The Boy Who Never Grew

Chapter Two- No One Reads A Manuel

Socrates was standing there in the living room waiting for her father to finish his breakfast. Peter was sitting on the couch feeling how he sunk into it by bouncing a bit. She finally decided to look the boy over. He had an odd hair colour it seemed to be red, brown, and blonde all mixed together that was in a shaggy cut. His skin, or whatever it really was, was pale but not too white. His face was childish, if he were any age should would have guess twelve or thirteen. He had deep green eyes and his lips were full and a pale pink.

"Well let's see what Peter can do," said her father as he walked in and stood next to Socrates.

"Shouldn't mum be here?" asked Socrates turning to face her dad.

"She has a few errands to run. Plus, Peter is your responsibility," said her father looking Socrates in the eye.

"But-"

"I don't want you to think of this as a punishment, more as a growing experience. You becoming quite the young lady and we have never had any pets, so this is make up for that," he said cutting in.

"I guess. I can try, I mean how hard could it be?" said Socrates as she watched Peter walk over as her dad motioned him too.

"First I'll show you and explain to you what he made up of," her father said as he lifted Peter's shirt. Socrates couldn't help it, she had to compliment her dad for making the boy- robot, look toned. Her father then ran his index finger up Peter's spin and then pressed the back of his neck. His chest cavity opened up and revealed some machine and computer underneath while his jaw dropped and the top of his shifter up showing a mechanic face underneath.

"Whoa, that is so cool," said Socrates getting a closer look.

"This is the main computer that tells us how he is functioning, it sends a signal to my laptop, but the only way to shut him down completely is through this computer. The login name is 'T-I-NK-E-R-B-E-L-L' and the password is 'S-O-C-R-A-T-E-S'. Don't forget that." He typed that into the computer and up came a functioning monitor and showed a full body of Peter. "Now, this full body model is very important. If something is damaged then a red light will flash in the area and we can easily fix it.

"Up here in his head are sensors. He can see though his eyes, hear through his ears, smell though his nose. There are also sensors traveling along his skin, which is actually just a mixture of rubber and plastic, these sensors feel, so he cam be tickled and feel pain. The only sense he can't do is taste, he should not eat anything or it will damage his main computer and I have to go in and clean everything, which would be a pain."

"Can he get wet?" asked Socrates looking him Peter's main computer.

"Yes, he can swim, anything, just I would prefer if he didn't drink water," said her dad.

"So really he is just like a toy, wait does he need to sleep?" she asked.

"He can't sleep, but he will stay quite at night. Occasionally he will use that time to rest his system is had been doing many things that day. Oh and his hair is actually just plastic, like what wigs are made out of."

"I am really impressed dad. He is amazing, and really prefect," said Socrates as she watched her father log out of the computer and press Peter's forehead.

"Remember those motions as well," her father added and Peter's face was smiling at them again, "Now Socrates I must tell you something very important. You remember my classmate from college, James Hook, right?"

"That guy that was obsessed with pirates, who could forget that whack job?" responded Socrates with a snort.

"Yes him, well ever since I became a successful inventor he has been trying to steal my work. He some how found out about my project, aka Peter, so we must absolutely not tell anyone about Peter. If anyone asks he is a real human. Do you understand?"

"Yes," said Socrates staring her father dead in the eye.

"Good girl. Now go show Peter the house and then meet back in here in an hour and we'll go to the mall and get him some clothes," said her dad and he left to his office.

"Oh, umm here you can put your shirt back on," said Socrates picking Peter's white shirt up from off the ground and handing it to him. He put it on and then stared at her. "Do you mind if I touch, um, you?" asked Socrates moving her dad towards his face to emphasize what she wanted.

"If you want to," he said with a shrug. She reach up and rubbed his hair and he laughed, "that tickles."

"You can really feel that?"

"Yes."

Socrates then moved her hand to his cheek and felt his skin there and rubbed her hand on his cheek. Peter closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

"What did you feel there?" asked Socrates with her hand stationary on his cheek and his eyes opened.

"Warmth, I like it," he said now with a wide smile on his face.

