A/N: Sorry it's a little late haha enjoy!

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Gwendolyn walked quietly along the lake inspecting her poem, to make it flawless. The subtle sounds of the lakes waves and the glimmer of the sun's rays bouncing off the water soothed her. She tried not to crinkle the piece of paper in a nervous habit. She could ruin the paper. Gwendolyn looked up from her poem and watched as geese soared in the sky, departing from the lake, where they had probably gotten a good drink and a bit of food.

She wondered if she was up there. Gwendolyn remembered she had always liked how the birds were able to fly and that she wanted to become one someday, if only just for a moment.

She smiled sadly and continued her walking, blinking her tears away.

How she missed her sometimes.

***

"For Chris..." Knox gulped, standing in front of the class. Gwendolyn smiled and perked up a little, resting the knuckles of her hand on her chin.

"I see a sweetness in her smile"
"Bright lights shine from her eyes"
"But life is complete"
"Contentment is mine"
"Just knowing that..."

A couple of the boys snickered behind their closed fists and Gwendolyn wanted to scream at them and ask them if they could do any better. She opted for the less violent approach and glared at them.

"Just knowing that."

Hopkins guffawed loudly and Gwendolyn felt the extreme urge to sock him in the mouth.

"She's alive." Knox finished dejectedly and crumpled up the paper, "Sorry, captain it's stupid."

"No, no, it's not stupid. It's a good effort. It touched on one of the major themes: love! A major theme not only in poetry but life."

Gwendolyn tapped his arm as he walked by,  "It was a good poem Knox." He smiled a little and nodded in thanks.

"Mr. Hopkins, you were laughing. You're up." Hopkins sauntered up, smirking to himself, throwing a wink at Gwendolyn who itched to give him the finger.

"The cat sat on the mat." He stated with no feeling whatsoever and then, he went back to his desk, accompanied by the chortles of his friends.

"Congratulations Mr. Hopkins. You have the first poem to ever have a negative score on the Pritchard scale." Gwendolyn snorted despite herself, "We're not laughing at you, we're laughing near you. I don't mind that your poem had a simple theme, sometimes the most beautiful poetry can be about it simple things, like a cat, or a flower, or rain. You see, poetry can come from anything with the stuff of revelation in it. Just don't let your poems by ordinary. Now who's next?" He walked over, caught Gwendolyn's eye and smiled, "Gwen. Care to read us your poem?"

"It'd be my pleasure." Gwendolyn winked, and stood up straight. She walked to the front of the class with her chin held high. Now was not the time to freak out.

Todd looked in wonder at how composed she was when she had to stand in front of the class and read something that she, herself, wrote. Todd couldn't comprehend it.

Gwendolyn cleared her throat with a cough and began,

"There was a girl I once knew"
"Not so long ago"
"She loved ribbons, fastened to lovely silk dresses"
"Birds that soared in the depths of blue skies"
"And the fall leaves on trees, that transformed from green coats"
"Taking on a much more colourful approach"

"Though she didn't love poetry as much as I"
"She still loved to learn, to read, to write"
"Drinking in all of life's exquisiteness"
"And never once stopping"
"To take a well-earned breath"

"She was witty and caring"
"Beautiful in more ways than one"
"She wasn't patient or quiet"
"But that just made her more fun"

"I miss her so much"
"I can only hope she misses me"
"If I look long enough, at the leaves of a tree"
"I sometimes spot a shadow and think:"
"It's her! She's here!"
"But whenever I blink, the shadow somehow disappears"

"Thank you Miss Keating! That was spectacular!" Mr. Keating exclaimed, the corners of his eyes a little wet. Gwendolyn walked back to her desk, trying not to let a tear slip. Everyone clapped, except Hopkins who scoffed with his arms crossed over his chest and Cameron who was scribbling in his book, looking around to see if anyone in the Dead Poets Society noticed.

"Please. Little Miss Overachiever with her prissy, girly poems. She couldn't even kick a ball into a net, it's a wonder she's got a brain in that head of hers." Hopkin's smirked as his friends snickered quietly. Cameron remained hyper-focused on his notepad.

