unscripted | dead poets society ✓

20 | hollow infinities

     WHEN NEIL WAKES UP, he finds the space beside him to be empty. Groaning as he snuggles further into the bed, he inhales the scent of the pillow, that had managed to acquire Presley's heavenly scent.

    Despite the empty space beside him, he smiles as the events of last night replayed itself inside his mind. He giggles childishly, rolling his eyes at his own actions. He wonders to himself, what did I do to deserve her?

     He stays there for what seemed like an eternity, grinning like an idiot, until he finally decides to remove himself from the sheets and stand up. Slipping in his clothes that had been discarded last night, he exits the room, cautiously looking out for people.

     He figured it was around breakfast time, and decided to take a very quick shower before proceeding to the mess hall. Upon arriving, he had a lopsided grin on his face, feeling even more giddy than usual. "Good Morning, guys."

     Charlie raises an eyebrow at this, eyeing the effervescent boy. "Someone's in a good mood." He muses. He wondered what made Neil this happy, as though yesterday never happened. He was certain the boy had extreme mood swings by now.

     "What happened with Mr. Nolan?"

     "Did he scold you or something?"

     "Did something happen?"

     "What did he say?"

     "Where were you last night?" All heads whip towards Todd's direction, whose question was different from the others, causing multiple questions and suspicions to arise. Neil freezes at the question, having no idea whatsoever on what to reply.

     "He didn't sleep in your room last night?" Charlie asks out of disbelief and shock. "Hey, Neil, where were you?" Neil didn't want to answer the questions as he smiled to himself, but then again, they would force it out of him anyway.

     "I was starting to get worried." Todd says, shooting Neil a pointed look. "I stayed up until around midnight to wait for you. Where were you?" Neil struggles to reply as he stares back at Todd with an unreadable expression.

    "Well — my father visited last night — "

    "Again?"

    "When is he gonna stop?"

    "Guys, its not what you think." Neil lets out a chuckle, amused at his friends. "He permitted me to continue acting." The boys momentarily gasped at this, which earned a warning look from Mr. Nolan who was across the hall.

     "Are you serious?"

     "Just like that?"

     "So suddenly?"

     Todd could only smile, knowing Presley was successful at her attempt in convincing Mr. Perry to allow Neil to continue acting. He was proud of his friends and genuinely happy for them. "So you slept at your parents' house?" He asks, raising an eyebrow in the process.

      "Why would he do that? Its the middle of the semester?" Charlie wonders out loud. He seemed to perk up as a theory finds its way into his mind. "Unless . . . Neil went somewhere else." A smirk crept its way on Charlie's face, as he shoots Neil a knowing look.

     Neil scoffs sardonically, an amused smile on his face. "Where else would I go?" He asks.

    "Uh uh, Neil, there's no running away from this." Everyone was genuinely confused as they look at Charlie, waiting for an explanation. "You slept in Presley's room didn't you?" He whispers.