Peter Pan

           “Over here Peter!” Wendy answered all winded and disheveled from a vigorous game of keep away with Nibs. They had been playing all afternoon up until the sound of Peter’s voice came ringing through the trees. The tiny whisp of a girl let out a piercing squeal when her playmate sneaked up from behind and grabbed her. She had momentarily forgotten about Peter who had come looking for her.

Peter never understood why his little fairy acted so weird around Wendy, she was an angry creature but she has never been cruel to other people before. It confused him and it was funny because in his mind it was a silly thing. It was hard for him to understand what jealously truly meant and perhaps that’s why he didn’t know he was feeling it right now. “ Wendy ! I wanted to tell you something. I am more important than Nibs !” he stated, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

       Felix breathed to please his king, it was the ONLY thing he really lived for so you couldn’t wipe the smile that forced itself upon his lips at Peter’s praise. He didn’t much care what the others thought, as long as Peter was happy, that’s all that mattered. He wasn’t one to toot his own horn, it made him feel rather uncomfortable so he gave Peter a small nod to convey his appreciation. “I did what any lost boy would do.” He added then pulled himself up on his feet, his body battered and exhausted from the mission. He still had the blood of their defeated enemy splattered like freckles all over his narrow scarred face. “Is there anything else that you require before I go wash up?” He must have looked a sight, while Peter looked as pristine and immaculate a god as ever.    

“ I beg to differ.” The other lost boys were loyal but no one was as loyal as Felix was. Sometimes their fears and their own selfish urges would take their focus away from the most important thing to them – their leader. But Felix wasn’t like that. He was following his orders without questioning  his leader’s intentions. He had to lie to the others, creating fake realities in order to fool them into his trap. He always repeated that all of it was a game but Felix knew it wasn’t. Death was real and he planned to make it a permanent guest on his island. A smirk spread across the features of the devilish boy as he nodded. “ Why don’t you wash up first ? I’ll wait for you. We will discuss our new plan after that.”

          Her frown deepened when Pete took her hand away from his forehead. Sydney folded her arms by her chest and looked at him, her eyebrows creased at his words. A sigh escaped her lips and unfolded her arms to hold his hand. Her thumb gently brushed back and forth on the skin of his hand. She nodded and gave him a small smile.

         “I thought we were going to drop by the doctor the other day, after your team practice?” She moved his hand towards her lips and placed a kiss on his knuckles.

         It didn’t really matter if she couldn’t make it to prom. As long as Pete was okay, Sydney couldn’t ask for anything. Besides, if they would miss it, they could just remake it minus the large crowd. However, it would just be nice to be lost in his eyes while other eyes watched them.

He rolled his eyes as a slight smile spread across his lips. Her love for him was something he questioned before but right now he knew the girl would stand by his side. She recognized the darkness he had inside of him; she understood that it had no limits. But she learned how to love it and that was all he ever wanted. “ Well, we didn’t go. Stop worrying so much, Sydney. There is nothing to worry about. You will get wrinkles if you are being so broody all the time.” He imitated her concerned expression as a slight laugh escaped his lips. He placed a soft kiss on her lips as he took her hands in his. “ So what are we doing today ? I am bored.”

No, her parents weren’t like that at all! Not even her father, who despite his flaws of being overly rational and unimaginative, still was not a liar. “ Of course I want you to be happy! ” Yet, there was obvious hurt in her voice. She hadn’t meant to upset him. Wendy had thought it all sounded rather nice, going home and staying with her. Growing up with her. But that was not enough for him ( she was not enough for him ). “ I care about everyone’s happiness! “.

“But I can’t be happy without you.” The sudden realization left him confused. His annoyance made him say something he didn’t even know yet. He swallowed the limp in his throat, the childish heart full of different emotions. He didn’t know what it was but he knew it hurt him. It seemed like the boys were already convinced that they would be better with Wendy, all she had to do was to convince him too. “ Please, don’t make me grow up.” He whispered, the pride in his voice gone.

      Her eyes lit up at the sound of Peter being near. Finding him, Snow nearly toppled down on her backside. Thankfully, she stepped back a bit to balance herself. Her gaze went to Peter, eyes wide and lips pursed together as she held the laugh that was about to burst from her. Eventually, she couldn’t help it and her laugh like bell chimes echoed through the hall where they stood.

     Snow stopped when she realized that the sound of her laughs reached the other side of the hall. She smiled brightly at Peter and looked at the item she has in her small hands. Knowing that he would be excited about it, she lifted it up towards him. All she understood with it was it was a box that she randomly found in the garden.

