EVERMORE | DEAD POETS SOCIETY

NINETEEN!

"NO, THIS ISN'T HAPPENING..." She whispered to herself as she looked at Neil. She didn't ever think she would see him again. It had been a whole decade. She didn't know how much hope she could hold onto her so long. She loved him, because it was her first love.. She thought he was dead.

Neil was too stunned to speak. Out of all the places that they could reunite, a diner was not one that he expected. He didn't know what to say to her. What could he say to her? He didn't even know what to say. It had been ten years.

She started packing up her things, trying her best to get out of this awkward situation. She didn't want to run away from him. But what could she tell him? She didn't even think of anything that compared to what she really wanted to say.

"Wait, Rebetta.." He whispered as Betta got up, leaving her full loaded milkshake behind. She stormed out, running away from the problem that laid behind her in the building. This whole day was getting overwhelming. Neil didn't hesitate to follow after her. Rebetta had made it just a few feet away, until she started to cry.. With relief.

Neil caught up to her, looking from a distance as she cried. Neil couldn't help but laugh underneath his breath, as tears started to form in his eyes. This was the one thing he wished for, for the past decade. To see her again. She turned around, wiping the tears from her eyes. She still couldn't believe it.

"It's you?" She asked. "Neil? If you're not Neil Perry then you better stop playing with my head right now."

"Rebetta, no... it's me." Neil told her. She couldn't help but smile so big as the tears ran down her face. Rebetta wrapped her arms tightly around him as Neil did the same thing. He held onto her like he was about to lose her again. He felt like all of this was just some dream and he was scared that he was going to wake up, and this wouldn't be real anymore. But he pinched himself, and this was all real.

She broke down in his arms. Maybe because of everything that was happening but it also could have been due to the fact that something should thought would never happen... happened. With everything that was happening in her life at the moment, this was the one time she couldn't believe that her one true wish came true. "You were gone for so long," She cried softly. "So long."

"I know, I know." Neil whispered, holding onto her. He would love to explain everything to her at the moment, but there was a lot to unpack. She was crying in his arms. He could feel himself, wanting to cry. What was he supposed to do about this? She pulled away, wiping her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cry." She apologized, and Neil gave her a look.

"Are you serious right now?" Neil joked.

"What?"

"You're apologizing to me because you are crying? Betta, we haven't seen each other in ten years. I'm even tearing up right now." He laughed quietly and she laughed as well, examining his face. She was right. He had looked the exact same, except for the strange haircut he had back in the day. She had a lot of questions for him.

"What happened Neil?" She asked him. "I have so many questions.."

He didn't know how to respond to any of these questions. There was too much to explain, and he didn't know where to even start. "I know you do, I just..."

"Come back to my place. Please," Rebetta begged. "You can even spend the night on the couch... just... I don't want you to walk away again. If anything, I need to know what happened."

"Betta..."

"Please, Neil?" She asked. Neil didn't know how to necessarily tell her everything that happened. He didn't want her heart to hurt. The pain he went through was unbearable, but if anyone deserves to know what had happened to him in the past ten years. It was Rebetta Carmichael. It was the person that let him hold onto hope for so long.