Sea Of Secrets

10

Suddenly, a loud bang reverberated through the house, jolting both Tony and Galine. Tony sprang to his feet and swiftly shut his door, while Galine hastily wiped away her tears.

"Tony? I'm back. Sorry I wasn't here this morning," a familiar voice resonated through the house.

Tony sighed in relief, wiping the tears from his cheeks. "Fletch?"

"Where are you? Are you here?" Fletcher called through the house, wandering and searching for his friend.

"I'm coming," Tony grabbed the doorhandle hesitantly. "Stay here, Galine."

Galine nodded, resting on his bed slowly.

Tony opened his door, recognising his friend who was searching the house. "Fletch, I'm here," he said slowly. "Sorry, I had to take care of something."

"Oh. There you are. I thought you would've been down at the beach."

"No, I have a few days off," Tony explained. "Where have you been? I was looking for you this morning. Thought you'd want to go for a surf."

"Sorry, man, I got caught up last night at the bar. Met this girl there. Thankfully, she was not a siren this time," Fletcher laughed uncomfortably.

"That's good," Tony sighed dejectedly.

Fletcher's smile suddenly fell. "Are you okay, Tone? You look like you've been crying," he stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on Tony's shoulder.

"What? No," Tony lied, then noticed the unamused expression on Fletcher's face. "Okay, fine. But I'm fine. I just had that bad dream again and had to talk to someone."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I should've been here," Fletcher paused in realisation. "Talk to someone? Who's here?"

Tony's lips curled into a small smile. "Galine."

"Who's Galine? A new girl?" Fletcher smirked.

"No, the mermaid. She's back. She captured the siren. She's here now."

Fletcher noticed the smile that had crossed Tony's face. "You like her, huh? I knew it."

"I do. Just... it'll be hard to get close to her. You know how I am."

"Nothing a bit of hard work can't fix, my friend," Fletcher threw an arm around his friend affectionately, a huge smile on his face. "Any advice you need, I'm your man."

"Thanks, bud," Tony muttered. "You two haven't officially met yet, have you?"

"No. We met when I was mad at her. You know, when the spell broke my window? But... I do remember her name now."

"Come meet her," Tony led Fletcher to his bedroom quietly, in case Galine was asleep inside.

*

Meanwhile, as Galine wandered inside Tony's room, she couldn't help but admire the small items meticulously arranged on his shelves and floor. Despite her familiarity with most of them, they still managed to captivate her. Interestingly, some of these items were recognisable to her from the ocean, such as shark teeth, shells, and fossilised fish bones.

As she perused the items on his shelf, her eyes were drawn to a petite photo frame. Curiosity piqued, she delicately removed it from its resting place, taken aback by its heft. Upon closer inspection, she recognised a youthful Tony, flanked by two unfamiliar faces. All three were beaming, with Tony boasting a colossal, ivory surfboard.

Galine presumed that the two individuals captured in the photograph were Tony's parents. They bore a striking resemblance to him, with their tall, slim, tanned frames and dark hair. Initially, Galine couldn't help but smile at the evident happiness radiating from the picture. However, the recollection of Tony's heart-wrenching revelations soon flooded her mind, causing her to feel overwhelmed. She couldn't shake off the memory of how Tony had confided in her about their constant arguments and eventual passing. The pain in his eyes as he shared his story with her was still fresh in her mind, and it was enough to bring tears to her eyes once again.

As tears streamed down her face, a soft knock interrupted her thoughts. Hastily and silently, she replaced the photo to its original position, wiping away her tears as she turned towards the door.

"Galine? You okay in there?" Tony's gentle voice called in.

"Yes," Galine called, managing to hide the uneasiness in her voice.

"I have Fletcher here with me. Would you like to meet him?"

Galine let out a faint sniffle before resting on Tony's bed once more. "Yes."

As the door creaked open, Tony stepped through first, followed by Fletcher, whom Galine immediately recognised from their previous encounter. Fletcher's bleached short hair, tanned skin, and piercing pale blue eyes caught her attention. He gazed in awe at the mysterious girl before him, who appeared to be afraid of his presence. Despite her fear, Galine stood her ground and did not retreat or hide.

"Fletcher, this is Galine," Tony said. "I know you've met before, but it was under different circumstances," he chuckled nervously.

"Hi. Don't worry, I don't want to hurt you. Anyone who's a friend of Tony's is a friend of mine," Fletcher flashed her a friendly smile.

Galine smiled nervously but remained silent. Her gaze was fixed on the mysterious person before her, and memories of their first meeting flooded her mind. She remembered his emotionless stare as Merina's song penetrated his mind, and his pained frown as Merina's scream shattered his window. Even though the boy standing before her was the real Fletcher, Galine knew that her memory of their first encounter would always remain with her.

As she stood there, Galine couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Perhaps it was his quiet intensity, or the way he seemed to see right through her. As if she was a piece of priceless art, or that she didn't even exist.

"Is everything okay, Galine?" Tony's voice echoed reassuringly into her mind.

Her gaze met Tony's as she nodded innocently.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Galine," Fletcher smiled. "I'm glad you're here. It's good to see Tony's got someone he cares about back."

"Fletch," Tony elbowed Fletcher annoyedly, smiling. "I mean, I do care about you, Galine, but he doesn't have to rub it in."

Fletcher laughed heartily. "We do this all the time. Don't worry."

Tony moved to Galine, standing with her and noticing the sadness in her eyes. "What is it?"

Afraid to speak, Galine pointed to the picture frame on Tony's shelf. Knowing what she was pointing to, he turned, seeing it. It was slightly crooked, but still in the same place he had left it. A sad smile emerged on his face as he turned to face Galine again.

"It's okay," he said to her softly, stroking her arm gently.

"Hey, Tone, have you taken Galine around the town yet? Maybe she might like to see where you've grown up and where you live," Fletcher suggested.

"I think that's a good idea," Tony smiled, turning to Galine. "Want to come? Just you and me."

Galine smiled, nodding. "I'd love to."

Tony smiled, a nervousness rising in him. "It's a date," he took her hand. "We'll be back later, Fletch. Wait up."

"No problem. Have fun," Fletcher waved to them as they exited the house.