The fourth mermaid

Pool party

"Kya!" Sophia screamed as she entered the bathtub "my legs, they're gone" she said staring at the tail "is something wrong miss Sophia?" An attendant asked knocking on the door "ah, yes I'm fine I just slipped but I'm okay now" she reassured.

"I was slimy" Soph complained as she entered Cleo house "it was orange and covered with scales" Cleo said closing the door after the other girls entered "the minute I hit water I-" Emma said before got interrupted by Rikki "I was in water for a second" Rikki said as the girls started complaining "are you sure no one's here?" Soph asked sitting on the couch "my dads at work and my little sister and mom are out shopping" Cleo said.

"Okay what happened to us?" Emma asked "about ten seconds after we touch water we grow these" Rikki said trying to explain "and it vanishes when we're dry" Cleo said as the other girls agreed "the tails are exactly like...we look like mermaids" Emma and Rikki said "not funny mermaids aren't real, it's just too weird" Emma said "then we better come up with a name for whatever we are cause I refuse to be a fish" Soph said shivering at the thought before they heard a knock on the door.

"I forgot Lewis is coming to help me with biology" Cleo said walking towards the opening door "oh, did I get the time wrong?" Lewis asked "no we said nine, something came up that's all" Cleo said following after him "are these filled with walnuts?" Soph asked as she ate a small plate of nuts that sat in front of her "yes that are" Cleo said walking past them "whoops" Soph said digging inside her bag and taking out an "something the matter?" Emma asked "I just have a strong allergy to walnuts and a few other things" she said taking out her EpiPen.

"Lewis, your smart do you know anything about mermaids?" Cleo asked walking the teen boy to the door "no, not really" Lewis replied confused at the question before the girl showed him out the door "what?" Cleo asked as the girls walked up to her "do you know anything about mermaids' are you crazy?" Rikki mimicked "Cleo if anyone found out about this we'll be in big trouble, we don't know how and we don't know why" Emma said "well there is a way for us to find out more, go back in the water" Rikki suggested.

"No" Soph said from the seat "we'll I'm going I just don't think I should go alone" Rikki said "I don't know about you, but no anyways I'm going to need to buy a new phone" Soph said packing her bag, "there's absolutely no way I'm gonna go swim with fishes" she said stepping off the porch.

"Hey cutie" a guy holding a surfboard called as Sophia walked down the beach "huh?" She said confused as the guy ran towards her "why don't you get in the water with my friends and I, I'm sure it'll be fun" the guy suggested flaunting his wet muscles "ah sorry I can't, excuse me" Sophia said walking away "yo what's with the snobby chick?" He asked watching her walk away.

"Cool, Emma get another glass of water I wanna try" Soph said after the blond froze two glasses of water "I won't say cool is the right word but you should have seen the look on Zane face" Cleo said as the girls giggled "this isn't funny, we've got to keep this a secret from everyone" Emma warned "I guess your right anyways where's the glass" Soph asked touching the ice "I'll go get a glass" Emma said exiting the room.

Next few days

"All done with my makeup, alls left is the setting spray" Soph said shaking the bottle in her hand "Sophia come on we're gonna be late for school, not that I care or anything" Zane said banging on her room door "urg, I'm coming" Soph said carrying her school bag and heading out the door only to turn into a mermaid "what was that?" Zane asked hearing a flop sound "nothing, I'll take another car to school!" Soph said letting out a sigh as she reached for a towel.

"This is a catastrophe of the highest order, moisturizer is mainly water" Cleo said exiting her bathroom with a lotion bottle in hand "if dolphins can swim for miles so can we" Rikki said "that is not our problem right now, I can't but on simple setting spray or liquid makeup without turning into a fish" Sophia said twirling around on the chair "we can't moisturize ever again our skin will be dry and wrinkly we'll be geriatrics by the time we're 21" Cleo complained.

"I missed training today, first time in six years" Emma blurted out "see, see how bad this is, we have to tell someone; our parents a doctor, the police..." Cleo suggested "and then end up in mermaid in a lap with moisturized skin? Forget it" Rikki butter in "Rikki's right, we can't tell anyone not even our parents" Emma said "it's not like I tell my parents anything so I'm good" Soph said laughing.

"Party time people, in honor of our very own surfing God the beautiful Byron for winning his special prize" a girl in a pink shirt said handing out flyers to the students "Byron?" Sophia asked as she closed her locker "he's a surfer probably the best in our class, no wait there's Justin" Emma explained as the girl past by them "I heard your Zane's cousin, I'll invite you because I like your dress style, my names Miriam by the way" Miriam said handing Sophia a flyer "now don't forget girls, bring your best bikinis it's a pool party" Miriam said walking away.

"Are you going to Miriam's party?" Rikki asked as Cleo whined about them not attending the party "never really planned on it" Sophia said kicking a ball back to its owner  "I think we should go, for Byron not for Miriam, surfing is just like swimming it takes a lot of hard work, he needs to know everyone is supporting him" Emma said with a smile "you like Byron don't you?" Sophia asked giggling "no" "well you sound like an ad for breakfast cereal" Rikki said "well if we learn more about what happens to us we might be able to control it and be able to go to the party" Emma said.

"What's to learn, we touch water and 10 seconds later we grow tails" Rikki pointed out "maybe it's about developing some discipline, exercising some control" Emma suggested "I do exercise control, it takes a lot of control not to beat Zane into a pulp" Sophia said as Riki laughed "that's perfect, that's great, control then we go to the party, I'll call Lewis and tell him" Cleo said taking out her phone.

"You do realize you have to get in the water right?" Rikki asked pointing at the water "no way, forget it" Cleo said putting her phone away as Sophia laughed while they walked towards the beach.

"Come on Cleo it's not that deep here" Sophia said from on top of a rock as her friends tried convincing Cleo "don't think your an exception Soph, take off your clothes and get in" Emma said climbing up to her "huh? No" Sophia said getting down "please" Rikki pleaded "what do I get in return?" Sophia asked taking off her shoes "sigh, what would you like?" Emma asked crossing her hand.

"I want my old phone back, you two would follow me someday to where the Zodiac stopped the other day and we'll look for my phone, and you'll also help me with my fear of...sea creatures" Sophia said taking off her shirt "that's surprising easy sure, let's go" Rikki said as they walked towards the water.

To be continued.