EVERMORE | DEAD POETS SOCIETY

FIVE!

LUNCH TIME AT WELTON WAS ALWAYS STRESSFUL FOR REBETTA. She always tried her best to sneak her food outside or even to her dorm. But today, she felt comfortable enough to sit in the lunchroom. She liked some of the lunch ladies, who were always so generous to her. Other times, some lunch ladies would make a snarky comment which didn't make her feel good about her appearance.

She stood around, trying at least to find her new friend, Todd Anderson. "Betta!" She turned over to see Meeks and the rest of the group calling her down.

She smiled as made her way over to the table. Charlie pulled out her chair for her to sit down. "Jeeze, I swear I almost got hit with a meatball." Rebetta jokes, looking down at her spaghetti

"The spaghetti rocks, trust me." Knox mumbled, as he had a whole mouthful of spaghetti in his mouth. Suddenly Neil came hurrying in with a book in his hand.

"Hey Neil, what's that?" Betta asked, taking a sip of her water.

"I found Keating's senior annual in the library." He said, opening up the book and handing it to Cameron. "Listen to this, captain of the soccer team, editor of the school annual, Cambridge bound, Thigh man, and the Dead Poets Society."

Cameron read off of the book. "Man most likely to do anything."

"Thigh Man. Mr. K was a hell raiser!" Charlie commented.

"What's the Dead Poets Society?" Knox asked. The book was passed down to Charlie and then to Rebetta. She examined his picture softly, trying to point out all of the details in his face. Captain of the Soccer Team. Editor of the School Annual, Cambridge Bound, Thigh man, and the Dead Poets Society.

"I don't know." Neil told Charlie. Meeks peered over to look at the annual.

"Is there a picture of it in the annual?" He asked and Neil shook his head.

"No, nothing," Neil said. "No mention of it at all."

"Boys!" Immediately Neil slid the book underneath the table as Mr. Nolan came over. "Rebetta, these boys aren't causing you any trouble... are they?"

"No sir, they are not." She spoke softly, as she twirled her spoon with the spaghetti.

"Good, good. I hope they aren't." Nolan smiled. "Are you enjoying your stay here?"

"Yes sir. I am." Rebetta replied. When in reality the only enjoyable part was Neil, his friends and Mr. Keating. None of the Tradition, Honor, Excellence bullshit that Welton shoved down your throat. Mr. Nolan placed his hand on her shoulder, which made her very uncomfortable.

"Good, because I'm expecting great behavior from you." He warned her. "You don't have complaints, do you?"

"No sir." She smiled, hoping that the conversation would end quickly. "That boy. Right there!" Nolan spotted, pointing at a kid from across the cafeteria. "Come see me after lunch, we need to have a talk." Nolan rushed over to the other side before Rebetta turned back to her friends and enjoyed their meal.

Lunch was finally over and Neil, Rebetta and all the others decided to get some nice fresh air before they were crammed with more studying and homework. "Look! It's Keating!" Rebetta pointed to Keating who was walking with his backs turned to him. They started following him from a distance.

"Mr. Keating?" Neil called out.

No response.

"Mr. Keating? Sir?" Neil tried again.

Still nothing.

He looked over at his friends and they shrugged, not knowing what to do. "Oh captain, my captain?" Neil tried one more time, and Mr. Keating turned around.