𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒐 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔

Chapter Five | Why Do They Swoon? |

One of the things Elle found most annoying about Welton Academy, was the fact the girls were not permitted to sit with the boys during mealtimes.

Her and Kara sat at the end of their side of the hall, directly across from the boys. They were amidst a conversation about Kara and Pitts, when they saw the boys huddled over a book.

"What do you think it is?" Kara questions, looking back to Elle.

She squints, slightly leaning over the table as if it would magically give her the ability to hear them over the hundred voices of the other students.

"I have no idea, I can't read the cover, or hear them." She grumbles, leaning back into her seat.

Charlie catches the girls' eyes noticing them trying to see, he mumbles something quickly to the boys, and gestures outside the mealtime room to the girls.

*

After lunch, Kara and Elle were finally able to meet the boys out in the field.

"What is it? What? Show us! Show us!" Elle excitedly runs up to them, jumping on Neil to look over his shoulder.

He laughs, tripping forward to keep his balance while holding the book, and her. In a small moment of jealousy, Charlie was quick to pull her from Neil, resting his arm on her head.

"Now, now darling Eleanor, let's not injure Neil before he can explain." She's quick to shake him off, rubbing her hair back down from his arm messing it up.

"Is that an old yearbook?" Kara questions looking at the book Neil was holding.

"Yup! It's Mr. Keating's. He was in a group called Dead Poets Society. We're planning to ask him about it." Neil answers her, opening to the page with his photo.

"You're forgetting the most important part Neil," Charlie went to the book, "he was also a thigh man." He pointed at a certain line, smirking.

Elle shakes her head, not surprised that Charlie felt the need to point that part out. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go find Mr. Keating." With that, Elle wraps her arm around Meeks' - much to Charlies dismay - leading the group to where she last saw him.

*

"Mr. Keating?" Neil called, chasing after him. He kept walking, not responding to him.

"Sir?" He tries again. Still Mr. Keating doesn't respond, whistling while walking.

"O' Captain my Captain?"

"Gentlemen," he smiles, finally stopping for the group to catch up to him.

"We were just looking in your old annual," Neil hands it over to Mr. Keating. He smiles, looking at it, muttering a small 'oh my god'.

"No, that's not me." He jokes turning around with the book, laughing as if he remembered an inside joke only he and the book would get.

Leaning down, he continues his examination of the book. "Stanley 'The Tool' Wilson." He starts chuckling to himself again, creeping Elle out.

"I take back what I said, Knox was right. Spooky." She whispers. Meeks and Todd chuckle, and Charlie rests his arm on her shoulder.

Lowering his head, he mutters into her ear, "never thought I'd see the day where you admit you're wrong, Love. Especially over something Knox said."

Elle gently pushes him away, not liking how her stomach flipped over how close he was, and the pet name he used.

"Well Dalton, that's because Knox is practically always wrong." She clears her throat, pretending she wasn't bothered in the slightest. She refused to go down this road again with Charlie Dalton.