Mo Ghile Mear

Let the Story Begin

*Seraphina's "Sera's" POV*

"That was not funny!" I shrieked furiously as I came back up from the shallow end of a small lake. Both Merry and Pippin were howling with laughter at the sight of me, drenched head-to-toe in water. They'd decided to play some sort of prank on me, shoving me into the little lake that was at my feet. I flinched as I moved my hair out of my face. I hated the heavy, damp feeling the water brought to my hair. I scowled at the prankster duo, who were still howling with laughter at the sight of me. "Okay, that's it! I'm going home! Right now!"

"Oh, come on, Sera!" whined Merry as the two boys began to follow me around like lost puppy dogs. "We were just having fun! And besides -- your face was priceless when you came back out of the water!"

Pippin snickered audibly, smirking.

I wheeled around to face the two of them, my face red with anger. I wouldn't be surprised if smoke came steaming from my ears.

"Oh, it's funny to you, but not for me!" I said with a low growl. "Ask Daisy to hang out with you next time! I'm done with this pranking!"

With that, I stormed up the dirt road, muttering incoherently to myself, shaking my head. Those two boys. . . . I don't understand why Daisy likes to hang out with them so much! Whenever I'd reached the gate to my little Hobbit hole, I muttered to myself again before wringing out my hair from the creek water, which fell into a puddle at my feet. I didn't notice that someone was watching me until I heard a voice.

"Whoa. Did you have an accident or something?" a male's voice called out, and I jumped about a foot in the air, shocked, at the speaker's voice. It was my next-door neighbor, Frodo Baggins. He had lived with his uncle, Bilbo Baggins since he was ten. Although we didn't know each other too well, he loved to tease me.

I scowled at him, my arms over my chest. He was leaning against the fence that blocked our path. His hands were resting on the bars. I could see him smirking slightly at me. My eyes trailed over to his lips before going back to his beautiful bright blue eyes.

"Haha," I said with great sarcasm, shaking my head. But my heart fluttered a little at his smile since he was still smirking at me. I ignored the blush that crept up my neck and onto my cheeks.

Damn, he has such a cute smile! I couldn't help but think to myself as my eyes strayed to the smirk on his lips. Stop it, Sera. Staring is rude, I scolded myself, shaking my head again to clear my thoughts. Okay, I'll admit it. Ever since he'd come to live with his uncle, I'd had the slightest crush on him. But I didn't think he'd like me back. I don't think he'll ever like me back. I wasn't concerned. There were other girls who were much prettier than I am, to say the least.

I felt my cheeks grow warm when he cleared his throat.

"What were you doing in the lake, anyway?" he asked, jolting me back to reality.

"Oh, you know how Merry and Pippin are," I said with a heavy sigh, rolling my eyes up to the heavens. Today, the sky was a clear, sapphire blue. Clouds dotted the sky here and there. Perfect for Frodo's uncle's birthday party. He was turning eleventy-one today. Beautiful. "They shoved me into the shallow end of the lake while we were outside. And now, thanks to them, I'm gonna have to take a shower before yours and Mr. Bilbo's birthday party."

Frodo chuckled, eyeing me again.

"Well, you better find some way to get revenge, Sera," he said, and I was startled that he knew my name. After all these years, I didn't think he'd know who I was, even though we've been next-door neighbors for a long time.

"Don't worry," I grumbled stubbornly. "I will . . . eventually."

He laughed again, sending shivers up my spine. I think I liked the feeling.