Forest Blue

𓇼: 1 - My Forest Blue

I gazed at the charming beachside shack with a smile, marveling at how seeing it in person felt so surreal. I had seen pictures before, but the reality was even more enchanting. My heart leaped as I watched my grandparents emerge onto the dimly lit porch.

"Nixie, is that you, dear?" my grandmother called out. Before I could respond, my grandfather chimed in, "Of course it is. Who else could it be?"
"Popo, be nice!" I teased, heading toward them. My grandmother quickly elbowed my grandfather aside and enveloped me in a warm embrace.

"Oh, it's been far too long," she murmured, holding me close. I sighed contentedly and hugged her back. My grandparents had once traveled with us, living in the water with my family and the rest of the pod. But as they aged, the relentless currents and constant travel grew too exhausting. So, ten years ago, they gave up their tails and settled in Forks, a quaint town on the Washington coast. This was the first time I'd seen them since then, though I had heard occasional updates from my siblings and parents. Forks had been buzzing with activity, though the details were often left vague.

I released my grandmother and greeted my grandfather with a hug. "We're so thrilled to have you here, dear," he said.
"I'm excited too, Popo. Thank you both for welcoming me on this part of my journey," I replied earnestly.
"Of course. We did it for your sister," Grandma said, her eyes twinkling. "We would have done it for your brother too, but, as you know, he's all about 'going big or going home,' as your generation puts it," she added with a chuckle. At eighteen, merfolk choose between staying in the human world or returning to the mer world. My brother decided to explore the globe instead of settling down.

"Well, you know how Tasman is," I said with a resigned sigh. "How is he?" Grandpa asked, prompting me to shrug. "I'm not entirely sure. The last I heard, he was living it up in Mykonos," I told them. My brother Tasman had always been adventurous, finding the human world captivating. According to him, there was too much to miss out on.

"And your sister? She hasn't visited us in a while," Grandma inquired. "Nerissa is great! Always busy helping others. Mom and Dad introduced her to a new merman, and we all like him," I said, smiling. Unlike Tasman, Nerissa felt more at home in the mer world. When she turned eighteen, it was an easy choice for her to stay with the pod.

"Well, it's about time she settled down with someone," Grandpa said, causing me to roll my eyes. "Popo, things are different now. Nerissa is content doing her own thing," I explained. "Right, right. Let's get you inside. I'm sure you're freezing," he said, waving us to follow him. Grandma and I exchanged a knowing glance before giggling and trailing behind him. Nerissa had always raved about how cute and quaint our grandparents' place was, but seeing it for myself, I understood why. The house, perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean, was even more charming than the pictures. The cottage, painted a soft light blue, was surrounded by lush pines. Inside, the decor was a perfect blend of nautical themes and cozy, cream-white wood planks.

"Your room is down the hall, the last door on the right," Grandpa directed. I nodded and headed in that direction."Feel free to rest. I'm sure you're exhausted from your swim," Grandma suggested."I don't think I can. I'm too excited," I replied, making them laugh."You'll have plenty of time to explore. You're here for a year, after all," Grandma said. She was right, though I hated to admit it, I was indeed tired. My pod had recently migrated to the Caribbean, and the journey from there to Forks had been long and solitary. A yawn escaped me as I entered my room. The bed looked so inviting that I couldn't resist plopping down face-first, giggling at how much I missed the feel of a human bed.

I was grateful my parents had occasionally taken us to the surface. Every other year, we lived in the human world for a year before returning to the sea. It was their way of helping us experience human life and decide if we wanted to stay when we turned eighteen. My parents had already brought my things to my grandparents' house, but I needed some better clothes.

Luckily, Nerissa had left some of her old clothes here, which she had generously offered along with her phone. Unlike Tasman, who embraced the human world, Nerissa preferred the ocean. She had come to Forks seven years ago, wanting to explore life on land. But after a year, she returned to the pod and hasn't surfaced since.

I lay back on the bed messing with Nerissa's old phone. It had been a while since I used a phone, so it took me a bit to figure out the settings. I managed to factory reset the phone and change it to my name. I yawned, put the phone down and turned to stare out of the large windows. The view from my room was breathtaking—the cliff's edge and the moonlit ocean below. I wondered if I would miss the water and my pod as Nerissa had. Or would I be like Tasman, unable to look back?

Regardless of the outcome, I knew my time in Forks would be an incredible adventure. At least, I hoped so.