Wonder [R.K.]

Chapter 42

"Aria, can you help me with something?" I hear Pan ask as soon as he walks in the library. I pull my head from inside the book I'm reading. I look at Pan and he looks a bit desperate.

"What is it?" I ask seriously. Pan runs his hand through his shaggy hair and huffs.

"John, he-he," Pan begins to stutter and I feel nervous. "He hasn't come out of his hut today. I know it's probably nothing, but I want to make sure he's okay and I know your close with him. Would you mind checking on him?" I walk up to Pan and place a loving hand on his cheek.

"Of course I will." He smiles lightly at me and I exit the library. I make my way outside, only to be hit with the bright rays of the sun and the sticky humidity in the air. I walked directly across the clearing to where's John's hut was placed.

I walk up to the door before placing a gentle hand on it; knocking very softly. I wait a second for a reply, but when I there is none, I try again. I'm surprised when there is no answer, and my heart begins to race a little faster.

Carefully, I turn the handle on the door and open up the hut. I see a very clean room, not a thing out of place. I find John sitting at the end of his bed, head in his hands. His head shoots up at the creak of the door and we make eye contact.

Bags droop under his eyes and his face screams stressed, though his eyebrows scrunch in confusion. His eyes are bloodshot and seems beyond pained.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to make sure you were okay." I say nicely, just popping my head in.

"It's okay, I didn't think it was you. I don't really want to talk to anyone else." He shrugs and I become sad.

"Can I come in?" He nods his head slowly and I move in the room completely. I make sure to shut the door behind me before walking a bit closer to John.

"So, how are you?" I begin with asking, though I don't know if that's what I should be asking.

"I'm fine." Is all he gives me and I huff.

"Well, why haven't you come out today? There was a really fun training activity planned."

"I-I'm just tired." He stutters and I know he's lying. I move myself to sit down next to him on his bed.

"John, really, what's wrong? You know you can tell me anything." We turn to look at each other and I place a comforting hand on his knee. He looks down at my hand with wide eyes like its poisonous. He springs up and off the bed and I become very confused.

"I can't tell you! It's wrong. It's really wrong." He runs his hand through his hair, stressed-like. I stand up with my eyes wide.

"I would never judge you, you should know that. You can always come to me to talk." I sigh and John closes his eyes.

"I just got these bad feelings, feelings I shouldn't have about someone. And it's wrong, it's really wrong." I walk up to John and wrap my arms around his neck. He hugs me back and I try my hardest to comfort him.

John pulls away and I don't realize what he's about to do next. He quickly plants his lips on mine, kissing me deeply. I'm absolutely shocked when I pull away. Both our eyes our wide and my mouth is open.

"I should probably go." I say quickly before rushing out of the hut. The minute I shut the door behind, my ears break from a loud bell.

Tick.

The second one has arrived.

I breath out harshly, in annoyance. I really don't need this today.

Should I tell Pan?

No, no I shouldn't. He already has enough on his plate. I don't need him to get mad over something that meant nothing.

I walk my way into Pan's hut and through the back. I enter the library to see a very sad Pan.

"It's okay, it's okay." I pause move myself towards Pan before placing my hands on his cheeks. "You still have time." I reassure Pan and he nods his head slowly.

"It's just a terrible thing." He looks down. I know the pain he feels. I've been through it. I know exactly the emotions he's going through right now and there's nothing I can do about it.

"The island works in mysterious ways, Pan." I use one of his famous lines on him and he smirks. Alex walks out from one of the isles and smiles.

"Oh good, I thought I was going to walk in on some PDA." Pan and I laugh before I sit down next to him.

"So what's the next ingredient?" Pan questions quickly. Alex quickly flips open the book and reads.

"Easy, a vine from the thinking tree." Pan nods and yet again I'm confused.

"What's the thinking tree?" I ask and Pan rolls his eyes at my lack of knowledge about this island.

"You know nothing about Neverland." He shakes his head and I shrug.

"Well before I came here, Neverland didn't exist. It was just some movie. So how could I know something about a place that didn't exist." I raise an eyebrow and Pan nods his head.

"Well, the Thinking Tree is a very important place to me, but it's also very magical." Pan answers simply. I shrug and soon we are off, venturing to the thinking tree.

We stop at tree that looks no different from the rest, but for some reason it's special.

"I don't see any vines," I place my hand on the tree and suddenly, vines rope around me, forcing me to the tree.

I struggle in the tight grip but it's no use, I'm stuck. Pan walks up to me, worry sketched on his face.

"This tree targets people with the most regret in their life." He furrows his eyebrows and I become nervous. "What do you regret, Aria?"

"I-I don't know." I cough out, but I do know my regrets. One of them just happened today.

I regret not telling Pan what happened.

Even if it happened just a bit ago.

"Well obviously there's something you regret." He looks at me like he knows something. My heart begins to race. "You do know, Aria, that I know everything, right?"

"Uh-um-" I try to speak but nothing comes out.

"What happened today?" Pan asks harshly. Pan raise his hand and eyebrows. He smirks at me and waits for my reply, even though he already knows.

"John kissed me." I spit out quickly before looking down, ashamed.

"Was that so hard?" Pan states, venomously. He walks up to me, cutting a small piece of the vine with his knife and placing it in his pocket. Then, with a flick of his wrist, the vines go flying off me and I fall to the floor. I sit on the dirt, absolutely weak.

"Let's go." Is all Pan says to me as he motions for me to follow.