Grow Up

Seven

For the whole morning, Gardenia spent most of her time with the little ones. Although she passed off as more of a tomboy and acted tough, she had a soft spot for kids. She loved small children. The girl was always willing to help them or care for them. When in foster care, her best friends were never the children closer to her age, but the toddlers. The innocent ones that didn't know any better.

"That one is Felix, and Slightly, and Rufio, and Bim, and Badger, and Tadpole..." Tootles went on and on, naming off all the Lost Boys. There were a lot more than Gardenia would ever expect.

Felix, easily being the tallest, looked the meanest. He had blond hair and a permanent scowl on his face. There were two scars on his face as well, not helping with his scary demeanor. Slightly, who had always been Gardenia's favorite Lost Boy in the films and stories, looked calm. He had scruffy light brown hair, and looked much more welcoming than his friend. Badger also looked kind. But the other older ones? Not so much. She knew instantly that Slightly, Badger, and Little Tootles were the most trustworthy.

Over the years of living on the streets, Gardenia learned how to tell who you could trust right away and who you couldn't. She became fairly well at judgement of character.

"And that's Pan, Mother!" Tootles pointed at Peter, who was sitting by himself, observing everyone. Right as he said the name, Peter's head snapped over to them. Tootles immediately took his glance off him, scared.

"Hey, hey, don't be frightened. Peter isn't going to mess with you."

But she was wrong. Oh, was she so wrong. Her trust in Peter wasn't strong, but there still was some trust there because part of her really wanted to believe that it was the Peter Pan she grew up to love.

Gardenia put the small child down, letting him run off with his buddies. She walked over to Peter, thinking now would be a good time to discuss about when she'll be returning back home. It was time for her to return to the grounds she knew and the people she loved to mess with. So she walked over, the older Lost Boys' eyes on her. What could she be up to? They all thought to themselves.

"Peter, I need to discuss something with you," she said confidently.

Though Peter already knew what she was going to say. He knew everything that went on in Neverland, and he heard her reciting to herself this morning what she'd say to him. One thing that was itching at his mind, however, was that he couldn't read her thoughts. Peter could always tell what was going on inside the heads of Neverland's residents. A strange, but powerful trick Peter mastered long ago. But for some reason, he couldn't reach inside of Gardenia's.

The devilish boy only smirked, his movements slow and wicked. "And what is that?"

"When will I return home? I've had fun and all last night, but I need to get back to my, uh... to my family!" She tried lying through her teeth, but Peter knew that something was off.

He snickered in her face, standing up and towering over her. "Silly Little Flower, you're not leaving. Once you're here, you're here forever."

Gardenia's eyes showed hints of confusion and terror.

"Something tells me you don't even have a family to get back to." Now, Peter may have known what she wanted to talk about, but the whole family situation was a mystery. Surely, there was something wrong with it. The way she teared up and cried over the simple thought of her mother was proof.

"Don't be stupid, I do have a family. A father, and two older siblings."

"Oh? No mother?" Peter raised an eyebrow, a smirk on his mouth. Gardenia couldn't lie to herself, she actually liked this eyebrow thing he seemed to do a lot.

"No... she passed away when I was younger, but that's none of your business. Take me home, Peter!" Gardenia partly lied through her teeth, putting up her tough front again. Peter's facial expressions didn't change, but the inside of his mind was going insane. He couldn't tell if she was lying or not. Usually, this King of Neverland could spot liars in an instant. But why not with her? He couldn't tell if it were lies or truths. Was she doing both?

A few gasps escaped some of the boys' mouths at the sudden outburst. She had called him Peter. No one called him Peter. It was always and only Pan. What would be her punishment for saying his first name? The Lost Boys were even more shocked when Peter didn't snap or bark at her for yelling his name in his face. Usually, he would have punished the culprit, but he didn't. Instead, his smirk stayed and he kept his posture the same.

"No." He simply said, getting so close to this girl's face, that the tips of their noses were touching.

"Why not?" She said through teeth, almost hissing at him.

"Because I said so and I simply do not want you to leave. Never have I had a Lost Girl, and now that I seem to have one, I'm not letting her go just like that."

"I am not a Lost Girl! I'm not lost. I don't feel unloved. I know I'm loved. I know that my family is out looking for me!"

Lies. It was all lies, and Peter still couldn't tell if she was lying or not. She'd no family whatsoever. No parents or siblings, no grandparents. Nothing. She had no one and no one would be looking for her. Gardenia only wanted out of this place because of what her instincts were telling her. She was beginning to sense evil and darkness. At first she did think this was the fairytale she loved, but she knew that it wasn't. Peter Pan wasn't silly and quirky and fun like the Peter Pan she grew up with. This Peter Pan was dark and sickening and cruel. Just by his body language and tone of voice, Gardenia quickly caught on that this Peter Pan was bad news.