The Land Beyond | Peter Pan 2003

Chapter 6: Dance

The Lost Boys stay behind while Eter and I travel along the lagoon to the decrypted castle. Peter keeps on the ground with me, our arms almost brushing together as we walk. Tinkerbell flies overhead, her faerie dust shimmering down to the ground as she drifts on. When I glance up at him, I notice he looks away but not fast enough for me not to see that he was staring. He's been watching me for most of the day and I wonder why.

Does he think I will run? Do I intrigue him in some way?

I bite my lip, my heart thumping loudly in my chest. "What was your favorite song that I had sung?'

He looks back at me but he's not smiling. His face and shoulders are relaxed. "It was in your language, I don't know the name of it."

"Oh?" I raise a brow and try to imagine which one it could be. I know lots of Elvish songs. They are mostly lullabies to put children to sleep but they are generally stories. "Then I have no idea which one it could be."

"Your language is very beautiful, not like the faeries."

"Is the faerie language ugly or something?"

He snickers. "No. They just move a lot when they talk," he leans in towards me and whispers. "It can get a little annoying."

I glimpse at Tinkerbell but she doesn't notice Peter talking about her. Our arms press together as we walk now from how close he's gotten. The wetness of my dress dampens his skin but he doesn't look bothered by it.

We stay in a comfortable silence the rest of the way to the castle and when the towering building shadows cover us, we reach the grand steps in front of the front entrance. There are stones here and there from the crumbling mass and its dead silent here.

"Hello?" Peter calls out with a smile. His voice echoes throughout the cavern. He chuckles.

"Why'd you do that?" I ask, confused.

"Don't want to disturb the spirits."

"Spirits?"

He smiles back at me. I've begun to notice he smiles with his lips mostly, hardly ever showing his teeth. It makes him look young and innocent, but I think he does that on purpose. He walks up to the entrance and waves for me to follow. I quicken my speed and catch up to him as he enters the first room. It's a small room with a high ceiling that has a few doors that are cracked open. It looks like whoever lived here left in a hurry.

We pick the door that's head of us and we enter a large ballroom. The ceiling is missing here so the green and blue crystals gleam down onto us.

Peter walks to the center of the room and turns to me. "Will you dance with me?" He bows as he has before, and like before, he stands straight up and stretches out his hand for me to grab.

I try not to smile but I can't help it. He knows what to say and what to do, it has me wonder how much experience he has in the manner of girls. An ache pierces through me at the thought and I can feel the smile on my face falling. I step forward and take his hand to wipe any thoughts away from the pain, and his warmth envelopes me. Something has to be wrong with me - to feel this way especially for a human boy. When both our hands meet, he pulls me quickly and our chests bump into each other. He wraps his right arm around my waist and starts to step us back and forth to the silence.

The blue and green light plays on his face but never changes the way he looks down at me, with warmth and curiosity. I start to hum to our movements to break the silence and when I do, he smiles. He pushes me softly away and twirls me with our fingers dancing together in the air, and pulls me back against him.

My heart beats like a war drum in my chest and I feel a heat pool in my cheeks. The more I stare at him the more I examine his youthful face. He's handsome for his age - handsome for a human, no. He's more handsome than some of the Elven boys I know.