I lay awake in my bed, remembering precisely every single word my dad had told me moments ago. I glanced around my large spacious bedroom. The only thing I liked about it was the enormous Victorian style window on one side. I left it open every night, even in the bitter cold London Winter. I still felt my eyes wet from my arguement with dad.
"I'm not talking about it anymore, Starling!" he had yelled at me. Starling was his 'pet name' for me.
"but dad! Why do you even want to send me away? Aren't I good enough for you?" I had demanded back, crying. Amazingly, dad hadn't bought it. He flipped me around to face him. His face was white with confusion and anger and fury.
"this is your last night in London, Juliet," he had spat at me.
"good coz I don't even want to stay here! I wish I could just runaway!" I shouted and stormed to my bedroom, slamming the large door.
I rolled over in my bed. How could he treat me like some kind of hotel guest who hadn't paid? I was his little girl and I always would. No matter how old I got, or how mean or cruel. I would always be his little kid. I lived in a little area of London called Bloomsbury. It was a cute little area, full of old fashioned houses, including my own. My house was on the edge of the street. It was full of old fashioned stuff, it had an olden day nursery upstairs that I now used as a bedroom. Oddly, there were three beds though. I used them when I had sleepovers with my friends. There was also a kennel in the corner of the nursery. It was a quaint and dainty little house but I liked it. Me and my dad lived alone in this house and had ever since my mum had died a few years back. That's when I promised I would always be my dad's little girl, because he needed me to be. I flipped over in my bed now, uncomfortable in so many ways, confusion burned my mind, along with anger, betrayal and misery. But I brushed those thoughts out of my head, because I owed it to that man. I hugged my pillow tight and tugged my legs up into a small ball because the wind outside was picking up. I began to think lighter now; Of soft skies, pretty waters and a huge tropical island. It seemed too good to be true. Which I knew it was. There was a large olden styled pirate ship in the beach bay on one side and lots of other areas which seemed out of place. I saw sparkling lights in a thicket of trees and an area of smoke arising from a place close by. There was a huge waterfall off to one side and there were so many tropical flowers and plants and animals. Then I saw a figure in the distance, A boy as far as I could tell. He had scruffy blonde curls that looked like they hadn't been washed for weeks. He wore leaf skeletons and vines, basically whatever he could find and his stunning blue eyes caught my sleeping ones. Then he smiled alluringly, with pearly white milk teeth perfectly visible. I was awestruck and confused at the same time, considering he looked my age, seemed my age and was as tall as anyone my age, and yet his teeth were new and small as a seven year olds own. Suddenly the boys alluring smile changed into a cheeky grin. He seemed to laugh silently and then shouted "boo!" and I bolted upright in my bed. I looked around. It was dark and the window was still wide open. I saw glitter on its surface which I didn't remembering putting on. Then I heard soft bells and frowned. I could have sworn out of the corner of my eye I saw a flash of light darting about in the room. The other two beds remained empty and the kennel was still unoccupied. Then I saw the flash of light dash out of the window and disappear. I stared in shock at the open window. I rubbed my eyes which I realised were still extremely heavy and lay back down on my bed. If I had been still up for a few minutes I would've seen him coming, I would've been prepared. But all I heard was the soft bells and footsteps come towards my bed.
"wendy, I'm here to take you back," whispered a voice. I squinted my eyes open. It was the boy from my dream, and he looked concerned at me. I sat bolt upright again, shock written over my face. The boy frowned, confused. "you're not Wendy," he said, sounding disappointed and acknowledging my soft blond ringlets and goldeny hazel eyes. he looked sad and turned away, "where's Wendy?" he asked. I still sat on my bed
"I don't think a Wendy ever lived here," I responded. The boy looked around the room and back at me.
"no, she definitely lived here, I remember her dog's kennel, and her brothers beds," he said, gesturing round the whole room. I saw the pain in his eyes because he knew why she wasn't there. In fact, I saw panic tingeing his face. He reached for a knife at his side but couldn't even pull it out. He dropped to the floor and sobbed quietly. But from his sniffs I couldn't tell if he was mourning or sulking. I ran over to him and put my arms around him.
"it's okay," I cooed. The boy suddenly stopped crying and pushed me off him, rubbing his eyes and indignantly standing up. He rubbed his grubby arm across his face and breathed in and out deeply. Then the boy turned to me and smiled, which I was perplexed about. I saw those stunning bright blue eyes glisten and my heart gave an unexpected kick. The boy bowed politely as if it was the most normal thing on earth and I raised an eyebrow. I tilted my back forward slightly in return.
"who are you?" he asked, fascinated. He had clearly forgotten or tried to forget about 'Wendy'.
"Juliet Paterson, and you?" I snapped, unnerved. The boy seemed overjoyed and yet intimidated slightly.
"Peter Pan," he said, "would you like to come with me to take Wendy's place?" he asked. I was taken back by his quickness, it seemed like his brain was going a million miles an hour. I blinked. I could have sworn I saw his feet leave the ground for a second as he asked this. He didn't seem to notice though so I dismissed the thought. For a while neither of us spoke, and I noticed the little light that had been dashing about my bedroom for the last few minutes. It hadn't stopped moving, so I hadn't seen what it was. Peter seemed amused by the little light, and would occasionally try to playfully swat it. He glanced at me to see me staring in wonder at it.
