Here's to Never Growing Up

Chapter 17

They stood there awkwardly. Peter knew his tone had been a little harsh an unnecessary. "We should head back." Peter made an excuse.
"Yeah," Lola mumbled. They walked silently. Lola made to speak several times but each time she did so, she decided against it.
Eventually it was Peter who broke the silence. "I'm sorry, it's just, friends don't need to explain to other friends why they came back for them." Lola knew she should forgive him for snapping and it was her own fault for being so paranoid.
"It's alright." Lola pulled Peter into a tight hug and he returned it, savouring the closeness and comfort of Lola's grip around his waist.
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They both headed back to the treehouse, all of the tension melting away as the sun broke through the trees and shone down on them, illuminating Lola's face and making Peter's eyelashes look luxuriously long.
"Lola, Lola!" The Lost Boys hurried over to her with worried looks on their faces.
Lola frowned before she inquired about the problem.
"It's Tink. We still can't get her awake." Tootles looked upset as he anxiously picked at his fingernails.
Lola rushed over to her and pulled at her hair with a sisterly sort of affection. "That's for earlier." Lola felt herself become overwhelmed with the kind of sadness she hadn't felt since she'd arrived in Neverland.
Lola tried everything. She shook her and flicked her tiny pixie nose but none of it seemed to work effectively. She remembered from the book with Wendy in it how they had awoken Tink before. "I do believe in fairies. I do...I do." With these words, Tinkerbell started wriggling in Lola's hands and The Lost Boys started to cheer as Tink rose up to fly. She smiled gratefully at Lola.
She turned to Peter to smile at him but by his scowl, Tink knew she was in trouble for earlier. She wasn't a fairy for nothing.
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Lola uncomfortably stood there not knowing what to do as Peter started to give Tink a stern telling off.
"It wouldn't be you, would it?" Peter's face was now smirking, the devilish grin that shone mischief and cunning. Back to his old self.
"You know, Neverland is pretty awesome." Lola commented as she sat down on a tiny bed that creaked underneath her weight.
"What is awesome?" Peter pulled a puzzled face.
"It's used to describe something. Like nice or pretty." Lola explained as Peter moved to sit beside Lola.
Wendy was now playing with The Lost Boys. She seemed to be content as Lola peered at her over Peter's shoulders.
"Oh, okay. That's awesome." Lola laughed at Peter as he brushed his fingers through his hair.
The day had been very busy for all of them. Now, as the sun went away, it was time for them to all sleep. Despite hunger and rumbling tummies, everyone fell asleep straight away, exhaustion taking over.
Wendy kissed each of The Lost Boys and tucked them for the last time before descending the stairs and heading somewhere no one would come looking for her.
The only problem with this was that Tink knew where she would go. She knew that she'd try to go to Skull Rock. The pixie may not like Wendy, but she knew her pretty well.
She followed her silently hopping and flying from tree to tree.
When they got to the sea, things became a little tricky for Wendy. She forgot to sneak pixie dust to help her fly. She stood staring at the water, hoping something, anything, would appear to help her across.
There were mermaids and mermen. Wendy knew that they wouldn't help her. Why should they? She was a pirate, a traitor.
She looked at her reflection in the salt water. Her hair was matted, almost in dread locks it was in need of that much of a brush.
She stroked her hair tentatively with her fingers and she began to cry. She couldn't possibly go anywhere. She was too clumsy to go where she wanted to get to. She hadn't thought everything through thoroughly because she's been in too much of a rush to be careful.
Tink accidentally made a noise which made Wendy's head whip towards where the tinkle had come from.
"Tink?" Wendy walked over the damp sand towards where Tink was.
Their faces were inches apart as the pixie's eye grew wide. Tink, not in a horrible way, grabbed Wendy's ear and took her back into the woods.
You've come home. Tink thought as she fluttered up to the treehouse. Wendy followed.
Why was Tink helping her? There must be an ulterior motive. It was Tink. She was Wendy.