They went for coffee and Wendy asked curiously, "So…when did you start coming to Oxford? And did you go to school?" Peter looked reluctant to answer these questions as he sat down opposite her at one of the tables in the coffee shop. She'd ordered a Chai Latte and he'd gotten plain tea. He sighed and shrugged, "Yeah I went to an all boy's school. I thought I'd be more used to it. And I enjoyed it." Wendy chuckled, "Peter, one girl is worth twenty boys." He nearly spat out his coffee at that and she laughed as he struggled to swallow it down before he grinned at her, "I can't believe you remember that!" She giggled and watched him shake his head in awe, "You were such a flirt back then, what happened?" He shook his head and laughed his care free, tinkling laugh that sounded like music to her ears and which she had so missed, "I honestly don't have an answer for that."
Wendy smiled as one of her best friends, Emily, walked into the coffee shop. Wendy was facing her and she was with another good friend of hers, Abigail. She stared down at her coffee in hopes that they wouldn't see her. Peter said, "What are you doing?" She shushed him and they turned around. Emily had ravens-black hair and ocean blue eyes. She grinned at Wendy and said ecstatically, "Wendy! Where were you today? You missed Character Development!" Wendy slapped her hand over her mouth as she got up and she mumbled, "I completely forgot!" She really hadn't. She'd just been so wrapped up in Peter she hadn't wanted to go. She sat back down and whispered to Peter, "She's my best friend."
Emily came over when she got her coffee and sat down with Abigail. Wendy smiled nervously, "Emily, Abi…this is my childhood friend, Peter. Peter, this is Emily and Abigail." Emily frowned and said thoughtfully, "You've never mentioned a Peter, except for Peter Pan." She was far too perceptive. Wendy hadn't even told Emily that she actually had gone to Neverland and met him. Emily had a wild imagination and so she wasn't beyond believing it. She was just worried that Emily would freak out if she knew fairies were real. She'd want to go to Neverland immediately.
They chatted amicably about what Peter was studying, which Wendy hadn't even thought to ask. It's probably the first thing any normal person would ask. One who hadn't been to Neverland and experienced all the treasures it held there. He told them, "Architecture," and they seemed to be impressed. Wendy noticed that he said as little as possible to either of them. His answers were one-worded and short. She wondered why because with her, they could talk about anything, even though it had been years.
Wendy felt her foot idly drift towards Peters. He jumped when he felt it against his but then he pulled his chair closer to her and rubbed his foot slightly against her own. The two girls hadn't even noticed Peter jump because they were so caught up in their own conversation.
Peter was grinning at her and she couldn't help but grin back. Then Wendy saw Matthew walking towards him and she quickly pulled her foot away. Peter frowned at her studiously, trying to read what was going on in her head, and then Matthew appeared. He grinned at all of them and said, "Hello, ladies," to the three of us and held out his hand to Peter, "Ah! I'm glad you've run into Wendy again. I said we should have you over for drinks, but she said you weren't the "drinking kind of guy." This made the other two laugh and Wendy threw dirty looks at them as she said fiercely, "Well I can only guess, that what I know of Peter, he wouldn't indulge in alcohol, would you Peter?" She had noticed the confused look on his face. He clearly hadn't know what Matthew was on about in terms of drinking. It made her smile how innocent he was. Peter swallowed and shook his head, "No, I don't." Matthew looked genuinely surprised, "Not even on social occasions?" Peter shook his head and Matthew grinned, "Well then it's time we get you started. What do you say, ladies?" They nodded in agreement and Wendy shook her head, "If he doesn't want to he doesn't have to, Matthew."
Matthew stared at her, surprised that she was defending Peter. He knew she didn't like drinking but she rarely argued with him. A frown crossed his otherwise smooth features, "I think the boy can defend himself." Wendy glared at him, "He's not a boy!" Peter sat looking extremely awkward and out of place between the two of them. The two girls were silent, watching the first argument ever between Matthew and Wendy. Matthew was twenty three, turning twenty four, and so he obviously felt superior that he was three to four years older than most of them. Considering Peter was four years younger than him, he might have a reason to, but Wendy wasn't condoning it.
Matthew glared at her equally fiercely and muttered angrily, "Fine, talk to me again when you've come to your sense, darling." Matthew said the last word harshly and Wendy scowled at his turned back. Emily was staring at her, "Wendy, you really shouldn't have done that!" Wendy rolled her eyes, "Or WHAT? He was just insulting Peter because he doesn't drink! His best friend doesn't drink and does he insult Sean?" The girls shook their heads hesitantly and Wendy sipped her coffee, "Good. Problem solved."
The other two girls shot nervous glances at each other and Peter got up suddenly, having not said a word since Matthew came along, "I better get going. I have class soon. Goodbye ladies." He nodded at them, shot Wendy a furtive glance, and then walked off.
Emily whispered as soon as he was gone, "Gosh, Wendy could you be any more obvious that you have feelings for that boy! No wonder Matthew was irate! I'd be too in his position. Wendy grimaced, "I wasn't obvious. I was just defending him." Abigail rolled her eyes, "Yeah, defending a boy you've known your whole life, who disappeared for long periods of time, and then suddenly reappears when you're engaged? How convenient for you." Wendy sighed and shook her head, "I'm not using him to break off the engagement. I didn't even know he was here until a week ago. In fact, I thought he was in…in another place. But you're right, Em, he was my first love." Emily gaped and shook her head, "And you never told me about him, why?" Wendy shrugged shoulder again and sighed into her coffee, "It's…complicated." Emily rolled her eyes and laughed, "Yes, you can say that again."
A/N:Just so everyone knows the setting, Peter Pan starts in England, 1912. In the 2003 live action film they make no mention of the First World War, even though it had just begun. There was sexism at the time (PLEASE NOTE: I am not at all sexist! In fact I am a woman writing and I to some degree consider myself a feminist, which is why Wendy, in this chapter gets upset with Matthew for encouraging Peter to drink. She's standing up for her beliefs, whether or not they affect Peter. She doesn't like the fact that he drinks, even if it is socially.) Just wanted to give some background to the story and Wendy's reasons for her argument with Matthew. Also, going back to the war, I will not be mentioning the war much because it doesn't really have anything to do with the story I'm writing. Let's just think of it of Oxford being like a sheltered environment that wasn't really affected (even though it was in reality).
Finally, please R&R! I would love to hear comments and whether anyone is liking this story, because it might not be a long one. JThank you J