All children grow up…
Except for one.
xXxXxXx
London, Ten Years Ago
Peter sat cross legged on a puff of breeze above the busy London streets. A large window with white panes that opened like doors and pale blue curtains fluttering was before him, a glowing light emitting from the room behind it.
A little six year old girl with brown tousled hair and stormy blue eyes laughed as her father chased her around the room, scooping her up and tossing her in the air before catching her again. Gently, so gently. As if she were a china doll he didn't want to break. Her mother looked on, smiling. Her eyes matched her daughter's, but her looks were more angular than the girl's chubby baby roundness.
The father tickled a memory in the back of his mind, of someone he'd known long ago. A boy in glasses, a top hat, and a night shirt. Peter shook his head, shaking off the thoughts pulling at his mind. It was so very hard to remember.
He focused on the family inside the window, watching as the father lifted the little girl up and kissed her forehead. The mother tucked her child in, pulling her pale blue coverlet up under her chin. With a few final unheard words and blown kisses, the light was switched off and the door was closed.
Peter smiled. He let himself float up to the window, and rapped 3 times. The little girl sat straight up and smiled, shoving her covers back and running across the room. She unlocked the window and pushed it open, giving a little grunt and furrowing her brow in the effort.
"Peter!" she squealed delightedly as he flew in the room. Her pink nightgown twirled with her as she spun around in excitement.
He grinned. "Hello, Aspen!"
"Did you bring me anything tonight, Peter? Did you bring me something?" she asked, clutching onto the hem of his green tunic.
"'Course I did! I always do, don't I?" he said indignantly. He pulled out a stone from the pouch hanging from his belt.
It was quite an ordinary small stone, perfectly round and smooth; a polished moon-white colour, with a hole bored through the top and a long leather cord hooked through it.
Little Aspen held her chubby hands out for the stone, her eyes wide. She turned it over in her hands. "But, what's it do?" She asked, confused.
"It's a Never stone." Peter said, as if that was an explanation.
"Oh." Aspen said, as if she understood. She slipped it around her neck. "I'll keep it forever!"
"Good." Peter said. "Keep it to remember me by!" He turned to leave, but Aspen grabbed his hand.
"You're leaving?" she asked, her lower lip trembling.
"I must!" he said. "It's winter time here. That means in Neverland, it's spring. And spring means the pirates will be making their raids!"
"Oh, Peter! Raids?"
"Yes. They'll come ashore and kill us all in our sleep, like this!" he drew a finger across Aspen's throat.
She clutched her neck. "Oh, Peter, no!"
"Oh, Aspen, yes! I have to go back and stay there the whole of spring! Otherwise the pirates might kill my crew. And then what would I do? Fight pirates and try to kill Hook all by my lonesome? That's not a very good adventure!" He took a leap and landed on the window sill.
Aspen grabbed the hem of his tunic. "But what about the Indians and the mermaids? They can keep Neverland safe! Oh, Peter, don't go!" her eyes filled up with tears.
Peter turned and took Aspen's hand. "Don't worry, Aspen! I'll be back as soon as summer begins. When it's fall here, and the leaves will begin to change, it's summertime in Neverland. And I'll come back for you!" He gently freed himself of her hands. "I'll be back soon!"
"Peter, don't!" Aspen cried.
But he was already gone, melted into the night, hidden by the lights of the city.
xXxXxXxXx
London, Present Day
I shivered as my mum pulled up to my new school. This was the third I'd been to in almost two years. I expected the same thing from this one as I had from every other one. Pompous teachers, haughty girls, irritating boys. And dreadful uniforms. I've been kicked out of 3 private schools already. (None of which was my fault, I'll have you know.) Is this one going to be the right choice for me?
I look up at the towering gray brick building with a sign bearing the words "Tarleton Academy" in dark green lettering.
Not bloody likely.
"Aspen, love, are you all set?" my mum asked nervously, twisting a tendril of her hair. She glanced over her shoulder to Jason, my little brother in the back seat. He smiled at her, this morning's jam and toast still plastered on his face.
"Yeah, mum. I'm all right." I said, shouldering my bag. I gave Tarleton a withering glare. It remained oblivious and gloomy against the white gray sky.
"Here're your papers. Go straight in and introduce yourself to the secretary. They've told me the headmaster has your schedule all planned out already." She looked down at her lap, not at my eyes.
I took the packet of papers containing my permanent record and transcripts. "Thanks." I said shortly, opening the car door.
"Aspen." Mum said, grabbing my hand. "It's your last shot, right? Please try and make this work. For us, darling. Please try."
I remained expressionless. "All right, mum." I said quietly. She leaned across the car and pecked my forehead.
"Have a good day, love."
"Bye, mum."
I stood in the parking lot and watched as she drove away. When she left the campus, I pushed my hair out of my eyes and made my way towards the school.
Here's what you need to know about me. I'm not a bad kid. All right? I just get stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time. Quite an unlucky lot I have. One of my last schools was Greenwich Academy, where I was kicked out for being in the bathroom when a few girls had left after smoking some green. Came out smelling like the stuff, and well. I was out on my arse a few days later.
Not that I'm a goody two shoe, though.
I smoke, drink, and get off with boys on a good weekend. I've had my share of love bites to come home with.
But I'm not dumb enough to do things like that in public. But do the parents believe me? Of course not. I'm a liability. The bad seed.
When I was kicked out of my last school, the one before Tarleton, it was the unluckiest lot I think anyone's had. The police of course cleared me on it, but some still don't believe me. And because of the situation, I was kicked out of school.
So now I'm here, at this horrible gray and green institution, which smells slightly of cabbage.
The main office is right ahead of me. I consider turning and making a run for it. I could go to Bleeker's Pub and have my friend Johnny let me hide out in the employee's lounge in the back… But I shake that idea off. I promised me mum that I'd try, didn't I?
I look down at my god awful uniform, though I suppose as far as uniforms go it could be worse. The black blazer isn't too bad, and the white button up isn't either. The dark green skirt and socks sort of bother me though…
I slip my hand to my neck and clutch the white stone that I keep on a necklace there. Touching it soothes me and gives me a sense of confidence. Take a deep breath and square my shoulders and I enter in the main office.
xXxXxXxXx
Neverland: Present Day
The wind whistled through the trees, tickling a fairy sitting on a branch. She giggled and let her maple leaf cloak slip from her shoulders. Summer was here, the season of peace for everyone. During the spring, the Indians, pirates, and Lost Boys battled constantly. During the fall the Indians and fairies gathered food for the winter. And during the winter everyone sat tight, praying against blizzards. But the summer – ah the summer! It was a time for celebration and fun for all.
The mermaids would begin to sing their songs again at night, the pirates would migrate to the warmer waters of Neverland's southern islands, the Indians would put their Peace Chief to power, the fairies would hold balls and festivals, and Peter and his Lost Boys would content themselves to running wild until the chill of autumn came.
Summer was the best time of the year.
Yeah, it's short I know. Sorry! I usually write Kingdom Hearts stories, but I've had a crush on Peter Pan for like… my entire life. So I figured I'd write him a story! XD
Review for me, please loves?
Thanks :D
~ Runway.