A/N: Heyyy, guys, what's up? Another chapter is here, hope you like it :) Things are getting closer and closer to the infamous wedding...and a group you've been waiting to see is back, hehehehe ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own the Dead Poets Society characters or the poems mentioned

"I've heard so many stories I don't know which one is the most popular. But I do know which is the least popular. The truth."

(Hannah Baker, "13 Reasons Why" TV series)

Nellie's POV

I had promised myself I wouldn't care. That I wouldn't get furious at my father's comments anymore. That I would focus on being a good and responsible maid of honor for Olivia and would shut out everyone else's opinion on what a rebellious troublemaker I was and on how I would never find a proper match if I stayed so stubborn. My father's impression about me would never change, he would never accept my dreams and my personality, so it would have absolutely no sense to continue arguing with him. After all, I could be patient for the two weeks I'd stay in Medford for Easter vacation and for the wedding...I would see Virginia, Gerard and Meeks…and then I would return to Yale, where I could be myself to those who really mattered, ignoring the side glances of my fellow-students who believed a woman had nothing to do in the university classrooms.

And I know what you might think. That this wish of mine was illogical, right? That it would be impossible for me to suppress my anger at some rude comment back in my hometown, especially with the wedding coming, which would make me more vulnerable to whatever others thought about me. That I would be willing to defend myself from the moment I stepped my foot back in the house I grew up in, just like during Christmas. That, in the end, it was wrong of me to think that I could be patient.

Well, excuse me, but, if you thought that, you're the ones who are wrong here.

Because even I was caught off guard by the blank emptiness that consumed me when I arrived in Medford. The anger I had prepared myself for, the frustration at society's conservative opinion about me and my father's disappointment didn't even make a passing impression on me. I greeted Julia with a friendly smile as I placed my suitcase in the middle of the hallway and looked around, but it felt as if I was in somebody else's home…as if it was somebody else's life here. Like I had left my true self back in my dormitory in Yale and right now I was watching someone else's story unfold. Like I had distanced myself completely from this house, from this place.

"Ha, it seems I arrived here first again, sister, should I make it a habit, welcoming you back when you come for vacation?"

And at that moment, as I had a black-haired, smirking, fifteen-year-old in my embrace, it was as if this nothingness faded a little and I hugged my little brother back as if I wanted to crush him. In the end, it's not the cities and the buildings that define a place, but the people you love and who love you back without expecting anything from you, without demanding from you to be someone you're not. Besides, how could I even stay distanced and serious when I had such a warm welcome from Alexander, especially considering that a few years ago he barely looked at me?

"I missed you, little brother." I replied, chuckling at his protests that I was suffocating him before doing him the favor to release him and look better at him. "My, my, is it me or have you grown?" I ruffled his hair and winked at him, with a true proud-older-sister smile.

"Watch out, Nellie, soon I'll be taller than you!" He laughed and stood on his toes to mark his words; with the corner of my eye, I could see Julia trying to suppress her laughter as she discretely watched us from the open kitchen door. "We have the house for ourselves, mother and father have gone to see Olivia's parents…and they said something about an appointment you have later in the evening?"

"Yes, I will go to meet Olivia and the other bridesmaids for our fitting." I explained, once more surprised at the fact that I didn't feel anything because of my father's absence, neither relief nor anger, just a stoic acceptance. "Olivia insisted we should do this the day of my return in case they need to make any changes on my dress, since I was in Yale during the main preparations and so on."

"Oh, my poor poor sister, fittings, dresses, I know how much you detest all that, it must be so boring for you."

"Well, boring or not, it's my childhood friend who's getting married and I need to make sure everything goes flawlessly."

"Now you mentioned it, Mom said she left a gift for you in your room, it's for you to wear on the wedding day."

My mother had bought me a beautiful necklace, simple and yet elegant that suited to the light blue color of my bridesmaid dress, with a medallion at the end of the chain that fell on my neck. Despite not being a great fan of jewels, I smiled at the loving gesture, deciding to do my mom's favor and wear it. At the same time, though, my mind created another image that overwhelmed me as if I was experiencing it over and over again…and it wasn't only an image of my mind, but an illusion I could see clearly in front of me…the image of a fourteen-year-old girl receiving a necklace for her birthday with a promise of a better present some time later, only to find out that said 'present' included a wedding without her consent.

