The Real Peter Pan

• Chapter 5 •

"Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not real..."

-Anonymous

"No, she doesn't take drugs!" I hear my mother yell.

I open my eyes; my parents aren't in the room.

"Oh thank the Lord!" Claire shouts next to me.

"How did I get here?" I ask confused. Claire raises her eyebrow.

" Freaking Peter freaking Pan freaking carried you to the freaking nurses office!" She squeals.

"He did?" I say surprised.

"Uhh- after your little episode for me to take you, you blacked-out halfway down the hallway. He came running out of the room when I was frantically yelling for help!"

I widen my eyes. I don't remember anything.

"You don't take any drugs do you?" Claire asks slowly.

"No of course not!" I say swallowing my past.

No one can know. No one will ever know.

"Then why are you so sick all the sudden?"

"I- I'm on medication." I gulp.

"Oh God. Please don't tell me you have cancer or something!"

"No." I say shaking my head.

Worse.

"Then that?" She asks curious.

I pause and stare at her. "It's private."

"Seriously?" She shouts. "That is ridiculously unfair!"

But before I can answer my parents burst through the door.

"Brennan come. We are going home." My father says firmly.

I swing my legs over the nurses bed and stand to leave. My head is still throbbing and I am really dizzy. I clench my eyes shut until it passes.

"Hurry up, we would like to leave." My mothers voice is cold. I scowl at her.

Standing up I feel as if the air is swept from my lungs. I gasp for breath and grip my chest.

"Maybe she should lay down some more...." Claire says to my parents as she lays a hand on my shoulder.

"No she can rest at home." My mother says glaring at me.

"But really-"

"Claire..." I interrupt. "It's fine, I'll see you tomorrow."

She stares at me for a while as if she is searching for an answer before she nods and I follow my parents out the door.

Halfway down the main hallway I stop walking.

"I'm not doing this again." I say firmly. My parents stop and turn to face me.

"Do what?" My fathers tone is steady.

"This!" I shout. I can see my mothers eyes searching the hallway for bystanders, but there is none. Class has already started.

"Lower your voice." She whispers. I shake my head.

"No, I'm not going through this pain again. All this weakness and sickness is too much! I can't go through it again, not if it's only been a day and it is already ending up like this." My words are laced with anger.

They stare at each other for a few seconds as if they were having a secret conversation.

"Fine. If that's what you want." My mom replies. She has no emotion on her face.

"But this is the only way to fix your mental illness." My father states. A fire burst deep within me.

"I AM NOT MENTALLY ILL!" I scream at them. They don't even flinch from my outburst. They just turn and begin walking out.

I drop my head and take a fee deep breaths. A sob quivers in my throat. I turn around glancing down the hallway and freeze.

Peter stands at the other end; staring at me.

He had heard the whole conversation.

More tears slip from my eyes as I turn and storm from the school.

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