the theater was packed with people, the members of the dead poets society taking up an entire row.
the stage was set up with painted trees and lights shining from various places.
from behind a bush, neil emerged. the boy was dressed in dark green clothing, a crown of twigs and berries resting on his head, and twigs on his hands.
from the audience, charlie and scarlett shot up from their seats, excited to see neil.
"hey, there he is!" charlie whispered with a grin.
"look at our amazing boy!" scarlett joked as she placed her hands on charlie's shoulder and shook him.
rory chuckled as she pulled charlie back into his seat, todd doing the same to scarlett.
on stage, neil quickly hides behind a tree with a grin. a girl comes on stage, similarly clad to neil, except she had flowers in her hair. neil sneaked 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, who played a fairy, said.
"'thou speak'st aright.'" neil said. "'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,'" horse noises echo throughout the auditorium, making the audience laugh.
"'neighing in likeness of a filly foal: and sometimes 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,'"
in the audience, charlie leaned over towards john.
"he's good." charlie whispered. "he's really good."
with a smile, john gives charlie a thumbs up.
as scarlett looked up at neil, she couldn't help but stare in awe. he was exceptional. pure happiness radiated off of the teen boy as he acted his heart out, scarlett could tell. the sight made her heart melt. the young keating had never seen neil so happy. it was a refreshing sight. she silently wished for the sight to be permanent.
"'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."
"and here my mistress. would that he were gone!"
neil and the other actress hide behind the fake trees, lifting their twig-covered hands to hide themselves.
✰
the stage was dark until a spotlight shined upon the stage revealing neil with his back to the audience. he slowly turned around to face the audience.
towards the back of the theater stood the devil himself.
neil's father.
after a moment, neil began to recite his lines,
"'if we shadows have offended,'"
neil directed his eyes at his father, who stood still at the back of the theater. out of the corner of his eye, he could see the blonde girl he had grew to love beaming up at him.
"'think but this, and all is mended, 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. give me your hands, if we be friends, and robin shall restore amends.'"
neil backed away as the curtains closed. enthusiastic applause roared from the audience. hoots and hollers erupted from the dead poets. todd and scarlett grinned as the two hugged, both proud of their closest friend.
behind the curtain, numerous people congratulate neil as they line up for curtain call. the curtains open as charlie and the rest of the members rose from their seats, followed quickly by the rest of the audience. the actors bow as the crowd applauded. neil grinned as he backed up, trying to blend in with the rest of his playmates. they push him forward and he takes a second bow.
"yawp!" the boys and girls cheer.
neil looks down at his friends, a huge grin painted on his face.
with proud tears clouding her vision, scarlett mouthed an "i love you" to the boy she was in love with.
neil mouths the same three words to the girl who had supported him throughout all of this.
the curtains closed again and neil turns around, letting out an excited sigh. various actors continue to congratulate him as he lets out a yell, walking offstage.
in the audience, while others begin to leave, mr. perry approaches a women.
"excuse me, i'm neil's father. i need to see him."
the woman nods as she makes her way backstage.
"neil, your father. he's--"
neil nods in agreement, cutting her off.
✰
neil emerged from behind the curtains, carrying his crown made of twigs in his hands. the once crowded theater was now nearly empty, except for mr. perry, who was still standing in his original spot at the back of the theater.
neil sends his father a weak smile, which soon disappears.
the two walk out of the theater, mr. perry pushing his way through with neil close behind.
"excuse me." the older man would mutter.
the boys and girls notice neil and bombard him with praise.
"neil, you were great." charlie complimented.
"i can't, guys." neil muttered as he made his way through the group, before being stopped by scarlett as his father continued making his way to the car.
"you were the best damn puck the world has ever seen, perry." scarlett grinned as she pulled neil in for a hug. "i love you, don't you dare forget that." scarlett placed her hands on both of neil's cheeks as she placed a firm kiss on his lips. the kiss was full of love and passion, leaving the two teenagers feeling as if their skin was on fire.
reluctantly, they pull away as scarlett sends neil a toothless grin.
"i love you too, scar. so much." neil said as he walked away from the girl.
as he walked away, john jogged to catch up with him. john took a hold of neil's coat, stopping him from walking.
"neil. neil. you have the gift." john praised. "what a performance. you left even me speechless. you have to stay with-"
mr. perry returned from the car and shoves neil away from john.
"get in the car." mr. perry demanded. "keating, you stay away from my son."
"neil! neil!" charlie shouted. "mr. perry, come on."
"don't make it any worse than it is." john advised, but parker ignored him.
"mr. perry, with all due respect, please get your head out of your ass!" parker hissed. "it wouldn't kill you to be a nice guy for once!"
mr. perry glared at the girl as he and neil got into their car and drove away.
parker ran a hand threw her hair as she let out a heavy sigh.
"why is he the way that he is?" she questioned.
"he's a jerk." knox replied. "jerks have no regards for other people's feelings or dreams.
parker looked at scarlett, who had her arms wrapped around her as she looked at the ground.
parker frowned as she made her way towards her best friend.
"i am sure everything is going to be okay, scar." parker put an arm around her friend. "it's neil. he's a fighter."
"i sure hope you are right, parker."
✰
author's note:
that moment when even i, the author, doesn't know where this about to go.
possibilities really are endless.