Here's to Never Growing Up

Chapter 16

"LOLA!" Peter shouted as he wandered back through the forest. He didn't know why he cared so much about finding Lola so much but he did.

Maybe it was because she was his friend. It could be because she didn't know her way around the woods and they could be dangerous as they often were. But it wasn't that because Peter knew that Lola would be able to handle anything remotely dangerous. He believed in her. For some reason he still felt the need to protect her. Who knew why?

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Lola watched Peter go and knew she would be stuck in the tree if she didn't move now. Mostly because she was too lazy to move and the tree was kind of comforting. No matter where you were, the trees in a wood generally all looked the same and the one she sat in reminded her so much of home and memories she shared with her brother.

Maybe coming to Neverland was a wrong move because now she was stranded in a woods she wouldn't be able to navigate herself around. Plus, she felt as if Peter had left her and it stung. Almost as much as the tears swelling in her eyes.

As the tears were about to spill over and descend down her cheeks, she heard a distant shouting that, even though her hearing was distorted, sounded very much like Peter. She immediately perked up and harshly wiped the tears away.

"Peter!" Lola shouted as she positioned herself in a way that would help her climb down the tree. She lowered herself on to a branch below her and when she knew she was close enough to the ground, she jumped, only to fall on top of something extremely boney. It wasn't a comfortable landing.

It wasn't entirely comfortable for Peter whom she had landed on either.

"Peter!" Lola got up and brushed herself down and then proceeded to help him up.

She pulled him too close and their faces, despite inches in height difference, were extremely close together. Lola became flustered from the sudden closeness and started to move away but Peter stopped her by taking her face in his hands. His touch left Lola flaming, her face giving her away.

"Are you all right?" Peter checked Lola's face and then checked her arms and shoulders. She had a slight scratch by her collarbone but nothing extreme.

"Fine." Lola breathed. She didn't think she'd be fine for much longer though. "I thought that pirates were invading home. If they were, how come you came back for me?" At this Peter spilled the whole story about how Tink lied.

"I still don't understand why you came back for me." Lola's anxiety and paranoia started to kick in.

"Because I did. There shouldn't be need for an explanation." Peter rushed out, trying to avoid telling Lola the truth.