The train ride to the countryside was filled with laughter and excited anticipation. This was to be Aleisa's first and only year at Hendon house and she was pleased to learn that Susan's previous roommate was gone and there was an opening with her and Lucy. Since they were family the two sisters were permitted in the same dormitory, along with a couple others. With the boys just being across the road, it made the experience all the more comforting. Aleisa knew that she would be able to see Peter and Edmund quite frequently along with the sisters. Her previous nerves of the new school were quickly melting away the closer the group got. Once they arrived at the station, Peter quickly picked up Aleisa's case along with his own and began accompany her towards the correct roads where the dormitories were. The other Pevensie siblings said their goodbyes to the couple and rushed off to find their friends before setting up their rooms. The walk was quiet for a little while as Peter explained the ins and outs of boarding school life.
"You showing your cousin around Pevensie?" a snide voice called out behind them. Aleisa shot Peter a curious look as she could feel him immediately tense. He rolled his eyes and clenched his jaw before turning around to face the voice. A tall boy with dark hair along with a couple other more gangly boys stood behind them. The clear leader of the group was the one who had addressed them and was standing there with his arms crossed, eyeing Aleisa smugly.
"She's my girlfriend actually, Niles." Peter growled out, shifting closer to Aleisa who stood there silently glancing between the two of them. Niles let out a deep laugh, his cronies joining in dutifully.
"There's no way Pevensie! A ugly sod like you could never land someone as good looking as her." the boy scoffed. Aleisa fixed a glare on the boy. No wonder Peter stiffened at his voice. This boy was an arse. Peter's jaw clenched and took a step forward to advance on Niles but Aleisa quickly grabbed his bicep in warning.
"Peter don't, it's not worth it." She mumbled quietly to him as he made eye contact. He sighed, knowing she was right but wanting desperately to take a swing at the irritating boy in front of him.
"Yea listen to your bird Pevensie, just walk away. It'll prevent me from handing your arse to ya again." Niles jeered as he watched the couple start to walk away. Peter again whipped around but was stopped by Aleisa once more, who had latched onto him and continued pulling him away as the laughing went on behind them. Once they had gotten a good while away from the group, Aleisa glanced up at Peter worriedly. He was still breathing heavy, trying to calm his emotions.
"What was that about?" she asked him calmly, not wanting to egg anything on.
"Just some guy I've been having trouble with." He told her shortly. But Aleisa knew there was more to it.
"Trouble or getting into fights?" she asked curiously. Peter didn't say anything, only confirming her thoughts.
"Is it going to be something I should be worried about?" she asked him seriously. If he had become someone who got into that sort of thing she wanted to know now. Peter sighed and looked down at her properly.
"No, that was before everything happened. I don't need to prove myself anymore." He assured her, conveying with his eyes that he was totally serious. She smiled up at him and continued their walk.
"Good. He's still an arse though." She muttered with a smirk, causing Peter to burst into a fit of laughter.
...
Not two days later Niles decided to show himself again, much to their displeasure. Aleisa was sitting under a large oak tree, out in the fields down the road from both Hendon House and St. Finbar. She and Peter had decided to meet up there later that day in order to spend time together and work on studies. As she read through her textbook, taking down notes a masculine shadow stepped into her view. Her smiled dropped immediately as she spotted the irritating boy instead of Peter.
"You don't look so pleased to see me." He mused, the stupid grin never leaving his face.
"Should I be?" she asked him dryly, turning her eyes away to look back at her book. Niles was undeterred and made his way even closer to her. Her jaw clenched as she felt him looming over her.
"Oh come on love, I know you want to ditch that book and spend time with me." He continued. She looked up to glare at him.
"I don't actually so why don't you sod off." She growled. Niles smiled down at her hungrily.
"Playing hard to get, I like it." He murmured to himself. Aleisa had heard it and immediately bristled.
"Please just go before I lose my temper." She told him warningly. Niles opened his mouth to respond but another voice beat him to it.
"You had better do as she says Niles." Peter growled from behind him. His form was stiff with barely contained anger at the git. The fact that he was leering at his girl, who was obviously uncomfortable, made him quite mad. Niles whipped around, his eyes widening in surprise before getting back to his carefree expression.
"No harm done Peter." He assured, raising his hands innocently. Peter continued to glare and took a step forward, causing the boy to beging walking away.
"See you around." He called back to Aleisa tauntingly. Peter's lip curled up in disgust and he remained standing by Aleisa protectively as they watched him saunter back towards the school.
"I hate that guy." Aleisa muttered irritably once he was gone. Peter smiled and immediately relaxed now that the threat was gone. He settled down beside her and adjusted so that she was leaning back against his chest.
"Sorry I was a bit late." He apologized, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"On the contrary you came just in time. If he had uttered one more stupid word, I was about to send him back with a black eye." She muttered glancing sideways at him. Peter chuckled lowly.
"Maybe I should have waited then. I would have given anything to see that." He mused. Aleisa gave him a look before the two of them burst into giggles.