When Pan Grew Up
Alright, so, for that mystery reviewer: thanks for your feedback, BUT, I have been in the eighth grade and I have family members in the eighth grade, and trust me, these conversations happen and that type of language definitely gets used. Also, I'm sorry, but this story is rated "T" for a reason, and teens do some stuff they probably shouldn't, okay? Okay. On another note, here we are with the next chapter! Now, as implied by the "Christmas Dance" it is the holiday season, so, here we gooooo! (okay, that was just a little corny, but, whatever)
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any characters created by Walt Disney
CLAIMER: I do own any self-made characters and self-made plot lines
"Hurry up Faith! We need to get there by 6!" Mum hollers as she bustles by my bathroom where I'm currently organizing my hair into a faux side cut to set off the light pink sweater I was forced into. I roll my eyes and continue hair spraying back my flyaways.
"Back, you layered wisps." I mutter to myself as if I'm battling a multitude of beasts in an arena. "Nom, nom, nom. My trusty hair spray shall vanquish you!" I say to myself a bit louder with a stupid grin on my face, praying that no one can hear me over the music blasting out of my speakers. Eventually, after probably adding another hole to the ozone layer, I put the bottle of hair spray down and unzip my makeup bag. 10 minutes later I'm being dragged out of the house by my mother and shoved into the backseat of the family car with Damien and Peter. Mum and Granny are sitting up front with their spacious seats while I'm being squished against my window by Damien who insists on playing on the iPad with Peter on the entire drive to my cousin's. While we live in a more urban area, the cousins are out in more of a rural area. We call their town the party town of our province. It's about a half hour away, without counting traffic. So while Damien and Peter destroy bubbles, I think, on the iPad, I instead put my ear buds in, turn the volume up as high as it will go (so to avoid Christmas music from seeping into my ears) and begin my playlist, starting with 12 Heroes, by David Bowie. Time for an early Christmas get-together. .
"Oy, we're here." Damien says as he rips my earbud out and elbows me in the ribs. I bat his hand away and mumble something under my breath, much to vulgar to be repeated, even mentally to myself. I throw my door open, knowing that my side is clear since Mum always parks in the exact same spot. I groggily slip out of the car and wind up my earbuds. I yawn and stretch, I guess I fell asleep on the drive up. I look to my side as I shiver a bit from the lack of a coat and notice Peter staring up at the old house. I really like the cousin's house, because it's not just a house, it's a home. And you just know it, really, from looking at it. I smile and begin walking up the pathway and up the porch stairs, not really knowing if Mum, Granny, Damien, and Peter are behind me or not. But this is customary, I always knock on the door first. I stand in front of the familiar red door and knock with a warm smile on my face and an excitement building up.
"Well hey there, you're early!" Don exclaims with a big old smile as he opens up the door. I grin and go for the customary kiss on both cheeks as I make my way into the home and slip my boots off. Just as everyone else is making it in I can hear Lottie in the kitchen, hurrying to get things ready.
"Don! Don't let Grey out!" Lottie hollers from the kitchen as their flamboyant dog, Grey, rushes towards us, eager to see us again. I laugh and pat his head as I walk through the home like I live there, which I guess is kind of rude, but I've been doing it for years just fine.
"Ello, Lottie." I greet as I walk into the cozy kitchen that opens up into the office and living room on one side and the dining room on the other.
"Hey, Faith. Tim is in the basement playing beer pong with Tess and Jake, head on down with Damien." Lottie says with a smile, referring to her 15 year old son and 20 something daughter and her boyfriend. I nod and begin heading for the basement, but not before Peter walks into the kitchen and Lottie nearly has a stroke. "By God, who is this?" She exclaims as she nearly drops a plate of appetizers. I pinch the bridge of my nose and thank the stars as Granny walks into the room.
"Oh, yes, Elizabeth, " Granny begins, and yes, Lottie's full name is Elizabeth, but no one really calls her that. "This is Peter, he's recently been orphaned, and so, since he's the grandson of a very old friend of mine, he's living with us." Granny says, putting a hand on Peter's shoulder. Peter just stands there and smiles politely. I pinch the bridge of my nose a bit harder.
"Hello, Ma'am, I'm Peter Pa—erm, Palek. Nice to meet you, and thank you for welcoming me into your home this evening." He says as he extends his hand towards her. Lottie bursts on laughing, as expected by anyone who knows her.
