The Not So Dead, Dead Poet.

Maybe he's not dead?

Neil had been in Vermont  for a week now.
Sat in the sat spot, he had tied the tile around the tree so he knew exactly where he had kept staying. His stuff was also attached to the rope, anytime he needed something he untied it, took it and tied it back up. He used a tie he had learnt at military school knowing no one would really know how to untie it.
He knew he wouldn't survive like this for much longer, he knew soon he might freeze over, or go into some form of shock.

So he found time trying to find a job or a place to stay where he could be safer, eventually he gave up. There was no point, no point at all. No one really believed that he was Neil Perry, they all thought he was joking or some other person with the same name, basically the exact same features. Or that he was insane, no one believed it.

So he was stuck on the streets. Without a way to get a job.
So he stayed by the school. Holding his bag close to him.

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Charlie Dalton. Also known as Nuwanda had lost one of his best friends before they could even go to college. Before they could grow up and follow their dreams, or the paths t did parents had made for them. Before they got to live...
Neil was 17, when he died, Charlie the same age.
It terrified him, the fact that his best friend wanted to end his life.

The days, weeks or even months after Neil's death -he lost track of the time, everything was sort of a blur for a while after Neil's passing.- was spent with tears, sleepless nights comforting a scared Todd, who had suffered nightmares, of Neil coming back, blaming the death on him, or even just sitting there, being normal, until suddenly he left, a gun replacing him.
Those nights became the normal, Charlie would sneak into Todd's down, or the other way around, until they asked to change rooms, which was also a great thing because of how unfortunate rooming situation Charlie was in before, it took all his strength to not strangle Cameron in his sleep.
And surprisingly they were allowed to.
So when Todd woke up screaming and crying Charlie was right there, sitting down on the bed with him, to hold him, tell him it was okay. Despite the fact that they didn't even have Neil with them.

Charlie was supposed to be expelled, but his payed a great deal to keep him at Welton.

So he got to stay, stay at a place which haunted him with memories of his old best friend. He couldn't handle it, it terrified him. As soon as he could he left the school, Knox and Todd in tow, the three found an apartment together. Using money there parents gave them to pay the rent, all three getting jobs as well.

Charlie now worked at a bar, despite his age. Todd a bookstore, and Knox fast food restaurant.
It wasn't easy with all them working, coming home at different hours, but they made sure they always spent at least one night all tighter, chatting having fun.
They kept in touch with Pitts and Meeks, the two having gone stair guy to college to study some sort of technological science thing taht none of the others understood. They didn't talk to Cameron after everything. They didn't know what had happened to him, completely losing touch. They knew he, like pitts and Meeks went to college, but they didn't know where it for what, not taht Charlie even cared.

He was just glad, Knox and Todd had stayed close with him, they had their own little group. All pledging to take a gap year before going off to college. It was good for them, they would rather not head off straight away.

So Charlie would spend his days either working or sitting around and somehow entertaining himself, if the others were t home. If they were, Todd would be cooking or writing, Knox singing around the house or even cleaning, otherwise he would sit with Charlie on the couch, arguing, chatting or ignoring each other. It all depended on the day.

But everyday. Every single blasted day, he missed Neil. And he just wished he could see him again. See him smile just one more time.

But he couldn't. The last time he would ever see Neils smile was the night of the play. And he hated that. But he was trying to move on. They all were.

Charlie felt like he was doing okay, definitely better than Todd was. Todd still had frequent nightmares, but now they had a new routine, Knox would make hot chocolate, Charlie and Todd sitting in the couch, Charlie wrapping a blanket tightly around him. They sat and talked. On the nights that Todd didn't want to talk. They would sit in silence or Charlie and Knox talked by themselves, or talked about good memories of Neil, the three eventually falling asleep on the couch.

Charlie was glad they could help. Glad that Todd had them. Glad that they were able to help him.
Knox and Charlie never had nightmares, but there were days when it was hard for them, Charlie sometimes couldn't focus or even get himself out of bed sometimes, when he walked past a theatre he would breakdown, same with Knox. Unlike Todd's nightmares they couldn't  be fixed by a cuddle session or talking, they had to spend the whole day with a heavy feeling on their chests.
And it sucked.

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Knox had been walking home after a long day at work, he had picked up a new book for Todd, and pizza for dinner. He sighed as he walked home past the cemetery.. the cemetery where Neil was buried....
Knox shook his head quickly trying to get that thought out if his head, when he noticed a boy walking on the opposite side of the street. A boy with brown hair... long unruly brown hair, -Neil's hair was always short, cut sharply and neatly- brown eyes, and the exact facial features of Neil... the structure was the same. He was perfectly recognisable other than his hair.

Knox stopped in his tracks, looking over the boy, whose face lit up, the boy was looking at him. Was this Neil?...

"He's dead Knox... he's dead" Knox whispered to himself quickly waking away, tears burning in his eyes as he thought about the boy. The boy who looked exactly like his dead, best friend.

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Neil stood still. He had just watched his old best friend walk away.. hadn't he realised who it was?...

Maybe the others forgot about him... had they?.
No. He couldn't let himself believe that. They couldn't be over his 'death' already.

Neil continued on his journey towards the shops. He wanted to get something, he was gonna write a note to the poets, leave it at his grave.. incase they came by.... Incase they checked. Incase they still cared.

Neil brought a pack of pens and paper starting on writing notes, to each of the members, he would stop by the grave tomorrow to place them there.

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Knox got home finally, sighing shakily as he put down the pizza and the book, Todd and Charlie coming running, Charlie for food and Todd to get the book "thanks Knox!" Todd called as he can over.

"Guys.. I think we should visit Neil tomorrow."