The Mer Prince

Chapter 16

Charley's POV

After a few minutes of the guy's staring I sink in my seat and swallow the bite I had in my mouth. Does he not like me? His face is emotionless and his eyes are studying me, while he calmly finishes his fish. Did I dress wrong? Is orange a bad color or something? He's starting to scare me with those piercing blue eyes of his.

Then he meets my eyes and looks surprised, saying a quick "Sorry." before looking at the wall. Sorry for what? Staring a full eight or more minutes at me? I wonder what's going on his head....

I straighten up a little and put down my fish. Its dead eyes are a little disturbing, but I guess I've been around so many fish alive or dead it's no surprise to me now but I did just eat it raw.... I hope it wasn't related to my fish Volta that I had back home.

Home. Odd thought, I don't really want to return to the surface now, or go to the falling apart shack I called a house ever again. I couldn't imagine me doing that now. Walking in the front door, feeding my fish, cataloging research.... it seemed so far away. So mundane.

Something even more mundane was a name. "Excuse me?" I asked the blue mer, who turned is semi-scary gaze to me. "I was wondering, what is your name?" I asked softly.

His eyebrows lifted in surprise, like he was surprised I didn't know or that I asked. "It's Ex why." He said, but I didn't hear any trace of a question.

"XY?" I ask. Like some of the last two letters of the alphabet right?

He nodded. "What's your name prince? What would you care to be called?" He asked softly, giving me a chance of choice, though I could guess he knew my name already.

"I go by Charley." I said, smiling. "It's nice to know your name."

"It's what I go by." He says with a nod, implying it wasn't his name but he'd rather not reveal his actual name. I could respect that. "Are you done eating?" He asked politely.

"Oh! Yeah, yeah I'm done." I said, looking at the fish.

XY sto- floated up out of his seat and led the way out, making it look so easy and casual to do. I followed him quickly, accidentally bumping the table and wincing as a plate fell off. "Leave it." XY said, swimming back to me and taking my hand, pulling me along.

It wasn't an obscene act, and he was only taking my hand to help me right? My face still heated up as he pulled me along however, and he didn't let go as he pulled me to who knows were. I was tempted to ask him, but then he'd look back and see my flushed face. How embarrassing! I kept quiet.