Diary of a Mermaid

A whole new world

When we get back home, I go directly to my room, despite his room being right next to mine. I notice he silently follows me up and locks himself in his room.

I rip off my beautiful dress, throw on my cream-coloured nightgown, take my ElectroTablet off of my nightstand, and dive under the covers of the bed.

Then I do the thing that always makes me feel better.

I text Mummy.

Me: Mummy. I need you.

She texts back a minute later.

Mom: What's wrong???

Me: Everything

Mom: Can you be a little more specific?

Me: So you know who Theo Dannis is, right?

Mom: Yes, he's that lovely boy that I hired to protect you. He hasn't been getting romantic with you, has he? I specifically told him not to.

I drop the tablet. Mom made him do that?! What the heck! That's why he acted like that! He didn't want to make Mom mad!

Me: No, Mom. He hasn't. He's not allowed. The same way you're not allowed to text me again.

I go to settings and block her. I don't want to talk to her anymore. I rip off my hourglass necklace, breaking the chain, and whip it across the room.

Nemmy walks into the room singing. "A whole new woooooorld! That's where we'll be!" She doesn't know I'm here. She also doesn't know the rest of the song! "Ba da da daaaaaaaaaaaa! Ba da da daaaaaaaaaaaa! For you and-" She sees me. "Topaz?" she squeaks out.

"That was beautiful, Nems!" I croon.

She blushes. "Thank you," She studies me. "Do you want to play with me?"

I smile and hoist myself off my bed. "I'd love to."

We pretend we're superheroes, running around the second floor, fighting imaginary crime. I photograph Nemmy in her Wonder Woman costume, posing with her hands on her hips.

After two full hours of running around, we've skipped dinner and are exhausted. We're lying head to head on my bed and are panting. "It would be fun if we could be real superheroes." Nemmy says after a while.

"Yes, it would."

Then she curls up beside me and soon her breathing slows.

She's asleep.

I carefully carry her to her room and, in her sleep, change her into her nightgown, trying not to wake Angel, who's already asleep on the top bunk. Nemmy squirms a bit, but I tuck her in before she can wake up.