NOT SO DEAD POETS GC - the dead poets society

𝐭𝐞𝐧. pack it up olivia rodrigo

7:00 PM - Welton Square

Seven o'clock in the evening. The square was bustling with the local college students skipping into the nearby bars, formally dressed families pulling up in their limousines, and a line in front of the singular ice cream parlor.

Weaving his way through the crowds of people, Neil adjusts his maroon cashmere sweater layered over his crisp white collared shirt. Letting out a breath after passing the center of the square, he finally lets his hands sit in the pockets of his fitted plaid pants. He kicks at a small rock until he can hear the smell of the fresh bread and the heated olive oil of Bambino's. 

From under the red striped awning, Neil gazes over at the table set for three with a tall candlestick. He sees his roommate and best friend reading an over popularized, yet still meaningful, collection of poems. The flicker of the candle reflected clearly in the eyes Neil often lost in. The actor traces over the remainder of Todd's features with his eyes, while also inching closer to the entrance of the restaurant. Just before he turned to the door, he saw Jackie approach the opposite end of the table, from what he presumed to be a trip to the restroom. 

Immediately, Neil exhales and turns around, only to be spun back by none other than his other best friend, Charlie Dalton.

"Nope. Perry," Charlie encourages with his hands on his longtime best friend's shoulder, "you've committed, so don't you dare chicken out."

"But, this is a romantic restaurant and Todd is there with Jackie and I'm not just going to third wheel and I really like him and I know that she can like make anyone fall in love with her and-" Neil rambles quickly, waving his hands about, almost stabbing Charlie in the eye. 

"Whoa there my little platypus! I'll take care of the lady, and you just do your thing with your beloved!" Charlie motivates while giving Neil small pats on his head. 

"What do you mean?" Neil questions, not realizing his obvious hint.

"Just watch and appreciate Perry!" Charlie winks and opens the door, the smell of the Italian restaurant wafting through their nostrils.

Neil walks over to the table he saw through the window after pretending to look for them. Jackie waves him over, while Todd quickly sneaks a glance over his shoulder. Jackie stands up to give him a chaste hug and a whisper of a kiss by his ear. Neil politely obliges, yet his eyes widen in absolute surprise once he feels lips by his earlobe. He gives her the best smile he can as an actor. Luckily she doesn't see the difference, or if she does, she doesn't seem uncomfortable. 

Just before Jackie starts talking about something that Neil has no interest in, Charlie swoops in, 

"Hey! Jackie! Long time no see!"

"Charles, hello! What- what are you doing here?" Jackie stumbles. Todd subtly glances at Neil with raised eyebrows. Neil's natural instinct is to extend his hand to Todd, in what he used to consider a common act between best friends. But he retracts his arm back and gives him a small equally confused expression. 

"Oh, I was just passing by and I just remembered that you left your jacket in Richard and I's room earlier this year," Charlie replies easily, with a hint of passive aggression. 

"Oh right! I totally forgot all about it, which is surprising because it's my favorite. Do you happen to have it with you?"

Charlie takes his hands out of his pockets and does jazz hands. To clarify his expression, he adds, 

"No, sorry I had to walk a bunch to get here so, if you could please follow me to retrieve it, since it's your favorite and all."

"Um, I'm kinda having dinner with Todd and Neil right now," Jackie explains.

"Oh don't worry they don't mind. Do you?" Charlie questions with a surprisingly subtle expression at Neil.

"Nope! By all means grab your jacket!" Neil interjects quickly as Todd awkwardly changes his attention between Charlie and Neil.

"Well, okay," Jackie gives in reluctantly.

"Great! Let's go!" Charlie exclaims while practically throwing Jackie out of the door and taking her purse from her chair himself. 

With an enthusiastic grin through the window, Charlie waves to Neil and Todd before grabbing Jackie's arm and dragging her away.

Todd looks down in his lap, before looking awkwardly at Neil for a second. 

"Well, I- I guess we don't need Jackie's chair," Todd starts, "so, you can uh, move there. If you want."

"No, I'm fine sitting here" Neil replies softly sitting next to Todd, rather than across him. 

The poet and the actor look at each other as their cheeks both turn a rosy shade of pink. They hold a loving gaze until a waiter approaches their table and gains their attention by clearing his throat. 

"Fucking bastard!" Meeks mutters loudly from his position behind the tree outside the restaurant.

"Meeks, why are you spying on them?" Pitts questions while taking another spoonful of his ice cream. 

"To make sure they aren't going to chicken out!" Meeks counters.

"Yeah, but if you were going to spy on them the whole time, then why did you plan our date for tonight?" 

"Great question, give me a bite of your ice cream and I'll tell you," Meeks replies.

Pitts brings the spoon to his boyfriend's opened mouth. Meeks finally looks away from his binoculars to give an approving look at Pitts.

"Good flavor right?" Pitts asks rhetorically.

"Not bad! Wait oh my god, Todd is laughing at Neil because he has vinegar on his face!" Meeks announces as he repeatedly hits his hand on Pitts's shoe.

"Why are you even sitting on the ground?" Pitts asks confusedly. A shriek of pain shoots up from his foot as he sees his boyfriend move to sit on top of his foot. Meeks tears his eyes away from the binoculars to smile up innocently up at him.

Pitts harshly removes his foot and Meeks falls roughly on the hard concrete. Pitts's eyes widen in terror as he starts running in the direction of the school. And although Pitts is much taller than Meeks, the curly redhead manages to reduce the space between the two. 

Eventually the couple reaches Welton's soccer field where Meeks jumps on Pitts to tackle him. The boys roll over to face each other upside down and laugh at each other as the sunset dances colors on their skin.