Oh Darling | Harry Hook x OC |

XII. Bride to Be

The day before I left home, I was busy trying to come up with a believable excuse that would convince dad to let me go on a trip around Neverland so I can educate myself and the such.

Lying came easy to me like a second language, but with a living lie detector for a dad, I've been a little rusty lately. Somehow I have to make this work, this is my only shot out of here and I'm not gonna waste it.

As I walked down the hall to dad's study, the sound of someone playing an instrument caught my attention.

I rounded the corner and it became apparent to me as I neared his room. Now that I can hear it more clearly, no doubt it's dad's flute. Though I wasn't sure at first because it sounded so grief-stricken, like he's mourning for someone.

I cracked the door open slightly and saw him sitting by his windowsill, one leg dangling from the ground.

Dad continued to play his melodious yet sad music for a few minutes, then he stopped to look at his flute. "Shouldn't you be studying right now?"

Busted.

I pushed the door wide open and rubbed the back of my neck. "Yeah, about that-"

"Need I remind you that you're still grounded from the last stunt you pulled earlier?"

"I know, and granted it was a really stupid idea." My eyes trailed down to the flute in his hands. "You know, mum once told me that you express your emotions by music. I heard it in the hallway."

"It would seem that way." Even his smile looked gloomy as he walked towards his desk and placed the flute inside a glass case, where he's been keeping it for all these years. "I'm sorry if I worried you, but everything's alright. I just wanted to see if the old thing still works. You see, Wendy made it for me after my last one broke when we were younger. Well, I mean when she was younger."

Now I get it. Dad's always upset about the fact that mum can't stay as young as we do. Before she left for a very long expedition, I heard them talk about it.

Mum, at the age of 35, was inconsolable at the time. Despite the years that passed her by, she still looked youthful from living in Neverland, but I can't say the same about her health.

She pointed out the fact that one day she'll come to pass and leave me and my dad forever, because she wasn't born a fairfolk.

It hurt me to know how much she's been suffering from this thought, the inevitability of her never coming back to us one day.

"If you're worried about how she's doing in England, don't be. I know my mum, and we can't stop her from venturing the world to help others. Its what makes her a Pan."

This time around, dad found a reason to smile genuinely. "Since when did you start growing up? You're acting more maturely than you usually do."

"I am full of surprises." I beamed. "One of which is an educational round-trip all over Neverland."

He raised a brow at me in question.

"You see dad, aunt Tiger Lily has offered to show me our whole Kingdom for the extent of a year. Its like one of those fieldtrips Auradon has in their school but lasts for more than just a day."

"And you think you're responsible enough to take this trip on your own?"

"You did say I've gotten more mature."

Dad laughed and shook his head. "Sweety, when I was your age I was nothing but trouble. Do you think I don't know any better about my own daughter?"