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octaviasdread · 2 days

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Goes On Epilogue

Pairing: Charlie Dalton x OC!FemReader

Warnings: 18+, depression, mentions of suicide, heavy topics, eventual smut, slow burn romance, fluff, gender themes/stereotypes.

Summary: Against his best efforts Charlie has to start at a new preparatory school after the tragic events that took place at Welton. The very events that led to the loss of his best friend and getting expelled in the first place. He has no plans to make friends let alone get close to anyone ever again. That is until he meets Evelyn and her interesting group of friends. No matter how hard he tries to push them away he finds it to be impossible. So he caves and in the end learns that life can still be enjoyable even if it feels like everyone is against you.

word count: 3.3k

Fifteen ←

Masterlist

Ridge Academy, NY

4/24/60

Being at Welton was exactly what Charlie needed. He stayed there up until Wednesday when he finally got tired of crashing on the dorm floor and eating leftovers stolen from the dining hall. One thing he didn’t miss was Hellton Hash. So he packed his things and gave all his friends tighter hugs before taking the long trek back to Ridge where he had the rest of break to think about everything that had happened. The time to figure out exactly what he needed to say when he saw Evelyn again.

The first few nights back with Nate were weird. Especially when Nate filled him in about Evelyn finding out about his crush. Nate assured him she made no mention of reciprocating the same feelings but Charlie was just glad she knew. In a way she deserved too, even if they were together now. That’s not the kind of thing you go your whole life without knowing. Especially when it’s one of your best friends that you’ve known forever. If she did reciprocate any feelings for him he would honestly understand. They had been there for each other longer.

When Sunday rolls around he’s able to convince Violet to leave their dorm room, let Charlie wait in plain sight for Evelyn’s return. Evelyn couldn’t avoid him if he was in the one place she needed to go and never expected him to be. So he sat against the soft pillows of her bed, reminiscing on the very first time he laid against them, wishing he had his legs tangled with her own. Patiently waiting and desperate to see his girl after all this time. He needed a hug whether she was still mad at him or not.

It’s when he’s watching a particular cloud of smoke from his cigarette drift towards the open window does he begin to hear the turn of the lock on the door. He sits up quickly, eyes cast on the dark oak as he hopes it’s finally her coming back. Of all the times he pictured this conversation this week he did not imagine how fast his heart would be thrumming in his chest. The anticipation of finally getting to see her after all this time. He hated that he couldn’t call her and hear her voice. Ever since he started at Ridge he hadn’t gone that long without talking to her.

“Charlie?” she’s too confused to be mad, but only for a second, because her curious brows turn upward sharply as she remembers fairly quickly her anger towards him. Charlie ignores it and smiles anyway, watching as she closes herself into the room.

“How was break?” he tries and she rolls her eyes, ignoring him as she lifts her duffel bag to the top of her desk and unzips it so she can unpack. “What, not good?”

“I thought you didn’t smoke” is all she says and Charlie glances at the filter in his hand, the end glowing red and he sighs before reaching and snuffing it out on the window sill.

“I don’t but I was able to recover my stash and you’d be surprised how nerve wracking it was waiting for you” he says and Evelyn can’t help but look at him and see if he was lying. He had only mentioned the stash once and that could only mean he went to Welton while she was gone.

“You went back?” she whispers, torn on prying further into the subject or still being angry with him.

“Yeah, I needed to figure out some things and I really needed to see my friends” he tells her and her hands that were unpacking slowly begin to stop as she gives him all her attention.

“Oh, that’s nice” is all she can bring herself to say and Charlie chuckles, moving to jump off her bed and approach her. She can’t help but admire how handsome he looks in his white t-shirt and black sweatpants. It’s clear he’s been waiting for her since breakfast and her heart soars at the thought.

“It was, especially because the guys helped me realize what an idiot I was” he says with amusement dancing in his eyes and Evelyn can’t help the small laugh that leaves her as he says this.

