Peter Pan Complex

Two

She found herself sitting in the same position as the day before; content that her siblings could be amused so easily by nature and providing her with an opportunity to bask in the light sun.

She wasn't sour about the life she was living- she was taught to accept what she was given with good grace and see the positive. A lesson given by someone she admired greatly, and embraced the teaching whenever possible. Yet it was horrible when her friends ignored her because she couldn't attend the parties they stopped inviting her to. When her company became two young boys that couldn't be burdened with any emotions she wanted to release.

Her fathers words rang in her ears, when she wasn't preoccupied by other thoughts that meandered idly through her mind. Scoffing at the absurdity of what he implied. Then taking a step backwards to see another perspective. She sat wondering if there was any justification in his opinions.

She still kept teddy bears beside her pillow, but never cuddled with them. She guiltily acknowledged how it wasn't uncommon for her to switch the Disney channel on through choice. The one thing the pinpointed as the biggest drawback was the only thing she clenched onto.

Her imagination was incredibly active and as wild as a child half her age. Only it had developed with time rather than shrinking to nothing. This stayed unvoiced and unwritten. Remaining locked in the dream bubble she could picture above her head. Harper only saw these as immature faults, not because they were, but with an advanced maturity level like hers, she was too conscious and aware.

She lent back, sighing. The blades of grass tickling her exposed skin while the soft breeze tangled between her hair. Just watching and feeling disconnected. Her eyes wondered around the recreational area, searching for something to capture her interest, loving nothing more than to create lives for people in front of her.

A young woman ran behind a child in the middle of a tantrum, holding a dripping ice cream cone. It was plain to see that this was an unwanted daughter, pregnant and alone yet determined to do right by the little human developing inside. Harper divulged beyond this, at a woman who dreamt of escaping Maryland to the Hollywood Hills until a little blue line appeared obnoxiously on a test. Shattering her aspirations after one foolish night.

She drifted away from her when she noticed a rush of colour in the corner of her eye. Heading straight towards her, was once again, Alex Gaskarth. Except this time she believed he knew what direction he was heading in, and would stop before colliding into her. A small blush tinted her cheeks as she recalled how her dreams were consumed by him last night, but she was so drawn in by his character.

He was irritating, a complete nuisance to her during school when all she could hear was his laughter rather than what the teacher was explaining. She rarely found anything he and his friends did amusing or clever. She thought of how her father should compare her to him, and was sure he'd feel blessed to have her as a daughter. Despite that, she found him truly fascinating.

"Harper Darling, you failed to mention that I knew you anyway." was his declaration as he fell next to her. Rolling to lie face down, propping his chin up on his arms.

"You don't know me, Alex." she said stiffly, uncomfortable with the attention he was suddenly paying her. Suspecting entirely that there was a hidden agenda or prank behind it. She didn't think it could possibly be sincerity.

"I think I'd like to." With that tone that held such child like innocence, and a face that showed sheer honesty, she erased any pre-judgement she had made about him and looked him straight in the eyes. Her heart had quickened and the mild blush that was already highlighting her face became predominant for him to see.

"Well, I'll give you all the time in the world to do so." she said reasonably.

"Good. Tell me something about yourself you've never told anybody else."

She found the suggestion quite bizarre, coming from a complete stranger. She didn't understand the logic in confessing something to someone she didn't know, when it would be something she didn't trust anyone else enough to confide in. So instead of thinking of something with something deep emotions attached to it to say, she thought of a way to outsmart it without avoiding it.

"I've never told anyone that I like their eyebrows before. Alex, I like your eyebrows."

A chuckle came from him before he pouted. Reminding her of her brothers when she wouldn't buy them candy. Sure enough the whining she was expecting followed "I didn't mean anything like that, and you know it."

"You should have explained yourself a little better shouldn't you?" Harper couldn't help but laugh and relax in his company. She had always wanted to have a conversation with him, similar to this. Where they were isolated from a group, without his friends to distract him into doing something foolish. "I've admired you for a long time."

Her green eyes widened at the confession that came so easily, after she had already done what he had told her to. Never did she imagine she would actually tell him something so private and so personal to both of them. Neither did he by the way his head snapped back up at her voice, a complacent expression on his face.

"Really?" he asked with confusion, not understanding why anybody would look up to him for he knew had achieved nothing in nearly seventeen years.

"Maybe I'm a little envious. You're so happy-go-lucky. You don't let anything bring you down. You're so young at heart still. I wonder sometimes if that's a good thing, or a set back in life. Yet I've been in your company for say five minutes collectively and I know now it's good."

"Thanks," he said with a smirk "I'm going to love spending Summer with you."

She nodded in agreement, before realising exactly what he said. "What?"

"Harper, I'm going to become your best friend in these months. I promise." he said with confidence and simplicity.

Her chest swelled with an emotion she wasn't familiar with, or not something she could give a definition for. She knew, however, how she felt considerably young again. How sitting with Alex made her feel like she belonged in Kindergarten once again. Nothing worried her or seemed like a problem. She felt a million miles away from home, as if he'd taken her far away from reality.

"Alex." Both their eyes lifted upwards to the direction of the tiny, yet fierce voice that was demanding attention from the name it had said. A small girl with pixie features and blonde hair stood with her arms folded across her chest, glaring at Harper.

"Hey Belle." Alex said warmly, as if he didn't notice the foul mood she was in or how she had a desire to pounce on the girl he was sat beside by the jealous glint in her brown eyes.

"Why are you with her?" she asked, spitting out the pronoun as if it pained her to even acknowledge her.

She sat, uncomfortable and a little frightened by the resent she was receiving from the girl who clearly saw her as a threat. To what? She could only assume it as Alex's friendship that she was being territorial over, since she knew Alex wasn't in a relationship with Belle Tinley. Harper knew he had never embarked on a relationship with any girl before. With his looks and charisma she knew their were plenty interested.

Yet he never took advantage of that and she was starting to realise why. Alex Gaskarth wanted to stay young. Commitment was the biggest form of growing up. Something that didn't appeal to him.

"I'm actually going to go Alex, I'll see you around." she smiled softly at him, before pushing herself up and walking over to beckon her brothers down from their leafy haven.

Something about the realisation she made, left a bitter boiling in the back of her threat and a pang on her heartstrings.
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Feedback? I realllllllly like this idea actually. A lot.