Anderperry Oneshots Collection

A Year in the Life of Yours Truly, Neil Perry

September 1959. The leaves are turning orange and my roommate has the most intelligent eyes. Another year at Hellton, home, I should say. It certainly feels like home.

Charlie is just across the hall but, better yet, Todd is just across the radiator. I don't know why, but he's just so interesting to me. Is this a crush? It could be. Maybe it's because he doesn't talk. Time will tell. 

The geese are migrating, finally, and I watched Knox ride a bike into a big flock of them. They shot into the air like a million bits of ember burning into gray ash, unpredictable and beautiful.

October 1959. Halloween is coming up, not that we'll be celebrating at this big Catholic orgy of a prep school.  Instead, we're planning a festive society meeting. Charlie and Pittsie seemed to have teamed up, and maintain that they "know where to find pumpkins, for sure, stop asking about it."

Otherwise, the fall has been lovely. As much as I love the summer, I'm enjoying the momentary high of being out of my father's control. I'm aware this feeling will fade come winter break, but at the moment I'm as happy as I've ever been.

I am particularly interested in two new characters in my life: John Keating and Todd Anderson. Both have done many unexpected things; the former jumping on desks and teaching us the lesson of Carpe Diem (that's seize the day) and the latter having more...tender moments. 

I used to think Todd didn't have a lot going on in his head, which is fair, most of the time I don't either, but now... well, he seems to have taken a liking to me. He'll ramble on for hours at night about whatever's on his mind. I think I'm his only outlet, but I don't mind. 

Would it be rude to say his stories put me to sleep? Not as a comment on how interesting his stories are. But his voice just has this soothing, lullaby quality, once he sheds all his stuttering and uncertainty. I think that's when he's really comfortable.

November 1959. I can't believe for the life of me that I almost missed Todd's birthday. I'm lucky I stumbled upon him on the bridge, or else I can't imagine how terrible he would've felt...

I have realized lately that Todd is very important to me, and his feelings are the top priority. I spend hours reading into his body language, analyzing him, learning what every flared nostril, every twitch of the eye means. Is that unhealthy? It could be, but some people do coke in their spare time, so I think I'm in the clear.

The frost has come on quickly, yet we haven't begun to see any snowfall. I hope we'll get some for Christmas. The chill is very noticeable, leaving Todd and me in our winter jackets as we run lines on the dock. 

I'm incredibly excited for my first onstage performance. I can't imagine anything that could ruin my mood, and my past few days have been spent in childlike delight as I count down the days. Todd put up a calendar for me and circled the day in blue pen: December 15. on the square, he wrote a note: NEIL'S DEBUT :)

Dec. 1959. i am sorry about this todd. he calledme on xmas. it snowed, like i wanted. 

I want to go home.

I want to go home so bad.