“You are an idiot” she confirms, unable to stop her hands from reaching out and wrapping around his waist. Charlie accepts the embrace, needing it just as much as her.

“I know, which I why I should’ve told you everything. It’s just, I kept looking at this school like it was some prison. Somewhere I had to serve out a sentence until I got back to my real life, and because of that, I looked at all you and your friends like people who didn’t matter” with each word her grip on him loosens, taking a step back and Charlie lets her because he knows these words hurt.

“I know now that it isn’t true. I was just so heartbroken and hurt by the world that I couldn’t tell you guys had good intentions. That you actually cared about me. I kept thinking, how could these people who have only known me for a few months, and know nothing about me, ever understand? Thing was I didn’t even let any of you try and that was my mistake. Time is meaningless when it comes to loving someone, hell I should know because it didn’t stop me from loving you” Charlie freezes as the words fly out of his mouth and she gapes back at him, like every sentence he says is being seared into her skin.

“You love me?” Evelyn mutters, mind reeling and heart pounding against her ribs. The whiplash of going from feeling unwanted to loved could do that to a person.

“Well yeah and it scared the shit out of me because the last time I loved a person like this they died” Charlie answers and Evelyn can’t help the smile that appears on her face. Much to Charlie’s surprise she eliminates the distance between them again and presses a quick kiss to his lips.

“Will you tell me?” she asks after pulling away, eyelashes fluttering against the tops of her cheeks and Charlie nods even though the thought of even recalling the events still stings.

“Yeah, I want too” he tells her and she can tell for the first time in the entirety of ever knowing him he’s being 100% honest with her. So she leads him to the bed, tugging him in with her as she gets comfortable to hear the whole story.

Which she does. Charlie doesn’t leave anything out. Telling her all about how Neil and him met as kids and were inseparable ever since. He told her everything from Keating and his wild teaching tactics and how he told them about the Dead Poets Society. Explained how they made their own Dead Poets Society and how they all started to feel like they could conquer the whole world. Then he told her about Neil lying about the play and his Dad finding out. How Neil did it anyway and Mr. Perry took him home that night. How he woke at 2am with a call from Mrs. Perry saying he was gone. How he had to go to each and everyone of of his friends rooms and repeat it over and over despite it not sinking in yet. How numb he was while he watched Todd run and curse at the sky.

He explained how he was so full of feelings and had no idea where to put them. That he became angry, bitter, began to lash out. How all of this led him to punching Cameron for throwing Keating under the bus in order to save his own ass. How he refused to sign the paper and they booted him out of the school until he felt nothing at all. He didn’t even get any comfort from his parents because of how angry they were with him and then he ended up here before he could ever come to terms with what happened to him. That was why he was so closed off and why he didn’t want to get to know anyone here. Evelyn was persistent though and somehow that had saved him. She stayed silent for it all.

“Charlie, I’m so sorry” she says when he’s finally done, tears seeping out of her eyes because she had never truly heard of anything that tragic and all this time he was holding all that in.

“It’s okay, he’s free now right?” he gives his own teary eyed smile back and Evelyn can’t help the hiccup of a cry she lets out as she hugs him close.

“You still didn’t deserve to go through all of that” she says and Charlie sighs, hand reaching to run through her long brunette hair.

“Yeah but now I have you and all my new friends. So I’ll make it through, don’t you worry” he says and that earns him another sweet kiss from the girl against him. When she pulls away he smiles at her, hand reaching up to brush her tears away.

“Thank you for telling me, I didn’t mean to be so harsh the last time we spoke. I was just so angry and Nate knew just the right button to push” she says with the soft shake of her head, looking away as she settles into the humiliation of how she had treated him.

“It’s okay, you had every right to be upset. I wasn’t thinking straight about us or anything” he tells her, hand guiding under her chin and lifting her gaze back to him. The contentment of this moment was something he had been waiting for a long time. He was glad she was no longer mad and that she finally knew everything. He just couldn’t enjoy it, not quite yet. “But there is one thing”

“What?” she questions, eyebrows furrowed and trying to determine what else Charlie could possibly have to say.

