K I N G

e l e v e n

"Jealousy: a sentiment which is born in love and which is produced by the fear that the loved person prefers someone else" - Littre

Todd's POV
Neil and Todd walked into Mr. Keating's class to find everyone crowded around Knox.

    "You're not seriously considering going are you?" Meek's asked Knox.

    "He'd be crazy not to!" Charlie exclaimed with an .... tone.

    "Crazy not to do what?" Neil asked.

    "Some Chris girl invited Knox to a party," Pitts said.

    Knox's face turned red. "Hey she ain't some girl!"

    Neil laughed. The sound warming Todd, as if he was drinking coffee. "Why don't you go Knox? Seize the day! Carpe diem! Suck the marrow out of life."

    They all joined into loud roars, including Todd. The infectious atmosphere of youth filling him up to the brim. Knox fumbled over his words, he was tongue tied over the thoughts of Chris.

    "Should I really go for it?" His voice was soft, like a child asking for something they weren't confidante they could have.

    "How about this," Charlie said, "we all go with you!"

    They all agreed, but Knox didn't look so sure. "C-can I even bring you guys?"

    "Hey, if she invited you, she invited all of us!"

    "Yeah!" Pitts all but shouted. "Why can't we all have some fun."

    By the time Mr. Keating entered the room, the Dead Poet's Society decided they all would accompany Knox to Chris's mixer that night. Todd actually felt excited for the party. A foreign feeling really as crowds weren't really his cup of tea, but he felt more comfortable with the thought of his friends going as well. He knew he wouldn't be left out to dry and would actually have people to talk too.

    As Todd was scribbing away, trying to capture each word that fell out of Mr. Keating's mouth, he felt a piece of paper being slipping into his jacket pocket. Curiously, Todd reached for it and found a very familiar scrawl.

    "You sure you want to go to the party?"

    Todd turned and glanced over at Neil. Neil met his gaze and tilted his head in a questioning manner. Quickly, Todd scribbled a response and passed it back to his friend. Todd felt touched that Neil would consider his anxieties. Something no one had done before. Todd could remember countless parties his parents forced him to go to for his father's work, Jeffrey's graduation,or his mother's brunches. Each event was like a knife to the gut. Todd could never keep still and constantly worried about what if someone would start talking to him or if he was somehow making a fool of himself. Neil had been the only person he truly delved deep into his troubles with public functions. Once Todd had tried to confine in his brother, a mistake he'll never make again. Jeffrey had told Todd how he just needed to get over his shyness and then preceded forced him to attend a few parties with some of his friends. Todd had started to hate any type of get-together after that.

Neil broke Todd's musings when he tossed the note back.

"As long as you're sure. We could always stay here if you wanted."

We. A single world that elated Todd beyond measures. We.

Todd smiled brightly at Neil conveying his exact thought about going to the mixer that
night. He had never looked forward to anything more.

The Dead Poet's Society stood outside Chris's house dressed in some of their nicer clothes. Todd couldn't help but notice the way Neil's maroon sweater went well against his lightly tanned skin. Todd had decided to go with a simple blue button down. It was a gift from his brother, something that greatly surprised Todd. Jeffrey had given it to him before he felt for Chicago. It had been his before, so Todd's mother had to get it tailored down to his size before he could finally wear it.