Free Get Lost by Xavier Neal Page A

off.
    “Give it a rest already.” She stomps her pink stiletto covered feet. “Seriously, you fight like an old married couple, and you’re not even the ones dating!”
    “Thank goodness for small favors, Belle. I don’t know how you date such a pompous jack…”
    “Hey,” she points to Justin, “calm down.”
    A silence settles on the rooftop, which I believe is a perfect time for me to chime in. “Um, excuse me?”
    “What is it, Art Queen?” Peter mumbles, slamming his back against the chair, annoyed most likely from his girlfriend putting her foot down.
    I let his attitude go, assuming it’s the result of too much Trashcan Punch. I scoot to the edge of my chair. “What exactly do you mean, you’re Lost Boys?”
    The girl looks at Justin, who nods slightly, which is when she looks back down at Peter, who does the same motion. “Don’t you know who the Lost Boys are?”
    Immediately, I ask, “Like from fairy tales?”
    “Exactly.” 
    The  answer doesn’t really yield what I need it to.
    “Didn’t the Lost Boys follow Peter Pan around?” The question receives nods from everyone.
    “Unfortunately,” Justin mumbles, making  the twins laugh.
    “But that’s all make believe.”
    “Is it?” Peter coldly asks. “What! You can believe people can poof  into smoke, but you can’t  believe I exist?”
    “You exist?” The query forces me to scratch my head. “You, like, as in you’re Peter Pan?”
    Proudly, he extends his legs out on the chair and places his hands behind his head. “The one and only, baby.”
    “But I thought Peter Pan was an awful, rotten, little boy who refused to ever grow. He was like twelve, not seventeen, whiny, and just downright awful.”
    “Sounds like she hit the nail on the head.” Justin chuckles again as Aiden and Eiden join him.
    Annoyed, he glares at them. “Do you mind?” Once their giggles run out, he sighs. “At some point in time, someone decided that my life story would make more sense if I were younger and worried about not being able to play with toys, blah, blah, blah. Truth be told, there’s more to it than that.”
    “Like what?” I instantly interrupt.
    “Another time and place.” His hand waves me off. “Anyway, the part about the Lost Boys is somewhat true. Aiden, Eiden, and my all time favorite, Justin.”
    “You’re a Lost Boy!” My mind can barely fathom the words, let alone form them.
    “Guilty.” He smirks sweetly at me.
    “Oh a lot.” Peter’s mutter causes Justin to shoot him a look.
    Slowly, I turn my head to the girl who had wings on her back upon arrival. “Does that make you Tinkerbell?”
    “Belle.” They all recite in unison.
    “Belle.” I correct myself.
    With a small finger wave, she winks at me, and Peter continues, “Those things that have been chasing you and your knight, the shining dingle brain over there, are called the Dark Watchers.”
    “I don’t remember that part in the stories.” I innocently scratch my arm.
    “It’s because that part didn’t quite make it into the cookie cutter fairy tale. Dark Watchers are a rival group from Neverland. Their mission is to take over this dreadful world. Yet, in order to do that they need, well, specific items. One of those items is a map on the back of a very famous painting that you have an incredible amount of knowledge about—a very famous painting that they stole the replica of.”
    “Sous Clef?”
    With a nod, Peter continues, “Now, if they get the map, this whole world is at risk from a threat bigger than you could wrap your mind around, but if we have the map, we can continue to protect this planet the way we have for years.”
    “So, that’s why they’re chasing me?” I ask. Quickly, Peter answers, “Yes.”
    My eyes wander over to Justin, who’s leaning against the edge now in a more protective way. His hat is lowered, so his eyes are harder to see and his body language is no longer angry but rather difficult to read.
    I open my mouth to