“You should talk to Nate though, it won’t feel right until you settle things between you” this was not what she had expected him to say and even though she had forgiven Charlie she wasn’t sure she was ready to forgive him.

“I don’t have anything to say to him” she says, stubborn as always, and trying to hold her ground, but Charlie sees the falter. The longing for her best friend and wanting it to go back to the way it was.

“Yes you do, which is why he’s all alone in our room right now waiting for you. He has some things to say too” Evelyn hates how suffocating this feels but she knows Charlie is right. She knows this isn’t something she can just ignore so she stands with a groan anyway.

“I’ll go on one condition” she tells him, finger pointed and stern eyes shining into his own. Charlie grins in amusement, enjoying the sight of the very mousy girl trying to stick her ground.

“Anything” he agrees, hands reaching up to lay leisurely behind his head but she continues to stare him down.

“You have to unpack for me and stay in here tonight” Charlie snorts at the request, thinking it would’ve been something he would hate but he didn’t mind one bit. Even if he got caught.

“That’s it. It’s a deal princess” he chuckles and she shakes her head, moving to her desk where she had started removing piles of clothes.

“My underwear drawer is off limits” she tells him and Charlie bellows with laughter, watching as she grabs her unmentionables and tosses them into the top drawer of her dresser. Slamming it shut for extra effect.

“Agh, you’ve broke my heart” he teases, voice dripping of sarcasm as he drops a hand to his heart. Putting on a show and she just glares before glancing at the door.

“I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this” she says with the shake of her head before starting towards the door.

“Wait” Charlie says and she turns to see him gesturing her towards him. She obeys and he’s quick to wrap her in a deep kiss, tongue softly gliding against her own, and breaking apart just as fast.

“Good luck” he tells her and she’s gaping back at him, shocked and breathless, and a little annoyed he gave her a taste of something she now has to wait for.

“You’re so annoying” she tells him and he just laughs, snuggling up in her bed, hand interlaced with her own.

“Maybe, I just wanted to make sure you remembered how good I kiss while Nate tells you all about loving you” he jokes and she just rolls her eyes, grinning right back at him as she lets go of his hand and starts for the door. He matches that smile as she slips out and starts the trek to the boys dorm.

The closer she gets the more nervous she feels, not ready to face the boy after so many things have come to light. All of break she realized how so many moments between them was more and she never realized. She had started to feel bad herself. Feel bad that she never noticed how hard he was trying. She was his friend, they could’ve just talked, but instead she was oblivious and he refused to break her state of ignorance. Sadly she had to face the music now which is what brings her face to face with his door.

For a moment she almost lets herself in, like she always would, but before her hand can meet the handle she stops. Realizing now their friendship had changed whether either of them wanted it to or not. With an empty pit in her stomach she decided to knock, something she hadn’t done to this door in a very long time. He must be expecting her because the ‘come in’ he hollers out holds no enthusiasm, only dread.

“Hi” Evelyn lightly smiles as she pushes the door open, spotting the boy at his desk, textbooks opened in front of him. He gives a tight lipped smile back, uneasy over how this encounter might play out.

“Hey” he mutters back, watching as she crosses the room to Charlie’s bed, perching herself on the side. He ignored the jealousy burning in his stomach, knowing she did it because it made her feel safe. Secure in a possible messy conversation.

“I’m sorry, for how I reacted. I didn’t mean to be so blinded by anger, it was just a lot to take in” Evelyn starts, eyes cast on her interlocked hands on her lap. The bed smells like Charlie and she instantly remembers he’s laying in her own and that thought comforts her.

“I’m sorry I never told you, I think deep down I always knew I wasn’t the one for you” he responds and Evelyn lifts her head, curious eyes gazing into his own as her eyebrows draw together.

“What do you mean?” She inquires, needing to know what exactly this meant.

