𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒐 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔

Chapter Eight | To Indeed Be a God |

While the boys went to do their rowing, Kara went to help Meeks and Pitts add the finishing touches to the radio, Elle went to check on Todd.

She currently laid beside him on the best while he panicked over the poem Mr. Keating assigned them to write. Writing down and crossing out notes on his page at a hectic rate.

"I bet you ten bucks at least three idiots from our class will make a joke poem, or plagiarize," she sat up looking over his shoulder to see what he had so far.

"I don't want to do this, I can't read in front of a bunch of people!" Todd panicked, standing from his bed. Elle thought about what to say to him for a moment.

"I can't say the fear will magically go away, but I can assure you no one will make fun of you or I'll beat their ass. From what I see you write really well, I'm sure it'll be great." She assured him.

"What would I even write about though, Elle?" Todd paces around his dorm, freaking himself out further, over being even less prepared to read out his poem in front of the entire class.

"Uh, maybe about how you're catching feelings for Neil," Elle casually suggested to him. She laid back on his bed, hands behind her head, eyes close.

"My what?" This caused Todd to freeze in place, looking over to her slowly blinking.

"You heard me, darling Todd. The feelings you're growing for Neil, I think it would make for a lovely poem." She easily responds.

"I- I don't have feelings for Neil," he stutters, denying what she said. Slowly, he once again sits beside her laying form.

"Hypocrisy!" She exclaims in a mock, posh british accent, jumping up and startling Todd.

Seeing his face, she calms down giving him a comforting smile, "It's alright Todd, I know for a fact he feels the same. I catch the way he looks at you with adoration, and always trying to spend time with you. I promise not to tell. I think you two suit each other." She rubs her hand up and down his back for further comfort.

Todd pauses for a moment, thinking over everything Elle just informed him of.

"You think so?"

"I know so."

*

Elle stayed laying in Todd's bed, listening to him softly mumble to himself about the poem assignment. Looking at the time she saw the boys rowing class would be finishing soon.

"Todd!" Neil shouted running into their shared dorm room. He pauses, seeing Elle there with him.

"Hey Ellie," he grins at her, walking further into the dorm standing in front of the two.

Standing up, Elle waves at Todd, giving Neil a quick hug before preparing to leave, "hey Neil, I was just helping Todd with his poem. I'm gonna go check to see if the rowing class is done yet."

With that, she swiftly exits the room, but not before sending Todd a sly wink.

*

Elle was sitting at the bleachers for her free period, reading her copy of Little Women. Hearing a large commotion she looks up to see Mr. Keating leading the soccer team towards her, to the field.

"Ah! Miss. Avara! Can you come here for a moment, please?" Mr. Keating requested. Nodding, Elle closes her book, leaving it on the bleachers making her way to him and the boys.

"Can you take these slips of papers and hand them out to the boys?" He gives her a bunch of papers for her to hand out.

"After you receive your papers from Miss.  Avara, line up single file." He orders the boys as they walk up to Elle.

Not bothering to read what was on the papers, Elle started casually handing them out before reaching Charlie.

"Thank you, darling Eleanor," he smirks at her reaching for the paper. Just as he's about to grab it, Elle drops the paper to the ground, walking away, "whoops, sorry Dalton."

After all the boys had received their papers, Mr. Keating had asked Elle to replace each ball after a boy kicked it. He instructs the boys to read what their paper says aloud, then kick the ball into the net.

"You know what to do Pitts!" Mr. Keating yells out to him.

Pitts looked down at his paper reading from it, "Oh to struggle against great odds to meet enemies undaunted." He reads, hesitantly looking towards Mr. Keating.

"Sounds like you're daunted. Say it again like you're undaunted." He demands Pitts to re-read the paper.

"Oh to struggle against great odds to meet enemies undaunted." He repeated, much more confidently than before.

'Now go on!" Mr. Keating encourages him, Pitts runs forwards giving the ball a kick into the net.

"Next!"

While three more boys go to hit the ball, Mr. Keating started playing a song on the record player. Next up was Meeks.

"Come on, Meeks! Listen to the music!" He orders Meeks, who was staring over questiongly when the music started playing.

"To dance, clap hands, exalt, shout, skip, roll on, float on!" Meeks sang, before copying the others movements, running up to the ball and kicking it.

Next up was a random student that Elle didn't recognize.  After placing the ball down in front of him she backs up a bit looking towards him. He sends her a wink, earning a glare from Charlie, who was right behind him.

"Oh to have life henceforth the poem of new joys." He read plainly before running up and kicking the ball.

"Boo!" Mr. Keating heckled him, pointing his thumb downwards. "Come on Charlie, let it fill your soul." He beamed at Charlie, knowing he was one for the dramatics.

Elle gets a new ball and places it in front of him. He gives her one of his signature smirks, "thank you my dear Ellie." She simply sighed, shaking her head and moving back.

"To indeed be a god!" Charlie declared, throwing his arms up into the air, running at the ball giving it a hard kick.

Elle rolled her eyes knowing this was only going to worsen his already large ego.

✯

Sorry for the late chapter, blame Biology. Here's a shorter chapter to make up for it, I plan to write more tomorrow since schools only a half-day :)