Counting Stars

Chapter 11

Juliette's P.O.V.

Peter told Leo to leave us at once. He said he needed to talk to me in private. Sure enough, Leo obligated. It was just Peter Pan and I in a small clearing. We were a good few feet apart. I didn't look up at him. I was afraid. I didn't know nor want to know what he could or will do to me. I have seen what he is like angry, I didn't want to see it again. But I know that running away defiantly unleashed that demon in him. 

There was nothing but silence between us. It was awkward and I could tell that both of us were waiting for the other one to say something. Peter, instead of talking, walks towards me. I didn't move from place, not to look brave, but I figured whatever was going to happen would have been much worse if I did move away. 

Before I even knew what was happening, I felt myself getting flung against a tree. The impact was hard and I hit my head against the trunk. Then I felt something tugging at my wrists, waist, and ankles. I look down and see vines somehow intertwining themselves with my body. They had a tight pull on me and I couldn't even struggle a bit. The vines had a few thorns on them and started to prick me every now and then causing major discomfort. I begin to breathe heavily afraid of the next move. 

I look and see Peter standing in the same position that he was in before. Not even looking at. That is, until I blinked and he just appeared inches away from me. I couldn't read his face, causing me to panic even more. 

"I have to say, that was quite rude of you." He says. "You just ran from camp. If you really wanted to go on that tour of Neverland today, then you could have waited for me to come back and we could have gone today." What? Did he not know what I was doing? He isn't that stupid. There was a kind of sarcastic tone to his voice, but at the same time, almost oblivious. "Of course, that is why you ran from camp, right? You weren't trying to run away from me, were you?" His smile was just as unsettling as his voice. But I was too scared to respond.

"Were you?" Peter asked once again getting closer to me, grabbing the top of my head and pushing it back into the tree. "Answer me!"

"No, no Peter! I wasn't running away. I promise. I promise I wouldn't try to run."

"Good. I knew you weren't stupid enough to try and run from me, because we both know how pointless that would be. I would get you back before you even had the chance to blink."

"I understand."

"Excellent." Was all he said. With the wave of his hand, the vines around me released and I felt major relief. I thought that I could breathe once again. But that feeling didn't last before I heard a loud *smack* and a stinging sensation across my right cheek. I was forced to turn my head to the side based on the impact. Son of a bitch. The little prick backhanded me.

He grabs my jaw and forces me to look into his dark green eyes. In a low voice, he says to me, "Don't. Ever. Run. Away. From. Me. Again. I will find you and if you think that the next time will be a simple smack across the cheek, then you have a real wake up call coming, darling. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

He then rubbed his hand across the probably redden cheek and all of a sudden, the pain disappeared. Magic, I guess. "Now how about that tour?" He asked like nothing happened.

I didn't want to enrage him any more so I reply with a simple "Okay."

"Good girl."

Pan's P.O.V.

Crap. I just fucking slapped Juliette.