“I know you think you’ve been unwanted your entire life but I know that isn’t true. You’re just one of those people destined for one person and the day I met Charlie I should’ve known it was him. I meant what I said at that dance, he understands you in a way I always wished I did” Nate tells her, a forlorn look on his face and Evelyn feels her eyes water.

“I don’t want to lose you Nate, please tell me we can still be friends?” She asks, voice heavy with the threat of tears and Nate smiles at her.

“I’ll always be your friend Evelyn, and I’ll get over this too. He deserves you” he says, standing from his desk to approach her and Evelyn laughs lightly, head tipping back to keep the tears at bay.

“You deserved me too. I’m sorry I was too blind to see it, but I think you’re right. I never noticed because I was never meant to see you in that way” and Nate nods as she agrees with him, voicing the very thing he had been afraid of all those years of loving her. Surprisingly it didn’t hurt as bad a she thought it would.

“Friends then, and no more keeping secrets” he tells her and she brings her head back down to look at him, standing from Charlie’s bed as she interlocks her hands with his own.

“Agreed” she says with a smile before wrapping him tightly in a hug. Nate accepts it, happy he didn’t lose her like he always thought he would. It was going to be hard at first, he knew that, but at least everything was out in the open. He could learn to move on, find the person meant for him. After all they still had senior year left in this school.

“Now let me finish studying, and I’ll see you and Charlie at dinner?” Nate questions as he loosens his grip on her and Evelyn nods, confirming the statement as she reaches and brushes her hair behind her shoulders.

“Perfect, I have to make sure Charlie didn’t completely ruin my room anyways. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked him to unpack for me” Evelyn tells him and Nate laughs loudly, bringing a hand up to his chest.

“I can’t believe you let him do that Miss Organization” Nate teases and Evelyn shrugs, eyeing the door that will soon guide her back to the boy she had come to adore so much.

“I don’t know, I guess he just teaches me to loosen up” Evelyn says and Nate grins, hand reaching to squeeze her shoulder, because that was all he ever wanted of his uptight and confident friend. To find someone who could mellow her out when needed and make sure everything was okay.

“Go ahead, I’ll see you later. If I were to guess he’s probably already gone through your underwear drawer by now” and Evelyn laughs, realizing how close Nate and Charlie had gotten in this short amount of time without her realizing. She just nods and offers one last hug before starting for the door.

“Thanks Nate” she says with no explanation as to why before slipping out the room and rushing off to find her boy. The very one she waited her entire life for and now finally got.

When she shoves the door to her dorm open, Charlie instantly lifts his hands from her bag on her desk, eyes frantic as he watches the girl barrel into the room. “I didn’t touch your underwear!”

Evelyn laughs, looking at the boy who just smiles at her, having put away majority of her clothes by now. She just shakes her head and shuts the door behind her, walking towards him so she can wrap her arms around his waist. Charlie drops his arms, wrapping them right back and calming down from the hectic entrance that had scared him.

“I love you too” she tells him softly and a smile cracks along Charlie’s face, his hold tightening around her as she repeats the words he had let slip so casually earlier.

“You do?” he can’t help but ask and Evelyn nods, tipping up on her toes to press a small kiss to the boys lips, eyes never fully shutting to gaze into his own.

“I do, and I think I always will” she tells him and Charlie grins before kissing her deeper this time, hand curling up and into her hair as he guides her face against his own. To think he had the dream of being a playboy just to fall in love with the first girl he met here.

“Then let’s get started on always”

Taglist: @octaviasdread @eden-punk @linmichea1 @pursuedbyamemoryy @mynameisjxlia

a/n: and that’s it folks! Thank you always for reading and loving these chapters. These characters have become extremely special to me and I’m so glad you all have come to love them too. If anyone wants to see any more of them I am open to requests as always & keep your eyes peeled because I just might have something a little extra on the way <3

#these two. my heart 😭#enjoyed this story so much!!!#dead poets society

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