10th day in Neverland
Alianna's point of view
"Oh come on Ali! Even Jake can do better than that!" said Derek after my pitiful knife throw. He was standing right next to me, arms crossed in mock desperation.
"Hey!" Shouted Jake from the nearest target, "I heard that!"
"Shut up," I told Derek, laughing. "It's my first time throwing knives in my whole life, you've been doing that for decades! Not my fault if I can't get the hang of it immediately."
I grabbed another knife, aimed and let it fly. It flew right past the target and stuck, quivering, into a tree on the border of the forest.
"No, you're still weighing too much on the tip." Derek said, trying to help.
"Maybe I was aiming for that tree." I said innocently, teasing him as I looked up at him.
"And why would you aim for a tree when you have a perfectly good target at your disposal?" He grinned, an adorable dimple forming on his left cheek.
"Maybe it's because the target's too easy and the tree was further and harder to aim for? Making it a challenge?" I enjoyed those conversations with Derek where he would answer my sarcasm with even more sarcasm.
"Riiiiight.... I'll believe you if you manage to stick your next knife in the bullseye." He chuckled.
I clutched the knife I had in my hand, readied my stance. I focused on what Derek had taught me, I adjusted my grip on the knife, looking strait at the red circle that so far I'd never managed to reach. I exhaled, then let the knife fly.
And of course it landed in the grass, a couple of feet next to the target. Derek laughed, ruffling my hair. Grinning up at him, I said, "I did that on purpose..." Before joining his laughter.
Jake was looking at us with a bemused expression. Talking about Jake... I remembered that he'd been supposed to ask questions about the you-know-what to Sam two days ago and I'd completely forgot about it.
How could I have forgotten about it? Simple really, I felt happy here for the first time. Being with Derek always made me forget my pain and anger, and I'd been s caught up in enjoying our time together that I'd forgotten about our search for the you-know-what.
"Jake?" I called out and he came over, "Did you manage to get anything out of Sam about the you-know-what?"
He shook his head. "Nah, when I asked him-"
I cut him off. "You asked him? But he can't be trusted!" I was bewildered, how could he trust Sam? The one who wouldn't hesitate to get someone in trouble just to stay Pan's favorite, after Felix of course.
Jake sighed patiently. "Ali, he may be a jerk to you, but he's still my brother. I still love him and I'd trust him with my life. He's only a dick when it comes to you. Sorry." He adds with an apologetic shrug.
I looked down at my feet, ashamed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply it that way, but if he knows that I'm the reason you're asking..."
"That's why I didn't mention you. And anyways, when I asked him, he simply said that he didn't know what I was talking about. He was telling the truth." He said pointedly when I opened my mouth, seriously doubting the fact that Sam wasn't lying. "I know him, he's my- my twin brother. I'm able to tell when he's lying, but this isn't the case." There still was a tiny moment of hesitation as he said twin, like if it hurt him to say it. I had no idea what that was about. What was he hiding?
"Okay then... We'll just have to find another way to find out." Derek said. "Jake, why don't you go around the camp asking the other Lost Boys? Don't ask like, bluntly, but just subtle hints."
"Why does it have to be me?"
"Because, between us three, you've been here the longest, so the others will trust you more." Derek said reasonably.
"But, are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, if Pan doesn't want us to know about it there must be a reason." Jake said, suddenly uncertain about the whole plan. "And are you sure that's the only reason you want me to go?" He looked pointedly at the two of us.
"What other reason would there be?" Derek asked innocently.
"Oh, I don't know, maybe so you two can enjoy a whole afternoon without me?" He said sarcastically.
I rolled my eyes and looked at him. "Oh come on, aren't you the least bit curious about what the you-know-what is?"
"Fine," he grumbled. "But you both owe me a favor."
"Sure, whatever you say." He laughed as Jake walked off, slightly offended at being dismissed like that.
