"Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation." Don't be resigned to that. Break out! Don't just walk off the edge like lemmings. Look around you." Mr. Keating said.
They had begun an activity where they stood on Mr. Keating's desk to look at the world in a "different perspective".
"There! There you go, Mr. Priske. Thank you! Yes! Dare to strike out and find new ground. Now, in addition to your essays, I would like you to compose a poem of your own, an original work." Charlie looked at his desk in agony, an original poem?
"That's right! You have to deliver it aloud in front of the class on Monday. Bonne chance, gentlemen." He smiled then turned and looked at Todd who was now standing on his desk, "Mr. Anderson? Don't think that I don't know that this assignment scares the hell out of you, you mole."
The class was dismissed as they made their way to the dorm rooms. Charlie sulked on his bed as Knox walked in with him.
"An original poem?" Charlie said. "How much time do we have?"
"His class is tomorrow, so I saw a few hours." Knox responded.
"Alright, brainstorm. What could we write about?" Charlie asked looking at Knox whose face turned red.
"I was going to write about love..." Charlie smirked and sat up.
"You're in love Knoxious?" Charlie smirked.
"In love?" Knox repeated looking at the floor.
"Don't be shy Romeo, who is it? She goes here?" Charlie asked eagerly. "Ooo! Did you meet her outside the school?"
"Charlie- lets just drop it." Knox blushed walking to Charlie's desk sitting on the chair.
Charlie groaned and flopped on his bed again.
"Oh Knoxious! I just want to know who my best friend is in love with! So badly he's basing a whole poem on her!" Charlie said.
"Charlie. Drop it, please I promise it's not a big deal." Knox said back spinning on the chair.
"You're lame, I would tell you who I had a crush on! You'd be the first person I'd tell!" Charlie complained
"It's different Charlie." Knox said defensively turning to look at him.
"Geez, sorry. Didn't mean to push your buttons. I'm going to write about my cat." Charlie said grabbing paper and a pencil.
"You have a cat?" Knox asked and Charlie nodded.
"A bastard if you ask me. Cute nonetheless." Charlie grinned.
"What's the name?" Knox asked.
"My dad calls him bastard, originally it was night but now he only answers to bastard." Charlie laughed.
The rest of the time was quiet as they wrote their poems for the next class, Charlie was unsure if he should pick a more serious topic like Knox.
•••
They entered Keating's classroom, Charlie sat at the back and Knox sat in front of him.
"Who wants to go first?" Mr. Keating asked but no one answered. "Knox! Thank you for volunteering."
Charlie smirked as Knox nervously walked in front of everyone his poem in front of him.
Knox cleared his throat as he began to read his poem. "Love- it's powerful. Love - it begins with two people. Love - it makes you wonder, makes you think. Love - it teaches. But my Love My Love - I have to hide. My Love - can't be known. My Love - it's only for you. Whither we are dead, alive, old, or young. My Love - will forever be yours." Knox looked at the class and then at Mr. Keating.
"Sorry, it's really dumb." Knox mumbled sitting back down.
"It wasn't dumb, it touched on the main part of poetry, love." Mr. Keating smiled, "who is next?"
Charlie slouched to avoid being called on.
"Ahh, Mr. Dalton, you're so eager to present. Please, please come up." Mr. Keating grinned causing Charlie to groan and stand up. He walked in front of the class holding out his paper.
"Although it's forbidden I would risk being expelled just for a kiss. A kiss from you. Never pull away I want the feeling to last. Don't shut me away I want this to last." Charlie finished with a grin.
"Another poem about love. Don't let Mr. Nolan hear, he might just kick the girls out." He smiled and Charlie sat back down on his chair.
•••
Class ended and Knox and Charlie walked back to their dorms. They talked about class but Neil and Todd had to rush away, Meeks and Pitts were going to sneak and listen to their radio.
This left Knox and Charlie to hangout together.
"Who was your poem about?" Charlie asked breaking the silence.
"That is unimportant." Knox mumbled.
"Want to know who my poem was about?" Charlie asked.
"Oh, sure." Knox stuttered looking at him.
"Follow me." Charlie whispered walking to his dorm room, Knox following behind.
Luckily Cameron wasn't in the room, Charlie sat on his bed and Knox sat besides him.
"My poem was about you." Charlie grinned, Knox blushed.
"A-About me?" He stuttered and Charlie nodded.
"I'm not one to keep my feelings away Knox. You know me, I would hate for this to ruin our friendship." Charlie said looking Knox in the eyes.
Knox looked away, he didn't say anything. Charlie sighed and stood up.
"See, I hope this doesn't ruin our friendship Knox. If you don't like me back that's alright. Just please don't tell anyone." Charlie nervously said.
Knox still didn't answer, he looked at Charlie then at the floor.
"Okay... Well, if you just promise you won't say anything..." Charlie went on waving a hand in front of Knox.
"Oh- um, yeah. I won't tell anyone." Knox stood up, he was much taller then Charlie.
"Okay, you can um... You can leave whenever you want to, I guess." Charlie chuckled sitting on his desk chair returning to his Latin work he procrastinated doing.
"Charlie?" Knox said still sitting looking away from Charlie.
"Yeah?" Charlie answered back.
"I'm sorry..." Knox mumbled glaring at the floor.
"It's not a big deal to me Knox. Honestly I didn't really expect you to return the feelings. It's alright hough. It's just a dumb high school crush." Charlie laughed returning to his work.
Knox excused himself and walked out the bedroom leaving Charlie to his thoughts, it sinked in that their friendship will never be the same.
