VILLAINOUS (III) : peter pan ouat

When We Begun

 

Chapter 5

"There you are."

I feel someone's thick hands wrap around my collar, dragging me across the dirt. My hands fly up to the neck of my shirt, and my heels push against the ground, as I struggle against their grip.

Even though I can't see Felix, I recognise his voice. His tone of mild frustration, moderate annoyance, and severe disinterest leaks out of his mouth, in such a way that I can't forget who he is. Every word he says to me sounds like it burns his tongue, leaving a sour after taste.

"Shove off." I grunt, finally pulling myself up off the ground.

With a quick spin, I send him flying back into a tree behind us. He sports a sour grin at the pain, daring me to actually lay a hand on him. I can't fight him with my magic forever; not if I decide to be brave.

"Save it for the actual fight." Frank says from beside him.

I flinch back at the sight of her. I didn't expect her to be here. Not with him. But then again, why wouldn't she be? She doesn't know all those threats came from him, just to make her scared.

It's kind of pathetic that he did that, actually.

I don't answer her, shrugging my cloak back on to my shoulders properly. She steps closer, reaching for the cloak, but I snap away.

"You can't keep that." Felix nods to the cloak. "It's a symbol of the Lost Boys."

Frank hands me a sweater. It's soft pink; and I know it's the one Elizabeth came here in.

"You're pants are fine." She gestures to the dark green, tight fabric.

I know I did well to pick these. Not only are they comfortable, but they are flexible too. And, they don't seem to stain no matter how many times I am dragged through the dirt and the grass.

The rough fabric of the cloak shrugs off my shoulders, and I shiver before pulling on the sweater.

She takes the cloak from my hand but I lurch forward. "Wait."

I reach into the pocket, grabbing out my canteen, my dagger and the small pocket watch my mother gave me.

Felix grabs the things out of my hands. "You can't have that. Not if you want them to think you are vulnerable."

My brow furrows, as I reach for the pocket watch. He pulls them out of my reach, before dropping them in his own cloak.

Great. Now I really do feel exposed. Weaponless, in front of a boy who has nearly killed me. See, you'd think I'd be more scared if he had intentionally tried to murder me, but I'm not. It's because he almost accidentally killed me, and he did that with ease, that's what's terrifying.

Scarier than Gregory, Keaton, Dominique and Johnny. Maybe scarier than all four of them combined.

"Whatever." I shrug, looking around. "Let's just get this over with."

Frank nods, knowing she has to go. She probably came to grab my cloak from me. It wouldn't make sense to just drop it and leave it in the forest, not when those strangers couldn't happen upon it accidentally.

She leans over, and hugs me. I flinch at her touch; she has never been a forward person and this action seems to come from pretty much nowhere.

"Good luck."

She shoves her hand in my pocket, dropping in what feels like my pocket watch. She pulls away, before winking at me, and turning off.

I am so happy I got this little pickpocket on my side.