***
Two hours later we'd abandoned knife throwing practice as Derek and I were walking down the beach in companionable silence, the ocean water lapping at our ankles.
The sight was breathtaking. The ocean was a beautiful shade of turquoise, like in those tropical paradise island postcards. The cloudless sky met the water on the horizon line, forget-me-not blue, framed by a few coconut trees that dotted the beach's expanse of white, fine sand. The jungle started abruptly in a straight line thirty feet away from the shore, casting strange shadows on the sand.
I broke the silence. "Don't you think it was a bit harsh for Jake, sending him away, doing all the work while we're here, enjoying ourselves?" I asked. It had bothered me, the way he'd walked away, like he'd been replaced by me. I felt bad about it.
Derek chuckled. "Don't worry. He was just exaggerating, and I'm sure he understands that I want to have you all to myself for a while." He said, giving me a sideways smile.
I looked up at him and stared into his warm, unnaturally white eyes. I was about to say something when I slipped on a rock's glassy surface, and as I desperately tried to regain my balance, Derek caught me.
His face was now inches from mine, a mischievous smile on his face.
"No! Oh my God Derek don't you dare!" I shouted, knowing fully well what he was about to do.
His smile got wider and he let me go, letting me fall ungracefully into the water. The rocky bottom was too low for me to have a proper footing, so I was completely submerged by it before I managed to kick back up towards the surface, breathing in a gulp of fresh air.
"You are so dead!!!" I laughed, wading towards the shore, glaring at Derek.
"Oh really, I'd love to see you try." He said tauntingly, his smile only getting wider.
The rocks beneath me gave way to sand and leveled upwards, giving me a secure footing. I rose out of the water, completely drenched from head to foot, and I thanked God that I hadn't decided to wear white this morning.
As I slowly came closer to him, trying to look angry although I just couldn't stay mad at him, Derek eyed me warily, trying to anticipate my next move. He took a step back, laughing at my questioning look.
"Just trying to stay dry."
"Oh don't worry, I'm not going to take my revenge now, that would be too nice for you," I say sweetly and innocently. "No, I'll take my time as you wait anxiously, not knowing when I'll attack," I grinned mischievously, "And then when you least expect it, boom. I take my revenge." I teased, breaking into a run and jumping onto him, wrapping my hands around his neck and my legs straddling his hips. His hands snaked behind the small of my back, holding me tightly against his warm chest.
I looked up at him, leaning forwards as I pressed my cheek against his, whispering in his ear, "When you'll least expect it." At that, I sprang out of his arms and dragged him towards the water.
That had been a bad idea.
First of all he was much heavier than me and was far stronger, he was as immovable as a boulder, but with an amused glance at me he let himself get pulled into the ocean.
Second of all, he would never have let himself go down without a fight and I should've suspected something, because as I finally pushed him into the water, he grabbed my hand and dragged me down with him.
For the second time, the cool darkness of the water enveloped me and I let myself float for a moment, completely unsuspended in the dark depths before breaking back through the surface. Derek's face appeared next to mine, smile wide on his face, his white hair plastered to his face, dripping water into his eyes.
"See? You weren't expecting it!" I laughed. He joined in, bringing me close to him, squeezing me against him so I didn't have to swim to stay afloat.
I looked up at him. His eyes were looking into mine and then flicked down to my lips. I knew what was going to happen, but this time, I felt no inclination to stop him.
He leaned down and his lips met mine, gentle at first but then became demanding, with more and more need. He traced his hands down and onto my hips, my fingers snaked behind his neck and interlocked with his soft white hair.
And at that moment, for the first time since arriving to Neverland, I felt completely safe and protected from all the horrors Pan had created, safe in Derek's reassuring arms.
A bubble of happiness and joy rose inside my chest, making me feel lighter. All the dark thoughts of my brother or Jason or even Pan had been erased by the sweet feeling of Derek's lips on mine, and right now, all I cared about was this moment, making me feel complete and happy.