A Poem By Walt Whitman

𝐶𝒉𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝘟: 𝛨𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑦 𝐵𝑖𝑟𝑡𝒉𝑑𝑎𝑦

Another class with Keating. Another rare class. Kim, Pitts, and Cameron walked in circles, doing the same steps, one behind the other, following Keating's orders. The other students contemplated the situation. The girls who were walking had their hands behind their backs.

-No grades at stake, ladies. -Keating talked, while the girls continued walking. -Just take a stroll.-

There was a long silence between the students and Keating, and only the footsteps of those who were walking could be heard.

-There it is. -Keating added. The footsteps were getting louder and louder, making a sound. The girls began to clap in time with the steps. Keating sang. Nolan, from her window, watched every step and every movement of the teacher. Keating shouted a stop and the girls stopped.

-Thank you, ladies. If you noticed, everyone started off with their own stride, their own pace. Mrs. Pitts, taking her time. She knew she'll get there one day. Mrs. Cameron, you could see her thinking, "Is this right? It might be right. I know that– Maybe not, I don't know." -

They all laughed at Cameron while she blushed, with shame.

-Mrs. Overstreet, driven by a deeper force. Yes, we know that. All right, now, I didn't bring them up here to ridicule them. I brought them up here to illustrate the point of conformity. The difficulty in maintaining your own beliefs in the face of others. Now, those of you, I see the look in your eyes like, "I would have walked differently." Well, ask yourselves why you were clapping. Now, we all have a great need for acceptance. But you must trust that your beliefs are unique, your own. Even though others may think them odd or unpopular. Even though they heard may go: "That's baad."-

Charlie chuckled and Nicole looked at her shaking her head.

-Robert Frost said, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." Now, I want you to find your own walk right now. Your own way of striding, pacing. Any direction, anything you want. Whether it's proud, whether it's silly, anything. Ladies, the courtyard is yours. -

As soon as they finished, the girls looked at each other, laughed, and began to walk in strange ways. One with straight arms, the other half dancing, there was everything. Others moved their heads as if they were birds...

-You don't have to perform, just make it for yourself. -

The girls kept moving, except one. Keating walked over to her, who was leaning against the wall, watching her friends.

-Mrs. Dalton! You be joining us? -

-Exercising the right not to walk. -She answered, laughing. Keating just nodded, but pouted.

-Thank you, Mrs. Dalton. You just illustrated the point. Swim against the stream! -

The girls keep walking while Nolan watches them from her window.

It was already nighttime, when Nicole was walking through the outer halls of the institute, revising her dialogue for her play. She quietly closed her book and looked at each of the stars, and put her book away when she saw one. And it wasn't a star, it was Taylor. She frowned and looked at her.

-Taylor? -She asked, walking towards her. -Hey!

She was on the ground, sitting, looking at the sky. When Nicole called out to her, her eyes filled with pity and she looked at Nicole.

-Hey. -She answered.

-What 's going on? -Nicole asked her.

-Nothing. -She shook her head. -Today's my birthday.

-Is today your birthday? -Nicole asked, looking directly at her, and Taylor nodded. -Happy birthday!

-Thanks. -She answered, quietly.

-What'd you get?

-My parents gave me this. -She looked to the floor, and the same desk set she had on her room was received.

-Isn't this the same desk-?

-Yeah. -Taylor laughed. -They gave me the same thing as last year.-

Taylor, after the long smile she had, looked down at Nicole's body. She just looked at her, not saying a word.

-Oh. -Nicole answered. -Maybe they thought you needed another one.

She said between laughs, while Taylor hugged her legs with her hands, she let out a small giggle.

-Maybe they weren't thinking about anything at all. -Taylor answered.

Now it was Nicole who looked at the other with pity. She stared at her for a few seconds, until Taylor spoke.

-The funny thing about this is, I didn't even like it the first time. -She said, giggling. Nicole did it too.

-Taylor, I think you're underestimating the value of this desk set. -She bent down to pick up her desk set.- I mean, who would want a football, or a baseball, or-? -She said, while the desk set was in her hands.

-Or a car? -Taylor added.

-Or a car. -She agreed. -If they could have a desk set as wonderful as this one? I mean, if I were ever going to buy a desk set twice, I would probably buy this one both times. -

Taylor let out a cute laugh.

-In fact, this shape is... -She examined the desk set. -It's rather aerodynamic, isn't it? I can feel it. -

She made a move to launch the desk set, causing it to fly, letting out an airplane sound.

-Phew. This desk set wants to fly. -Taylor got up out of nowhere and watched each of her friend's steps. Nicole looked at her. -Taylor? -She handed her the desk set and she took it. -The world's first unmanned flying desk set. -

Taylor didn't think twice and threw her desk set into the air, letting out all the daughters and gadgets she was carrying.

-Whew. Ha, ha. -She laughed.

-Oh my! -Nicole added. They both laughed. -Well, I wouldn't worry. You'll get another one next year.