    “I’ve been looking at each side of it, I couldn’t figure out where the opening was. Maybe we could open it together. What do you think?” She beamed at him.

     Wide-eyed, Snow waited for Peter to figure it out. She wondered whether she found a treasure box or something even more. What if it was something magical, just like the ones she read in her books? The excitement in her system kept on building up and up.

    “Come on, Peter. Have you figured it out?”

All he wantedto do was a small stunt, it was fun and it was his way to remain the leaderamong the boys. They always admired him because he was better than them. He wasbetter at rugby and every other thing they’ve played. It was indeed dangerousbut he was never afraid of danger.

The bloodwas insulting the boy’s purity and the contrast between it and his pale skinwas unnatural. Still, a smirk was proudly placed on his face , his laughterringing through the forest. “The bloody pirate happened to me.” It was normalfor him to blame a grown man for his childish games, after all he was the oneat fault. “ But don’t you worry, he has another hand to lose.”

“No, of course no one is!” No one was forcing her to leave; rather, the longer she stayed, the more she recognized there was something wrong with this world. Or, perhaps, something wrong with her. All she knew was that she did not seem to fit in Neverland as she once did. “But my parents aren’t like that at all. They never lie. And I’m certain they would be happy to have all of you! You might all sleep in the drawing room. And, well ———I don’t believe I should mind growing up so much, if I were growing up with you.”

“ No !” His arms were crossed against his chest, lips formed in a slight pout. Such a childish response, his heart could never live though all of these emotions. It was something meant for the adults and Peter was not mature enough to handle rejection. “ They are all the same. “ The boy was so sure in his words even though he didn’t even remember the lies of his own parents. “ They will take all we have. I won’t be happy ! Don’t you care about my happiness, Wendy ? Why you care only about theirs ?” Always selfish even when he was seconds away from falling apart.

        Taking him and chaining him without consent was the biggest regret Snow would ever have in her life. She knew from that moment she decided not to be her, she has lost the trust of the only person whose trust she wanted so badly. So when Peter turned to her, seeing him all terrified of her made her heart sink. It was the look she dreaded to see. Even she began to get terrified of herself, of getting close to him.

      It was a mistake that no one would get out from. He could be feeling the same thing she was feeling over Florian. Maybe that was the reason she felt terrified of Peter, not because of what she had done, but also she could see the same face that turned her into whatever Peter could see before him. Why would she even ask help from any of them?

     Yet, there was nothing she could do, she poured all the remaining energy in her body to get to her. It was a stupid move, definitely. If there was a person who could understand and help her, it was Peter.

      “I know I did you wrong, Peter. I didn’t have the right to take you away and hold you captive. I know you would never forgive me. I don’t know who turn to.” As one tear rolled from her eyes it never stopped anymore.

      Snow fell on her knees, her hands clutching the hem of her dress. Her beautiful face full of tears instead of her usual smiles. Her lower limbs hurt. Just by her ankle, a fresh bruise could be seen. Every part of her body hurt.

     “It’s Florian, Peter. I–” It was hard to say it. Never in her life, she felt this dirty or used. Her thin arms wrapped around her as tried to make herself comfortable on the floor, just by the feet of Peter.

“ Let’s not talk about that now.” He whispered , eyes still focus on the mess in front of him. Could he really forgive her for who she truly was? In some ways, she was just like his brother. It wasn’t their fault that they turned out to be the way they were. Someone else was to blame but Peter was not sure whose fault it was. His opinion of her could not be easily changed but at least she felt something his brother didn’t – remorse. It felt like she was honest with him, the blood on her dress was the evidence.  No one would lie for such a terrible thing.  But he had to protect his brother too. If the girl pressed any chargers against him, he might end up in jail. Even though Peter was disgusted, he could never let his brother suffer more than he already did. The feeling inside of him was strange, he was angry at his brother and he wanted to make him pay for his inhumane actions. Yet, he wanted to protect him. He was his blood and perhaps the only family member who tolerated him. Peter has done some terrible things but he has never been this cruel. His victims were usually stronger than him and it was a way for him to show superiority. Why would his brother do something like this ? He thought he loved the girl, it felt like they were made for each other. Their demons were the same and they could dance together for eternity. His attention returned to the girl that was now laying in his feet and he swallowed. “ I know. I will help you.” He said as he wrapped his arms around her fragile framed and picked her up so she could stand. “ We have to get you to a hospital. I will get you to a hospital. He won’t find you.”