where all the poets went to die [dead poets society]

18 - paint him red

The night of Neil's performance, the boys were grooming themselves in front of the mirrors of the bathroom. They didn't get many chances to preen and primp themselves for a special occasion, so tonight, they were really taking advantage of it.

"Beautiful baby," Pitts said, puckering his lips at himself in the mirror. He was dressed in a smart shirt and dark blazer, his hair brushed and slicked back with pomade.

"Beautiful baby," Meeks repeated, taking off his glasses to polish the frame. "Henley Hall, here I come."

"Excuse me, just a moment," Cameron said, pushing to the front of the mirror. "Yes. You're so cute. Yes, you are." He ran a comb through his hair just as Knox tried - successfully - to mess it up again.

Knox grinned, laughing to himself when Cameron grumbled. "Come on, Knox. I'm trying to fix this."

"Oops."

Cameron rolled his eyes, turning back to the mirror to smooth down a fly-away hair with his fine-toothed comb.

"Come on, Nuwanda," Knox called, knocking on the side of the locked bathroom stall. "You're gonna miss Neil's big entrance." He turned back to the others, still preoccupied with themselves in the mirror. "What's he even doing in there, huh?"

"He said something about getting red before we left," Pitts said.

"Getting red? What does that even mean?" Cameron asked, eyebrows drawn.

"I, uh- Well, you know Charlie," Pitts said with a shrug.

The others chuckled just as the stall door burst open and Charlie's hand emerged, holding a small brush and bottle of red paint. He slinked out, looking sly, and devilish and the boys looked at one another, their eyes twinkling with mischief and amusement.

"So, Charlie," Cameron nodded at him. "What's this 'getting red' bit, huh?"

Charlie smirked, opening his unbuttoned shirt to show off a large red lightning bolt painted down his chest.

"W-What is that?" Todd sputtered from where he had been brushing his hair back in the corner mirror and sink.

"It's an Indian warrior symbol for virility," Charlie said, puffing his chest out. "Makes me feel potent, like it can drive girls crazy."

"Girls, eh?" Knox shot him a fiery look, ready to give him a beating if Charlie even thought of doing something stupid and hurting Maria's feelings. "Should I mention this to Maria?"

Meeks snickered from where he stood facing the mirror and combing his hair back. "I heard her threaten to gouge your eyes out if you so much as looked at another girl," he said pointedly. "Wonder what she'll do if you drive other girls crazy too, Dalton."

Pitts cackled. "Seems our girl's got some fire to her," he mused. "Should be amusing what she'll do to you. I'm down for a show."

Charlie buttoned up his shirt, his ears growing pink. "The symbol is meant to drive girls crazy, but..." he started sheepishly. "I'm only hoping to drive my one and only girl crazy."

"The threat of gouged eyes has made Charlie Dalton whipped, gentlemen," Meeks cackled loudly.

"Whipped," Todd snickered back as Charlie flushed red.

"What - are you trying to get some with Maria tonight?" Pitts asked, wiggling his brows at him.

"Shut it," Charlie said firmly, shooting him a glare. "Maria's not a fast. She's a good girl and I'm not pushing her until she's ready for that."

"What if she's the type to wait until marriage?" Knox quipped quickly, eyeing his best friend closely.

"Then," Charlie hesitated momentarily, feeling his heart fluttering in his chest. "Then I marry her."