Bubbles into Waves

Fish out of water

Zane and I exit the theatre after watching thirty days of Love. I say "I hate rom-com." Zane laughs and says "You are the only girl I have ever met who hates chick flicks." I laugh and say "What? The girls are delusional in it. and the boys are just straight-up idiots." he shakes his head and puts his arm around me. I smile up at him and say "But I enjoyed watching it with you." he says "Oh really? so, this date wasn't an awful idea?" I scoff and say "Shut up." and we walk out of the theatre.

~

at school, I walk up to Cleo, Emma, Rikki, Roman, and Lewis. I say "Hey, guys." no one says anything. I ask "What? Did someone die?" Emma says "We were just talking about movies." they are all looking at me weirdly. I nod and say "Okay..." I notice Lewis and Roman looking at me very hard. I ask "What are you looking at? Do you like the way your face looks? Cause I can change it if you don't stop." they both quickly look away. Lewis asks "You haven't been choking recently, have you?" I ask confused "What?" Cleo scolds "Lewis!" Lewis says "Sorry." Cleo asks "We were just wondering if "thirty days of love." was worth seeing." Emma says "I hear it's a romance movie." Rikki says "Do you like Romance movies?" I say "Nope, they're stupid." Roman says "You sure?" I say "Yeah, I am. well, we better get moving, if we don't want to be late." I start to walk to class. As we walk to class Lewis bumps into Zane. Zane says to him "Hey, watch it. I don't want to catch anything off you." Lewis retorts "Uh, like intelligence?" Zane says "oh, nice comeback, Lewis. I'm crushed, totally crushed." Zane leaves and Cleo says "What a loser." Emma says "Waste of space." Rikki says "Total pig." I say nothing and continue to walk ahead. 

~

after school, Zane and I went to the mall. Zane says "Maybe mermaids are obliged to save people, the same as doctors." I say "Zane... you promised." he says "You're right. sorry. I won't mention it again. but we should go out sometime and look for her." I say "I can't Zane. The ocean and me? We don't get along." he says and says "Okay..." then I look in a window and see a beautiful red dress. I say "Hey, look at that dress. It's gorgeous. don't you think?" he looks at me and says "I didn't think you wore dresses like that." I shove his shoulder and say "Zane, I'm still a girl. I like dresses just only on special occasions." he says "So try it on." I look at the price tag and sigh and say "No way. I could never afford a dress like that." my phone goes off so I check the caller ID and it's Emma. I step away and say "Hey, Em." she says "Rikki, Cleo, and I need to talk to you. meet at the moonpool?" I say "Sure, I'll see you soon." 

~

I meet the girls at the moon pool. When I enter the Moonpool, Rikki, Emma, and Cleo are dry and standing around the pool. I look at them confused as to what's going on.  I ask "So, what's up?" Emma says "We know about you and Zane." Rikki says "We saw you at the movies." realizing that's why everyone was so weird today. I ask "That's what was so important? that's what you dragged me out here for? just to tell me that you guys know?" Emma says "There's no use trying to deny it." I say "I'm not denying it." Rikki asks "Why didn't you tell us?" I say "I was gonna tell you when I thought you guys were ready and mature enough to handle it." Cleo says "Friends don't keep secrets like that from one another." I say "Well, I do. you guys don't need to know the innermost workings of my life. it's my life, and I'll do what I want with it!" Rikki looks at me with understanding while Emma continues to glare and Cleo looks indifferent. I add "I don't see what the drama is about?" Cleo adds "He's practically hunting us, Madi." Emma says "Actually it's me he's hunting. because of you. I'm the idiot who saved him." I scoff annoyed. I say annoyed "Okay, first, Emma back off with your holier-than-thou attitude. and second, you guys are underestimating Zane. That whole obnoxious, I'm Better than you attitude is just a front. most of the time. he builds this wall to keep people away." Emma says "Zane's going to keep looking for his mermaid. you going out with him is going to bring him closer to us. especially you, Madi." I say pissed "Thanks. so, not only am I stupid, but I'm just as bad as Zane." Emma says "Please. Madi. we've all got to make sacrifices." Rikki says "I agree with Emma." Emma adds "it's too dangerous for you to keep seeing Zane." I say "So, we all make sacrifices but only mine has to do with my love life? I don't interfere with your lives. stay out of mine! maybe you guys could even try trusting me. just a little, as I have done with all of you!" Emma says "It's Zane we don't trust. it's up to you, to make a decision." I ask extremely angrily "Between you three and Zane!" Cleo says "We can't let Zane get to us, Madi."Rikki says "Cleo's right, Madi." I beg with tears in my eyes "Don't make me do this, please." Emma gives the ultimatum "We're your friends and you need to make a choice." I say "I thought you were my friends. friends don't give each other ultimatums." I back up and swim away as I start to cry.