'Are you sure it's alright with your parents if I stay over tonight Wendy? I don't want to just show up unannounced.' Asked Anita, a beautiful young woman of seventeen who had hair matching an ebony night sky in all of it's glory. Her eyes were the deepest brown that they could entrance anyone who looked into them.
'Anita I've told you time and time again, Mother and Father love you! They won't mind, I promise.' Replied Wendy, a girl of equal age and beauty but with hair like sunflowers and eyes of crystal blue. Wendy was a girl with many secrets and longings, after all she had seen and been places that no ordinary person could ever imagine, Neverland for example. When she arrived at college Wendy found it very hard to fit in, all the girls that stayed there were only focused upon one thing; getting married and starting a family. All except Anita however; that was a big part of why they got along so well. The other reason was that both were dreamers and loved being free; and the very thought of being tied down to a family and going no where was both unappealing and terrifying for them.
'So in other words Wendy Moira Angela Darling, you didn't tell them did you?' Anita laughed as she caught Wendy out on her bluff.
When they had finished laughing the girls picked up their bags and headed for the taxi that was waiting for them. As they passed a group of boys at least 3 wolf whistled at the girls. Wendy felt herself blushing while Anita turned around and walked right up to one of them despite her friends attempts to stop her.
The Man Anita walked up to was at least a foot taller then her but she didn't mind.
'Did you wish to say something to us, honey? Or does your vocabulary only consist of whistling?' Anita couldn't help but smirk as her not so capable opponent went bright red; his friends sniggering behind his back.
'As much as we'd like to stay, I'm afraid we are in a bit of a hurry, Anita, if you will?' Wendy had to forcefully pull her best friend away from the sniggering males as she turned to leave, her strength finally proving it's worth as Anita reluctantly gave in and followed her away.
'Oh Wendy, you are so old fashioned. I could have taken him, he was all talk no play.' Anita Started to laugh again.
'You are shocking! You know that!' Wendy stated throwing her hands in the air but couldn't help but laugh as well. Anita was the funniest and most improper person she had ever met, but loved her all the same. However even though the two girls told each other almost everything conceivable, their was one very important topic that Wendy Darling had kept to herself, always putting it off to tell Anita in case she thought her insane. Peter. Peter Pan had captured Wendy's heart when she was a mere girl of 11. Neverland; the place of dreams and the impossible becoming reality had always stayed in her mind no matter how many times she had tried to push it out.
As the girls finally came within sight of Wendy's house, Anita caught sight of Mr Darling through the front window, he seemed to be reading something, a letter.
'I thought your Father would have been at work today.' She said as they walked up the front path.
'He should be. Why?'
'I saw him through the window, maybe he got fired!' Anita looked carefully at Wendy's expression; she seemed concerned.
'Oh Wendy; don't worry I was just joking I'm sure it's nothing that serious.'
Anita put a hand to Wendy's arm but she shook her off with a smile.
'It's fine Anny I don't think he's been fired but I have another idea. Come on.' As they walked into the house Wendy saw her brothers John and Michael on the other side of the wall eavesdropping on the stair case.
'What are you boy's doing!' Cried Aunt Milicent walking down behind them. 'Off to bed it's far to late for you two to still be awake. NOW!'
As the boys stood up in a pout they noticed their sister and Anita standing there watching them amused. Unfortunately though, as John was about to say something Mr Darling came into the hallway looking as if he was ready to shoot something.
'I'll deal with you two later! Go to your rooms!' Turning he saw the girls looking at him in dead silence; Aunt Milicent put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down a little.
'It's good your home dear. Nice to see you again Anita; it's been awhile' She said looking them both up and down.
'Yes ma'am; a little while. It's good to see you to.' curtsying to Aunt Milicent Anita then turned to George Darling; still looking rather rigid. 'It's a pleasure to see you again also Mr Darling; I trust you have been keeping well?' Her curtsy was perfect. Wendy knew that when it came to Anita; if she wanted to put on an act for anybody to achieve something she wanted; she would succeed every time.
'Anita, the pleasure is all mine. I hope you wouldn't mind if I stole my daughter away for awhile would you? I'm sure you remember the way to her room, it won't take long.' His smile had returned but Wendy realised it was just for her friend's benefit.
'Certainly Sir.' Curtsying again, Anita left the room with a sympathetic smile towards Wendy.
