Counting Stars

Chapter 17

Juliette's P.O.V.

Peter wanted us to sleep in his tent at camp that night. He thought it would be safe by now to go back to camp. For me, it didn't matter where we were, I didn't feel safe around him at all. The farther I was from him, the safer and the better off I will be. I just need to get home. Is Neverland time different than time in the real world? For me, I have been here for about two days. What if back home, I have been gone for two weeks, months, years? There is the chance I have been gone for only two days, but how will I know until I get home.

But I can't run away yet. I have to give it some time before I make a run for it again. It would be too predictable if I ran away right now. But I do need to take a break from Peter.

I hear his soft snores and I know he is asleep. I slip myself out from underneath his arm, which to my surprise, doesn't have a strong hold on me. I crawl to the foot of the bed and get slowly get off of it without making a sound. I slowly walk to the opening of the tent in hopes of not waking up Peter. He would probably think I was running away again and I knew he would do something horrible to me.

I get outside and the night air feels great on my skin. The breeze is cooling and overpowers the heat of the island. It also feels amazing that Peter nor any of the other Lost Boys are out here with me. I feel free. I feel safe when they aren't with me. The thought of pirates or Peter hurting me didn't even cross my mind. It was just me and the sky.

I see that a little bit of the fire is still alive, so I take a seat on one of the logs and let the heat of the small flames clash with the blowing of the wind across my face. It was harder to see the stars through the trees here as opposed to the cliff that Peter and I were at last night, but they manage to gleam through the branches. One thing that I will never admit to Peter, because then he will think that I don't want to leave, but I could look at this all night, forever.

"They are beautiful, aren't they?" Asked a young voice. I jumped a little, at first not recognizing the the voice. I look in front of me and I see that kid from yesterday. Leo. He was just grinning at me. Just like yesterday, his grin was unsettling. "I know you can talk."

"Yes, their beautiful." I answer plainly.

"What are you doing out here? Are you trying to escape again? If you are I will be more than glad to come looking for you."

"What do you want?"

"Can I not be a gentleman and come talk to a beautiful young lady? Clearly you seem distressed." He walks around the fire pit and makes his way to me. I don't move because he will still come after me. "I, being a considerate person, want to comfort you." God, he is so full of himself.

"I am not distressed and I don't need comfort. If I did, I wouldn't want a pervert like you to comfort me." I snap. He just laughed. Why was he laughing? Nothing I said was funny. "What's so funny?"

"I see why Peter is in love with you. You're sassy. You have what he calls... fire." He sat down next to me. I moved a little away, only to have him follow my lead. "Peter isn't the only one who likes fire, you know? I can stand the heat."

"Well there is your fire." I say pointing to the fire pit. "Why don't you go play in it? But I should warn you, fire does burn." He laughed again.

"Maybe I want to play with you." He puts his hand on my leg. I immediately push it off but he grabs on again and holds on tighter. "Maybe I want to get burned by you. I want your fire."

"Let go of me." I say not looking at him.

"I know you hate Pan and want to get away from him. I can take you away from him. It can be you and me." Thinking about it, I felt much better with Peter.

"Let's get one thing clear, Leo." I turn to him. "I would rather Peter kill me slowly and painfully than be with you." In that moment, Leo grabbed a fistful of my hair pulling me to my feet. He put a hand over my mouth so I couldn't scream out for help. His eyes were dead.

"Let me make one thing clear, Juliette. You don't have to worry about Pan killing you. I could make all eternity here for you a living hell if you get on my bad side." He yanked harder on my hair.

With no warning. He ripped his hand off of my mouth and replaced it with his lips. I didn't kiss back. It was rough and uncomfortable. I tried to get out of it, but Leo wouldn't let me go. The more I struggled, the harsher the kiss got. What was making this kiss even worse was that I will never be able to say that it was anything but my first.

Finally, he pulled away and smirked at me. "If I were you, I wouldn't tell Pan about that, unless you really do want him to kill you slowly and painfully." He let go of my hair and backed up. "One last thing. You shouldn't fear Peter. He really likes you. Who you should fear me." And he left.

I stopped myself from crying. I walked back over to the tent. I see Peter still sleeping on the bed. I don't know why, but after what Leo did to me, I climbed back into the bed and wrapped myself back in Peter's arms. I guess he noticed I was gone because he held me a little tighter, but I didn't mind. I just didn't want to be with Leo. Right now, Peter felt safer.