The Poets

Chapter Three

   Everyone is gathered in the locker room. Neil is conversing with his friends, while Todd is perched by the window staring at Neil's bare back. He stares at each spot freckled upon his back attempting to count them. Neil whips his head around, making his way towards Todd, as soon as Neil turns Todd's eyes dart to the floor.

   "You coming to study group tonight?"

   Looking past Neil, Todd can see the boys looking at him and then going back to their huddle and talking, the sting of self doubt convinced him they're talking about him. That little sting was enough to make him deny Neil's offer.

   "Oh, uhm..no I can't tonight. I have lots of history work to catch up on..", Todd says looking back down at his hands

   Neil nods and returns to his group. He leaves once he sees the entire group make their way to the student lounge. Todd enters the dorm and sits at his wooden desk. The same desk set his parents had gotten him, the desk set that he hated.

   He thinks back on Keating's lesson, and scrawls "Seize the day!" on a blank sheet of paper. When has he ever seized anything, he's never spoken up to his parents, never kissed anyone, he never even told anyone he liked them. This assignment was something he just couldn't do...

   Todd ripped out the sheet and threw it into the trash basket. Standing up from his desk, he checked the time. The clock read "8:30 PM" and he decided he might as well just get to sleep. He got into bed and immediately passed out.

   He woke up feeling like he only slept for mere seconds. Neil was tucked away still quietly breathing. He looked so at peace, Todd smiled with a sigh before turning his attention back to getting dressed.

After getting ready, he came back to see Neil still dead asleep.

   "Neil...hey...Neeeeeiiiillll...", Todd whispered slightly shaking him, trying to wake him up without being too rough

   Eventually Neil slowly opened his eyes and stretched, "Ughhh, school already..?"

   Todd sadly nods, "Yep, sorry Mr. Perry!"

   Neil lets out a laugh, and reaches out his arm for Todd to help him up. Todd helps him up off of bed, "Go get ready, I'll see you in Latin Neil." Before Todd leaves, Neil groans at the thought of Latin.

   Latin class goes by achingly slow, Neil and Todd pass notes as usual. The notes mainly consisted of their boredom, and how Mr.McAllister may or may not have a toupee on.

   They're ecstatic to hear the bell, almost running to Keating's class! The class hushed to complete silence when they see Keating, he asks Neil to read the opening paragraph.

   Many of the boys in class are confused, they thought this class was supposed to be fun and "different" than the others.

   "Understanding Poetry, by Dr. J. Evans Pritchard, Ph.D. To fully understand...."

   Todd listens intently to Neil's voice, how he can make even the most uninteresting words capture his attention completely.

   Once Neil is finished reading, Keating begins, "Excrement."

   The boys in class laugh at the vulgar language. Todd keeps quiet trying to absorb everything Keating is saying.

   "Now I want you to rip out that page.", Keating looks at the class expectantly

   The class looks confused, looking to each other for guidance, then Keating exclaims, "You heard me, rip it out. Rip it out!"

   Suddenly, the classroom is filled with the sound of pages tearing and boys giggling. Todd looks at Neil, who is happily tearing at his book. Neil notices Todd and urges him to start ripping with a giddy look on his face.