'When she was safely out of hearing range, Mr Darling stormed over to his desk and picked up a letter.
'Mind explaining to me Wendy what this is all about?'
Throwing the letter back onto the desk George sat down and took a long deep breath. His daughter however, took quick gulps of air as she picked up and opened the letter.
'Dear Sir.
I am very displeased at present; for in case you haven't been notified, your daughter, Miss Wendy, has refused my offer of marriage yet again. I'm writing to inform you that I am not one to be rejected Sir; and this is the second time in which the young woman in question has done so to me. Their will not be third. I will make no further attempts to pursue your daughter; I wait until she decides that the wisest decision is to be with me and in so doing comes to my door; for I shall no longer come to hers.
You have one week to convince her, Mr Darling. For your sake I hope you succeed.
Mr Walter Memmingham.
Folding the letter carefully back up Wendy put it back on the desk.
'Well?' George asked loudly enough to make his daughter jump slightly.
'Father; I am sorry but there is no way that I will allow myself to become that man's property; and that is exactly what will happen if I marry him! He thinks wives are nothing more then slaves! I will not marry him, and that is the end of it.
Mr Darling could see his daughter was truly sincere about what she had just said but had to make her see reason.
'Wendy; please understand, I want you to be happy more then anyone in this world, you're my little girl for goodness sake. When your mother died I made it my duty to give you the best future I could. However there are certain things you need to get through your head. It is about time you were married, Mr Memmingham is a very rich man, he can give you a future. He can give you things that I can not.' Sitting back down Mr Darling took his glasses off and started to clean the.
Wendy all though saddened by her father's words stood firm.
'I am sorry Father; I love you, and I loved Mother; but I can't do this, I can not marry that man- I won't.' With that young Miss Darling fled the room and ran upstairs leaving George to stare off into space; wondering what on earth he was to do.
Slamming the door shut behind her, Wendy threw a book that she snatched up against the wall in frustration. Anita who had been out on the balcony in this time walked calmly back in with a worried look.
'Are you alright?' She asked.
'Never better.' Seeing that this reply would not suffice Anita's curiosity in the matter, Wendy told her what had happened. When she had finished however the response that she received was not what she had expected. Anita laughed.
'You are honestly telling me that your fed up with you Father because- in no uncertain terms; he cares for you? Oh Wendy you funny, you really are.'
'No! I mean, it's not like that; I know he cares for me and I love him for that but come one, give a girl a break; it's Walter for goodness sake! I will not during any stage in my life even consider marrying him! The very thought of it appalls me.'
Anita stopped laughing and sat next to her friend on the bed.
'I know that, but you are just so bad at explaining things! What are you going to do then?'
Wendy groaned and lay back on the pillows. As she glanced out the window she saw a shooting star, it reminded her of the way it looked when Peter had appeared all those years ago.
'I just wish Peter was here.' She sighed, not realising she had said it out loud.
'Who's Peter?' Anita questioned turning back towards her. In all her years of friendship with Wendy, never had she heard that name mentioned before.
'No one; I mean- just someone I knew a long time ago.'
Anita shook her head in protest before lunging forward and tickling Wendy until she decided to co operate. It didn't take long.
'Okay, okay I'll tell you!' As she caught her breath Anita jumped up and readied herself.
Wendy replayed all the moments in her head from the moment she first met Peter Pan to the night she returned home as she was telling the story out loud. When she finished she looked nervously at Anita for some inclination about what she was thinking.
'So? Do you think I'm crazy?' Wendy asked. As she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear she waited patiently. When she looked up Anita was all smiles.
'And you didn't tell me about this; why? It's amazing! Of course I don't think your crazy! Wow, Wendy this is so spectacular!'
thrilled at her friends response Wendy drew in her first real full breath since before they arrived at her home.
'So tell me more about this Hook fellow? He sounds positively charming, if you take away the fact that he tried to kill all of you and that he was eaten by a crocodile in the end.'
Looking at Anita, it was Wendy's turn to burst out into a fit of giggles.
'Oh my god! Are you aways in love with the villain of the story or is it just my imagination?'
Anita started to join in and it was almost ten thirty before they could control themselves properly.
After they had gotten changed into their night gowns; Wendy's a white knee length with short sleeves and Anita's, a blue satin one that came to just above her knees (which Wendy thought was rather inappropriate but adorable all the same); they tucked themselves in and talked quietly into the night until darkness took them and they fell asleep.