WE ARE GOLDEN--DEAD POETS SOCIETY

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Light.

The sun was filtering through Mr. Keating's window. Scarlett focused on it, trying to process what her teacher had just told her.

"Scarlett?"

"How?" She managed to stutter out, not meeting his worried eyes.

"Are you sure you wann-"

"It was an overdose, wasn't it."

SIlence. Mr. Keating nodded.

"It's my fault, I should've stayed with her in L.A," Scarlett muttered, looking down at her lap.

"Scarlett, you can't blame yourself," Mr. Keating pressed, taking one of her hands. She looked up, tears threatening to spill out of her green eyes.

"But I can. I should have told her not to do that movie."

Mr. Keating sighed. He hated seeing his usually vivacious student broken.

"Get some rest, Scarlett. And don't push away the people that care about you."

________________________________________

"Hey, where's Scarlett?" Knox asked as the boys walked past the girls' usual table.

"Mr. Keating had something to tell her," Lilith said, looking worried. "But I didn't think it would take this long."

Charlie rested a hand on her shoulder, not liking the look in her eyes. She looked up and smiled at him, but the vexation remained.

"Let's go find her after dinner," Camille decided. "Knox, Charlie, you're welcome to come."

The boys grinned, and with a squeeze to Lili's shoulder, Charlie sat down at his table with the boys.

"What's up?" Neil asked, seeing the concern on their faces.

"Something happened to Scarlett," Knox replied. "She's not at dinner."

"And Keating called her into his office," Charlie added, twirling spaghetti idly with his fork.

The boys exchanged uncertain looks at this.

"Hope she's not in trouble."

Pitts spoke, voicing everyone's thoughts.

After dinner, they made their way back to the dorm. Camille knocked tentatively on her and Scarlett's door, but there was no response. She pushed open the door.

"Scar?"

Again, she was met with silence.

"She's not here."

Azalea and Lilith exchanged a look of fright.

"Let's split up. Neil, Knox, Lili, go together. Meeks, Pitts and I will go together, and Charlie, Cameron, Knox, and Cami-"

"Actually, Cameron's not here, he's doing trig," Charlie spat, mentally upbraiding the inconsiderate carrot-head.

"Alright then. Let's go."

The groups headed off, Neil, Knox, and Lili heading to the lower levels. Pitts, Meeks, and Azalea began searching the middle two, and Charlie, Todd, and Camii took the top floor and the roof.

Camille shivered as she clambered up. She looked around and caught a glimpse of familiar long blonde hair blowing slowly in the wind.

"Over there," she whispered, pointing. Charlie and Knox followed her finger, catching sight of their friend, sitting with her back against a tower. They hurried over.

"Scar?"

Camille tentatively placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder. Scarlett did not seem to notice as she took a long drag from her cigarette.

Knox sat down in front of her.

"Scarlett."

This seemed to jolt her. She looked up at her friends, eyes wet. Camille and Charlie hastened to plop themselves down on either side of her.

"My mother's dead," Scarlett announced to no one in particular, taking another drag from her cigarette.

"Scarlett, I'm so sor-"

"Don't be."

"Scarlett, we're your friends. It's our job to feel sorry for you."

The blonde tilted her head back, staring at the sky.

"It was my fault."

"I'm sure that's not true," Charlie told her.

"I shouldn't have left. Dad leaving did enough, why did I hav-"

"Scarlett, stop. Look at me," Camille interrupted what she knew would soon become a self-deprecating monologue.

Scarlett couldn't. She knew if any of them looked at her, the tears she had been keeping down for an hour would fall.

"I.."

Camille's hand gently grasped her chin, tilting her head. And the dam broke. Scarlett collapsed into her best friend's arms, sobbing. Soon she was wrapped up in Charlie and Knox as well, the boys being determined to cheer her up.

They sat like that for a while, letting her cry. Finally, she extricated herself from the hug, laughing slightly.

"Better?" Camille asked, offering her hand to hold.

Scarlett nodded, taking it.

"I'm just glad you didn't bring Cameron with you," she joked.

And with that, they headed back inside

A/N i love charlie and scarlett's

friendship they are gonna

cause so much trouble

together