1

Not Exactly

"Lia! Just stop!" I didn't stop.

"Lia! Please!" Different speaker now.

They pretended they cared. They pretended they didn't deliberately ruin my life. Of course they'd never make my boyfriend think I was cheating on him so he'd cheat on me with a girl who I thought was my friend. No. They'd never do that. I wish. Too late now. Their problem.

"Lia! Grow up and stop being such a-"

My feet stopped carrying me far away from them. I turned slowly. A smile playing on my lips. "You want me to grow up?" I asked evenly, "You clearly don't know me at all then do you?"

The two girls who I used to think were my friends exchanged glances. They were nervous. Perfect. I paced towards them. My stormy eyes flickering between their own wide ones.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you or anything. It's not like you betrayed me. And even if you did, it's not like I was exspelled from my old skill for brutally injuring someone." I titled my head to the left, my dark hair falling to my elbow. It was funny. They had heard of what I'd done but they still decided to play with me. Their mistake.

Two years ago I'd gotten a little out of control at my old school. It was a bad time in my life. My parents split up and both wanted me to go live with the other. Neither wanting the responsibility. I'd refused to be dumped on either of them. My best friend lived with her older cousin in a appartment near school and I'd been told I could stay there. My parents left, goig their seperate ways. t would've been great but I couldn't help feeling I was just being dumped on my best friend. Then of course her cousins abusive boyfriend just had to move in and slap Karly, my best friends cousin in front of us. My best friend, called Olivia began to slice open her wrists in the girls bathroom at school. She drifted away from me and I felt it was my fault. This group of kids unwisely decided to bully her and cut her themselves. Very unwise. I showed them. I won't go into details but it wasn't quick. One boy went to a mental hospital after that. Olivia commited suicide and I was disgraced, banished to the boarding school I'm currently at. I did all that and the whole school knew the basic story but these two still decided to mess with me.

"Oh wait, I was." I said, lifting my head and staring directly at the girl who told me to grow up. She was called Kelsie and she had ruined my last good relationship. Pity that.

"Lia. You won't do anything. I know you won't." Kelsie said with false confidence.

Laughter escaped my lips. "Oh, no. I'd never dare hurt anyone."

They ran. I didn't bother chasing them. They'd never see me again anyway. I turned on my heel, sticking my hands in my pockets and flicking my dark hair over my shoulder. The street had been deserted but I suddenly found myself colliding with something tall, wide and annoyingly hard.

My head was sore, my fingers numb and my hair soaking wet.

Wait, what? Why was I wet?

I sat up, realising I was lying flat on my back. Beneath me was leaf litter, to my left a bubbling river and to my right half of a forest. Well, that was weird. My clothes were filthy. My denim shorts stained with grass and mud. And my white shirt was stained all over. Some possibly blood. Possibly. I realised my hair must be wet because it was danging in the river. Perfect. Standing up, I sighed. I had no idea where I was, I was alone and it was beautiful here. This was just what I needed. A new start, a new life, a new beginning. I could be nice if I wanted. If I wanted.

"Hello." I spun faster than my heart's beat. So pretty fast. A boy stood in front of me. His clothes were odd. Like he lived in the forest which he probably did. He was also quite attractive and by the sound of his greeting, British.

"Hi...?" It was more of a question than a greeting so I followed it up with a reassuring smile so I didn't seem like a complete weirdo.

The boy smiled, "Can I help you?"

I looked around the forest and lifted my hands in explanation, "Nah, I'm good."

His smile turned to a smirk, "Do you have any idea where you are?"

My face fell momentarily but I tried to reassemble my composure, "No. Why would that matter though? I'm free, I'm alone," I shot him a look, "Or I will be. Nothing could be better."

He laughed, "Not exactly."

"Look. If you aren't going to stop talking in riddles you can leave me alone now." I glared at him.

"I like riddles. Riddles are fun." He folded his arms.

"Good for you." He was about my age, the boy, so 16 or 17. A constant smile seemed to be on his lips.

"Maybe you could tell me your-" and arrow buried itself in the ground at my feet, cutting the him off.

"Why is there an arrow between my feet?" I asked flatly.

The boy looked happy. Weird. "Because now the fun begins."

"Riddles?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at him. He mimicked my gestures but on him it looked good. He suddenly looked evil.

"You should ask more questions." he smirked.

"Such as?"

"I'll answer them. You're in Neverland."

I looked directly into his green eyes. "Oh sure." But somehow I knew he was telling the truth and my sarcasm faded, "Why not?"

He looked smugly at me.

"So you're a lost boy and we'll go hunt some animal or soemthing now?" My hands shifted to my hips.

"Not exactly. I'm Peter. Peter Pan." Peter smirked.