𝙼𝙾𝙾𝙽 𝚂𝚃𝚁𝚄𝙲𝙺 (𝙳𝙿𝚂 - 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚘𝚗)

𝚂𝙴𝚅𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙴𝙴𝙽

✍︎

By the time I'd gotten to my room and back the boys were waiting by the front door with their flashlights. With two of our members missing we made our way to the cave, hoods up only this time we didn't have pyjamas' on.

All gathered in a circle, Neil held out the book as he shone the light on it and we began reading the opening poem. My mind continued to drift to Charlie and I couldn't seem to focus.

"To live deep and suck out all the marrow of life. To put to route all that was not life..." we all trailed off looking towards the cave entrance where the sickeningly sweet laugh had come from.

From beside me Cameron shone his torch towards the entrance the footsteps approached us. "Oh my god"

Surely it was a group from the other school who just happened to find the cave. Right?

"Is this it?"

Surely it wasn't-

"Yeah this is it" my heart seemed to sink when his voice sounded and two girls came into view. "Go ahead, go on in. It's my cave"

From across the way my eyes met Todd's. He wouldn't take his eyes from me, a sorry look in them and from beside me I could feel Cameron tug on my jacket and pull me closer to him.

"Watch your step"

"We're not gonna slip, are we?"

"Uh oh" the first girl was wearing a pink top as she dropped into the opening smiling at us with a toothy smile "hi"

From my right I could see the boys stand and in the process a knock was heard making me pull my lips into an o as Pitts rubbed the back of his head. The poor Boy was way to tall for the cave when standing.

Meeks greeted her back and the next one came, wearing all blue. Both girls with blonde hair and legs to die for. And next was Charlie. Like a child in a play zone he looked at us all with a big grin

"Hi guys. Meet, uh, Gloria and..." I grimaced for the poor girl who's name he had forgotten

"Tina" she told him in a voice that indicated that she'd told him a thousand times already

"Tina" Charlie repeated smirking at us when he turned back around "this is the pledge class of the Dead Poets Society" I looked down unable to meet the boys eyes. The others smiled and greeted the girls with waves and hellos.

"I thought it was just boys" Tina said to Charlie as Gloria stuck out her hand to shake mine. With a smile I offered her my hand and shook it.

"That's just Neil's sister" so that's all I was. Nice to know. Tina stuck her hand out next waiting for me to shake it which I did

"Sophie" I smiled as the two girls gave me back genuine smiles. My eyes met Charlie's and for a split second I could've sworn I saw regret but it was quickly masked with a smirk

I felt like someone had reached into my chest and was holding my heart waiting for something else to happen before they would rip it out.