Neverland State of Mind

Chapter 2

   I got on the bus with Peter the next morning and we sat next to each other in the back. I said hi and he waved back. There was a huge smile on his face. The problem was, he was acting like yesterday had never happened and he hadn't changed one bit.

   "How's your cheek?" I asked. He tapped it and I can tell it hurt him, but he ignored it. I looked down and saw tan stuff on his hand and I couldn't believe him. He was actually wearing make up to hide the bruise.

   "It's better than ever." He smiled and tried to change the subject.

   "So what kind of prank should I pull today?" I touched my hand to his cheek. The tan stuff rubbed off on my hand. It was confirmed.

   "You're wearing make up to cover the bruise. You're really not okay, are you?" 

   "I know I usually plan the pranks myself but I'm stuck between two really great ideas and I just need your opinion."

   "You need to tell someone what happened with your mom or say something to her. If you don't then I will." He gave me a look as if to say, 'don't you even dare'.

   "See I was thinking I could glue everything on Mr. Hook's desk down so that he can't pick anything up. Now that would be awesome! Or maybe I could anonymously start a food fight at lunch and then watch the magic happen." I rubbed off all of the make up on his cheek and he grimaced. It was a light purple in color and still swollen.

   "Stop ignoring me. I hate it when you do that. I'm trying to help you here!"

   "I'll ignore you all I want! I don't need your help and I'm fine. The only reason I put the make up on is so that people won't pity me and the adults won't ask me questions. It's nobody's business except mine so stay out of it. Peter has spoken." I hated it when he pulled that on me. 'Peter has spoken' was his strange way of saying, 'Shut up. I am Peter. Your argument is invalid.' I had more to say, but as his friend he wouldn't allow me to say any more. I respect his rules, but that was unfair. Still I had pushed it a little there. I had to back off and leave him be. 

   We sat in our homeroom class as the teacher was calling role. She called a few names and they replied with the formal, "Here". She called my name.

   "Jessica Smith?"

   "Here." I replied. More names were called.

   "Peter..." before she could call his last name, someone in the class let out a fake cough and said, "Pan!" The whole class erupted in laughter. I sighed and the teacher tried to calm everyone down.

   "Class, that joke was not necessary. Now quiet down!" Peter rolled his eyes. The minute his mouth opened I thought, oh no.

   "It's really ok, Mrs. Andress. What can I say? I'm a celebrity." There was more laughter and the teacher continued to call roll. When she reached the end of the list, she allowed us to talk quietly to each other until the bell rang for our first class of the day which in the case of Peter and I was physical education. A group of girls came up to Peter and I observed them to find out if they were in the hate or the love club for Peter.

   "You're so funny Peter! That was such a funny line! 'I'm a celebrity!' you're so cool!" I came to the conclusion that it was the love club. He just sat there smiling like the cocky idiot he was at times like this. His fan girls only made his ego grow, so sometimes I just wished they would just shut up.

   "I'm so glad you girls like my humor. I mean, I am a natural at comedy." I rolled my eyes and just smiled. He had a point. He may have been bragging but perhaps he did deserve a little bragging rights. He had always been quite a natural at comedy. I drew my attention away from them and started reading my book silently. Everyone else around the room was on their devices or doing whatever the crowd would expect them to do. Just as I started disappearing into my book, someone came up to me and said hi. I looked up from the book to see that it was none other than Tony Strellini, one of the most popular guys in our grade. Just about every girl at this school had a crush on him...well except for me. I'm not one to go with the crowd. He had a thing for me and it got on my nerves. Yet somehow, I find myself falling prey to his charm spell every now and then.