K I N G

t w e n t y - e i g h t

solivagant
adjective
wandering alone

Todd's POV
The smell of cigarette smoke was oddly comforting. It reminded Todd of Neil and how whenever he was looking for some relief he'd sit by their window and gaze out as he smoked. Todd inhaled the smoke as Charlie puffed. Charlie bumped Todd's knee with a sad grin, as if he knew the reason for Todd leaning in closer with every tuff of smoke that came curling from his mouth.

The Society, except for Cameron, were all squished together into a tiny room like a pack of sardines. Charlie had called an emergency meeting for the Society. The said teen let out a large sigh, smoke blowing from his nose as he said,

"You told him about this meeting?"

"Twice," Pitts answered.

Charlie threw his hands in the air as if he was throwing in the towel. "That's it, guys. We're all fired."

"What do you mean?"

"Cameron's a fink. He's in Nolan's office right now, finking."

"About what?" Todd asked, his tone indifferent. He really didn't care what Cameron was finking about. He didn't care about a lot of things lately.

"The club, kiddo. Think about it. The board of directors, the trustees and Mr. Nolan. Do you think for one moment they're gonna let this thing just blow over? Schools go down because of things like this. They need a scapegoat."

The door opened and the Society scrambled to put out their cigarettes as they feared it was a teacher coming in. The lightbulb flickered as Cameron stuck his head into the room.

"What's going on guys?" He asked as he stepped further into the cramped room.

"You finked, didn't you Cameron?" Charlie asked, anger fueling his voice as he flicked the cigarette out of his fingers.

"Finked? I didn't know what the hell you're talking about."

Even as he said the words, Cameron wringed his hands nervously.

"You told Nolan everything about the club is what I'm talking about," Charlie snarled as he stepped into Cameron's personal space.

Todd had began to tune them out, when something Cameron said caught his attention. They were blaming Mr. Keating for Neil's death. The thought drew a dry chuckle from his lips. Mr. Keating? Were they serious? The man had given both Neil and Todd the confidence to go after their dreams. Anger stirred inside of his and bloomed into fury as Cameron insisted that if it wasn't for Mr. Keating that Neil would be alive.

"That's not true," he bit out. Todd stood and looked Cameron right in the eye. "Acting was his life. He loved it. If anyone knows that, it's me."

Awkward silence hung in the air after he had spoken. Cameron shuffled uncomfortable before he started to sneer once more,

"Believe what you want, but I say let Keating fry. Why ruin our lives?"

Charlie lunged at Cameron, only to be held back by Knox and Meeks. The two pleaded with Todd to knock some sense into him, but Todd just shook his head and sat down. What power did he have over others? Neil showed him he had little. Finally, Charlie broke the hold they had on him and knocked Cameron right on his ass. Todd couldn't bring himself to care.

Charlie had been right. After Cameron finked on the Society, they were all called into Nolan's office one by one. Meeks came out with his head hanging as Knox was called into Nolan's office.

"Meeks?" Todd asked, wondering what had happened.

"Go away," he mumbled, "I have to study?"

"What happened to Nuwanda?"

Todd couldn't help but worry. He hadn't seen Charlie since he punched Cameron.

"Expelled."

Todd felt like he'd been thrown into ice water. "What'd you tell them?"

"Nothing they didn't already know."

Before Todd could respond, his name was called. Shuffling inside, Todd's eyes widened with shock as he saw his mother and father seated opposite of Nolan's desk.

Mr. Nolan gestured towards the empty chair between his parents as said, "Please, sit."

Todd silently snuck down into the leather seat.

"Mr. Anderson, I think we've pretty well put together what's happened here. You do admit to being a part of this Dead Poets Society?"

Todd didn't answer. Not until his father pressed him into talking. He just wanted this to be over. Unconsciously, Todd reached under his school sweater to grip the shirt underneath. It had been Neil's. Before they could haul away all of his stuff, Todd had stolen a items and he'd been wearing them for the past couple days. He couldn't bring himself to part with them because it seemed like he'd be turning his back on Neil.

"Yes, sir."

Please just let me go, Todd pleaded. His thoughts went unnoticed by the adults around him.

"I have here a detailed description of what occurred at your meetings. It describes how your teacher, Mr. Keating, encouraged you boys to organize this club and to use it as a source of inspiration for reckless and self-indulgent behavior. It describes how Mr. Keating, both in and out of the classroom, encouraged Neil Perry to follow his obsession with acting when he knew all along it was against the explicit order of Neil's parents. It was Mr. Keating's blatant abuse of his position as teacher that led directly to Neil Perry's death."

His father handed him a piece of paper. Nolan told him to sign it if he had nothing to add. Todd felt like screaming at them. Didn't they see how ridiculous this was? Why didn't they see how it wasn't Keating's fault?! Neil had never looked happier than when he was up on that stage.

"What will happen to Mr. Keating?"

"Todd, I'm tired of this. Sign the damn paper," his father growled.

Nolan held out a pen. Todd reached out but paused as he realized he felt trapped. He was being cornered on all sides to comply with their wishes. It didn't want what he wanted. His opinion didn't matter. Any protest would fall onto the deaf ears. Was this how Neil had felt? Trapped and useless.

Todd's hand shook as he signed the paper. The practically threw the pen and fled the room after he signed the paper. He cared nothing for the calls of his parents behind him; they meant nothing to him.

Todd only wanted to be left alone.