Peter Pan The Killer

Chapter 32: A Dance With Peter Pan

"Are you kidding me? You look absolutely fabulous!" Pauline shrieked.

Gwen adjusted the bodice of her green dress. After reaching home at well past midnight, then waking up at five to get her nails and hair done, Gwen did not feel so fabulous, she felt exhausted. Fortunately, Pauline's makeup skills did the trick to hide the bags.

She stared at her reflection. Her hair was in big, beautiful curls, with a simple braid encircling the top of her head. The small beads on her dress glittered under Pauline's bedroom lights, and the chiffon material hung perfectly on her body. She was looking great, she had to admit, but not feeling great.

She just was not hyped for prom like all the other girls, but she knew the Gwen from months ago would have been. However, after all that had happened, she was just troubled and frustrated. Gwen had not seen Peter Pan for two days, and ever since her trip to London, her mind was in turmoil. She wanted to help him; she wanted to track down Gregory Skul. But how?

Pauline squeezed her shoulders and shook them. "Loosen up, Gwen!"

"Can you just stop fretting for one night?"

She sighed to herself. Pauline was right. She should just let it all go for a night. She picked up her purse and turned to Pauline. "Okay. Let's do this," she said before Pauline squeezed her in a hug.

After a ton of photo-taking, they made it to the school gymnasium. Colourful lights blared from the dark gymnasium, casting a party glow across the hallways. Colourfully dressed boys and girls filled the large room, most of them celebrating their final day as a student, others on the extreme end of bored to death.

Pauline was greeted by Alfie who was waiting for her. Being the student body president, he could not pick her up from her house, as he had errands to run for the party. Thank goodness for that, or else Gwen would have had to come to prom alone.

Not that she would have to if she had just accepted one of the few boys' invitation to be their date.

Maybe she was just cocky.

Or was it something else?

Gwen slipped to the food and beverages array and made her way to the punch bowl. Pouring herself a cup, she brought it close to her mouth before the smell of alcohol tickled her nose. She shook her head; someone must have tipped a bottle of vodka into the punch bowl. Gwen was not planning on getting drunk tonight, hence one glass would do.

Music blared from the speakers, some tunes slow, in which she would stand on the sidelines and politely decline dance invites, some were bops, in which Pauline would drag her onto the dance floor and conveniently ignore her date. After a few heel-aching dancing and snacking, Gwen was back to sitting at a table sipping on her Coke, the punch carefully avoided.

Unexpectedly, someone came by and took a seat beside her. It was Timothy Cooper, one of the six guys that had asked her out and got rejected. Now here she was without a date.

Awkward much.

"I thought you'd be coming with someone else," Timothy said exactly what she expected.

"I... No. I just decided not to go with anyone..." Gwen somehow replied.

He eyed her curiously, "Are you seeing someone?"

Gwen cursed herself for hesitating two seconds too long, "N-No," she said shaking her head vigorously.

Timothy did not look convinced, 'Seems like it... Then why didn't you just invite him to prom?"

Gwen was dumbfounded, she did not know whether to laugh or just slap herself so hard, "You... Don't understand... It's-"

"Complicated?" Timothy continued for her.