I'm a Mermaid, Not a Merman

Chapter 15

Dani steeled herself as she heard Xander walk into the house. Him and Sammy said some stuff about the heat, but then their small talk faded as soon as they walked into the living room.

Xander's mouth gaped open. "Waa.... Danny?"

Dani made slight eye contact with him, blushing heavily. "I thought...," Dani said to Sammy, "that you'd told him."

"Kinda slipped my mind," Sammy shrugged. "Or maybe I enjoy seeing people's reactions."

"I... uh," Xander put his hand through his hair, "I mean, I knew that your brother was having... issues. But... so I guess you're like, identifying as girl?"

"Yeah," Dani said. "And you can still call me Dani... just now it's D-A-N-I, short for Danielle."

"So you just kind of... went for it?" he asked, "like you already had the stuff going on... sorry if I'm being offensive or anything..."

"It's fine," Dani said, feeling a little more calm, "and you're not. Yeah. But I... I've always been a more sort of feminine person... and I finally decided that I wanted to accept what was happening to me."

"Well...," Xander said, "you at least seem in a better mood than the last time I saw you. Seriously Sammy why didn't you mention this to me - like two weeks ago?"

"Because she's only just come out in the past two weeks," Sammy said. "But we all knew it was going to happen sooner or later."

"Stop saying things like that," Dani complained. 

"Whatever," Sammy said, "you have nothing to complain about. You're a cute girl and most people assumed that before you came out."

"I um... I will say," Xander said hesitantly, "that the first time I met you... I was... unsure."

"Okay," Dani stood up, "can we please go. I'm a girl now. That's the end of it."

Xander stood dumbfounded as Dani walked past him out the door. He ran to catch up to her.

"I'm just... really surprised," Xander said. "So were you just hiding it this whole time, or..."

"I... well it's complicated."

Xander opened the front door of his car for Sammy to get in, and then opened the back for Dani. She sat down, thinking about if she should sit in the middle seat to be next to Liam... she wanted to be right up next to him. She was getting deeper and deeper...

"I've just been confused," Xander said as he started to drive, "because you've always seemed really... well, not happy about the situation."

"I wasn't," Dani said. "but slowly, I started accepting more and more... and realizing that I actually liked being a girl."

"Well," Xander said, "good to hear you won't be a sourpuss anymore."

"Ugh," Dani groaned, "the two of you always have to end something nice with a veiled insult don't you?"

The two of them laughed. "We enjoy speaking our minds," Sammy said.

"But wait," Xander said, "so... you've come out as a trans girl... and that means you're also..."

"Yes," Dani sighed, "I am going out with a guy tonight."

"She is obsessed with him," Sammy said.

Dani kicked Sammy's chair, but it didn't seem to do anything. "I am not."

"You talk about him all the time," Sammy said, "from saying something funny he said, to talking about something cool about him, to saying something you want to do with him..."

Dani dropped her head back against her seat, and shut her eyes.

"But it is absolutely adorable," Sammy laughed, "You know what we need to do before we go to Disneyland? We need to invite him and his sister over for dinner or something."

Dani shook. "I... I'm not sure about that."

"Why not?"

"I just... I dunno."

"Are you embarrassed by him or something?" Sammy asked. "I mean the guy is obsessed with swimming in a merman tail."

"No it's -"

"Wait what?" Xander laughed, "seriously? What on..."

"Stop making fun of my - making fun of him," Dani said. "Yeah, we both like doing that, but -"

"Wait so you actually do that?" Xander said, "like you dress up as a mermaid and swim around?"

Dani huffed in annoyance. "Yes. It's fun."

"Okay...."

"Anyway, Liam is a cool guy. He's really funny, and we have a lot of common interests."

"I'd say," Xander said, "finding that common interest is one in a million."

"Oh stop bothering her," Sammy elbowed him, "I've got crazy respect for the dude honestly, that he just doesn't care that people think he's weird."

"I... I wouldn't say that," Dani said. "He talks about with some people openly - but please Xander, if you make fun of him, I'll throw a bowling ball at you."

"Ouch."

"But anyway," Sammy said, "why do you not want him and his sister to just come over for dinner?"

"Well," Dani shifted around, "I... isn't that the kind of thing you do... later on?"

"I don't think it matters necessarily... wait. Oh, I understand."

"Understand what?"

"So you've gushed about him and stuff, especially in front of me," Sammy said, "but you're afraid of just openly liking him in front of our family."

Dani sighed. "Yeah, whatever."

"Look Dani, it's not like you ever showed a strong inclination towards girls before. It's not like this will be jarring for them."

"I know... it's just... ugh."

"It's also just," Sammy said, "we see you as a girl. And we kind of have for a long time. It's not jarring to us to see you with a boy. We're joking around and stuff, but really, I'm super happy that you not only found friends but someone that you like. I know that Mom and Dad feel just as happy for you."

