Forest Watcher (Book 1) A Peter Pevensie Romance

The Wardrobe

The next day was boring since it was pouring rain outside. We tried getting better acquainted with Layla but she never said more than five words. I'm starting to understand why Macready thinks she's partly mute.

We all sat in the living room playing this game Susan invented from a dictionary she found in the library. I won't tell you about it since it's really boring. Lucy sat at a window with Layla staring at the water droplets falling down the window glass. Layla was playing with her necklace with her hand as she stared off into space. It was a silver moon hanging on a bronze colored chain. I wondered what as up with her. Besides not saying much, and knowing who we were, something about her seemed to be holding my attention and never once letting go.

"Come on, Peter, Gastrovascular," Susan urged, a little annoyed.

"Is it Latin?" I sighed looking at her to which she responded with a 'yes'.

"Is it Latin for the 'worst game ever invented?" Edmund grumbled, moving out from his spot from under a chair.

"Gastrovascular is actually the cavity of a jellyfish and is the primary organ of digestion and circulation," Layla corrected. "It's not Latin."

We all looked at her, none of us had any clue what she said. However, she didn't say anything else.

Susan frowned and slammed the book shut.

"We could play hide and seek!" Lucy suggested, coming up to me.

"But we're already having so much fun," I joked.

"Come on Peter, pleeeaaasseee!" Lucy pleaded.

I felt Layla's eyes on me, as Lucy gave me her puppy-dog eyes. Ugh, I can't resist that look and Lucy knows it.

"Pretty please!" She begged again then whispered softly, "You'll get to hangout with Layla!"

I felt my heart jump. Sighing, I relented.

"One, two, three..." I started counting, grinning at her.

She returned it and everyone jumped up to find places to hide. I went over to a nearby cabinet to continue counting.

"What?!?" Edmund shrieked before reluctantly going out the door.

Counting didn't take long to finish, and when I was done I started looking for my siblings and Layla. I couldn't find Susan but I found Layla. Somehow, the girl managed to wedge herself between a pianoforte and a wall.

"How is it that you're really smart?" I asked her, as I pulled on her arms to free her from her hiding spot.

"Practice," she replied simply, yanking her other foot out.

"You don't say much do you?" I noted, feeling tingly all over.

"Nope," was all she said.

We heard some shouting coming from another part of the building, and we went to see what was going on.

"You know, I'm not sure you two have quite gotten the idea of this game," I pointed out as Susan came up to us.

"Weren't you wondering were I was?" Lucy asked.

"That's the point. That was why he was seeking you," Edmund scoffed at her.

"Does this mean I win?" Susan asked.

I looked at her, "I don't think Lucy wants to play anymore."

"But I've been gone for hours," Lucy explained.

She led us into the room with the wardrobe. Susan poked her head inside while Edmund knocked on the back of it.

"Lucy, the only wood in here is the back of the wardrobe," Susan told her.

"One game at a time Lu. We don't all have your imagination," I pointed out, turning to leave with Susan and Edmund.

"But I wasn't imagining!" Lucy insisted making us all turn around.

"That's enough Lucy," Susan ordered.

"I wouldn't lie about this!" Lucy insisted again.

"Well, I believe you," Edmund spoke up.

"You do?" Lucy asked, a little hopeful.

"Yeah, of course! Didn't I tell you of the football field in the bathroom cupboard?" Edmund teased and I sighed exasperatedly.

"Will you just stop? You just have to make everything worse don't you?" I snapped.

"It was just a joke!" Edmund complained.

"When are you going to learn to grow up?" If Edmund could just stop being so impossible for once in his life.

"Shut up!" Edmund growled, "you think you're Dad, but you're not!" He ran out of the room.

"Well that was nicely handled," Susan sighed following Edmund out the door.

"But it really was there," Lucy said sadly.

"Susan's right, Lucy. That's enough," I told her, turning to leave.

If I had looked at Layla, I would've seen her necklace had glowed slightly and she was  trying to cover it up, but I was too upset of what had just happened.

I couldn't get to sleep that night, I was too busy thinking about Lucy and what happened with Edmund.