The night of Neil's performance, the boys were grooming themselves in front of the mirrors of the bathroom. They didn't get many chances to preen and primp themselves for a special occasion, so tonight, they were really taking advantage of it.

"Beautiful baby," Pitts said, puckering his lips at himself in the mirror. He was dressed in a smart shirt and dark blazer, his hair brushed and slicked back with pomade.

"Beautiful baby," Meeks repeated, taking off his glasses to polish the frame. "Henley Hall, here I come."

"Excuse me, just a moment," Cameron said, pushing to the front of the mirror. "Yes. You're so cute. Yes, you are." He ran a comb through his hair just as Knox tried - successfully - to mess it up again.

Knox grinned, laughing to himself when Cameron grumbled. "Come on, Knox. I'm trying to fix this."

"Oops."

Cameron rolled his eyes, turning back to the mirror to smooth down a fly-away hair with his fine-toothed comb.

"Come on, Nuwanda," Knox called, knocking on the side of the locked bathroom stall. "You're gonna miss Neil's big entrance." He turned back to the others, still preoccupied with themselves in the mirror. "What's he even doing in there, huh?"

"He said something about getting red before we left," Pitts said.

"Getting red? What does that even mean?" Cameron asked, eyebrows drawn.

"I, uh- Well, you know Charlie," Pitts said with a shrug.

The others chuckled just as the stall door burst open and Charlie's hand emerged, holding a small brush and bottle of red paint. He slinked out, looking sly, and devilish and the boys looked at one another, their eyes twinkling with mischief and amusement.

"So, Charlie," Cameron nodded at him. "What's this 'getting red' bit, huh?"

Charlie smirked, opening his unbuttoned shirt to show off a large red lightning bolt painted down his chest.

"W-What is that?" Todd sputtered from where he had been brushing his hair back in the corner mirror and sink.

"It's an Indian warrior symbol for virility," Charlie said, puffing his chest out. "Makes me feel potent, like it can drive girls crazy."

"Girls, eh?" Knox shot him a fiery look, ready to give him a beating if Charlie even thought of doing something stupid and hurting Maria's feelings. "Should I mention this to Maria?"

Meeks snickered from where he stood facing the mirror and combing his hair back. "I heard her threaten to gouge your eyes out if you so much as looked at another girl," he said pointedly. "Wonder what she'll do if you drive other girls crazy too, Dalton."

Pitts cackled. "Seems our girl's got some fire to her," he mused. "Should be amusing what she'll do to you. I'm down for a show."

Charlie buttoned up his shirt, his ears growing pink. "The symbol is meant to drive girls crazy, but..." he started sheepishly. "I'm only hoping to drive my one and only girl crazy."

"The threat of gouged eyes has made Charlie Dalton whipped, gentlemen," Meeks cackled loudly.

"Whipped," Todd snickered back as Charlie flushed red.

"What - are you trying to get some with Maria tonight?" Pitts asked, wiggling his brows at him.

"Shut it," Charlie said firmly, shooting him a glare. "Maria's not a fast. She's a good girl and I'm not pushing her until she's ready for that."

"What if she's the type to wait until marriage?" Knox quipped quickly, eyeing his best friend closely.

"Then," Charlie hesitated momentarily, feeling his heart fluttering in his chest. "Then I marry her."

Charlie's heart was racing as he spoke those words, and he could feel a mix of emotions swirling up inside of him. He had never really thought about marriage before, especially not at sixteen, but the thought of Maria being the one he would marry was both exhilarating and terrifying.

He couldn't believe he was actually considering it.

"Oooooooo."

"Oh, shut it," Charlie said, waving his friends off and turning away before they caught sight of just how red his neck and ears were.

"Gosh, Slick really has turned into a romantic," Knox said, but the smile on his face was big and bright. He couldn't wait to tell Maria all about this.

Charlie rolled his eyes, but he couldn't shake off the thought that Knox had put in his head. Suddenly, now he was imagining Maria in a wedding gown. And then he was thinking about kids that looked like him but had her eyes and radiant smile and - God.

He realized then and there that he had never felt this way about anyone before and it scared him a little. What if Maria was indeed the type of girl who wanted to wait until marriage? He had never considered that before, and the thought of having to wait until marriage to do all the things that he really wanted to do with her was daunting - was a little disappointing to the mind of a teenage boy.

But then again, if it meant being with Maria, Charlie realized with resounding certainty, that he would do it in a heartbeat. He was almost scared at how much he cared for her, and the thought of losing her was unbearable to his heart.

God - Charlie Dalton was falling in love with Maria Keating.

He had always been a bit of a ladies' man and enjoyed the thrill of the chase and the conquest, but with Maria, it was different. He didn't want to conquer her, he didn't want her to be another notch in his belt. He wanted to protect her, cherish her, love her, and wanted to make her happy and be her everything.

Maybe he was a romantic.

Charlie took a deep breath, trying to calm the racing thoughts in his mind. He looked around at his friends, who were all looking at him with raised eyebrows and smirks on their faces.

