𝓢𝓮𝓮 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓐𝓰𝓪𝓲𝓷, 𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓭𝓪𝔂

#2

Day 3~

Lia prepared herself thoroughly, checking her fish, her book, and everything else. Ready for her encounter with Aquia, she rode her bicycle to the beach.
She waited once more for the melodious tune to begin. As expected, the lady sang again. Lia rushed to her and stood nearby as she sang, feeling refreshed by the beautiful melody. After Aquia finished singing, Lia approached her and praised her. "Wow, Aquia, you sing so beautifully," Lia exclaimed as she offered the fish she had packed. Aquia looked delighted at the sight of the fish but hesitated to accept it from Lia. Sensing her hesitation, Lia left the fish on the ground and stepped back. Aquia approached the fish and began to eat. Lia then took out the book she had brought and drew a picture of a mermaid, asking Aquia if she was one too. After a moment of silence, Aquia nodded, confirming Lia's suspicions. Lia was overjoyed that her intuition was correct – Aquia was indeed a mermaid.
Suddenly, Aquia snatched the book and pen from Lia and started writing something. Lia watched in amazement as Aquia wrote her own name. Lia asked in astonishment, "Can a mermaid write too?" Aquia nodded and wrote something else – the name "Edward." Lia was shocked; Edward was her dad's name. How did Aquia know her father's name? When Lia remained silent, Aquia wrote "Edward" again. Lia noticed droplets falling on the book, they were Aquia's tears.
Lia's heart ached seeing Aquia cry. She asked Aquia who Edward was, and Aquia hugged the book to her chest, indicating that Edward held a special significance to her. Assuring Aquia that Lia was there for her and she is not alone, Lia returned home feeling bewildered. She couldn't shake off the confusion – why did Aquia write Edward? Lia wondered if it could be her dad, but dismissed the thought; there were many other Edwards too. Edward Jameson was a small businessman who married Julia and had Lia. Both of Lia's parents died in a car crash, so Lia was sent to live with her grandmother. Lia's thoughts were consumed by Aquia's connection to her father.

She continued to visit the beach every day to meet
Aquia, gradually forming a strong bond with her. They shared food, stories, and drawings, enjoying each other's company. It was so much fun for them. They became close friends.

One day, while drawing together, Aquia sketched a man, leaving Lia astonished. It was a drawing of her father, Edward. Aquia smiled at the drawing but also appeared saddened. She uttered "Edward, Edward," prompting Lia to ask numerous questions. She wanted to know how Aquia knew Edward and where they had met.

Suddenly, Lia realized it was her grandma's waking time. She rushed back and arrived on time, but Grandma was already awake. Grandma questioned Lia about where she had been. Lia told her she had simply gone for a morning walk to stay healthy. Grandma became suspicious of Lia's explanation. She stared at Lia and sighed, muttering about what a troublesome child she was. "Wash up; let's have breakfast," Grandma instructed. While they ate, Lia glanced at Grandma as if she wanted to ask something. "Grandma...," Lia began, hesitating. "What is it, child?" replied Grandma. "Nothing... forget it," said Lia quickly. Grandma looked at Lia with worried eyes. She reminded Lia that she was allowed to go anywhere except the beach. When Lia heard the word "beach," she flinched and reluctantly agreed, saying, "Okay, Grandma!"

Despite her promise, Lia continued to visit Aquia every day, even though her grandma's suspicions grew.