landslide, neil perry

twelve.

celia and the guys all stood up as knox got back to the school from his venture with chris. "hey, how'd it go? did you read it to her?" charlie asked.

"yeah, your amazing and fantastic poem?" celia teased, smiling up at him.

"yeah."

the group began to get excited. "what'd she say?" pitts leaned in.

knox shrugged. "nothing."

charlie's face fell. "nothing. what do you mean, nothing?"

"nothing." he repeated. "but i did it." he began to walk away, the others all following close behind.

"what did she say?" charlie pressed. "i know she had to say something."

knox just flew down the hallway happily. "seize the day!"

celia laughed as she watched him. she couldn't even think about how she'd gotten herself here. at the beginning of the year, she hadn't known any of these boys. now, she was in love with one, and was more fond of the others than she had been of anyone in her entire life. they were her best friends.

she was interrupted from her thoughts when neil wrapped an arm around her shoulders, trying to be inconspicuous incase nolan showed up out of nowhere. "today's the day!" she said.

he nodded, but his smile faltered nervously. "yep!" 

"i heard that you talked to my dad-- did you say anything else to yours?" celia asked, moving slightly closer to him.

"what was i supposed to say?" neil countered. "i said i'd quit."

"but.. you lied?"

he nodded. "of course i lied! the show's tonight, i can't just quit."

celia nodded. "okay, but, do you think he won't find out? it'll be so much worse if you don't tell him. just tell him how much you love acting. i'm sure he can't stop you if he sees how-"

"ceil, he'll just tell me to drop it. just like he always does."

"you don't know that!"

"you sound a lot like your father." he then said. "he said to talk to him."

"so have you?"

he shook his head. "no, no not yet. but, if it makes you guys happy, then i will."

she raised a brow at this, not entirely believing him.

"i promise!"

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

celia was gathering her belongings, the last one in the class other than neil. "did you talk to your father?" she heard her father asking the boy.

"uh, he didn't like it one bit, but at least he's letting me stay in the play. he won't be able to make, make it. he's in chicago. but, uh, i think he's gonna let me stay with acting."

keating wasn't quite convinced. "really? you told him what you told me?"

"yeah. he wasn't happy." he laughed. "but he'll be gone at least four days. i don't think he'll make the show, but i think he'll let me stay with it. 'keep up the school work.'" he picked up his books, walking to celia's desk. she was already looking at him as she stood, not buying his story. "you ready?"

she nodded, forcing a smile as she said goodbye to her dad, arranging the time for them to head over to henley hall to watch the performance.

"i wasn't going to call you out in there," celia began, "but did you actually say any of that?"