"Okay."

"Alright then," Sammy said, "be prepared for me to invite him over."

"Wait what?"

"Are you thinking on autopilot?" Sammy asked. "I said I wanted to do that, so I'm gonna."

"AUUuuugghhhh."

"It'll be fine," Sammy said. "For now, just focus on having a good time. All you have to do is go there, and have fun."

Dani stayed silent for the rest of the drive to Liam's house. When they got there, Dani had the realization that she'd have to knock on Liam's door. Or should she text him and ask him to -

"Just go up to the door," Sammy chuckled.

Dani got out, and walked up to the door. Quickly after ringing, Liam emerged. It struck Dani immediately that he had shaved very well, put something in his hair, was wearing a nicer looking shirt...

But Dani herself had also tried to look nice. Since they were bowling, she sadly hadn't been able to wear her skirt, but she had shaven her arms and legs for the first time. It felt really, really nice.

In this moment though, she found herself just staring at Liam. 

"You look nice," she said simply.

"You too," he smiled.

He offered his hand. She took it. He walked her to the car, and then he took the burden of riding the hump in the middle.

"Hello," Sammy said as Dani closed the car door.

"Hi," Liam said, "You must be Sammy."

"Yep, and this is Xander."

"Hey mermaid boy."

Liam glanced back and forth nervously.

"Stop bugging him," Dani said. "I think it's cute."

Sammy immediately turned her head and made a big grin - which Dani ignored. 

"Xander is just jealous because he wants to dress up as a merman too," Sammy joked.

"What," Xander said, "no I don't."

"If you ever want to give it a try," Liam laughed, seeming to relax, "you're more than welcome."

"I actually would love to come over sometime," Sammy said.

Dani had given Sammy a chance to try wearing her mermaid tail - and Sammy had obviously been enamored with it.

"We'd love to have another mermaid," Liam said. 

Dani was sure that Sammy was going to then invite Liam to their house, but it went unsaid for now.

"So Liam," Xander said, "what does the merman do when he's on land?"

Liam laughed nervously. "I like outdoors stuff. My family is going backpacking in a month."

"You into gaming at all?" Xander asked.

"Eh, I jump around with it," Liam said, "play whatever piques my interest."

"Who do you main in Super Smash Bros?" Xander asked.

Dani rolled her eyes. An obvious question from Xander.

"Young Link," Liam said.

"Hmmm."

"Xander is obsessed with it," Dani chimed in. "He only cares about what characters rank higher and stuff."

"Ugh," Liam laughed. "You play as Ness or something don't you?"

"I feel personally attacked," Xander said flatly.

They all laughed, and slowly they got into a more natural conversation. And Dani could just sit back, and focus on being next to Liam.

And surprisingly, that's how the rest of the date went. They talked, Xander and Sammy got really competitive, and they had fun. Dani had feared that Xander immediately teasing Liam would make things uncomfortable, but it seemed that once Liam got comfortable around him and Sammy, he got a lot more extroverted.

They got ice cream afterward, and that's when Sammy invited Liam and Lucy to come over. At that point, Dani had relaxed, and it wasn't as big a deal. But in a way it was. It was another step. 

Dani had assumed that Xander was going to drop Dani and Sammy off, and then take Liam home, but Xander wanted to hang out with Sammy some more, so they stopped by Liam's house.

Dani began to tremble slightly as she held Liam's hand, walking up to his porch. 

"I had a good time," he said.

"Yeah," Dani smiled. "I... I can't wait to do something again after our trip."

Liam looked stunned for a second, and then a pleasant smile grew on his face. "Well, I will be coming over tomorrow."

"Yeah," Dani said, "Just... yeah. I... enjoyed it."

They looked into each others' eyes. Dani felt once again, the reminder that she was attracted to him.

"Is it okay if I kiss you?"

Dani was surprised that he'd just asked - but also kind of relieved that he hadn't tried to surprise her. "Yes."

They kissed. This time, it was not short. They both obviously were unexperienced. But a few moments passed, when Liam seemed to be gauging the situation - and neither of them pulled away.

Dani decided to hug him. Close. She felt her breasts press against his chest. By the time they ended, it had become wonderful.

Dani felt her eyes watering. There was no point in hiding from it anymore. She was in love.

"Thank you," Dani quietly said. "You're the best boyfriend ever."

He gave her another brief kiss.

"And... you're a great girlfriend," he said.

Dani felt a fire in his chest. They were officially a couple. It was amazing.

"See you tomorrow," she said. She gave him a peck on the cheek.

"See ya...," he smiled as he went inside.

All of Dani's fears about this had slipped away. She was in love with a boy. A cute boy, that also liked merpeople. She actually felt excited for the future.

She felt hope.