But what truly scared me was the fact that I didn't feel anything at the memory. Not anger, not bitterness, not even disappointment...nothing that would remind me of my previous reactions at my father's action…no matter that I had reminisced about this period of my life only recently, the day of my nineteenth birthday. Right now, as I stood in the middle of my childhood bedroom with Mom's gift in my hand, preparing myself to play a cardinal role in my friend's wedding, it was like the emptiness from earlier had returned, although I still couldn't explain it.

Does it have anything to do with the book Gerard gave me as a gift? Has the mysterious story behind it, this inspiring introduction about sucking out all the marrow of life, influenced me so much that I can't even get angry at the mistakes of the past? Is this blank empty feeling the first step towards determination to prevent the past from haunting me further?

Because if that was the case, I owed Gerard way more than I had imagined.

Pitts's POV

"Alright, gentlemen, gather up! I hereby declare this meeting's official start, with Nuwanda presiding!" Charlie exclaimed clapping in his hands once, making us all look at him as we sat down on couches or on the floor in the spacious living room of his house.

"Hey, wait a minute, who made you the president of this gathering, Dalton?" Meeks protested with a sly tone in his voice, unable to stifle his chuckle at our friend's smug look and smirk, as well as the way he sat on his chair, like he was king of the world or something.

"Me, myself and I, Meeks, got a problem with that?" The group's clown that would also be our host for two days before our journey to Medford replied, although the way he ruffled Meeks's hair was more teasing than his words made him appear.

"He hasn't changed that much, in the end, has he?" Knox whispered at me, his comment unnoticed by the others due to the fact that he sat next to me, a Law book by his side—poor fellow probably had such a difficult time with his courses in Stanford that he couldn't cease studying not even when he was on vacation with his friends. "He is and remains a tyrant."

I nodded and covered my wide smile with the back on my hand, although my mind wasn't completely there, since it travelled to other times and other stories we had shared in the past, creating illusions of mischief, adventure and companionship and almost giving me the impression that our current surroundings, in the Dalton residence, was nothing more than a fake reality…that the true world we belonged to was somewhere else. With my imagination I could almost see the walls of the living-room crumble, the window disappearing, being replaced by the narrow space of the Indian cave, a small fire lit in the middle and a bunch of teenage boys sitting around, passing the book with the black cover around and believing they were discovering what being themselves met.

"Let's go, gentlemen! I hereby reconvene the Dead Poets Society!" Neil announced formally, the book of verses open in his hands and his solemn words causing a round of cheers amongst us. "Welton chapter. The meetings will be conducted by myself and the other new initiates now present. Todd Anderson, because he prefers not to read, will keep minutes of the meetings."

It was obvious that Todd didn't like what Neil said about him; I could see it in his eyes that he was embarrassed, being mentioned in this 'opening speech' of our first meeting. I kinda felt sorry about the poor kid and how shy he was...not that I had any right to speak about 'shyness', of course, given how silent I usually was myself, but the problem was that Todd would have a hard time in school if he didn't speak up. Hellton wasn't kind on students who were laid-back—well, actually, it wasn't kind to anyone, but that was another story for different times—and I hoped that having Neil as a roommate would help Todd become more self-confident.

"I'll now read the traditional opening message by Society member Henry David Thoreu."

Reunions with friends we hadn't seen in a long time was nice and bittersweet—Meeks and I had agreed on that during our train ride here. When you had bonded with people in school due to friendship, tragedy and a system that wanted all of you perfect pawns, when you stuck together through the grief, when you parted ways due to your studies but still kept contact and when you were almost anxious at the prospect to see them face-to-face again, the emotional whirlwind couldn't be prevented. There was something hanging in the air and I was sure everyone could sense it…a melancholic atmosphere because Neil wasn't here with us…and this moment, with all of us teasing Charlie travelled us in the strict environment of Welton—seriously, when we first sat down after everyone arrived, I almost awaited Nolan rushing in through the door to reprimand us.

