poeta nascitur, non fit ~ steven meeks x fem!reader

carpe diem!~

3rd person pov...

"Meeks," Keating ponders "another unusual name. Seize the day. Gather ye rosebuds, while ye may. Why does the writer use these lines?" From the back of the room, Charlie Dalton - looking smug as ever - leans against a wall leisurely, his textbook out of sight.

"Because he's in a hurry?" he suggests lazily, winking at (y/n) who only rolls her eyes.

"No! Ding!" Mr. Keating mimes ringing a bell on a game show. (y/n) raises her hand and Meeks looks on expectantly. The older gentlemen at standing near the golden display case points at the girl in the plaid skirt, whose heart is pounding. "Go ahead, my dear." (y/n) takes a deep breath and her accent soon flows through the air like a gentle river, filling the ears of every boy.

"He's saying that we only have a little bit of time on this Earth, and we should be grateful for every moment. We must learn to live unapologetically and live for ourselves, because one day we shall simply grow old. And I think it would be the greater grief to die, knowing you didn't pick the rosebuds - that you didn't seize the day." Neil looks on, speechless. He couldn't help but think of his father and the road which his life would lead, and many pieces in his life fell together during that very moment. 

 "Yes! Thank you Ms. (y/l/n)! Because we are food for worms, lads-" (y/n) coughs "and lady, excuse me. Because, believe it or not, each and every one of us in this room is one day going to stop breathing, turn cold, and die." On this lovely note, he spins to face the impressive trophies. Meeks is still staring after (y/n), who is scribbling quickly in a notebook. Ink stains cover her fingers, but through the small chaos, shines a brilliant mind. 

"That was - wow." he murmurs to Pitts  - who only nods and nudges his friend

"What, puppy love?" he teases. Meeks shakes his head. 

"Oh please - her brain and the way she talks is like nothing I've ever heard, yeah, but no not puppy love." The two boys begin walking towards Mr. Keating when he addressed them. 

"Gentlemen! We're moving over here now please." he beckons them all closer, encouraging them to stare at the photographs behind the pristine glass that shone under the fluorescent lights overhead. He asked that the student really and truly look at them. 

"They're not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they're destined for great things, just like many of you. Their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because you see, gentlemen and lady, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils." he paused, watching the still-breathing youth before him scan the faces, all of which look desperately confused. "But, if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in."

Slowly, the boys and girl lean closer, subconsciously turning their heads to 'hear' the photographs better. Meeks turns his head towards (y/n) who was facing him, concentrating hard. They stood so close that her hair was nearly tickling his nose and it was taking all his self-discipline to not start sneezing. 

Mr. Keating leans over Cameron's unsuspecting shoulder and then whispers, "Carpe" in a gruff voice, like that of a mournful ghost. Cameron jerks his head around to face the odd man, looking a mixture of disgusted and uncomfortable. "Hear it?" Mr. Keating whispers again:

"Carpe. Carpe Diem. Seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary." (y/n)'s mind began working twice as fast, listening to her teacher's odd, but wonderful lesson. Her life had already been quite extraordinary. The first female scholar to attend Welton Academy - the girl had been defying gender norms for sixteen years and counting. 

At that moment, each face behind the glass stares into the souls of the faces on the other side - the faces whose cheeks were flushed and breathing sustainable. Each clever mind in the room, even Mr. Charlie Dalton, was rapidly trying to decipher what their teacher meant and how they could seize the day. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Although he wouldn't realize it until much later, Mr. John Keating had ignited a spark within their brains These boys (and lady) would indeed seize the day, and they would make their lives extraordinary - free form Hellton's mind-numbing monotony. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

a/n: another short chapter because I don't wan to bore any of you guys lmao. sending all my happy energy, 

- chloe