"My dad is a genius. Anyway follow me I'll show you around the house," and with that Peter followed Socrates into the hallway.

The mall was slightly packed this Saturday afternoon. Socrates spotted a few people from her school, but she didn't talk to any and none talked to her. No she did not have any friends, she didn't mind, she really didn't understand the point behind friends. They walked into the majour department store and headed to the teen section and over to where the boy's clothes were.

"Pick out anything you find interesting Peter," said her father. Peter started to browse and Socrates was prevented from following by her dad leaning down, "her has his own personality, and can form opinions on his own. Let's see how it works." They slowly followed behind Peter as he picked up many shirts, shorts, and pants all in earth tone colours such as browns and greens.

"I have found what I like," said Peter holding the clothes out for them to see.

"Socrates why don't you lead him to the fitting rooms and judge his outfits. I see something else we need," said her dad and he hurried off. Socrates led Peter to the fitting rooms and filled him in what the point behind them are.

"When you are done come out here and show me," said Socrates and she sat on a couch outside the fitting rooms. Peter went in closed the door and locked it. Socrates waited for a few minutes before Peter came out standing before her in a black short sleeve shirt with a white leaf design on it and some dark jeans.

"Do you like?" he asked. Socrates stood up and walked over to him. She pulled on the waist band of his pants, they fitted fine and checked the shirt length.

"It's perfect," she said. He smiled and walked back into his fitting room. Socrates them felt eyes watching her. She turned around and thought she saw a motion behind some clothes. She walked over and saw nothing. She continued to walk around but didn't find anything other them clothes. She shook it off and walked back over to the fitting rooms. Once there she saw a group or four girls that went to her school there.

They were okay girls, were pretty smart at times and didn't worry too much about their looks. The only thing that bothered Socrates so much about them was how they were slight fan girls for any cute guys and, unfortunately, they found Peter a cute guy.

"What's your name?" asked Leah, a red head who was the loudest of the group.

"Peter Pan," said Peter putting his hands on his hips and smiling. He was in a new outfit of a green and white striped polo shirt and some brown board shorts.

"Pan? Like Socrates?" asked Christa as she looked at the other three.

"You know her? Isn't she great?" asked Peter. Socrates was shocked to hear that. He hardly knew her, but I guess that would make living with him easier.

"She is smart, bit of a loner. Are you her cousin or something?" asked Leah. That was Socrates cue and she walked the rest of the way to the fitting rooms.

"What do you think of this outfit?" asked Peter as he held his arms out.

"Seems to fit as well, are they the same size as the others you had on before?" asked Socrates. Peter nodded. "Then it is fine." Peter smiled and walked back to the fitting room.

"So who is he?" asked Gabby turning to Socrates with a little excitement in her eyes.

"He's my cousin visiting from England," said Socrates turning to them.

"Then why doesn’t' he have an accent?" asked Christa.

"I think if you added an accent he would be too perfect," said Aly with a sigh.

"He grew up in New England till his family decided to move back to where his parents mum grew up."

"Socrates, I hate to interrupt you when you are with your friends but we should be getting home your mum would want us home," said her father coming over.

"It was nice to see you Socrates, and to meet Peter. Bye," said Leah and they walked away. Peter came out in his original white shirt and black shorts that he had some here in.

"I saw Hook's assistant, Smee, here. We need to buy these clothes and go," said her father and they walked over to a counter and put all the clothes and her father put a packet of boxers on top. Socrates just looked away and observed her surroundings, trying to spot anyone looking at them. A few girls were looking over at them from the girl's section but other then that, no one.

"Socrates we are going," said Peter. Socrates nodded and followed after Peter and her father. As they left the department Hook came out from behind a clearance clothes rack and walked over to where Smee was hiding in a coat display.

"Did you get a good look at the boy?" asked Hook.

"Yes, sir, no doubt about it. That's the new project," said Smee nodding his head.

"Excellent. All we have to do is steal him and then make an announcement to the world about my great invention. I will go down in history," said Hook with an eerie smirk crossing over his features.