But then I actually thought about Neil and I couldn't stop myself from smiling as I looked around. We were together, for the very first time since we graduated, laughing and still silently recalling everything that shaped us…and I genuinely believed that this is what Neil would have wanted. No tears or sad moments upon our reunion, no attempts to verbally console each other like during the first days after his death, but laughter and quiet reflection…not letting him go, but moving on and keeping his memory clear and fresh, an example for all of us to be strong and chase our dreams without giving them up and shutting out all those who called him an egoistic coward for taking his own life.

The feeling of uselessness that haunted me during my really bad moments in Yale almost didn't exist and I wondered what was behind it. The most logical explanation was that we were all together again…it wasn't just Meeks and me in a completely strange environment where no one else shared our dramatic story. Right now we were with those who had lived through the same tragedy…and that mended the grief to a level it didn't even hurt.

Or was it the fact that a part of my story was also in the hands of a nineteen-year-old young woman with auburn hair and freckles who was determined to make a difference and decide for herself? I hadn't revealed her what was behind the book or the name of the Dead Poets Society, but I had already spotted a natural curiosity on her when she first took the book in her hands and read the introduction. I insisted, this wasn't just a birthday gift for Nellie; she had understood immediately that it was something very special for me…and her seeing it like something more important than a simple book of printed verses could very well be the reason I didn't feel any emotional pain now. I had shared some of my dramatic story with her, just like Meeks had advised me to do…indirectly, of course, but it was the first step and I knew she would understand because Nellie was all understanding and compassion and an open, critical mind towards everything.

After all, my feelings had taken a turn towards her for many reasons…this being one of them.

"Glad to see you so happy, Charlie, you really scared me when you called me to tell me I needed to save you from 'this ridiculous best-man nonsense'!" Todd commented now, making Meeks and me laugh loudly, since this was Charlie's reaction when he called us as well. "Seriously, though, being best man is a great honor, you shouldn't act like it's the end of the world."

"Oh, yeah, of course, it's a wedding, it's my cousin's wedding, everyone will be happy and cheerful, the birds will chirp and all that jazz. Well, I didn't ask to be part of this circus." Nuwanda replied, sounding as if he was ready to throw up. "And you, people, don't even know the worst…my mother believes I will find a suitable match there."

Ah, yes, of course, the usual expectations about how a wedding should follow another and so on…And it doesn't concern only girls, I thought, feeling sorry both for my friend and for Nellie, especially since both of them had declared war to whoever was planning their future because of the wedding that was nearing. According to my humble opinion, it was completely ridiculous…why on earth should they find their 'suitable match' only because two people close to them were getting married? Suitable according to their families, of course, not to their own wishes.

"Don't listen to them, Charlie…just think that you'll endure this for a short while and then you'll be back in college where you'll be free to make your own choices. No one can force you who to marry or who to have feelings for." I voiced my thoughts aloud, to which Charlie responded with a triumphant yell and Knox with a nod of agreement, something that reminded me of my decision to ask him for advice about the matter that tortured me.

Look at you, Pitts, speaking about the nonsense of forced emotions when you're going through your own turmoil, I almost laughed at the irony, but now was not the time to talk to Knox about my mess…after all, Charlie might be a good friend, but I would never hear the end of his mocking if he learnt that the shy Pittsie had feelings for someone.

"Wise words, Pitts." Todd said to my previous statement and looked at me over his glass of wine. "Yale surely has changed you for the better, a few years ago you would tell Charlie to stay silent and simply comply with his family's wishes."

"Hey, that's not true, I never supported parents imposing their wishes on their children!" I quickly defended myself, although making clear that I wasn't offended. "It's just that I wouldn't express it so openly a few years ago."

"And yes, it's a fact, gentlemen, Pittsie has finally gotten out of his shell!" Charlie exclaimed cheerfully and I shook my head between our friends' snickering. "Seriously, man, I don't know what miracles the ladies in Yale do, but remind me to thank them for making you open up."

Of course he would direct the conversation there, this was Charles 'Nuwanda' Dalton we were talking about, after all. Of course he would make some comment or other about me hanging out with two girls, contrary to Todd and Knox, who had simply told me they were happy that Meeks and I were making new friends. At that moment, I remembered Virginia's warning, the night of Nellie's birthday, and I smirked, deciding not to mention to the future best man that a massive showdown awaited him in case he said something inappropriate or mocking the day of the wedding.