He knew what they were thinking. They probably thought he was whipped, as Meeks had said earlier. But Charlie didn't care. He knew that what he felt for Maria was real, and he was willing to do whatever it took to be with her.

"I... yeah, I don't know," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "All I know is that I care about her... a lot. And if she's the type to wait until marriage, then I'll marry her. I'll do anything for her."

His proclamation sent the bathroom into a deafening silence for a moment, until Pitts sighed loudly. "Way to make us single men jealous, Dalton," he said, but there was genuine happiness for Charlie on his face.

"Good God, I want something like you two," Cameron said, shaking his head.

"I should've called dibs before you," Meeks said jokingly.

Knox moved and clapped Charlie on the back. "I'm happy for you Charlie," he said genuinely and then leaned down by Charlie's ear and snickered. "Whipped bastard."

Charlie rolled his eyes just as a knock come from behind the bathroom door.

"Are you boys ready?" Maria's voice echoed through and the boys hurried to finish up.

"Yes, yes. Coming, doll," Charlie called out to his girlfriend. He elbowed Knox in the gut as he moved out of the bathroom quickly, fixing the tie around his neck with one hand and then - Goddamn.

Charlie froze in his tracks at the sight of Maria.

Her beauty was like a punch to his gut, stealing whatever breath he had away. He had never seen her like this before, and the sight of her now made his heart race. Charlie had already thought Maria was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, even on the most ordinary of days - the days where she'd be in normal clothes, with her hair brushed and pinned or held back with a ribboned headband.

But this... this was beyond beautiful.

Charlie stood there, just staring at her, unable to speak, unable to form any thought other than beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

"Charlie?"

He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times as Maria looked at him, cocking her head to the side.

"What he means is..." Knox said, stepping up beside Charlie and smiling widely at Maria. "He thinks you look very beautiful tonight, Maria."

The other boys' jaws dropped as they stepped out of the bathroom and saw Maria standing there in a pretty midnight blue dress.

"Wow."

"Gorgeous genius girl."

"Wowza."

"Go on, give us a spin," Knox nodded encouragingly.

Maria smiled at them and twirled once, the skirts of her dress flaring out prettily. The fabric poofed out around her and white tulle peeked out from under the hem. A white fur shawl was draped over her shoulder and with her hair curled and pinned back so that it fell over her shoulder to accentuate the graceful curve of her neck, Maria looked like a movie star that had just walked the Hollywood red carpet.

The click of her kitten heels jolted Charlie out of his daze and he stepped over to her quickly, grabbing hold of one of her hands to twirl her once more. He revelled in her girlish giggle and steadied her when she stumbled a little bit, thrown off by his quick movements.

"You're taller," he said dumbly.

Maria laughed and smiled at him, placing a delicate hand on his cheek. "Have I truly made the Charlie Dalton speechless?"

This close to her, Charlie realized that she was wearing makeup. Not a lot, but just enough to make her already beautiful features all the more beautiful. Her long, curled lashes fluttered as she blinked, drawing attention to her eyes, which seemed to sparkle in the dim lighting of the hall.

And then Charlie noticed - with a type of curiosity and appreciation only a teenage boy would - that her lips were painted a deep red, making them look oh-so full and inviting.

Charlie gulped. The idea of what it would be like to kiss her with those lips, to let her paint him red with those lips drew out something deep within him.

He felt almost embarrassed by how fascinated he was by her appearance, but he couldn't help himself. Maria had always been beautiful, yes, but tonight, she was stunning.

"Hey," Maria tapped his cheek, bringing his focus back to earth. "Where'd you go off to, my sweet boy?"

He blinked a couple of times, feeling heat creep up his skin. He shifted his hands so that his fingers rested against the curve of Maria's neck. "I'm a lucky fucking bastard," it felt right to use a cuss word then.

"Oh?" Maria's brows lifted up in surprise. "Why's that?"

"I have the most gorgeous girlfriend in the world."

Maria's red lips curved into the smile that made Charlie weak in the knees and he bent his head, wanting to press his mouth to her then and there, but Maria moved quicker than him, placing a finger against his mouth.

"You're gonna get lipstick all over you and all over me," she said with a laugh. "No kisses."

"What?" He didn't even care that he almost sounded like a toddler being told there was no dessert after dinner. "What? Why?"

Maria puckered her lips, giving him an air kiss. "I don't want to smear my lipstick," she said. "Or get any on you..." she paused a little, eyes flicking backward to check on the other boys who were distracting themselves in conversation, and then dropped her voice really soft and low. "At least not yet."

Charlie's brows shot up. "What?"

Had he heard her correctly?

Maria smiled slyly and Charlie's stomach flipped in anticipation. He had never seen her act like this before - like a vixen - like a coquette.

He gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing when Maria looked up at him through her lashes. He sputtered when he felt her fingers tip-toe down his chest, skirting the edge of his tie, until they tucked between the buttons of his shirt. He flushed, feeling the tips of her fingers grazing his skin lightly.

