K I N G

n i n e t e e n

vagary
noun
an unpredictable instance

Todd's POV
He couldn't get Cindy's words out of his head. What she and Tina had revealed to him after Neil stormed out of the cave had scared him to death before he had realized what their intentions toward him and Neil had been.

After Neil had left the cave, her teasing smile crumpled into a guilty one. Cindy had crawled over next to Todd and whispered into his ear,

"I didn't mean to make him mad. I just thought it was funny to watch him squirm. I knew I shouldn't have listened to Charlie."

"Charlie?" Todd asked, his face twisting with confusion.

Cindy raised an eyebrow. "You mean he didn't tell you?"

Todd shook his head, causing Cindy to let out an exasperated sigh.

"That idiot," she hissed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Todd frowned as he watched the girl with concern. What did Charlie do? Tina noticed her friend's struggled and leaned over to rub her knee gently.

"What's up Cindy?"

"Charlie's being an idiot."

Tina snorted. "That's new."

"He didn't tell Todd!"

Tina's eyes widened. "You're kidding right?"

"Nope," Cindy said, enunciating the 'p', making the word pop out of her mouth.

"What didn't Charlie tell me?" Todd demanded, looking back and forth between Cindy and Tina.

"What we're really doing here."

Todd's eyebrows furrowed. "What does that mean?"

Cindy leaned closer into Todd, her breath mingling with his. She whispered so softly, Todd almost didn't hear her say,

"I'm suppose to be your beard."

"My what?" Todd nearly shouted, his voice squeaking. What the hell did that mean?

Tina, despite her previous seriousness, started to giggle at Todd's reaction.

"You two are really baby fairies aren't you?"

Todd reeled back as if slapped. Cindy scowled and smacked Tina upside the head.

"Ow! You know, I'm really starting to hate that you and Charlie were together before. You didn't used to smack me before that."

"Well if you weren't such an idiot I wouldn't have to! Can't you see you've freaked him out?"

Tina's eyes flickered over to Todd's ashened face. Todd felt as if he would drop dead any second. He was surprised he hadn't passed out already from shock. Tina knew about him and Neil, and that meant Cindy did as well. Actually, from the way it sounded Charlie must have been the one to tell them! Todd had begun to hyperventilate and his hands started to shake when both Cindy and Tina reached out for him.

"Geez Todd, I'm sorry. Charlie really didn't tell you. Cindy and I have been steady for a couple of months now. It's easier to hide our relationship because we've been friends for years. Charlie thought it'd be a good idea for people to assume you and Cindy were dating to make people less suspicious of you and Neil."

Todd stared at her blankly, trying to process all that Tina had told him. They were the same. The three of them had a love that the world would never accept. They were forced to hide so they wouldn't be rejected. And Charlie was helping. Charlie knew and was doing something to make his relationship easier to hide.

Looking back on it, Todd was slightly embarrassed he had reacted like that. But no one could really blame him. He was constantly terrified that his relationship with Neil would be revealed. Even now with their door locked, Todd flinched every time he thought he heard someone come near it. Thankfully Neil was understanding. Every time Todd apologized, Neil would just smile and cart his fingers through Todd's hair to comfort him.

Todd nuzzled his head into Neil's chest. Neil had been studying his lines since he woke up that morning. It both amused and peeved Todd how dedicated Neil was to this play. Todd was extremely happy that Neil had found something that made him happy, but when Neil paid more attention to the lines he could spit out in his sleep than him, it made Todd feel a little ignored.

"Hey Neil," Todd said softly, suddenly feeling nervous. "Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?" Neil asked absently, flicking through his script.

Todd frowned and sat up, breaking out of Neil's hold. "Hey, I need to talk to you."

Neil tossed the script to the side as he too sat up. His brown eyes filled with concern as they focused solely on Todd. Todd look this as a sign to continue.

"You're not mad at me, right?"

Neil's face contorted with confusion. "Mad? Why? Should I be?"

"J-just with Cindy last night. You know that I don't really like her right? You're not mad that people are going to assume we're dating? Because I could--"

Neil cut him off by grasping his face and pulling Todd to him. After a moment, Neil started to smile into the kiss causing Todd to start laughing as well. Neil's amusement was intoxicating.

"What?" Todd asked as he pressed himself to Neil once more. He was unwilling to put distance between them.

"You're just adorable when you get all worried like that." Todd turned red. "But really, I'm not upset. I know we have to hide right not but--"

The rattling of their doorknob shattered the illusion of solitude. Todd was thrown right back into the stone reality of Welton.

"Todd? Neil? You guys okay?" Knox asked, still trying to open the door.

Todd scrambled off the bed as Neil ran for the door.

"Sorry Knox! We were changing, ya know?"

Knox opened his mouth to question more, when Meeks came running into the room. Todd let out a relieved breath and silently thanked Meeks for stopping Knox from questioning them further.

"Have you guys seen this?!" He shouted, waving the school newspaper into Neil's face.

Neil glanced back bewildered at Todd as he took the paper from Meeks. Todd flew to his side when he saw Neil raise his eyebrows in shock. Todd read quickly over his shoulder, his mouth gaping with shock as he finished the article. Someone had printed an article saying that Welton should become a co-ed school by the Dead Poet's Society. He met Neil's worried gaze as they both questioned the same thing.

Who had printed this?

"Do you know who wrote this?" Neil demanded, anger sizzling dangerously under the surface.

Meek wrung his hands nervously as he whispered, "Charlie."

Meeks whipped his head from side to side as if he was afraid someone had overheard him. Neil balled the newspaper up in his hand, but before he could say anything more, Mr. Keeting's voice echoed heatedly throughout the hallway.

"Single file line boys! Mr. Nolan is calling for a school meeting in the Assembly Hall. Move it! We haven't got all day."

Without saying anymore, they filed out into the hallway. Charlie came sauntering out of his room, a playful smirk playing on his lips as he stood behind Todd.

Oh god, Todd thought hopelessly, What has Charlie done?