Checkmate

22. School

I seemed to float through that evening like a ghost. I hardly ate, talked, or even slept as the day replayed over continuously in my mind.

My mother was dead. My adoptive mother was dead, buried under a false name. My father was trapped on an island with no way of escape, an island that was sinking slowly into a black abyss. On top of all that, I had half a heart. Pan's magic was blocking my memories, however many of them there were, and I had to go to school in the morning.

I sat on the couch, wrapped in a warm blanket, listening to the painfully soft snores as the family slept in peace. Snow had loaned me a small dress for sleeping in and waited for me to try it on that night before the family tucked themselves in. I thanked her and neatly folded the dress that Regina had turned my forest gear into.

After un-braiding my hair, I held the feather barrette in my hands and thought hard of the lost boys and the island, wishing and hoping that I could remember them. A voice echoed in my head, a voice I felt like I knew, a voice that usually really riled me up, but this time, it was gentle and inviting.

"You can do anything if you believe," Pan's voice whispered in my head, as if he sat right next to me. With the voice flashed a memory I was sure I had seen before of fire and dancing that I wasn't sure was happy or sad. Releasing my frown and my jaw, I closed my eyes and held the barrette loosely.

"I believe I can remember," I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper. "I believe I can save Neverland."

An image of the island flickered across my mind before it vanished, leaving my mind blank and myself feeling stupid for even trying. I flung my eyes open to feel tears falling down my cheeks, although I hadn't been aware of crying. I wiped the offending droplets away and hunkered down under the blankets, suddenly aware of the pain of the barrette in my hand. I almost had to peel the metal from my skin with how hard I had been gripping the accessory. Shaking my head, I placed it under my pillow and closed my eyes, thankful that sleep came fast.

The next morning was a flurry of activity as the family woke late. Emma and David rushed to get dressed as Snow made sunny side up eggs and bacon. Henry came to the door with some spare uniform for me from the school. Mayor Regina having flexed more than just her magical ability to get me into the school without papers and my birth certificate. Both of which my mother had fought to get for me for years. I ate as they fussed, thanking Snow with every mouthful, for I couldn't remember the last time I'd had bacon.

I dressed in the bathroom and threw my hair into a ponytail before sitting my barrette atop the band that Emma had loaned me. I frowned at the sight of me in the mirror, unsure if my appearance was acceptable before leaving and being greeted by smiles and gasps from Emma and Snow. They fussed as David and Henry watched, confused by the show, until David caught a glance at the clock on the wall.

"Come on, or we will all be late!" He exclaimed, grabbing a lunch that Snow had made for me and thrusting it into my hands. He grinned, the smile contagious as the corners of my mouth twitched into a smile of their own. "First day!"

Henry handed me a spare bag of his that I could put my lunch into before we left, almost running down the stairs like a herd of elephants after quick goodbyes to Snow who had a taken few days off. Henry and I walked quickly as Emma got into the bug and David into his truck, the two of them pulling off with a wave out of the window.

"Is every school morning like that?" I asked, amused at the entire ordeal.

Henry shrugged. "Mom and I used to always be on time, but since the curse broke, everything is different. Also, it's only the start of the school year, we're still getting used to routine again."