Finally a happy end/ Dead Poets Society (FINISHED)

Chapter 5

A couple of minutes into our lunch, Neil joins all of us sitting at the table, and sits down on my right. He pulls out a yearbook, 'Hey, I found his senior annual in the library.' He hands the annual over to Cameron who laughs at the younger picture of Keating.

'Listen to this, captain of the soccer team, editor of the school annual, Cambridge bound, Thigh man, and the Dead Poets Society.' with that he takes a bite of his food. I try not to giggle at the scene happening in front of me.

'Man most likely to do anything', Cameron reads from the annual.

'Thigh man. Mr. K was a hell-raiser', Charlie confirms.

'What's the Dead Poets Society?' Knox asks.

'I don't know. Do you know Evangeline?' Neils asks, turning to me.

'Sworn to secrecy', I smile innocently at him.

That made Neils head snap back to me. His eyes had this spark in them, and I couldn't quite identify it.

'Is there a picture in the annual?' Meeks asks breaking the silence and gaining Neils attention back after a moment.

'Nothing', Neil says finally, 'No other mention of it.'

'That boy there, see me after lunch', we hear Mr Nolan call out suddenly. Cameron quickly puts the annual away and we all return to their meal, but not before I notice Neil stealing another glance at me.

During the meal, Neil and the other boys try to get any information out of me about my dad but I just smile. But finally after lunch: 'fine if you won't tell us, we'll ask him ourselves...And you're coming with us.' with that he takes hold of my hand and pulls me along with him as he leads the group outside. Keating is walking down towards the lake, whistling the same tune as before. The boys emerge from the building and chase after him.

'Mr. Keating? Mr. Keating? Sir?', Neil called after my father as we move to catch up with him, then he glances at me and calls out: 'Oh Captain, My Captain?'

This causes my dad to immediately turn around, 'Gentlemen... ow and Daughter.' The boys laugh, and I smiled.

'We were just looking in your old annual', Neil says, handing him the the annual and my father looks at his old photograph. 'Oh my God', my dad gasps, 'No, that's not me. Stanley "The Tool" Wilson.' he mumbles to himself as he crouches down and continues looking through the book, 'God.'

Neil lets go of my hand and crouches down next to Keating, I put my hand on his shoulder, slightly leaning on him.

'What was the Dead Poets Society?' Neil asks carefully.

'I doubt the present administration would look too favorably upon that', my dad answers smiling.

'Why?' Neil asks, 'What was it?'

'Did you tell them anything, dear?' Dad asks me, and I shake my head no, 'Gentlemen, can you keep a secret?'

'Sure', Neil says, at the same time the other boys crouch down around my father, I follow suite.

'The Dead Poets were dedicated to sucking the marrow out of life. That's a phrase from Thoreau that we'd invoke at the beginning of each meeting. You see we'd gather at the old Indian cave and take turns reading from Thoreau, Whitman, Shelley; the biggies. Even some of our own verse. And in the enchantment of the moment we'd let poetry work its magic..'

'You mean it was a bunch of guys sitting around reading poetry?'

'No Mr. Overstreet, it wasn't just "guys", we weren't a Greek organization, we were romantics. We didn't just read poetry, we let it drip from our tongues like honey. Spirits soared, women swooned, and gods were created, gentlemen, not a bad way to spend an evening eh? Thank you Mr. Perry for this trip down amnesia lane. Burn that, especially my picture.' My dad hands Neil back the annual and starts to walk away. We all get back up, though Neil remains crouched, he seems in a slight daze, 'Dead Poets Society', I hear him whisper.

'What?' Cameron questions.

The school bells begin ringing and everyone heads back towards the school. Neil stands up, 'I say we go tonight', he says confidently.

'Tonight?' Charlie questions.

'Wait a minute', Cameron panics.

'Where's this cave he's talking about?' Pitts asks.

'It's beyond the stream. I know where it is', Neil states.

'That's miles', Pitts objects as we all start to our way towards the door.

'Sounds boring to me', Cameron sighs.

'Don't go', Charlie opts.

'You know how many de-merits we're talking Dalton', Cameron objects again.

'So don't come, please', Charlie insists.

'Look, all I'm saying is that we have to be careful, we can't get caught.', Cameron states.

'No shit, Sherlock', Charlie jokes.

'You boys there, hurry up', Hager yells.

Neil turns around and faces the us, 'All right, who's in?'

'Come on Neil, Hager's right-' Cameron tries to protest but Neil cuts him off, 'Forget Hager, no. Who's in?' Neil smiles, his eyes have that sparkle in them that I've come to recognize as excitement.

'I'm in', I say, without a second thought. Neil glances at me and winks, I try to hide my blush.

'me too', Charlie chimes in.

'I'm warning you, move', Hager calls out again.

'Me too', Cameron states, though he seems reluctant.

'I don't know Neil', Pitts mumbles, passing Neil as we start to jog our way back to the building.

'What? Pitts- ', Neil tries to object.

'Pitsie, come on', Charlie adds.

'His grades are hurting Charlie', Meeks tells his friend.

'You can help him Meeks', Neil states.

'What is this, a midnight study group?' Pitts asks sarcastically.

'Forget it Pitts, you're coming', Neil presses, 'Meeks, are your grades hurting too?

'I'll try anything once', Meeks states.

'Except sex', charlie jokes.

'Ha ha ha', meeks laughs sarcastically.

'I mean as long as we're careful', Cameron states.

That evening we are all gathered around one of the tables with a map laid out on it.

'Okay, follow the stream to the waterfall', Neil explains, 'It's right there. It's got to be on the banks'

'I don't know, it's starting to sound dangerous', Cameron objects hesitantly.

'Well, why don't you stay home?' Charlie states getting annoyed by Cameron.

'For God's sake stop chattering and sit down', Mr Mc Allister commands.

We all take their seats once again and Neil leaves my side and goes over and sits next to Todd, who is sitting by himself. I can't hear what he says, but I can see Neil glancing back and forth between us and Todd. After a while Neil gets up and rejoins us, sitting down in the empty chair next to me. I am vaguely aware of his arm resting alone the back of my chair.

'Oh shut up, will you', says again after apparently hearing us whispering again.