𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐄 𝐃𝐄 𝐕𝐈𝐕𝐑𝐄, c.d.

𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

CHAPTER NINETEEN | NOTHING
Charlie sat with his bongos as the other boys are all crowded around him, Cove sitting on the chairs arm. He hit the bongoes, miming Nolan's footsteps as he spoke.

"Creak. He started walking around towards my left. Creak. Creak. Assume the position, Mr. Dalton." Cove remembered when Charlie first told her that Nolan had hit him a few times. They were laying in her bed after he had read her the poem he wrote, their arms wrapped around each other and their legs entertained.

"Cove." The girl picked her head up, looking up at Charlie, who had his hand running through her brown hair. "Can I tell you something?" Cove nodded her head, waiting for the boy to continue. "When Nolan called me in, he hit me. A few times. I didn't tell him about the article so he hit me." Cove just wrapped her arms tightly around the boy as they laid in her bed

The door opened, Mr. Keating walking in as many of the boys get up from their seats. Cove began to get up from her spot next to Charlie, thinking her teacher would find their closeness inappropriate like every other teacher did.

"It's all right, gentlemen. Cove, keep your seat, it's alright. Mr. Dalton. That was a pretty lame stunt you pulled today." Charlie scoffed, shaking his head at the older man.

"You're siding with Mr. Nolan? What about Carpe diem and sucking all the marrow out of life and all that?"

"Sucking the marrow out of life doesn't mean choking on the bone. Sure there's a time for daring and there's a time for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for." Cove just stayed silent, not wanting to interrupt the conversation in front of her.

"But I thought you'd like that."

"No. You being expelled from school is not daring to me. It's stupid, 'cause you'll miss some golden opportunities. What happens to Ms. Overstreet when you leave? I understand you two are close." Charlie looked up at his best friend before looking back at Mr. Keating.

"Aye, aye, Captain."

"Keep your head about you. That goes for the lot of you." The boys all nodded their heads, responding with, yes captain. Phone call from God. If it had been collect, it wouldn't been daring." Keating left, the boys gathering around Charlie once again.

"All right. Go on."

..........

The school bell rang as Knox pushed his way up the stairs past the slower students. At the top he joined the other boys and Cove, who were grabbing their books.

"Cameron, if you don't move out of my way, I'll slap you." Charlie chuckled, grabbing Cove's books out of her hands as she glared at Cameron.

"That's not very lady like of you, Cove." Cove scoffed, suddenly jumping at the redheaded boy before Charlie grabbed her, wrapping his arm around her waist as she yelled at him.

"I'll show you lady like, Cameron." Cameron smirked, knowing Charlie wouldn't let go of her.

"Be nice to the pretty lady, Cameron." Charlie noticed Knox coming towards him, a smile spreading across his face when he didn't see the note or the flowers in his hands. "Take a page out of my books, huh, Knoxious?" Cove rolled her eyes when the boy referred to the night he read her the poem in her room. "Did you read it to her?" Cove turned to face her brother, a grin on her face when she saw him nodding yes. The boys began to get excited but Charlie was quick to shush them, throwing this arm over Cove's shoulder.

"What'd she say?"

"Nothing." The boys and Cove looked at the Overstreet boy in confusion as he moved past them.

"Nothing. What do you mean, nothing?" Cove and Charlie looked at each other, confused as to what the boy was talking about. Charlie gave the girl a smirk, looking into her eyes for a few seconds before turning towards her brother.

"Nothing. But I did it." Knox walked down the hall as the others chased after him, Cove right behind her twin brother.

"What did she say? I know she had to say something." The boy continued to run away from his prod friends and sister, laughing like a dumbass.

"Come here, Knox."

"Seize the day!"