The night air was crisp as you and the others—Charlie, Knox, Neil, Todd, Cameron, Steven, and Gerard—slipped quietly through the underbrush toward the cave. The thrill of sneaking out past curfew added to the exhilaration, each step crunching softly on the forest floor. Moonlight barely pierced the dense canopy, casting the path in a silvery glow.

At the cave, Neil struck a match, lighting the scattered candles. Shadows flickered across eager faces as he stood at the center, eyes bright with conviction. "I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life." His words resonated, a reminder of why you were here.

As the echoes of Neil's declaration faded, Charlie couldn't help but interject with a mischievous grin, "And to avoid the drudgery of Nolan's assignments." Laughter erupted, the tension of the day's classes melting away.

Knox leaned back against the cool stone, a dreamy look in his eyes. "I saw Chris today," he confessed, "She smiled at me. I think... I think she might be starting to notice."

Todd hesitated, then gave Knox a small, almost nervous smile. The candlelight flickered across his face as he shifted where he sat, glancing down before finally speaking. "Maybe… maybe she already sees you." His voice was quiet, uncertain—but sincere.

Cameron sorted scattered papers, Meeks adjusted the lantern, and Pitts sketched idly in the margins of his notebook.

The conversation shifted to the day's lesson, where Mr. Keating had challenged everyone to compose an original poem. Charlie groaned, "I swear, he's trying to turn us into a bunch of Shakespeares."

Neil shook his head, "No, he's pushing us to find our own voices. To contribute a verse to the powerful play of life."

You nodded, feeling the weight of Neil's words. The cave fell silent for a moment, each person lost in their thoughts, contemplating what their own verse might be.