Pan's Revenge by Anna Katmore Page B

before she scurries away with Paulina.
    When Peter seems reluctant to let go of me, I
say cheerfully, “Put me down?”
    “If you insist,” he answers and smiles. Then
he sets me to my feet. Maybe I shouldn’t have insisted after
all.
    I take a shy step away from him and reach for
the photo. Together we wait until the black disappears. The image
that shows after a few seconds is lovely. I show teeth as I laugh
happily while an adoring half-smile plays around the corners of
Peter’s mouth. His eyes are warm and on my face in that
picture.
    Peter smirks as he looks at it. “Can I keep
this?”
    “Um…sure.” Hopefully my disappointment
doesn’t show through. On the other hand, I still have the picture I
took of him before.
    Somewhere in the distance, a clock chimes
half past five. I wave the twins back to me than face Peter. “It’s
time for us to walk home. Our housekeeper always prepares dinner at
six.”
    He nods but
he doesn’t look too happy. I like that. “See you again tomorrow?”
he asks.
    “On Wednesdays and Thursdays I have school
until five. But maybe we’ll be here Friday afternoon again.” I give
him a hopeful smile, but even before he can agree or refuse, my
smile slips. “No wait. There’s a school dance Friday night.” It’s
the spring formal in the midst of May. “I won’t have time to take
the girls to the park that day.”
    “ Pity,” is
all he says. At least he looks like not meeting the next three days
bothers him as much as it—strangely enough—bothers me.
    Brittney
Renae and Paulina come running and grab my hands. They twist around
me in a cheerful dance that makes me twirl with them. Catching a glimpse over my shoulder, I see Peter
lick his bottom lip and briefly suck it between his
teeth.
    “Maybe Saturday?” I suggest when I stand
again.
    Peter nods, but once again he looks like a
boy from a different world. Smiling to myself, I shake my head and
walk home with the girls.

Chapter 6
     
    NOON HAS PASSED when I wake up in my quarters. My
boots are kicked to the corner, my clothes dropped in a bundle on
the floor along with my hat on top. Chasing after rainbows starts
wearing me out.
    I roll onto
my back and place one arm behind my head. For a long time, I just
stare out the window, the sheets draped halfway up my chest. The
sun sneers through the glass from a bright blue sky. It’s another
glorious day in Neverland. I can’t remember the last time I felt
happy to wake up in the morning. Not any day recently or today
either.
    With a deep sigh, I rub my hand over my face.
I should get up and make plans for tonight—come up with a new idea
on how to capture a rainbow. But honestly, I think we’ve tried
every possible way there is. And still, we caught none.
    Peter’s visit fourteen days ago gave me a new
boost of ideas and ways. But failing time and time again, night
after night, trampled my hopes. At this point I wonder if I’ll ever
see Angel again.
    Most likely not.
    I don’t even want to get out of bed
anymore.
    About to drag
the sheets over my head and drown in gloom, I roll to the other
side when something nailed to the door catches my notice. My
attention on the wooden panel, I roll off the bed. Absently, I pick
up my pants and put them on, eyes focused on the dagger that’s
fixing a picture and a note on the door.
    Holding the
picture flat against the wood, I work the dagger out. It’s none of
my knives, but with the P.P. engraved in the blade, it’s
not hard to guess to whom it belongs. “Peter Pan,” I murmur. The
bloody bastard. He must have sneaked into my quarters last night
while we were on the volcano again. Dead tired when we returned, I
barely paid attention to anything in my room, let alone the door. I
just wanted to sleep.
    I slip the dagger into my belt at my back and
take a look at the picture. My heart sets out. On it, there’s the
prettiest laughing girl in the arms of my filthy half-brother. I
grit my teeth and my throat constricts