"that's Tinkerbell," he explained, gesturing to the little light, "she's a fairy," he added matter-of-factly. I giggled.
"but there's no-" as I said that Tinkerbell whipped through the air and yanked my hair back makng me yelp in pain. Peter had cupped both hands over my mouth and now that I was silent he released.
"What?" I demanded.
"never. Even. Think. Of. Saying. That," he said darkly. I didn't question him why, because I saw the seriousness in his expression. I nodded discretely, partly in fear and partly in shock. As soon as I did so, Peter smiled and took my hand. He began walking backwards toward the window, keeping his bright blue eyes smiling mesmerizingly on mine. I felt my heart racing and I wasn't sure whether to be terrified or thrilled. Either way I got to my senses almost immediately after and yanked my hand away. Peter grinned, shaking his head in a you'll-come-around way. I glanced at Tinkerbell who was standing on my dressing table, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She was also wearing leaf skeletons, but in a kind of dress. She had a lovely figure and a beautiful defined face. She looked proud when she flipped round and blew a raspberry at me, scoffing in annoyance. I was genuinely shocked. Peter laughed in amusement and took hold of my hand, leading me to the window. I was too gobsmacked to realise for a second.
"wait a second!" I said, pulling my hand away, "what are you doing?" I demanded, outraged. Suddenly I heard footsteps coming upstairs. I held my breath and grabbed Peter's hand again, running to my bed and leaping in, bobbing Peter behind it. Just as I did the door was flung open and my dad stood there, his black curls falling blandly by his shoulders. He was tired and I could tell.
"go to sleep Juls," he sighed, closing the door again and wandering away. I sat up and turned to Peter, who seemed terrified of the man I called dad.
"who is he?" he asked.
"my dad?" I offered, as if he didn't know. Ha! Peter looked angry and stood up.
"you are not staying here with him, I won't allow it," he snapped. I laughed at his attempt of being authoritive. Peter scowled at me and crossed his arms across his skinny chest. My laughter faltered at his fierce and serious face.
"why?" I asked.
"he is a grown up, grown up's are foul and cruel creatures, they don't care about anyone, even if they say they do," he growled.
" you can say that again," I muttered. I looked up at Peter, at his triumphant face,"how do you expect me to even try and go?" I asked, trying to put him on the spot. Peter began to laugh now. He looked at me as if I'd told him dogs played poker. But I didn't know what was funny.
"fly, obviously, a beautiful girl like you could manage that," he flattered. I blushed lightly.
"fly?" I asked, stupefied, "how?" I added. He shrugged shortly and jump up onto my bed banister.
"happy thoughts, fairy dust, I think...it's easy," he explained. I folded my arms.
"show me," I said, thinking he was kidding. Peter shrugged, and slowly began to float upwards. I stared in amazement, feeling myself smiling big.
"let me!" I said. Peter grinned and flew down to me, taking both my hands. He cleared his throat at Tinkerbell, who hovered in the air, refusing to go anywhere near me. Peter rolled his eyes and grabbed her by the wings, blowing on her so the dust flew into my face, up my nose and in my eyes and mouth. But oddly, I didn't need to sneeze or cough or rub my eyes because it melted like water. I stared at Peter who had released Tinkerbell and now had my hands again, grinning at me. I looked down at the floor. I was already quite high up and I gasped in amazement. I laughed happily. I looked up at Peter, he wasn't grinning anymore, in fact his face had fallen into a sad expression. I felt that he began to drop slowly, and so did i.
"what is it?" I asked, looking at him. Peter shook his head.
"it's nothing to do with you," he promised. i saw in his eyes that he was mourning, probably for this Wendy he was saying about.
"who was Wendy?" I asked. He looked up. I swore I saw his cheeks go slightly red.
"a friend," he said. I knew he wanted to say more than that, but I didn't want to bother him. I thought.
"will you come to me to Neverland?" he asked. I looked up at him, shocked again. I thought it over. On the one hand, I had a life with a single parent, boarding school and a stuffy bedroom, and on the other I had Peter, who knows where adventure, and no boarding school, ever! I swallowed my fear and insecurity, shoving it to the back of my mind.
"I'll go with you Peter," I told him. Peter's face lit up in happiness and he began literally bouncing off the walls. I grabbed his hand and we flew out the window.
I found I liked flying; As I bobbed up and down and span on the spot and dipped and rose and caught up draughts. I had my eyes closed most of the time because we were out on the ocean and Peter would often laugh. I felt the wind kicking at my face and I saw Tinkerbell pirouetting flawlessly. I giggled in happiness and she turned, glared and me and flew off indignantly. Occasionally I would ask Peter about Wendy but he would frown and say "who's Wendy?" but I could tell he knew perfectly well who Wendy was. I flapped my arms like wings. Suddenly I saw Peter next to me. he was grinning hugely and took hold of my hand.
"promise to hold on," he advised. I nodded and he smiled. We kept hold of each others gazes for about a minute. Then I looked up and gasped. In front of me was like a million golden arrows. Like the neon signs in Las Vegas. And as I got closer it seemed as if they were getting closer to me. and then I saw it. Neverland. I don't know how I saw it, but I did. It didn't feel like what it should've though. In fact, it felt like coming home from a holiday in Paris or something. That feeling of relief after a long car journey and all the feelings of togetherness you get when your with your family, where you belong...