Into the Spotlight: A Little Mermaid Remix

Bonus: Pride Month Short

A/N: Hello readers! Happy Pride month! And I have a little surprise for you. Are you ready? Enjoy!

Ivy's POV first person (Ha! Boom! Didn't expect that did you?)

Some people have favorite colors, favorite foods, favorite numbers, and favorite songs.

I had a favorite shape. Until the day it became the bane of my existence.

I used to love cubes, or boxes if you will. The hard corners and sides were steadfast in a way my own mind did not seem to be.

Now my mind is the steadfast one, and the boxes are the flimsy ones. Every victory has a price, and the price I paid for my own self-discovery, was the loss of my favorite shape.

Because I realized the boxes I used to adore were a trap. An illusion of comfort. Something meant to contain me, mold me, to others' ideals.

...I've never fit in a box.

But I've been forced into one more times than I can count.

Even after I finally thought I had broken all of them, people just created more.

So I find it quite ironic, that I am currently sitting in the empty royals box above Kayden Kestral, watching him perform, of my own free will, as I wait for the love of my life to appear at my side with yet another important box in my hand.

Prince Liam decided he wanted to sit in the middle of the crowd, and his entire guard entourage followed him, so I was allowed to borrow my VIP seat. I think he hated being so far away from his Connected. Even though I can't see the prince from where I'm sitting, I know his eyes are probably half glazed over as he gives Kayden that look. The one that says he's absolutely enamored and there's no going back.

I'm glad he let me take his usual spot with no questions asked. It's nice up here... secluded.

Absolutely perfect for gathering my thoughts.

Which brings me to the other important box I'm holding. The box that arguably, contains one of the keys to my future happiness.

In case you're curious, it's an engagement ring.

But of course, I would never just propose to Lizzie without getting a feel for where her current mind is at. We may have been together for a while, and I may be a siren, but that does not mean I know everything that goes on in her head. Unfortunately, I'm not telepathic.

And after her response, I just feel even more stressed than before. Lizzie did not take the idea of a next step as well as I had hoped. In fact, she pretty much shut down.

I haven't really spoken to her since... two days ago. And it's really messing me up.

Granted, she didn't say no to my hopes for advances... just that she didn't know if she was ready. I respect that. I know that I have to give her space and time to think.

But it is so hard. Mostly because I just want to run up to her and throw myself at her.

But I can't do that. We can't always have everything we want.

I'm startled out of my thoughts when someone sits next to me. I jump and quickly hide the ring box in my pocket, looking to see who managed to sneak up on me.

It's Lizzie.

Her hair is black, and according to Kayden, that's really bad. It means she's severely stressed and in need of control over something. I can't help but feel guilty because I know it's all my fault. She would not be so stressed if I hadn't opened my big mouth and dumped so much on her.