Meeks whipped around, his face blazing with anger, "She's got more brains then you'll ever have Hopkins." He whispered fiercely.

Neil leaned forward, "And you don't have even a sliver of her poetic ability. A little advice," he smiled, false sweetness dripping from it, "fix your own poem before bashing someone else's."

Mr. Keating, with his eagle ears had heard the exchange of words and smiled to himself. Friends like that were often hard to find.

"Alright, who to pick next?" Todd looked down. If you don't make eye contact, they won't pick you, "Mr. Anderson. I see you sitting there in agony." Uh oh. Guess not all theories are correct, "Come on Todd, step up. Let's put you out of your misery.

"I didn't do it. I didn't write a poem." Todd said softly, licking his lips which were starting to become dry. Gwendolyn's brows furrowed.

"But...Todd your notebook—I saw...and you told me—?" Todd wished he had never turned around. The look of confused hurt within her shining blue eyes was a punch to his gut. A bitter feeling swept through his veins and squeezed his heart, choking it. The words "I'm sorry" were on the tip of tongue but Mr. Keating had interrupted him.

"Mr. Anderson thinks everything inside him is worthless and embarrassing." Mr. Keating calmly stated, "Isn't that right Todd? Isn't that your worst fear?" Todd turned and gave no answer, just a glance downwards at his desk. "Well I think you're wrong. I think you have something great inside of you that is worth a great deal." He moved to the chalkboard and began to write, speaking as he did so, ""I sound my barbaric yawp over the rooftops of the world." W. W. Uncle Walt again! Now for those of you who don't know, a yawp is a loud cry or yell. Now, Todd, I would like you to give a demonstration of a barbaric yawp." Todd silently sighed, dreading what this event could lead to. "Come on, you can't yawp sitting down. Let's go. Come on, up." He beckoned Todd to stand, who did so reluctantly. "Gotta get in yawping stance."

Todd looked to Mr. Keating, "A yawp."

"No no! Not just a yawp! A barbaric yawp." He pumped his fist in the air.

"Yeah, yeah, right." Todd mumbled. "Yawp."

"Come on, louder!" Mr. Keating said.

"Yawp." Todd said a little louder.

"Oh, that's a mouse! Come on, louder!"

"Yawp!" Todd said just the slightest bit louder.

"Come on Todd. Yell like the world is on fire and you're the last person left." Gwendolyn whispered under her breath.

"God, boy, yell like a man!"

"YAWP!" Todd yelled, as loud as he could. Gwendolyn and Mr. Keating jumped the a little, but they both smiled widely.

"There it is! See, you have a barbarian in you after all." Todd made a move to go back to the safety of his desk but Mr. Keating stopped him before he could, "Now you don't get away that easy. There's a picture of Uncle Walt up there." He pointed to a photograph of a man with a beard, "What does he remind you of. Don't think, answer. Go on."

"A madman."

"What kind of a madman?"

Todd paused.

"Don't think about it, answer again!" Mr. Keating snapped.

"A crazy madman."

"You can do better. Free up your mind, use your imagination! Say the first thing that pops into your head, even if it's gibberish." Mr. Keating began circling around Todd.

"A sweaty-toothed madman!"

Mr. Keating stopped suddenly, "Good God boy, there's a poet in you after all. There, close your eyes." Todd didn't comply, "Close your eyes, close them." Mr. Keating covered Todd's eyes with his hands, "Now tell me what you see." He began walking with Todd in small circles.

Todd fumbled for words, "I close my eyes..."

"Yes?"

"And this image floats beside me..."

Mr. Keating helped, "A sweaty-toothed madman."

Todd nodded, "A-A sweaty-toothed madman with a stare that pounds my brain."

"Oh that's excellent. Now give him action. Make him do something."

"His-his hands reach out and choke me."

Mr. Keating pressed on, "That's it, wonderful!" He removed his hand from Todd's eyes but Todd kept them firmly shut.

"And all the time he's mumbling."

"What's he mumbling?"

"Mumbling truth. Truth, like a blanket that always leaves your feet cold." Todd was breathing heavily. The boys started to laugh at Todd's sentence. His eyes burst open, full of fright. Gwendolyn slammed her hands on the desk and stood up abruptly.

