Dead Poets Society

catch me,
tell them I made it up. All your asses are safe. Look, Gloria and Tina didn’t
come here to listen to us argue. Are we gonna have a meeting or what?“
    “Yeah. How do we
know if we want to join if you don’t have a meeting?”
    Neil raised his
eyebrows questioningly at Charlie. “Join?” he asked.
    Charlie ignored him
and turned to Tina. “‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more
lovely and more temperate—’”
    Tina melted into
warm goo. “Oh, that’s so sweet!” she cried, and threw her arms around Charlie.
The other boys tried to appear disinterested, as if they weren’t really
jealous.
    “I wrote that for
you,” Charlie told Tina.
    Her eyes popped in
delight. “You did?!“
    “I’ll write one for
you, too, Gloria,” he said quickly, noticing her face turn red with envy. He
closed his eyes. “‘She walks in beauty, like the night...’”
    Charlie opened his eyes
after the first few words and stood up from the fire. Trying to cover up his
forgetfulness, he walked across the cave. “’She walks in beauty, like the
night,’” he repeated. He turned his back, opened a book, and read quickly to
himself, while Gloria watched expectantly. He closed it, put the book down, and
turned back to Gloria. “‘Of cloudless climes and starry skies;/ And all that’s
best of dark and bright/Meet in her aspect and her eyes.’”
    Gloria squealed with
delight. “Isn’t he wonderful?”
    The other boys sat
ashen-faced and seething with jealousy over Charlie’s escapades. Gloria
squeezed Charlie tight.
     
    At that same moment,
Knox Overstreet was experiencing some jealousy of his own as he stumbled
through the crowded Danburry house. “Boy, were those guys right, ” he mumbled
to himself as he thought of Chris and Chet and remembered his friends’ warning
not to get his hopes too high over Chris.
    The house was dark,
illuminated only by the moonlight streaming through the windows. Music by the
Drifters played loudly. Couples were intertwined everywhere, making out.
    Drink in hand, Knox
tripped over a couple on the floor, tipsy from the innumerable bourbons without
coke that he had downed with Bubba and Steve.
    “Hey!” an angry
voice shouted. “Watch where you’re going! What’d ya have, too much to drink,
buddy?”

Chapter
10

     
     
    “Sorry, ” Knox
whispered, as he fell onto the sofa. He leaned back, clutching his half-full
glass, and took a long swig of the bitter bourbon. It seemed to burn less now
as it slid down his throat.
    He looked around,
loosening up from the effect of the booze. To his left was a tangled couple
that sounded like a giant panting beast. To his right was another pair who
seemed to have sunk right into the sofa. Knox wanted to stand up, but he
realized that the couple he had tripped over was now rolled against his shins,
pinning him in place. He looked around and almost giggled. Oh well, I may as
well make himself comfortable, he said to himself. The bodies surrounding
him were too busy to notice him anyway.
    The music stopped,
and the sound of heavy breathing filled the room. This sounds like nn
artificial respiration ward, Knox thought to himself, wishing he too had a
partner. He checked on the couple to his right. I think he’s going to chew
her lips off, he thought. He turned to the couple on his left.
    “Oh, Chris, you’re
so beautiful,” he heard the boy’s voice say.
    Oh my God, it’s
Chris and Chet! Knox thought, his heart beginning to throb. Chris Noel was sitting right next
to him on the couch!
    The music started up
again, and the strains of the Drifters singing “This Magic Moment” filled the
room. Knox’s head was spinning. Chris and Chet were going at it full force.
Knox tried to look away but his eyes were riveted on Chris.
    “Chris,” Chet
groaned, “you’re so gorgeous.” Chet kissed Chris hard, and she leaned against
Knox. In the moonlit room Knox stared at the outline of Chris’s face, the nape
of her neck, the curves of her breasts. He quickly downed the rest of his drink
and forced himself to look away.
    Oh my God, help me, he thought as Chris
leaned Wore heavily on him. Knox’s face was contorted in agony as he felt
himself struggle with temptation. He tried not to look but he knew he was
losing his inner battle.
    Suddenly, he turned
toward Chris again. He melted as his emotions took over. “Carpe breastum, he
said to himself, closing his eyes. “Seize the breast!”
    “Huh?” Knox heard
Chris