the same time Maisie brought out her hand for me to shake.
"Nice to meet you ducky."
Todd and Neil came out of the forest with disheveled hair and missing buttons from their dress shirts, Neil walked a little faster than usual and Todd smiled to himself. Neil was trying to ignore what had just happened, even though he had been wishing it would since their first conversation. He was thinking of his father right after he had button his shirt and it had ruined his whole experience.
"Why are you going so fast? We're going to end up in the same room again anyway," Todd muttered loud enough for his boyfriend to hear.
Neil turned around for a second but almost tripped on his laces, he looked straight forward again and slowed down, Todd caught up and grabbed onto his elbow. "Sorry, I always do that," you just have no idea what's going on in my head right now.
I want to forget it.
Todd bit on the inside of his cheek before looking down at his hand, "You don't need to apologize," I already know. "I had a gift for you in the dorm, I was hoping we had enough time before the meeting to open it and I'll teach you how it works."
"A gift?"
"Yeah," Todd smiled before opening the door for him. Neil turned to Todd and they stopped in front of the door, "Its a little dumb, I admit," he laughed as he looked away. "But I made it myself for our anniversary."
Neil shushed him as a couple of guys walked passed them, he waved at him and they did the same out of politeness.
Todd frowned at Neil before starting to walk to the dorm, defeated that he needed to be quiet about his joyfulness and Neil was so paranoid he felt the walls would out him to his father.
"It's only been one day," Neil whispered. Todd opened the door, "I know."
"One day anniversary present, Anderson?" Neil smirked as he noticed the object in his room being covered by a blanket. "If you're going to be like this you'll go broke by next week."
Todd signaled his boyfriend to take the blanket off from the object. Neil did as told, his hand rubbing in anticipation, Todd went to his side and kissed his cheek. "Do you like it?"
Neil looked at the toy car in shock. "You made me this?" He didn't meant to sound rude but he couldn't pinpoint why his boyfriend had made him a toy car.
"Yes and no," Todd kneeled down to open the little box on top of the car and took out the controls, "I got the instructions from Gerard, it's electric?" He gave the controls to kneel. "I know you love cars," his eyes peered over to the miniature ford's by the nightstand. "So I took this one and made it bigger," he took the car out of the same box and showed it up to Neil who quickly took it and kneeled down as well.
His eyes were glowing as he looked between the miniature car and the slightly bigger one. "And you made it electric," he whispered. Todd nodded turning off the switch.
"I was so nervous I didn't try it out for myself so if it doesn't work I just embarrassed myself."
Neil laughed through his nose, he flipped the switch on and the car made a grumbling nose. Todd got up, bringing Neil with him. Neil looked at the commands and moved the car forward, the car moved around the floor with a light squeak because the tires weren't on tight enough. Neil let out a breath of enjoyment before grabbing Todd by his collar and pressing his lips up to his.
Todd spluttered in shock before his eyebrows furrowed and he cupped Neil's face. Neil smiled for a moment before an unwanted face appeared in his head again. He separated quickly and kissed his cheek. "I love it!"
How much do I charge for an ounce of weed? Peter asked himself as he walked into the library. He looked around before walking to the back, he noticed The Tell-Tale Heart on the floor and picked it up, feeling his heartbeat in his ass that he had finally gotten caught.
He opened the shallow book and noticed the keys were no longer inside, his breath hitched as he tried to remember telling anyone about his little secret. He took his inhaler out of his pocket and took two pumps, he looked toward the window and noticed it was open.
He cursed under his breath and looked for his bag which was open. "Really? Out of all the days, today's the day someone catches me," he hissed as he kneeled down to search through his things. His bags were still intact, he sighed in relief before taking three out and sniffling. "Gerard, Richard, and Nolan by the blue tree so no one knows it's him, that's not too hard to remember."
He looked down at his empty hands, "Wait where'd the bags go?"
He patted himself down and then sighed, "Left pocket. Left pocket. Your keys are on the right."
He sniffled again and stood up, kicking the backpack into the small space between the wall and bookshelf. "Gerard is the tall one with the army haircut. Richards the ginger with anger issues and Nolan....fuck."
He walked out of the library and speed-walked to Gerard's room. He knocked on the door and Gerard fumbled a little bit before opening the door. "Sergeant."
"Peanut Butter."
Peanut Butter. Peter Benjamin. P.B. I like that he makes me remember things.
Peter laughed, "Peanut Butter and Gerri," he walked into the room.
Gerard. Gerri. Jelly. P.B & J? I seriously need to get out more and stop making dad jokes.
Peter didn't bother to make small talk, he took the bags out and sat down on the bed. "I'd charge you but I'm going to be honest, I like you enough to put this on the house. You have my back right?"
"Sure," Gerard opened his cabinet to take a small box out. He took out the small paper from the box, he licked his lips. "How many rounds do you have tonight?"
"Just two. It's been slow."
"Since your sister came to Welton?"
Oh so she took my keys.
"I guess you could say that."
Gerard hummed as he rolled, "You want one?"
Peter nodded, looking at the joint like it was a piece of steak. "Have you talked to her?"
Peter shook his head. He switched sides to sit next to Gerard, avoiding eye contact before shyly looking up.
"Have you seen her around? She went to the nurse today and we haven't seen her since."
Peter shook his head, a tsk leaving his lips soon after.
"Shouldn't you check up on her?"
Peter ignored the last question, feeling a slight sentiment that Sigrid hadn't bothered to talk to him. Out of all the things he wished to forget, he couldn't forget his own sister neglecting him. Neglect was a strong word, Peter hated strong words but it was the only one that felt accurate to him.
Gerard watched in curiosity as he watched Peter bring the joint up to his lighter, "Carpe fucking Diem am I right?"