Neverland
That was it. The last day college is officially over. No more exams, no more classes, no more pacing aimlessly down numerous hallways every day. As I sit at the bar staring existentially into my third Martini, the realisation of having to settle for a 9-5 job with no relation to my dreams starts to hit. I just wish that I had a compass to guide me in the right direction.
I feel a rush of cold air hit my skin as a young boy no older than myself enters the bar and sits a couple of seats down from me. He orders himself a Metaxa and turns to face me.
“Peter” He introduces himself with a smile.
“Wendy” I reply shyly. He smiles softly at me as I turn back and sigh into my drink. Even a cute guy can’t distract me from the woes of my life. He takes a sip of his drink and shuffles into the seat next to mine.
“What’s on your mind? A beautiful girl like you should be out having fun, not sat alone at a bar” He asks in a soft voice.
I blush for a second. Did he just call me beautiful? I catch myself, remembering the question he asked.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I wouldn’t want to burden you with my problems anyway” I say avoiding eye contact with him.
“Go ahead. I want to hear about it.” He said, his voice a comforting sound to my restless mind.
I sigh and take a sip of my drink, caving in to his offer to talk. I tell him about my issues and how I feel that my life is already over and done with even though I’ve just left college. He sat silently and listened to me talk. After I finish talking we sit silently for a minute, with ‘Forever Young’ playing quietly throughout the bar, reminding me even more of how I feel.
“Runaway with me,” he says, finally breaking the silence.
“Excuse me?” I choke on my drink. “I hardly even know you, how can I just leave with you.”
“Runaway with me Wendy” He repeats, “Look I know it sounds crazy but we can get away from here, leave this town, start again and have a better life, a better reality. We can start a new life somewhere where people don’t know our names and life can seem simple again.”
I stare at him in silence, confused and startled at the sudden proposal he’s given to me. So many thoughts rush through my head. This could be a chance for me to start over somewhere new, away from everything I’ve outgrown in this town.
“At least think about it Wendy.” he says in a much calmer tone than before, “please”.
I stare into my drink one last time. I turn to him. “Let’s do it’ I say, smiling at him as I finish my drink. I feel the weight of the world drop off my shoulders and a new sense of freedom and adventure takes its place.
I take his hand and we disappear off into the night.
