Pan's Tiger

Chapter 36: The Truest Belief

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This is the penultimate chapter and the next one will be updated tomorrow- I promise.
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Annabelle_the_reader
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As soon as night fell, the Lost Boys would all sit around the camp fire and wait for Pan to start to play the music. Although I couldn't hear it because I wasn't a boy, I could hear their cheers of happiness even from within Pan's cabin were I was currently sitting and feel their joy radiating through to me.

'Hey, Kitten, you coming down to join in?' Andrew yelled up the ladder to me, his smirk wide and taunting. I jumped up from the bed, running to the edge of the cabin balcony and grinning back, winking at him.

'Of course I'm coming!' I yelled excited and scrambled ungracefully down the ladder, my unkempt curls fluttering around me. I pulled them to one side impatiently as I ran up to the dancing Lost Boys, watching Andrew mockingly raise an eyebrow at me.

'Oi, Kitten!' Carl yelled, having been carrying pieces of wood around. 'You run like a girl.'

'Oh yeah?' I sneered, laughing at him. I slowed to allow him to hear me properly as I pelted past him, faster than most Lost Boys and definitely faster than Carl, eager to reach the bonfire. 'Maybe that's because I am one.'

'What, a kitten or a girl?' I didn't reply to this, because I didn't need to, and focused on reaching Andrew quickly. 'You best be careful out there, wouldn't want to break a nail. Especially as Peter ain't always out there to save you when you get scared.'

My breath hitched in my throat and I spun around, shooting him a menacing glare. 'I am perfectly capable of looking after myself, thank you, Carl.' I growled ferociously.

Carl laughed, 'Ooh so now your defying your boyfriend too, are you?'

'He is not my boyfriend!' I yelled harshly, not caring how this may affect Peter. I didn't want him to feel offended by my disgust, but I also knew that if I let on that I liked him, there would be no end to the humiliation. I was beginning to redden, but I badly attempted to hide it from Carl with my shameful denial.

'Hear that, Pan, she denies everything. I bet she'll be cheating on you with Felix or Jack if you're not careful.' Carl sneered, but Peter walked forward and glared at him, threatening him to make another sound. Peter had the authority here and even Carl knew that Peter would be successful in a fight and not himself.

I kept walking towards the fire, refusing to let his senseless rubbish anger me. I was determined to reach it before I could turn and see Peter, who was shamefully hiding his embarrassment and disappointment. I broke eye contact with Carl and focused away from his cold, angered eyes. What was his problem with me?

I caught Pan's arm from where he was dancing around the fire and blowing silent music into his panpipes, mumbling to Peter Pan apologetically for forgiveness, 'Sorry.'

He nodded to show that he understood, but didn't directly reply to me. Pan pulled away from, picked up his panpipes, and began to play again. I sat down on a log by the fire and stared into the flames.

Andrew collided into the empty seat next to me, unnecessarily knocking me slightly as he did so. 'Are you enjoying the party?' Andrew beamed excitedly. I sighed and he laughed, 'You better get used to it, Lost Boys like to dance and party every night.'

There was a short silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Andrew was watching the boys dance and laughing with them, while I was thinking of a way to word what I was thinking. It had been haunting me since the moment I got here and this was the only time I had felt like I could talk to a Lost Boy alone. 'Can I ask you something?'