"And I don't know what mischief the ladies in Berkeley do, but remind me to scold them for making you stay the same irritating Nuwanda!" Meeks returned the joke, causing loud laughter from the rest of us as I gave my best friend a high-five and Charlie had an expression like he didn't know whether to laugh or throw some comeback back at him.

Back when Neil died so tragically and the Dead Poets Society was discovered because of an arrogant, bootlicking, sycophantic rat, everyone around us made up their own story about the tragic events. And I literally mean everyone, from the administration to Neil's parents, to our own parents, to the supporters of the Academy, to the townspeople who had heard what had occurred. And the more people talked, the more far-fetched the story became and, in a sudden, everyone considered Mr. Keating a manipulative teacher who abused his power, Neil a weakling who rebelled against his family and all of us a bunch of teenaged fools who were misled and needed the proper discipline.

There wasn't just a single truth to a story. Maybe no point of view pictured the truth…or maybe everyone thought they knew the truth, it depended on every individual. But as I watched my friends now, I decided that we knew our own truth and that was what mattered.

Nellie's POV

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Bless you, Robert Frost, I thought while mentally reciting his verses on my way to my dress fitting, where I would meet with Olivia and the other bridesmaids. The weather was very pleasant, with a light breeze blowing, and so I had decided to walk across my neighborhood instead of having George drive me there. Being outdoors helped me immensely and defeated the feeling of emptiness I had experienced in my parents' house; now I could enjoy the walk and the prospect to help the soon-to-be bride with the final preparations. Still, I couldn't forget the poem; it was the very first poem of Gerard's book I had read and I couldn't help but sense that Robert Frost was talking to me through his words. In a society that put labels on everything and everyone and after being raised only to be a proper wife and mother, choosing to study truly seemed like a road less travelled by.

And it had made the difference. A true difference. And I didn't feel any jealousy or bitterness at the fact that my childhood friend was getting married while I hadn't found a match yet. I was happy that she was getting along with Thomas, I would stand by her side in anything she needed, but I didn't feel useless or embarrassed like my father believed I should. After all, ever since I made clear that I wouldn't marry at fourteen, much less when I left Medford to start my studies, so many gossip and stories had started circling around me in my parents' circle that I didn't bother to correct them anymore. I had realized long ago that I couldn't please everyone around me and that, if someone was close-minded enough to believe some stupid false story, it didn't have any sense to prove them wrong.

After all, I didn't need anyone's acceptance in the first place. I had my mother, Alexander, Olivia, Virginia, Gerard and Meeks: people who knew me for who I was and who didn't want to change that. These people were my truth, a part of my real story, and that was the important thing.

"Don't you see how embarrassing this will be, Olivia?" Was the first thing I heard when I entered the studio where the fitting was scheduled; the voice was muffled and coming from the room at my left. "Instead of marveling about you and your special day, everyone will talk about the rebellious maid of honor."

"Oh, come on, Anne, don't you think you're exaggerating? Nellie's my best friend, I want her to be next to me when that day comes and, since it's her dream to become a lawyer, I accept that." Olivia answered next, her voice gentle and yet still reprimanding and I smiled at my friend's tolerance.

"Unmarried and a Law student, do you know what chattering she will cause?" Another female voice was added to the conversation, but now I wasn't paying that much attention because an older woman was approaching me with a friendly smile and I guessed she was the one who would help us with our fitting. "At least I heard my mother saying that her parents will most likely plan a match with the best man, so I hope that she'll see what's best for her."

Excuse me? A potential match with the best man, a guy I hadn't even met yet, someone I only knew through Meeks and Gerard's narrations? Were they actually serious right now or was it some stupid rumor too? Did my father really think that I'd be more obedient towards the prospect of marriage now that I was older than I was when he first arranged a marriage for me? And not only that, but with the boys' friend as well?

"Oh my, are you alright, dear? You look very pale, would you like some water?" The woman approaching me had reached me and stared worriedly at me; surely what I had heard made me look like I was ready to faint.

