Just a Dog in a Park (A Finding Neverland Fan Fiction)

2

"I'm sorry mother," I mumbled. What else was I supposed to say? It wasn't fully my fault. George yelled at me. But that is only because I was sitting behind that rock.

I wanted to kick that rock. That big, cold, sullen stone. I knew I would probably break my foot though, if I took out all of my aggression on it.

When I looked to give an annoyed face at George, I found he had already walked away. He really gets on my nerves when he gets away with things like that.

"Peter," Mr. Barrie put his hand on my shoulder. I jolted and tried to look into his eyes. I'm not sure why I'm so afraid. For crying out loud, he plays pirates with my brothers!

"Are you alright?"

I stared at him. Let's be honest, I've barely spoken to him. Only when we first met, really. Mother had met him while we were in the park. I remember it like it was yesterday.

~

Mother had taken us to the park, and I sat in my usual spot on the fence, reading a book. It was for school, because I usually don't prefer fictional books. George, Jack, and Michael were playing pirates, again. I looked up from my story and saw them harassing a man on the bench. Rolling my eyes, I went back to my book.

I lifted my eyes away from the story again though. There was something about this man, I'm still not sure what it was. I just knew there was something different from him. I tried very hard to take my eyes off of him. Grandmother always reminded us it was rude to stare at people. Mother told us it looked weird. I think she did that to make us understand better.

"George, where's Peter?"

"He's probably over there, again."

"Boys, you shouldn't leave your brother alone."

"It's not our problem he spends all day moping around like a storm cloud."

I saw him coming towards me and tried to look occupied. Did he see me listening to their conversation? Whatever he thought had happened, I was pretty sure I was in trouble. He grabbed me by the arm and started walking.

"Come on," George said under his breath.

Mother looked pleased when she saw me. The man, on the other hand, just stared at me with his eyes wide opened. The boys looked like they wanted to play a game with him. I rolled my eyes.

"Peter, this is Mr. Barrie," mother told me with kind eyes.

I gave a subtle wave and started to walk away.

"Remember, we saw one of his plays the other night," mother looked like she was trying to convince me into giving him a hug or high five or something. I don't even know him!

"Don't plays just pretend things are real when they aren't," I mumbled as I walked away.

I saw my brothers standing by the ice cream cart. I went over and decided to join them.

"Great first impression," Jack said sarcastically.

"Thanks you too," I told him, "I'm sure strangers love when you practically send them flying off of a bench."

~

"Peter?" Mr. Barrie waved his hand in front of my face.

I nodded, still somewhat in a daydream.

"Are you sure?" He continued to look at me.

"What?" I mumbled quietly.

"Peter," he knelt down in front of me. It looks like he's about to propose to me. I don't think that's legal though.

"Listen, I know what you've gone through," he started in saying.

Everybody tries to approach me this way. Sometimes all the pressure builds up inside of me and I can't handle it.

I walked away without saying a single word.