"Oh, Peter, I can tell you this now, no one in this household acts that polite, ever, so you can drop the act and head to the basement with Faith." Lottie says, taking his hand and shaking it anyways. Peter smiles and nods his head. I on the other hand nearly face palm. Damnit! It's already awkward enough for me, the 13 year old, to hang out with my older cousin's! Now I'll have this dope to explain. I clench my jaw and turn sharply, heading for the basement. Even as I make my way down the carpeted stairs I can hear the club music pumping and the sound of a ping pong ball hitting a wooden table. I grin to myself, the games have begun.
"Hey, Faith!" The extremely bubbly Tess says as she makes her way towards me for a hug. I smile at her likeableness. No one dislikes Tess, it's quite impossible.
"Hey," I say to Tess I jump off the last step and give her a hug.
"Yo," Tim says with a nod of his head as he aims at a triangle of red solo cups. He lightly throws the ping pong ball and just misses one of the cups. Jake cheers and takes his shot at Tim's triangle. He gets it in.
"Hey, Faith." Jake says to me with his country twang as Tim begrudgingly takes the red solo cup and chugs the small amount of beer inside. "Hey, who's the red head?" He asks as he turns to see Peter who is timidly making his way down the stairs.
"That's one of Granny's old friend's orphaned grandson who is living with my family for an indefinite amount of time. His name's Peter." I say flatly, not really caring much as Peter nods towards everyone.
"Well, hello there, Peter!" Tess says in her bubbly expression. "Welcome into our crazy little world." She laughs. Peter smirks to himself and I actually wonder what he might be thinking. Tim nods his head, causing his caramel coloured hair to fall into his face a bit. He curses and swiped it back again and hides it under a baseball cap. I swear, he has the same hair style as Ian Somerhalder. Jake tips his sombrero, which someone always seems to wear while playing drinking games, and goes back to the game of beer pong. Tess and I head over to the couches and catch up. Eventually we're called upstairs for dinner. Right when I get upstairs I'm grabbed into a big hug by my other 15 year old cousin, Jace, and his 20 something sister, Petra. I'm also greeted by their parents, also my cousins, Melissa and Mario. I laugh and instantly feel a lot more comfortable than I did for the past half hour. I don't know why, but I'm more comfortable around Jace then I am around Tim. Maybe it's because Jace and I are more similar, but maybe it's also because I spend more time with Tim.
"Why, hello cousinwhoIhavenotseeninayear ." Jace says, dumbfounded, as he ruffles my hair. I squish my face up and bat his hand away.
"No, I did not use hair spray tonight for nothing." I exclaim as I push him back a little. Behind him I see an unfamiliar face and instantly feel uncomfortable, but assume the role of the polite younger cousin anyways.
"Psht, well, I have my curls tonight, so, I think you'll be okay with messy hair." Jace tease as he gestures to his (also) caramel coloured, rarely seen curls. I roll my eyes. "Anyways, dear cousin, this, is my girlfriend, Tammie." He says with an accomplished smile as he snakes his arm around her waist. I smile politely and say hi, as does she. I have to bite my inner cheeks to avoid laughing at the fact that both me and Tammie are taller than Jace. Eventually we're all seated around the big dining room table and passing huge bowls and platters of food around. There are more unfamiliar faces, but they're all around the age of either my Mum, Lottie, and Don, or my Granny's age. Soon enough, my plate is nearly full, that, is when the plate of roast beef ends up in front of me. I stare at it for awhile before passing it on to Petra, who is sitting next to me and talking excitedly with me. Tim cocks an eyebrow and nudges Peter, who is for some reasons sitting beside him.
"Has dear old Faith gone vegetarian?" Tim asks rather loudly.
"What's that?" Peter asks, genuinely not knowing what the hell Tim is asking him. Everyone just stares at him and laughs.
"I haven't gone vegetarian, Tim, I'm just not in the mood for roast beef." I say as I put a fork full of salad in my mouth.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk...passing up on amazing meat, the first sign of being a vegetarian. Poor Faith." Jace says with mock pity, treating vegetarianism like it's a disease. I laugh and shake my head. Leave it to my family to make perfectly normal things sound deadly. After awhile we all continue eating and catching up with each other, Peter though, sits there pretty quietly.
"So, uhm, how exactly are you all related?" Peter asks.
"Well," Jace begins, setting down his fork and knife. "Faith's Granny, Jane, is cousin's with our Granny, Mary. So basically, we're all cousin's here, just a few times removed." Jace says slowly, having to think about the answer himself. Even though they aren't my first cousins, when referring to them I just say cousins as to avoid having to think about it for too long.
"Oh." Peter says, still seeming confused.
Okay people, so, there's the first part of this, and it's a long night, trust me. Next part should be posted soon! Review and keep reading!
-JAMZD
