And chapter 3 is under way…
Chapter 3: A Sweet Kiss
When Aunt Millicent told her that her uncle was away visiting a patient and he would be home that evening, Wendy's stomachs did flips, and she found it very difficult to eat her dinner. Aunt Millicent took no notice of this, as she was always preoccupied with her own thoughts, or showering her son with affection. It was still weird to Wendy to watch her aunt croon over a baby, or to display any emotion at all.
Wendy and Slightly would steal hidden grins at each other at the sight.
When Wendy retired for bed that evening, she almost screamed when she saw the boy from the night before sitting lounged on her bed as though he was positively bored waiting for her to return. A small light was hovering just over his right shoulder.
"You're back," She whispered.
He grinned, and nodded. "Of course I'm back, Wendy."
Her hands flew to her face. "Why must you haunt me so?"
Peter stared at her, and the light made disgruntled chimes.
"Haunt you?" He questioned.
"I feel like I know you, I do," She said. "But if I do… bad things will happen."
"What bad things?" He asked.
She simply shook her head, and nearly froze with fear when she heard the carriage containing her uncle pull up front.
Peter instead glanced about her room. It was obvious to him that she hated the plain pale blue walls and was dying to get a gallon of paint and just spread color everywhere. Wendy wasn't the traditional young lady. She was a fighter. A true heroine. He'd return to her every night if he had to. Make her understand. Make her remember. Tell her he had never meant to forget. She had to remember him. She just had to, he had all these memories. Of her.
Listening on a windowsill as she told stories to her brothers.
Her dog stealing his shadow.
Watching fairies dance in the moonlight.
"You kissed me," He said. "On board the Jolly Roger."
Wendy instinctively put her hand to her mouth. Her thoughts started to drift back to that day…
"And this," He said, showing her the thimble she had given him. He was certain he saw her blue eyes flash with remembrance. "This is the kiss you gave me. And I gave you that acorn."
She fingered her acorn. "It's dented," She said. "Why is it…" She had let herself go too far. She was starting to remember… but then like a slap in the face, she turned from him. She heard her uncle's voice in the hallway, just outside her door. "You have to go!" She said in an urgent whisper, jumping to her feet, and pushing him to her window. "He's going to come in, and he can't find you here!"
Peter unsheathed his sword. "Who is that?"
"This is very scandalous! Please, just go!" She said.
"The Wendy I knew would welcome the thrill of danger," He said in an arrogant tone.
"Please!" She shouted.
He was shocked to see tears in her eyes. "Alright," He said. He was on her windowsill, and their bodies were very close. "May I return tomorrow night?"
"Yes," She whispered.
It was so odd the feelings she felt about this boy… it was if they were close in a former life.
"Before I go," He said. He lightly cupped her face, and brushed his lips gently against hers. "You have to remember that," He said and he disappeared into the night.
A great heat traveled from Wendy's lips and spread throughout her entire body. That kiss… it was so sweet. And the gate to her memory sprung open, and suddenly, she remembered, and there was no block stopping her.
Stealing away in the night with Peter to Neverland.
The pirates. The Lost Boys. The mermaids. Tink.
Peter.
It was all there.
It was just most unfortunate for her that her uncle came into the room, and found a playful smile upon her face.