Trapped forever: The never-ending captivity of a lost girl.

chapter 9 (update)

I try to walk past Pan, but he steps in front of me, blocking my path. "Hey," he says, eyeing my outfit with a raised eyebrow. "That top... not your best choice."

I look down at the shirt, noticing that I may have cut it a bit too much. "Well, I wear what I want," I say with a shrug, trying to play it cool.

The boys nearby start teasing, "Oooooo!" Pan rolls his eyes and waves them off, clearly not interested in their comments.

"Seriously though, change it," he says, his voice a mix of annoyance and... concern?

I groan. "Fine, I'll change," I mutter, but my mind's still stuck on what he said. "It's just a shirt."

He hands me a plain, dark shirt. "Here, wear this."

"Ugh, this is so not my style," I complain.

"Deal with it," he replies, already walking away.

After reluctantly changing, I step out of the tent and let my hair fall freely. The wind catches it, making it feel lighter, like a small relief. The boys around me look up, but I ignore them, heading into the woods for some quiet.

I wander until I find a peaceful spot by the beach. As I walk along the soft sand, I hear footsteps behind me. "I knew you'd end up here," Pan's voice calls out, his tone teasing.

I turn around to find him standing there, the sun casting a golden glow around him. My eyes catch his green ones, and I can't help but admire the way the wind tousles his hair. It's... a little distracting.

"Hey, Divine," he says, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Daydreaming again? You're really not good at hiding it."

I laugh, feeling my face heat up. "Shut up, you dork," I say, pushing his shoulder playfully.

"Oh, now you're pushing me?" He nudges me back, more forcefully than I expected, and I let out a soft yelp.

"Okay, okay, I get it, you're stronger than me," I admit, trying to laugh it off.

"You think?" he smirks, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," I roll my eyes. "Not everyone wants to be as tall as you."

He grins. "You're just mad because ladies love tall guys." He winks.

"Gross," I reply, but the smile on his face makes it hard to stay annoyed.

"You know," he says, "I know you're not as tough as you act."

"Who said I was acting tough?" I reply, crossing my arms.

"Please," he says with a grin. "You're all bark, no bite." He steps closer, his voice lowering a bit. "You like to act like you can't be messed with, but deep down, you're just as vulnerable as the rest of us."

I take a step back, the air between us suddenly charged. "Not everything's about vulnerability," I snap.

Pan's face softens for a moment, and then he lets out a breath. "I get it, you're not ready to open up, and that's okay. You don't have to be."

I look at him, unsure of how to respond. The weight of his gaze makes it feel like he's seeing right through me.

"You sure about this?" he asks, his voice much gentler now.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "I need space. I'm not ready for this, Pan."

He steps back, putting his hands up in surrender. "Fine, I'll give you that. But you know where to find me if you change your mind."

I nod, not trusting myself to say anything more. I turn to leave, feeling a strange mix of relief and confusion. But as I walk away, I can't shake the feeling that things have just shifted between us. Something's changed, but I'm not sure if it's for better or worse.