"Are you kidding me? You look absolutely fabulous!" Pauline shrieked.

Gwen adjusted the bodice of her green dress. After reaching home at well past midnight, then waking up at five to get her nails and hair done, Gwen did not feel so fabulous, she felt exhausted. Fortunately, Pauline's makeup skills did the trick to hide the bags.

She stared at her reflection. Her hair was in big, beautiful curls, with a simple braid encircling the top of her head. The small beads on her dress glittered under Pauline's bedroom lights, and the chiffon material hung perfectly on her body. She was looking great, she had to admit, but not feeling great.

She just was not hyped for prom like all the other girls, but she knew the Gwen from months ago would have been. However, after all that had happened, she was just troubled and frustrated. Gwen had not seen Peter Pan for two days, and ever since her trip to London, her mind was in turmoil. She wanted to help him; she wanted to track down Gregory Skul. But how?

Pauline squeezed her shoulders and shook them. "Loosen up, Gwen!"

"Can you just stop fretting for one night?"

She sighed to herself. Pauline was right. She should just let it all go for a night. She picked up her purse and turned to Pauline. "Okay. Let's do this," she said before Pauline squeezed her in a hug.

After a ton of photo-taking, they made it to the school gymnasium. Colourful lights blared from the dark gymnasium, casting a party glow across the hallways. Colourfully dressed boys and girls filled the large room, most of them celebrating their final day as a student, others on the extreme end of bored to death.

Pauline was greeted by Alfie who was waiting for her. Being the student body president, he could not pick her up from her house, as he had errands to run for the party. Thank goodness for that, or else Gwen would have had to come to prom alone.

Not that she would have to if she had just accepted one of the few boys' invitation to be their date.

Maybe she was just cocky.

Or was it something else?

Gwen slipped to the food and beverages array and made her way to the punch bowl. Pouring herself a cup, she brought it close to her mouth before the smell of alcohol tickled her nose. She shook her head; someone must have tipped a bottle of vodka into the punch bowl. Gwen was not planning on getting drunk tonight, hence one glass would do.

Music blared from the speakers, some tunes slow, in which she would stand on the sidelines and politely decline dance invites, some were bops, in which Pauline would drag her onto the dance floor and conveniently ignore her date. After a few heel-aching dancing and snacking, Gwen was back to sitting at a table sipping on her Coke, the punch carefully avoided.

Unexpectedly, someone came by and took a seat beside her. It was Timothy Cooper, one of the six guys that had asked her out and got rejected. Now here she was without a date.

Awkward much.

"I thought you'd be coming with someone else," Timothy said exactly what she expected.

"I... No. I just decided not to go with anyone..." Gwen somehow replied.

He eyed her curiously, "Are you seeing someone?"

Gwen cursed herself for hesitating two seconds too long, "N-No," she said shaking her head vigorously.

Timothy did not look convinced, 'Seems like it... Then why didn't you just invite him to prom?"

Gwen was dumbfounded, she did not know whether to laugh or just slap herself so hard, "You... Don't understand... It's-"

"Complicated?" Timothy continued for her.

Complicated? He had no idea.

"But you have feelings for him don't you?" Timothy asked, so casually, he did not notice Gwen's heart stop, skip multiple beats, and her brain freeze.

Feelings for him? Her mind was not responding properly, as if his words severed her nerve endings. She was trying to help him... Not... Fall in-

She banished the thought from her head before the words even formed. Impossible.

She was getting flustered and confused all at once. She stood up. "Sorry, Tim. I need to get some fresh air. See you," she said hastily, before exiting through the back door of the gymnasium into the field.

She took a deep breath. The summer air tingled against her skin. Not too cold, not too warm. She walked along the edges of the empty field and sat at the corner most bleacher. Her mind was still in a frenzy, but calm enough to recollect her thoughts. She stared up at the sky, it was clear today, stars speckled the dark canvas.

She heard a rustling and whipped her head to the thicket of trees surrounding a portion of the field. The trees closest to her were disturbed by what she knew was not an animal. She hopped off the bleachers and made her way to the trees, she could not ignore the beating of her heart in what she thought was anticipation.

The next second, a squirrel burst out of the trees, making her jump and slam into someone behind her.

"Relax, it's just a squirrel," said the man behind her.

"Peter!" she exclaimed turning around, stumbling as her pencil heel dug into the ground. Peter grabbed hold of her forearm and steadied her. They stood there for a second, Gwen unable to think of words. His eyes trailed down to her dress; she could not help but feel embarrassed.

"Didn't think you had it in you to get all glammed up, Wendy," he said with an amused smirk.

"What's that supposed to mean? I dress ugly all the time?" she retorted. He merely laughed. Gwen clenched her fists as she felt a tickling sensation in her gut, hearing him laugh.

"Were you bored while I was gone?" Gwen asked. He tilted his head.