"I heard you painted yourself red," she whispered. She looked up at him, and Charlie thought then and there, if Maria Keating were to look up at him through her lashes like that, he'd marry her right then and there if she truly was the type of girl to wait until marriage. He was sure there had to be some state in the whole of the United States of America that would allow a sixteen-year-old boy and girl to get married.

"And?" He felt breathless as her lashes fluttered and her red lips smirked.

"I thought I'd add to your masterpiece later," she said, "with my lips."

Charlie's heart was racing faster than ever before, and he could feel his palms getting sweaty. He was blushing so hard that he was sure his entire face was as red as a tomato. He tried to compose himself, tried to get back to that suave and cool version of himself, but his knees were so weak, it felt like he was going to fall over at any moment. It was as if he had lost all control of his body, and all his senses were focused on Maria.

He was so completely entranced by her, and he didn't know if he could handle it.

"Good God woman," Charlie let out a shaky breath. "You're gonna kill me here."

Maria giggled and pulled away from him, giving him another one of those air kisses that made him hear his own heart thundering in his ears.

"Come on, loverboy," she said and then reached for his hand, intertwining their fingers together and then shooting him a look that was much too innocent for what she had just done to him. "Let's go see Neil."

••●••

The group was walking down the hall to leave when Cameron suddenly stopped and stared. The others noticed and stopped as well.

"Wow."

Knox stared at the end of the hall in surprise.

"Chris?" He called out, blinking. Was he dreaming? He left the boys to join her. "What are you doing here?"

"Gentlemen and Maria, let's go," Keating's voice called from somewhere to the side where he stood with his hands deep in his pockets beside a running car.

"Go ahead, guys," Knox nodded at his friends. "I'll catch up."

"Yeah, come on, guys," Charlie urged, moving to hustle his friends away.

Meeks stood there staring for a moment before Charlie - after shoving the others, but very nicely leading Maria to her side of the car like a gentleman - came back around to drag him away.

"Chris, you can't be here. I-If the catch you, we're both gonna be in big trouble.

"Oh, but it's fine for you to come barging into my school and make a complete fool out of me?" Chris countered back.

"I didn't mean to make a fool out of you."

"Well, you did," Chris said with a sniff. "Chet found out. And if took everything I could do to keep him from coming here and killing you. Lnox, you have got to stop this stuff."

"I can't, Chris," Knox said, searching her face. "I love you."

"Knox, you say that you love me over and over. You don't, you don't even know me."

The two stared at each other for a moment, lost.

"Will you be joining us, Mr. Overstreet?" Keating called out from the car.

Knox shook his head. "Go ahead, Captain. I'll walk."

"Knox, Knox, it just so happens that I could care less about you?" Chris said after the car left.

Knox shook his head, smiling like he knew a secret. "Then you wouldn't be here warning me about Chet."

Chris opened and closed her mouth, feeling caught out, but then shook her head. "I have to go," she said. "I'm gonna be late for the play."

"Are you going with him?"

"Chet?" Chris laughed. "To a play? Are you kidding?"

"Then come with me," Knox said.

"Knox, you are so infuriating."

"Come on, Chris," Knox said. "Just give me one chance. If you don't like me after tonight, I'll stay away forever."

"Uh-huh."

"I promise," Knox said earnestly. "Dead Poets Honor. You come with me tonight. And then, if you don't want to see me again, I swear I'll bow out."

"You know what would happen if Chet found out?"

"He won't know anything," Knox assured. "We'll sit in the back and sneak away as soon as it's over."

"And I suppose you promise this would be the end of it."

"Dead Poets Honor."

"What is that?" Chris asked curiously.

"My word."

Chris looked at him for a moment, thoughts reeling through her mind before she turned to walk away. Then she paused, sighing, and turned back to face Knox. "You are so infuriating," she said and then gestured for him to follow her.

Knox grinned to himself, doing a little twirl as he joined her and put his arm around her.

They walked together to the theater.

••●••

In the theater, the audience was packed in. The stage was set up to resemble a forest and lights danced about it. From behind a bush, Neil emerged, wearing a crown of twigs and berries and twigs on his hands.

In the audience, Charlie jumped from his seat, all excited. "Hey, there he is! Hey, hey!"

Maria shoved him back into his seat with a smile. "Shh, Charlie."

On stage, Neil hid behind a tree as a girl emerged, similarly clad, but with flowers in her hair. Neil sneaked over to the girl.

"Either I mistake your shape and making quite," the girl recited, "or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite call'd Robin Goodfellow."

"Thou speak'st aright," Neil recited professionally. "I am that merry wanderer of the night. I just to Oberon and make him smile. When I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile."

Neil jumped around the stage, making horse sounds and the audience laughed.

"Neighin in likeness of a filly foal: And sometime lurk I in a gossip's bowl, in very likeness of a roasted crab, and when she drinks, against her lips I bob and on her wither'd dewlap pour the ale. The wiset aunt, telling the saddest tale."

In the audience, Charlie leaned over towards Keating. "He's good. He's really good, Captain."

Keating smiled back at him, giving him a thumbs up and a fatherly nod and the whole group watched on with pride as Neil took the stage like he was always destined to.