"Forget them Todd! Stay with the blanket!"

"Yes, yes. Listen to Gwen. Stay with the blanket, tell me about it." Mr. Keating got Todd to shut his eyes again.

"Y-you can push it, stretch it, it'll never be enough. You can kick at it, beat it, it'll never cover any of us." Mr. Keating had now backed away, far enough to see Todd fully. "From the moment we enter crying t-to the moment we leave dying. It'll just cover your face as you wail and cry and scream." Todd opened his eyes and sought out Gwendolyn who stared at him, open-mouthed and eyes starry. Her mouth slowly peeled into a smile as she began the clapping. Todd smiled back and looked down sheepishly.

"Don't you ever forget this." Mr. Keating said to Todd just so he could hear.

Todd didn't think he could ever forget the sun perfectly hitting Gwen's face as she smiled so brilliantly at him, ecstatic that he had finally found himself.

Todd would never let go.

***

Gwendolyn didn't participate in the extracurricular activities. Mr. Nolan never asked her if she wanted to and she never asked Mr. Nolan if she could. She had enough fun watching the boys play soccer, while her father coached. Her father being the only one who would let her watch them play. The others weren't so fond of Gwendolyn Keating.

The boys kicked and passed, laughing, and cheering when they scored and falling dramatically when their opposing team scored.

Gwendolyn sat, laughing until her ribs were sore and her lungs could no longer supply oxygen. Finally, a team won, the team with all the members of the Dead Poets Society. Mr. Keating hollered and Gwendolyn cheered throwing her arms in the air. All the boys crowded Mr. Keating and lifted him up into the air. All of them minus Todd, who grabbed Gwendolyn's hands unexpectedly and pulled her up.

His hair was a little disheveled and his cheeks were flushed from exertion. There was a light sheen of sweat on her forehead and around his hairline. He began to laugh but it was a soft kind of laughter that Gwendolyn wanted to capture and put into a bottle. She thought he looked so pretty when he smiled and she had the sudden urge to kiss the sharp Cupid's bow of his lips. She shook her head, clearing her lovesick thoughts and ran after her father who was being carried away, with Todd's fingers interlaced with her own.

***

Pitts inhaled some smoke from the pipe and nearly choked to death. Charlie let loose a throaty laugh, "Attaboy Pittsie, inhale deeply."

"My dad collects a lot of pipes." Meeks said to no one in particular.

"How interesting." Gwendolyn nodded, clutching her knees to her chest. 

"Really? Mines got thirty." Charlie chimed in.

"You parents collect pipes? Oh that's really interesting." Pitts laughed at his voice which sounded weird.

"Come on Knox, Ribbon join in." Charlie lifted his pipe the slightest bit.

Gwendolyn shook her head, "No thank you Charlie. I don't smoke."

"Aw come on Ribbon, just try it." He moved forward and waved the pipe in her face. She batted it away.

"Get the pipe away from me before I maul you, you moron." She teased.

Charlie jumped back dramatically, "Whoa! Okay, jeez! Ribbon is not all sugar, I repeat, Ribbon is. Not. All. Sugar."

Gwendolyn snorted, "Well that's just judging a book by it's cover. Just because I'm a woman, doesn't mean I'm sickeningly sweet!" She noticed Knox looking sad, too sad for his own good, "Hey what's wrong Knox?"

"It's Chris." He replied glumly.

"Chriiiiiiiis." The boys parroted.

"Here's a picture of Chris for you." Pitts put a picture of a nude women in front of Knox's face.

"Put that in your pipe and smoke it!" Charlie exclaimed.

"Pitts put that down. It's utterly horrific. Why is that here still?" Gwendolyn covered her eyes, "Somebody burn it."

"Neil!" Meeks yelled as Neil ducked down and came into the cave.

"Friends, scholars, Welton men. And woman." He winked at Gwendolyn.

"What's that Neil?" Meeks asked, pointing to the old lamp Neil had brought.

Pitts rolled his eyes, "Duh. It's a lamp Meeks."

