Penny Pan the heir to neverland // Peter Pan

Map

                                    ***********

When Penny got back from Neverland she wanted nothing more than to tell the other kids about Neverland and where it was. She could show them on a map, or the picture she took of Peter's drawing. She could show them where it really was, than they wouldn't be so mean to her. She opened her mouth to say hello to a classmate before the first bell rang but she just laughed at Penny for wearing a green shirt.

"Trying to be like Peter Pan?" She joked as she flicked at Penny's shirt. Penny decided that wouldn't tell them about Neverland, she wouldn't tell them where it was. Neverland was her happy place and they didn't deserve to be a part of that.

Penny didn't tell her dad about the girls or boys that made fun of her, he would only worry. It wasn't until Peter had to come to pick Penny up from school for fighting that the truth had to come out.

"Hey Penny," Kevin, a tall, thick boy said while poking Penny's shoulder.

"What?" All innocence in her voice gone, she was fed up, she knew these people were mean and didn't want to deal with their shenanigans.

"Look what I'm reading," he held up a copy of Peter Pan and Penny smiled. She didn't see the tinge of humor behind his eyes or the way his friends were laughing all around her, maybe just maybe she thought, Kevin wasn't all that bad. She just smiled and turned back to the front and continued to read her copy of Judy Bloom. "What a freak," he said leaning back into her seat. Penny thought that if she put on a brave face and acted as though their jokes didn't bother her they would stop and she would make some friends, but their jokes didn't stop, they just got worse.

Every day they would pick on her and laugh at her, she broke down crying at lunch, she hid in the bathroom until Miss. Turner came to retrieve her. But even Mrs. Turner's reassuring tone didn't help. These six year olds were mean, Penny didn't understand why everyone followed around these snotty kids. They were not nice to Penny, she didn't think they were nice to anyone, so why were they so popular?

"I knew your mom." Mrs. Turner said softly as she stared down at Penny on the bathroom floor. Penny looked up, eyes watery to see Mrs. Turners smiling wrinkled face. "I can tell you about her, if you want to come out." Penny took the tissue from Mrs. Turner's and wiped her eyes.

"Yes please." Penny knew she would feel better and forget about all the mean kids.

"I went to church with you mother. She was so good with the kids in the youth program." Penny smiled widely, her tears drying on her cheeks.

"I haven't been to church. Daddy doesn't believe in God."

"Well your mama did and she couldn't wait for you to start Sunday school and go to Awana clubs."

"Awana?" Penny questioned. Miss. Turner told her of all the nice children that went there to play games, learn verses and sing songs, Penny wanted to go to this Awana thing.

"I am also a Sunday school teacher once a month, your mom and I worked opposite services and she was always so kind. Did you know that she made the best cookies ever."

"Dad told me about her cookies, we tried to make some but never were able to get them to her perfect... at least that's what he said." Penny no longer felt sad, she felt quite happy, she had a made a friend, so what if she was 40 years older, she was nice to Penny and didn't make fun of her. "Dad said that God is a meany because he took her away..."

"God took away someone I cared about too," Mrs. Turner replied.

"Then why do you believe?"

"Because everyone needs to believe in something, and I choose to believe in the truth." Penny nodded but didn't understand. Peter yelled at God sometimes, she wasn't sure where God was though. He was never in the same room as Peter when Peter was yelling at him. Penny smiled and grasped Mrs. Turners hand as they walked back to her room, they had lunch together and made Penny forget all about the other kids.

Mrs. Turner didn't see the kids bully Penny but she saw the after effect momentarily when Penny was hiding in bathrooms or corners avoiding everyone. Mrs. Turner brought it up with some teachers but they said it was just the usual immature fights and they would stop, no need to worry her parents. Mrs. Turner should have called Peter.

"Hey Penny," it was the thin, fake looking blonde. "Was your mom Wendy?" She asked in a smug tone.

"No, her name is Darla and she wouldn't have thought it was right to let a child wear that much makeup and dye their hair. You look like a clown." Penny stated as she rose at the end of the day from her seat. Her dad was picking her up by the playground today. Penny didn't think what she said was wrong, it was the truth, her mom didn't like makeup and never dyed her hair, Peter told her, and Penny wanted to be like her mom in every way that she could. She didn't realize that others could be mean to her but she couldn't be mean to them.

"You little brat," she yelled and punched at Penny, but Penny had played with the lost kids long enough to know how to block a punch. Penny ducked and hit the girl in the stomach.

"Kathrine," one of the girls yelled in agony moving towards the fake blonde.

"You punched me!"

"You punched me!" Penny retorted, she didn't understand. Everyone was mean to her, threw punches at her but she just had to sit there and be their punching bag? The thick boy appeared from behind Penny and slammed Penny against the wall, her face hitting the locker and scratching at her face. Everyone did whatever Kathrine said, they protected her, but she was a jerk.

"Fly away little girl," Kevin said helping Kathrine up. They all started throwing different Neverland insults at her, Penny's fists clenched, face went red with anger, and she charged. She punched Kevin in the nose, it bleed upon contact, then she went around the circle of the group that formed around her and raised her fist at all of them.

"Well!?" She yelled daring anyone to mess with her, she had put up with these people for four months. It was almost Christmas break, maybe Peter would let her go back to Neverland for good now. The group became silence and ran back to their lockers grabbing their bags and running off to their awaiting parents.

"You are gonna regret that little freak," Kevin said still holding his nose,

"No, I won't." She turned to leave, picking up her backpack that had fallen off during her fly into the lockers. "And if you mess with me again..." her open ended threat sent Kevin stumbling back slightly, Katherine clan of bimbo's had left as well leaving the two leaders, Kevin and Katherine at Penny's personal torture, they were shaking scared in front of her. Penny heard the thud of teachers' feet and lowered her fist, good thing teachers aren't paid enough to care she thought, as she headed for the playground.

"Hey sweetie," Peter said as she hopped into the car. "How was- Penny what happened to you face?" She had forgotten about the scratch, it didn't hurt but blood slowly trickled from the wound.

"I fell," she lied as she buckled up, but Peter didn't move, he stayed staring at her, waiting for the truth. "Can I tell you when we get home?" she said weakly trying to avoid his eye. Peter turned back to the wheel agreeing as they drove home in silence.

"I fell," she repeated.

"I thought you were going to tell me the truth." Peter said as he cleaned the wound.

"I have had worse falls in Neverland." She stated as she handed him a bandage.

"Yes and I know how you got those injuries, Neverland is dangerous..."

"School is dangerous," she said louder then she meant to, hopping off the counter as he finished.

"What happened?" Peter had gotten used to being an adult and making adult decisions and commanding his daughter to tell the truth. But for the most part Penny was responsible and didn't need to be disciplined, but this year had been different. This year she was quiet and struggled with her school work, after that first assignment Penny needed help with math and writing. Penny was reading at a 5th grade level but she still needed help with her spelling. Penny was tired and her eyes seemed puffy some days as if she was crying but when she got home she was happier and slowly Peter would see his beautiful daughter break through the pain. She wouldn't open up to him, she didn't want him to go through any more pain. She knew that he would never get over Darla obviously and didn't want to add to his pain. Even though her mother had been dead for years now Penny still missed her at times and knew that he missed her too. She was too wise for her own good when it came to Darla.