¥ - Lost and Found - Peter Pan (Robbie Kay) - ¥

¥ 1 - The Village Girl ¥

Aria began packing up her things ten minutes before closing. She knew it would only take her five minutes and the librarian was fine with her finishing late, but she didn't want to push her luck. Her thought process had told her to get five minutes ahead of those five minutes just in case something were to happen.

She closed the book and handed it over as she reached the front desk, "thanks for helping me find it."

The librarian was glad, "did you find what you were looking for?"

Aria nodded, "I did thanks, but I might be back tomorrow to finish it."

The librarian laughed, "I'll keep it close by then. Goodnight love."

"Goodnight!" Aria called back, waving.

Her conversations with the librarian were longer than most she participated in. Talking was one of her weakest qualities, of course, there were other side effects to having anxiety, but talking was her greatest downfall. Aria had strong opinions and snappy remarks like every other seventeen year old, but her problem was that when she wanted to voice these, nothing came out. Muted by her own worry, Aria lived the constant battle in her mind.

She was lost asunder, trying every day to claw back some of the normality of a teenage girl. The anxiety that swarmed her mind often engulfed her and desperately as she tried, there was no true escape from the thoughts in her mind. Walking the world with racing heart and mind.

She stood outside the doors of the library and shifted her rucksack back onto her shoulders properly. It was a bit of a walk home but she was used to it and enjoyed the long moment of solace, walking alone with only the stars in the sky above. She stood eyeing them for a short time whilst walking, her balance wobbling as she walked in a wonky line from pointing her vision at the sky. Quickly blinking, she thought she saw a shooting star. Aria froze and scrunched her eyes tight.

When she opened them again it was gone.

Crossing over the road she reached the path that would lead her home. The concrete thinned as the path turned from grey to green, the grassy overgrowth shaped by previous footsteps. As she reached the trail that led to her street, the distant and unusual music coming from afar stopped her from pressing further. She could hear a faint song, though sorrowful it was welcoming and embracing. Aria stood trying to memorize the tune in her head, humming it quietly before walking briskly away. She would have to ask around if there was another group of travellers staying nearby.

The small forest would often attract travellers to camp out in the clearing. Travellers were known for being a bit of trouble amongst her community, but Aria enjoyed hearing their music and was often jealous of their freedom. Her friends had spent some time with them once, teenagers like her often involved themselves with the travellers and their addictive substances, whether it be alcohol or something much stronger. She knew she wasn't like everyone else though, she kept her distance.

Aria arrived home and locked the front door after her. Checking the oven she found her dinner covered in foil and left to keep warm. Her mother had started leaving meals for her after finding out that Aria often reverted to bad eating habits when she came home so late. It was that and after a long day at college, surrounded by people, sometimes binging junk food was the only medicine. Though she prefered her own quick meals, Aria was grateful for her mother's consideration and always ate what she was given, not wanting to waste food when she was so fortunate to freely have it.

Sitting at the dining room table Aria pulled up a video to watch on her phone whilst eating. She was at ease with her own company and the safety of her home, it took a weight off her shoulders that was always there when she stepped outside. She washed up her plate and cutlery, wiped down the worktop and headed upstairs to sleep.