Off to Neverland

Off to Neverland (10)

Ever since my father had married Claudia, I never felt special or unique. When my mom was alive and well, she and my dad would make me feel like I was a princess. But after she died, my dad had to work a little more, but he still made me feel special. But after he married Claudia and she and Cassidy had moved in, I barely ever saw him anymore and Claudia and Cassidy made me feel anything but special.

I missed feeling like a princess sometimes, which was one of my biggest secrets that I never wanted to tell. I was tough and terrifying Ivy who wasn't afraid to get in a fight with anyone, and no one could know that I really just wanted to be mommy and daddy's little princess.

But that was something that I knew I could never happen again, and I had to accept that fact and just move on with my life.

But right then, I did feel a little special. And I was surprised that it wasn't because of my dad or any of my friends or family, but it was because of Jack.

He was supposed to be a womanizer? I highly doubted that it was true. He was way too sweet to be someone who just uses girls...

But I couldn't believe that I was really where I was with Jack! Why would he want to go anywhere, especially in public, with someone like me? Oh, my gosh... I don't even sound like myself anymore... I sounded like Cassidy!

Boy, was that scary...

"Are you okay?" Jack asked me, and I blinked rapidly as I saw a hand waving in front of my face. "You kind of zoned out for a second."

I continued to blink, surprised that he had caught me staring at him. But then again, I was sure that it was kind of obvious since we were sitting across from each other in a booth...

Jack had actually taken me out to dinner. It wasn't anything really fancy, but it definitely wasn't a place that I could afford. In my mind I was definitely calling it a date... Even if he didn't consider it to be one, I did. I was just happy that he was okay with being seen in public with me. That was all that really mattered to me...

"I'm fine," I answered, taking a sip of my water nervously. I didn't want him to think I was some sort of creep... "I'm just fine..."

"Do you mind telling me a little more about your family?" he asked me after I had placed my class of water back onto the table as we continued to wait for our food. "I understand if you don't want to. I hope you don't think I'm being too pushy or anything..."

"No, I don't think you're being too pushy," I assured him quickly, a little too fast to sound like a normal person. "Actually, I was kind of expecting that you'd ask..."

"Well," Jack began, looking down at the table now. "I was just wondering if you're step-mom and step-sister are always abusive toward you..."

"They're just angry that I got into Neverland Academy and my step-sister Cassidy didn't," I informed him with a sigh, rubbing one of the cuts I had on my cheek from Cassidy's blow. "Claudia, my step-mother, only slapped me because Cassidy made it look like I hurt her."

"So they don't hit you a lot?" Jack made sure to ask.

I nodded quickly, not wanting him to think that I got abused at home or anything. "Sometimes Claudia will grab me or something, but nothing like this has ever happened before. They just wanted Cassidy to go to Neverland really badly, so they were just angry with me."

"Are they usually nice to you?"

I let out a bark of laughter, causing a couple from the table next to us to look over and give us a look. Jack and I both ignored it as I said, "Definitely not."

Jack blinked, obviously waiting for me to continue on.

"Claudia makes me look like a huge bitch to my dad," I explained, playing with the straw that I had just put into my glass of water. "She always makes it look like I'm the bad guy who starts it all. She just wanted me out of the house, which is why I stay at a dorm at Neverland even though my house is twenty minutes away."