Neverland // l.p. au

Prologue

My heels began to ache while pressed deep into these charcoal Prada Mid Suede Boots. I'd only worn them because mother just sent them to me...and I needed additional height to reach the top of these tall bookshelves. I'd found over these past few weeks working in the school's library that they were a necessity for balancing atop the libraries rather old-fashioned and feeble wooden ladder. Such was the case now, as my Prada boots struggled to find it's footing atop the ladder as I was organizing books by their ISBN number.

"I mean think about it Annabelle-." Liam interjected my thoughts of my aching feet and Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything 's ISBN number with the proposal of his idea once more.

I soundlessly sighed in frustration of this book's ISBN number; it's place among the other books seemed almost as impossible to find, much like Liam's proposal. " Please call me Belle...and I have Liam, it's just not logically possible. But a golden star for your efforts, eh?" I babbled sarcastically before retrieving my stack of stickers, provided to me by the library, and then with the support of the bookcase, I reached over to place one on Liam's forehead.

He furrowed his eyebrows in amusement as his eyes ascended to the roof of his lids to look at his forehead. His lips curled into a smile as he reclaimed the sticker and read it's label.

With a quick flick from his fingers the sticker nimbly fell to the floor. I only watched it for a brief second before eyeing the numerous rows of books for this book's proper placement that I still had yet to find.

"I'm serious Annabelle." Liam surprisingly insisted with seriousness dripping from his lips like a salivating dog, begging its owner to reward it with their time and attention.

"Belle." I painstakingly drawled out for Liam, now giving him my full attention with my shoulders completely pressed towards him. It was funny, for once I was able to look down upon him rather than up at him, it amused me enough to distract me from the current conversation and offer a new topic for entertainment.

"Tell me Liam, how does it feel?"

"Depressing." he hinted quietly, still on the subject of the previous topic, to which I threw a book at him, "Ouch? Now painful?" he more questioned rather than answered, now unsure of what I was on about.

"I mean, how does it feel to be on the opposite side of the mirror? See a different reflection for a change?"

"You mean like a twist in the story? Like the wicked witch finally seeing snow white in the mirror, like she always wanted to?" he pestered, hinting his boredom on the subject I tried to propose in reference to difference in height. It was an innocent offer Liam childishly refused and preferably danced around.

I only rolled my eyes before holding my hand out, signaling my need for Liam to pass me another book to sort into the row of books. "I was referring to the fact that for once I'm taller than you, but clearly you have other things on your mind, and might I add you're not being very discreet about it. I mean come' on we've been talking about children's tales for an hour now."

"Then what's there else to talk about? Just say yes." Liam continuously insisted while tightly keeping his hold on the book.

"Liam...I can't just blow off my exams to go to-." My lips pursed in distaste of having to mention the following place, "Neverland" I swallowed before continuing to speak to ensure the vile slid back down my throat, "with you. You've already lost my apprentice job at that prominent fashion office, just a friendly reminder."

He lightly chuckled in response before rubbing his temple, "I know, I know. So let me fix this. Come on, I'm begging you." He petitioned with his hands coming up as if to beg me for my approval, all the while the book was still grasped in his hands.