dead poets society oneshots

it's nice to have a friend

Todd Anderson was 10 years old when his family moved to Nashville. Todd wasn't to happy about this but he didn't complain either. It wasn't like he had anyhting that held him in the small village they used to life in, the only thing that bothered him was simply that it was such a big change in his life. He didn't like change, he hated it actually, even the small ones like when they didn't have the toothpaste he used anymore that had the sweet strawberry taste he loved so much, or that time McDonald's stopped selling the meal he'd order everytime they went. Both times resulted in Todd crying hysterical, so moving certainly wasn't easier for him.

When they arrived at the small, but pretty house he didn't get out of his car seat for at least 20 minutes until his dad started yelling at him to help bring their stuff inside.
Todd didn't have much stuff to bring inside, only three boxes, two of them filled with books and the third one with stuffed animals.
Todd loved collecting both. He had named every single one of his stuffed animals and they were always neatly placed on his bed. No one was allowed to touch them nor his books, besides Todd himself and he didn't plan on changing that, since now this seemd to be the only thing left he was able to controle. At least that was the case until a few days after They had moved in.

Todd was sitting in his room, flipping through his favorite book, which he'd always look at when he didn't feel good, it was comforting to him to know exaclty what would happen throughout the book. When suddenly someone knocked on his door.

His mom stuck her head in.
"Todd, come downstairs please the neighbors came over to say hello and brought cake."

"i'm not hungry" he mutterd, not looking up from his book.

"you'll still have cake with us. It's impolite to stay here while we have guests."

He pouted, but got up from his seat and put the book back in it's place on his super organized shelf.

"Come on, smile Todd. You don't want to be rude, do you?"

Downstairs Todd was greeted by his family and three strangers sitting around their kitchentable.

"Finally, took you long enough boy" his father looked at him sternly and pointed to one of the two free chairs left.
It was right next to the neighbor kid, who Todd only now really noticed. He had short brown hair and a band aid on his arm, that was only visible because he was wearing a short sleeved button-up shirt, tugged in brown cargo shorts.
Todd didn't dare to look him in the eyes and just quietly sat down.
The adults started making small talk and Todd just ate his cake not listenting to what they were saying, when suddenly someone tugged on his sleeve. He looked up and saw the other boy smiling at him.

"I'm Neil",he said, "what's your name?"

"Todd"

"Todd" Neil repeated, grinning at the way the name sounded when he said it. His grin reveald a big toothgap.
"That's a nice name. Do you like it here?"

"not really..."

Neil seemed to notice that Todd wasn't really comfortable meeting new people and that he didn't enjoy all the talking so he just started to tell him about himself, because if Todd didn't like talking mabey he'd like listenting? And yes, Todd did. Something about the way Neil told stories made him feel all happy and bubbly inside.
After a while of Neil telling him about all sort of things, about his best friends, about his favorite stuffed animal and the tree in his graden he liked to climb, Todd suddenly got a feeling off bravery.

"Do you wanna go see my room?"

"Yes!" Neil's grin grew even bigger and he turned to his father who was telling some story about his work.