WE ARE GOLDEN--DEAD POETS SOCIETY

CHAPTER TWENTY

*tw: azalea's abusive dad is back in this chapter*

Knox raced to the school payphone, the other poets trailing behind. Inserting coins, he dialed and held the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

Chris's voice came through the speaker. Panicking, Knox slammed the phone back onto the receiver.

"She's gonna hate me. The Danburrys will hate me. My parents will kill me."

He looked around at his friends for help, but they just stared back, encouraging him silently.

"All right, goddamn it. You're right. "Carpe diem." Even if it kills me."

Another coin went into the slot. The dial tone rang again. This time, Knox didn't chicken out.

"Hello, Chris?"

"Yes?"

All the poets could hear the girl through the phone.

"Hi, this is Knox Overstreet."

"Oh, yes. Knox. I'm glad you called."

"She's glad I called," Knox announced to his friends in a whisper.

"Listen, Chet's parents are going out of town this weekend, so he's having a party. Would you like to come?"

"Would I like to go to a party?" Knox asked, looking around with frantic eyes.

"Yes, say yes," Scarlett urged him.

"Okay, great. I'll be there Chris. Friday night at the Danburry's. Thank you."

"Alright bye."

"Thank you. I'll see you later. Bye."

Knox hung up the phone.

"YAWP!"

The others cheered.

"Can you believe it? She was gonna call me. She invited me to a party with her."

Charlie and Lilith both wore worried looks.

"At Chet Danburry's house," Lilith reminded him.

"Yeah," Knox seemed unbothered.

"Well?"

"So?"

"So, you don't really think she means you're going with her?" Charlie pressed.

"Well, of course not Charlie, but that's not the point. That's not the point at all," Knox scoffed.

"What is the point?"

Knox looked very uncertain.

"The point, Charlie, is uh.."

"Yeah?"

"..that she was thinking about me. I've only met her once, and already she's thinking about me. Damn it. It's gonna happen, guys. I feel it. She is going to be mine."