Before He Fell┊Neil Perry

XII

Pierre Auguste Cot. 'The Storm'. 1880

Words:  1,386

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The corridor buzzed with the low murmur of students transitioning between classes as the group spilled out of the English classroom, their heads abuzz with thoughts of poetry and revolution. The light streamed through the tall, arched windows, casting elongated shadows on the polished floors that seemed to dance to the rhythm of their footsteps.

"What do you guys have now?" Beverly asked, her voice cutting through the din as she walked alongside Neil.

"I've got rowing," Charlie said, shrugging.

"Same," Cameron echoed, adjusting his grip on his books.

Beverly turned her head, her gaze shifting to Pitts and Meeks who were trailing slightly behind, whispering together. Their hushed tones were conspiratorial, their expressions animated. "What about you guys?" she inquired, curiosity piqued.

"We're making a radio-free America!" Pitts said energetically, sprinting ahead and punching the air with exuberance.

Beverly tilted her head, a confused smile playing on her lips. "So no radio? What?"

"No, no," Meeks responded, furrowing his brows in concentration as he tried to clarify. "The radio is going to free America."

"Right, okay," she rolled her eyes playfully at him, a chuckle escaping her lips. "What channel are you tuning into?"

"Probably WIKE or WNIX," Pitts replied, his enthusiasm undiminished.

Beverly just nodded, approving their choice with a grin. The hallway stretched before them, filled with the ebb and flow of students, the walls echoing with snippets of conversations and the soft thud of footsteps.

She turned to the silent boy walking next to her, his presence a steady anchor amidst the chaotic energy of the corridor. "Neil?" she called softly.

Neil's eyes, which had been lost in thought, snapped to hers. "Yeah?" he responded.

"What are you doing?" she said slowly, a smile playing on her lips, her eyes bright with anticipation.

He thought for a second before answering, "Nothing"

"Perfect," she said quickly, her excitement barely contained. "Come with me to the pin-up board?"

"That's on the other side of campus," he replied, smiling lopsidedly at her.

The boys around them began walking past, waving their goodbyes as Beverly and Neil slowed down. The corridor seemed to stretch longer, the ambient noise growing fainter as they became absorbed in their own world.

"And?" she dragged out her words, her tone playful. At his silence, she pressed on, "Oh, come on, Perry. I'll get lost."

"You've been here for two years," he reminded her, laughing. The sound was warm and rich in her ears.

She tried hiding her smile, her eyes crinkling. Playing innocent she said, "And I get lost so easily."

He rolled his eyes at her, his eyes full of affectionate exasperation, before slinging his arm around her shoulders as they began to walk in the direction of the board.

As they walked, the buzz of other students grew distant, the world narrowing down to just the two of them. The polished floors gleamed underfoot, and the soft thud of their footsteps echoed in the quieting corridor. Beverly leaned into Neil slightly, their movements synchronised as they made their way through the labyrinthine passages of the school.