Lost In Neverland

I didn’t know what to really say to Danny. Yeah, I was very grateful to him for saving me like that, but on the other hand, he had claimed that he was out shopping for food, which I’m sure was a lie. I didn’t know how to start a simple conversation with him. He was a kid my age, a kid who has lived almost the same life as I have, yet, in his mind we were totally different. I wanted to just talk about something random with him, but I didn’t know how to. Every time I tried to speak, my heart would beat so fast that it felt like it would jump out of my chest at a high speed rate, then I would have to end up running after it. But, I guess that’s what anxiety does to you.

I wonder if Danny knew what it was like to have anxiety, maybe that’s why he doesn’t like speaking to me. Or, maybe he just hates me. I get that I’m not that much of a likeable person, I’m annoying. Well, at least that’s what the kids at school say. I’m pretty sure he believed that I was the type of girl that was friends with everyone. That one girl that got everything handed to them just because my Dad was a rock star. But that’s not how it is at all. I get teased a lot, way too much. I mean, I would never tell my parents this, they would just pull me out of school and put me into some lame homeschooling crap. I had maybe one friend a couple years ago, but he left me once he joined the football team.

I was lost in thought, but instantly stopped walking once I bumped into something, “Really? Watch where you’re going. Come on.” Danny glared at me and grabbed my arm, his grip was tight, and it hurt. But I didn’t want to say anything, in case he would get mad or something. When we entered the building he pulled me into, I realized it was an ice cream shop.

“W-what are we doing here?” I asked him, and when we came to a stop in the line of people, I was finally able to shake his grip off my arm and place my other hand on the spot he grabbed. I don’t know if he realized it, but he held onto way too tight. I was sure to have a bruise there later together.

“What do you think we’re doing here? What do people normally do at an ice cream shop?” I could just feel the sarcasm dripping off his lips, and see the roll of his eyes. Gosh this guy was a jerk. But, when he grabbed my arm, I couldn’t help but feel my cheeks burn. I’ve never been in a relationship before, so I wasn’t used to human contact from anyone but family members. “What do you want?” His voice broke my train of thought.

“Huh?” I questioned as I looked at him, confused.

“Ice cream. What do you want?” He rolled his eyes again.

“Oh, uh, um- whatever is fine I guess.” I didn’t know why he offered to buy me ice cream, but that was the single nice thing he has done in this after twenty-four hours I have known him.

He ordered the ice cream and I stood beside him, not paying attention to anything but the ground, until he handed me mine and we walked outside to go sit at one of the tables. He ended up ordering me the same thing as him, which was a small soft serve, vanilla ice cream cone. “Come we stop with the whole shy act? Not to long ago you were cursing me out because I was an asshole.”

“I’m sorry. I just don’t know what to say to you.”

“What? Do I scare you or something?”

“A little bit.” I answered honestly, as I looked him in the eyes. He averted my gaze, and I swear I saw a hint of hurt after I said that, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”

“Yes you did,” He looked at me again, “its whatever. I don’t care.” Somehow I didn’t believe him, but I knew I shouldn’t press him into talking to me any further about it.

“Um, uh- thank you, for the ice cream I mean.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

We finished them up around the same time, and we started walking again. I looked up at the sky and saw that the sun was starting to go down. My parents were probably worried sick about me, but maybe this will show them that I am not some kid anymore. I was growing up and I wanted to start to do things on my own. As an adult. “Stella?”

“Yeah Danny?” I questioned, surprised that he even started to speak to me.

“Are you ready to go back to the venue?” I tilted my head at his questioned, wondering why he asked that.

“Um, not really. Why?” He sighed and pointed down the road. There stood both of our Dad’s “Shit. I don’t want to go back yet.” You could tell by the change in my voice that I was a bit upset.

“Ugh, fuck it.” Danny blurted out as he grabbed my hand and dragged me down another road we were about to pass on our walking speed. He seem to have spotted a huge play ground from where we were, and he pulled me along until we got to the play set. “Here, get in the tunnel.” He rushed me in the little kid tunnel, which to my surprise, was a lot more roomy than I thought it would be, and followed in after me. “I’m positive they won’t find us here.” Just as he said that, his phone made a beeping sound and he grabbed it out of his pocket. “Huh, would ya just look at that.” He held the phone so I could see the text, it showed it was from Andy, and it read ‘I saw you two run down that street, I told Alex Stella was with you and that she would be safe. He is trusting you with his daughter’s life. You better not mess this up. Both of you be back before bus call at 2am, we have a show to get to.’

I sighed in relief and closed my eyes for a moment. I was so glad my Dad had listened to Andy and let me stay out here with Danny. Maybe he was finally understanding that I needed to grow up some time, and that he wouldn’t always be there. I looked over at Danny and smiled. He caught me looking and gave me a weird look. I don’t know what in my mind told him to do it, but I leant over and kissed his cheek before before crawling out the other side of the tunnel, “Thanks Danny. Now let’s go! We have exploring to do!”

Notes

Hey y'all, sorry it has been awhile. Like over two weeks. I kinda keep forgetting that I have a job to do on this website. I'll try my best to post more often. But as a sorry, here is a bit of a longer chapter!

Also, on the 9th of this month, last weekend, I finally turned 18! Woo! I'm an adult now!
Lowkey wanna be six though.

~Jagk.