The Mystic Hearts Series

Chapter 66- Kei

The 1st time I met him, it was in the most unexpected way.

1 summer day, as I was sitting on the little rock ledge I usually sit on, thinking, leaning against the rock cliff at the water's edge, I heard a loud woop from above, & instantly fell into the water, losing my balance in surprise. A moment later, I heard a second, louder splash that definitely wasn't me.

I raised my head up & saw the most gorgeous human boy I've ever seen. He looked about my age, curly black hair sopping wet & dark brown eyes blinking at me in surprise.

"Oh. I... didn't think there was anyone down here... Hi, dude..." He smiles awkwardly & I laugh nervously, very uncomfortable with him using the word 'dude', but choosing to ignore it for multiple reasons.

"Hi..." I sink lower down in the water, so it touches the middle of my chest, afraid this human boy will discover I'm a mermaid & freak. "What... are you doing here?"

He laughs nervously. "Well, I figured... I'd try the cliff jump... I hear all the guys are doing it lately. Jumping down from the top of the cliff into the water."

I raise an eyebrow suspiciously. "Isn't that a little... dangerous?"

He smiles crookedly. "That's kinda the point, I think."

I nod awkwardly. "Ah, well... I haven't seen anyone around here..."

He chuckles lightly. "What, do you come here all the time then?"

I blush slightly & flip my hair back. "Not all the time... You could say I was born in the water, haha..." Which wasn't entirely a lie, I guess.

He smiles brightly. "Ha, nice. I only just came here. From the city. My, uh... parents have a... beach house here..."

I smile crookedly, 1 eyebrow raised. "Ah, rich kid, eh?"

His face reddens slightly & he coughs nervously. "I guess... though I guess I've always thought of it as their money & not my own... They're great & all, but... I guess I just can't help feeling lost sometimes? Like I was meant to do more, ya know? Not that I'm ungrateful or anything... Just that I feel rather listless at the moment..."

I nod understandingly. "Mm, yeah, I get that..."

He smiles nervously. "But, what am I talking about my life plans for, with a complete stranger? I don't even know your name, man, haha..." He extends his hand awkwardly over the surface of the water & I shake it hesitantly. "Name's Amir. What's yours?"

I smile nervously, at 1st not sure what name to tell him. My birth 1 or the 1 I call myself in my head. I settle for a compromise. "Kei."

He cracks a smile. "'Key'? Like, for a door?"

I chuckle nervously. "I guess... But it's spelled K-E-I."

He smiles kindly. "Oh, ok. Cool, dude."

To explain what's going on here, the main character, her birth name's Kau'i, but she goes by Keilani in her head. But she was scared to admit that to Amir bc she's barely out to herself, let alone other people. So, she compromises by saying her name is Kei ("Key"). It's just the 1st 1/2 of her new name. Authentic to herself, but not revealing that she's a trans girl. Bc Kei is pt of her new name, but not super feminine sounding, so you don't really know she's a girl.

It's really awkward that Amir is misgendering her tho... I would feel super uncomfy if someone did that to me... I mean, several people already do, but that's mainly bc I'm not out to them... & what would Amir do if he did know, hm? I guess we'll just have to see...