"Yes…Yes…I'm fine. Some water would be great, though, thank you." I quickly composed myself and gave her my best smile, concealing the anger and frustration at what I had learned. "I'm Nellie Russell, I'm here for the dress fitting for Olivia Richards's wedding."

"Ah, yes, of course, the lovely maid of honor. Miss Richards told me she was awaiting your arrival today! I'm Mrs. Miller and I will assist you ladies today. This is the room, I'll join you soon." She told me, pointing towards the direction where I had heard Olivia and the others talking.

An explosion of dresses, cloths and laces greeted me when I entered, combined with the distinctive scent of perfume and roses, while a smaller, adjoining room was at the right; I supposed that's where we would go to try on our clothes. Olivia was standing in the middle of the room with the two other bridesmaids, a black-haired young woman who seemed to be at our age and a brunet who I estimated was in her mid-twenties. The conversations ceased at the sound of me stepping in the room and they all turned towards me; two of them attempted to smile politely although I could tell they were pretending, while Olivia ran towards me to give me a tight hug.

"Nellie, welcome, how are you? What news from Yale, you must be so relieved to have finished with your exams!" She exclaimed and I laughed at how cheerful she sounded. Before I could answer, though, she became serious again and she stared thoroughly at me as if she was trying to spot something specific on me. "I'm so sorry for forcing you to come here the day of your return, you must be exhausted from the journey, right?"

"Don't feel bad about it, I got some rest when I arrived…not to mention that rest is irrelevant in comparison to my friend's wedding." I assured her, although my smile grew bigger at her concern about me; when I had realized that her engagement and my departure to Yale hadn't estranged us at all, I was glad and relieved that nothing had changed in our friendship.

"Nellie, this is Anne Wilson, a good friend of Thomas's." Olivia introduced me to the woman with the black hair and, as I shook hands with her, I could notice the reproachful look she gave me; she was the one who claimed earlier that my 'rebellious' way of living would shame Olivia's wedding day. "And I don't know if you remember my cousin Jackie, it's been quite a while."

"For the last time, Olivia, it's Jacqueline, I haven't used that nickname for seven years now." The brunette shook her head and stared at me as if I was a very interesting object she had found in a museum; as if she expected to notice something strange in my appearance only because I had left my hometown to study. "How are you, Eleanor, you look just like the last time I saw you…at your graduation from boarding school, wasn't it?"

"Correct. It's good to see you, Jacqueline." I answered politely, deciding not to give her the satisfaction to mention what I had overheard a couple of minutes ago. Instead, I kept my voice neutral and didn't start asking curious questions about her current life, knowing that this conversation would go to my own life in Yale and would only result in making Olivia uncomfortable. After all, despite the fact that Olivia and I were childhood friends, the seven year gap that separated us from her cousin and Jacqueline living in another city hadn't allowed me to know her very well; in fact, I could barely remember her, mostly from some Christmas gatherings at Olivia's house or some feast we were holding in boarding school.

"Look at you beautiful girls, I'm sure you are very impatient and we have lots of work to do, since the wedding is in a week!" Mrs. Miller joined us with a girlish voice as she entered the room with a glass of water and a wide smile. "Miss Russell, you can give me your jacket and bag so they won't bother you and then we can proceed with your fitting."

"One moment, Mrs. Miller, there's something I wanted to give to the future bride." I smiled mysteriously as I took a box from my bag and handed it to Olivia. "You will need something 'borrowed' for your wedding, right?" I asked her playfully, laughing when she gave me another hug before opening the box and looking at the necklace that was neatly placed in it.

And it was the very same necklace my parents had picked for me when I was fourteen; I was supposed to wear it the day I would be wed. No matter my reaction back then, I hadn't gotten rid of the jewel; it was lovely, after all, and it was a birthday gift. So I had kept it in a small drawer in a closet and hadn't bothered to use it all these years, but I thought it would suit Olivia perfectly.

People could think whatever they wanted about the way I lived and about the fact I wasn't married; they could spread lies and fake stories about how I disgraced my family and about how it would one day destroy me. I knew my story, I knew my truth…and that was enough.

A/N: Alright, people, another chapter has reached its end, hope you liked it :D Stay tuned for the next one, where lots of things happen, hehehe ;)