"No! This is the god of the cave!" Neil pulled off the tattered shade and showed the base of the lamp which was a man with blue vest.

Suddenly Charlie played a loud, low note on a saxophone.

"Where. On earth did you get. That." Gwendolyn pointed to the saxophone.

"None of your beeswax. What do you say we start this meeting eh?" Everyone agreed to start the meeting. Charlie stood, saxophone at the ready, "Gentlmen, m'lady, "Poetrusic" by Charles Dalton."

"Oh no." Gwendolyn groaned just as Charlie began to play. Very very badly. It sounded like a siren.

"Laughing, crying, tumbling, mumbling"
"Gotta do more, gotta be more"

He played again, this time right in Pitts' face making him cry out.

"Chaos screaming, chaos dreaming"
"Gotta do more, gotta be more!"

He played once again, this time, however, he actually sounded nice. Charlie played his little, jazzy tune, and not once, did Gwendolyn cover her ears. To end, he reached towards Knox and ruffled his hair. He finally sat back.

"That was good Charlie." Gwendolyn clapped, "Where'd you learn to play like that?"

"My parents made me take the clarinet for years."

"I love the clarinet!" Cameron declared.

"I hated it!" Everyone laughed at Charlie's contrary statement. "The saxophone. The saxophone is more...sonorous."

Everyone "oohed" at Charlie's word choice.

Suddenly Knox threw his arm and hit the stone of the cave wall, "I can't take it anymore! If I don't have Chris, I'm gonna kill myself." He said solemnly.

"Knoxious. You gotta calm down." Charlie tried to deescalate the situation.

"No, Charlie. That's just my problem. I've been calm all my life. I'm gonna do something." He got up and grabbed his scarf.

"Where are you going?" Neil asked.

"What are you gonna do?" Gwendolyn looked at him curiously.

"I'm gonna call her. Yeah!" He crawled out of the cave. Everyone else shouted words of encouragement and followed Knox on his path.

***

Knox quickly tore the phone away from his ear and slammed it on the receiver, breathing heavily. The sound of coins clunking and Knox's breathing were the only sounds that could be heard in the empty hallway.

"She's gonna hate me." He turned to the group, "The Danburrys will hate me. My parents will kill me!" No one said a word, just gave him looks that all spelled out the same two words, "All right, goddamn it. You're right. Carpe diem." He picked up the phon again, "Even if it kills me." He dialed the number and waited.

"Hello Chris? Hi, this is Knox Overstreet." Charlie moved over to hear better, "She's glad I called." He whispered. Gwendolyn smiled a little, shifting her weight beside Todd, who stared at her. Knox's eyes widened, "Would I like to come to a party?"

"Yes." Gwendolyn mouthed the words.

"Say yes." Charlie whispered, quiet as he could muster.

"Well sure. Okay, great. I'll be there Chris. Friday night at the Danburrys. Okay thank you, thank you. I'll see you. Bye." He put the phone back on the receiver and fell back against the notice board, "Yawp!" He screamed.

"Good job Knox!" Gwendolyn supplied cheerfully.

"Can you believe it? She was gonna call me. She invited me to a party with her."

"At Chet Danburry's house?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah."

"Well?"

"So?"

"So you don't really think she means you're going with her?"

Knox rolled his eyes, "Well, of course not, but that's not the point. That's not the point at all."

"Then what's the point?"

"The point, Charlie...is that...uh..." he paused, collecting his thoughts, "that she was thinking about me. I've only met her once, and already she's thinking about me. Damn it guys. It's going to happen. I can feel it." He pushed through the crowd circling the telephone and walked on. "She is going to be mine." He said flipping his scarf over his shoulder, humming to himself.

"He's aware that she just invited him to a party and is not taking him out on a date right?" She whispered to Neil.

"Gwen, just let the man bask in his happiness okay?" He teased.

"Okay, okay. I won't tell him. Not yet at least."

Todd was thinking, like he always was.

What if he took a chance like Knox did? What was the probability that he would have Gwendolyn.

Todd Anderson wasn't one for taking risks. They never worked out for him much.

But maybe. Just maybe.

This one would...

***