Mara eventually fell asleep later that night then found herself on her hammock in the morning. The tent was empty, her tentmates were up and already outside. Mara remembered she was sitting against a log then fell asleep later and Pan must've carried her to her tent. It must be late morning and almost noon.

She got up very lazily and slow. She put on her boots, she was still tired that she could barely keep eyes open. She was still sitting on her hammock after putting on her boots, leaning forward with her elbows on her lap and rubbed her eyes with both hands. She walked up to the table where a bowl of cold water was and splashed her face with water. It helped to wake her up more.

When Mara stepped out of the tent, half of the boys weren't in the camp, James was one of them and Slightly and Curly. Even Pan wasn't in the camp. There was Tootles sitting nearby, peeling an apple with his knife and she went to join him.

"Ah, Mara, you're awake finally" Tootles smiled, "You really need to fix your sleeping pattern"

"Where's James and Curly?" She sat down beside him, "and Slightly?"

"Some of them went to take a dip at the falls, James and Curly and Slightly too"

"What of Pan?" She wondered as she gazed around for Pan.

"Who knows?" Tootles shrugged, "He could be anywhere on the island"

"Not doing anything today?" She was glancing around, seeing some of the boys sitting around, there's Thomas, the Twins and Nibs.

"It's free day today" Tootles said happily, "We can just do whatever we want, go wander off, go for a stroll, piss off the mermaids, go fishing, go to sleep, whatever you like"

"This is probably going to be the best day ever" she smiled. She wondered what she could do today. She'd like to go for a swim but it was occupied at the moment, perhaps train with James? If he's willing to. Yesterday wasn't his day, maybe he had got over that today and maybe he's planning to train her today. She'd like that.

If not, she may as well spend the day with Tootles, or Curly, or Slightly. Or with Peter Pan.

As an hour passed, Mara was examining the tiny vile of pixie dust necklace she was wearing, given by Pan last night. She must believe in order for the dust to work, she does believe in magic, she had seen it many times in her life and even before Neverland. How wasn't that enough for it to work?

She pulled the vile over the collar of her tunic and Curly and Slightly were back from the falls. Curly let out a cheerful sigh, "Now that was a great long swim"

Tootles came back from grabbing lunch for him and Mara, and he handed her the plate of cooked fish with two fruits on the side. She wondered if James was still at the falls so she asked, "James still there?" She looked to her right where Curly and Slightly were seated.

Slightly sat and leaned back against the tree trunk, he shook his head in response while Curly said "Nah, he said he's gone for a little stroll"

"Any idea where he might've gone to?"

Curly shrugged, "He's got soft spot for that meadow place nearby though, can't promise you'd find him there but it's where we find him sometimes"

Mara did plan on finding James and talk to him. She kind of missed him. She missed how they talk usually.

After she had lunch, she left the camp and head to the meadow alone. Hoped that she would find him there. Maybe she should tell him about that kiss she saw and make a laugh out of the boy and both make jokes about it. Maybe ask him what's on his mind, what makes him sad, what makes him to have a bad day, she'd open up to him as well and tell him what makes her sad and what makes her to have a bad day.

When arriving the meadow, there was James, practicing swinging around his staff in the middle of the meadow. She watched him for a moment as she stood by the tree before approaching him.

"Curly said you might be here" she said aloud as she walked toward him.

He had stopped, turned around and glanced at her. He didn't had a smile or anything but an unreadable look. To Mara, he looked almost nervous.

"Still mopey today, or what?"

"I thought you were asleep" he shrugged, "you were up till very late"

Mara raised her shoulders awkwardly, "Here I am. Trying to fix my sleeping pattern I suppose"

"What were you doing late at night anyway?" James turned around and continually practice swinging his staff.

"Nothing much" Mara sat down on the ground, gazed at the cloudy blue sky, "Was with Pan mostly, we talked, took a walk to Tinker Bell's then back" she avoided about the vile Pan gave her.

"You spend a lot of time with him recently" the boy noticed.

"You were the one who told me to give him a chance and I misunderstood him" She reminded. "He's... a lot more than I thought he was"

James didn't spoke for a moment as if he wasn't listening or didn't heard her. "That's good to hear" he said finally.

He seemed a little too focus on his practicing, also seems still the same as yesterday, like he had no intention of talking to her or just want to be left alone. She then sighed and got on her feet, "Seeing that you're not in a mood of talking today, I assume you want to be left alone. That's fine"

James then stopped and turned to look at her as if he was about to say something. His mouth was opened a little but couldn't let out a word.

"It's fine, James" She told him, "We'll speak again soon"

Still, he said nothing at all but just let her leave and she left without saying anything else.

On her way back to the camp, all she thought of was James, she wished she'd know what was wrong with him. There may be those days where people are less happy and in a terrible mood, but still she wished she'd able to make the boy smile and brighten his day.

As she wondered while walking through the forest and she had just arrived the river. She couldn't help to think about the past week while she was under the poison and all the things she saw. All those nightmares and those horrible images.

Nightmares, fears and horrible past.

Dreamgiver makes you see things as I said, you see monsters, your fears and nightmares mainly, awful memories sometimes too, she recalled what Pan said.

All of them nightmares... except one. Mara was bewildered and at the same time, she felt stupid.

She went back to the meadow, back to James and she hurried.

The boy was still there, still practicing, Mara stood by for a moment as she was trying to figure out what to say. Why didn't James say anything? Why he never mentioned it? It's why he's been acting a bit distant.

She approached the boy and he heard her coming. He stopped, turned around and found her and watched her walking towards him. He looked confused. "Why didn't you say anything?" She asked, "I remember and I know it was real"

James turned guilty from confusion. He found no words to say, he merely glanced around as if to see if anyone was around. He looked at her again, shrugged weakly. "It's better to pretend that it didn't happened"

Mara's brows furrowed. "Is it? Because it seems to me it's not. What? You ashamed or something?"

"No" he sighed, "It's just... I'm... afraid. I never should've... I'm sorry"

"For what? For kissing me?"

He didn't respond for long seconds. "I never should've let it happen"

"And yet you did" she added, "... but I'm not sorry for it because it was... wonderful"

James said nothing again, he looked worried and rueful. He had a difficult moment to find words, to answer and to explain. "I can't" he shook his head, "I'm sorry, I can't... we can't. It's better to let this go, pretend it never happened before it gets complicated"

"I don't... understand" Mara was rather confused. "What are you afraid of, James?"

James picked up his cloak from the ground and his pouch, he glanced at her again with an apologetic look before responding, "Mostly of you"

Still she was confused, James's head lowered as he walked around her and he was leaving. Heading for the camp. Strange how she felt almost dizzy and there was a slight pain in her chest. Mara glanced back over her shoulder and watched James walking away, leaving her, she watched until he disappeared into the woods.

Then all there was was silence. Mara still stood in the middle of the meadow, feeling both confused and sad.

***

I like how the song "In My Veins" by Andrew Belle comes on after James said "Mostly of you" to Mara and it just made the moment sadder *L

I feel bad for writing this chapter to be honest, mostly feeling bad for James tbh...

Anyway, stay weird in school or collage, everyone ^_^