"Deathly bored," he said, his signature mischievous smile appeared on his face. He slung an arm around her waist and pulled her towards him. Gwen's heart started beating a thousand miles per hour.

"How about a dance with the devil?" he said. Gwen widened her eyes at the insinuation. He chuckled again. "I meant just a dance, Wendy," he said. Gwen's face turned red up to her ears.

She turned her face away and muttered, "Fine. But there's no music."

"Didn't think you'd agree," he said, Gwen just shook her head in frustration. Surprising her more than once already on the same night, Peter pulled out a smartphone from his pocket.

"You... Have a phone?" Gwen questioned, dumbfounded. He gave her a look.

"It's the 21st century, of course I have a phone," he replied, scrolling down what she assumed would be a playlist of songs.

"But isn't it risky, I mean people can track you down... You're a criminal," she said.

And here she was dancing with a criminal. The world is a mess.

He tapped on a song Gwen was not familiar with and slipped his phone back into his pocket. "Wendy, do you really think I'm dumb enough to have a traceable phone?" She did not answer the question. His thought process was always a mile of ahead of hers.

She slung both her arms around his neck and noticed him flinch. He always did whenever she touched him. The music played, and they swayed along to it. She was dancing with Peter Pan. She officially lost it.

"Funny how you decided to wear green," he murmured as she felt his hands caress her waist. She shivered at the touch.

"I don't... know. It was the only one that suited me," she murmured back. Gwen realised staring into his eyes was a trap. Once in, she could not escape. The eyes that hid so much, yet said so much. The unbearable heat formed within them, his woody scent lingered in the air. It was hard to deny the attraction. Gwen could not help it.

Timothy's words replayed in her head. "But you have feelings for him, don't you?"

"No you don't, Wendy," Peter said, as if he read her mind. His expression had changed. It was not playful. He trailed his hand to her neck, stroking it, eliciting shudders from her.

"What you are feeling... Is merely lust," he whispered.

She did not realise how close they were and how his touch made her so breathless. Was it just lust?

"Then, do you feel the same?" she said in a breathy whisper. He stared at her in silence, his icy gaze penetrating.

"I feel nothing."

Gwen shook her head, "That's not true," she said as she moved her hand from his neck to rest on his cold cheek. He flinched again. "Then why do you pull away?" she said.

She let the warmth of her palms seep into his skin and noticed him turn less tense under her touch. "You can't keep thinking I'm the only one getting affected. I know you are too," she whispered.

As if she had peeled a layer off, he suddenly looked vulnerable. The hard emotionless front was gone, and it revealed his aggravated self. He looked done, so done with everything, done fighting it. Exhausted.

Gwen felt a lump in her throat. He had been through so much and now she knew just what. He was not a criminal; he was a victim, and right at that moment, she knew he needed comfort. Something she doubted he had all these years.

She leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his lips. She never thought she would have the guts to do just that, but she stopped questioning and let her instincts take over. The gentleness of her kiss made his eyes waver even more. He was inching more into vulnerability. The second time their lips met, it was mutual. It was so gentle, unlike their previous desire-driven kisses. It felt like something had changed between them. Something had been unleashed, and there was no going back.

When they pulled away, Gwen was breathless. She leaned against his chest, resting in their embrace. "Peter... I know. I know what happened to you..." she said.

As if the words had triggered a bitter memory, Peter pulled away. Fear laced his eyes.

"Peter, wait!" Gwen cried, holding his hand. The warmth of hers made him pause. She tightened her hold.

"You know nothing. You're just like them," he said, he sounded pained. The way he said those words hurt her. He ripped himself out of her handhold and left. Leaving Gwen on the barren field, all alone.

But little did she know; she was not.

----------------------

Pauline stepped out into the grassy field, in search of Gwen, since she disappeared from the party. She was quick to spot Gwen on the far end of the field.

Only she was not alone.

Pauline froze in her tracks. Gwen had her arms around an unknown guy. Pauline walked to the bleachers and hid behind them. She was in deep conversation; they were standing so close to each other. Then the next moment, Gwen leaned forward and kissed him.

Pauline was flabbergasted. Who the heck was this guy?! Gwen was going around kissing boys and she had no idea. What's worse, he kissed her back!

Gwen would never not tell her something this crucial. Why would she be keeping it a secret? To date, there was only one thing she kept from her.

Unless...

Pauline's heart stopped in her chest. Fear gripped her gut.

It was him.

The killer.

Pauline did not want to believe what her eyes beheld. She did not want to fathom it. This was why Gwen was so worried and confused. It made her feel sick to the stomach. This was not right.

She stayed behind the bleachers until he finally left. Gwen looked sad, she tried to stop him from leaving, but he left her behind anyway.

Pauline walked back to the gymnasium. She knew better than to confront Gwen then and there.

Oh Gwen, just what have you gotten yourself into?

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A/N: Hey lost boys! Here's a long chapter for you guys! Hit that vote icon and comment.