Burned water [completed]

20 - Is that a tail?

The boys took me out of the Gothic school building, where a teacher was on duty on each floor and restricted my freedom. Outside, they no longer felt being watched, and the relief on their faces was very clear. They quickly started laughing, shouting, chasing me and dragged me into their senseless fun. But again, thanks to them, I felt the carefree nature of youth and warm joy. Friendship turned out to be something a hundred times better than my wildest imaginations.

The area surrounding the school was huge. I saw uniformed students sitting alone on the grass, with a book or textbook in their hands, groups of people catching freebies, and even some exhausted teenagers climbing trees.

We entered the forest stretching to the north. I'm usually terribly afraid of wooded spaces (vermin, animals, murderers!!!), but I felt confident with them. For the first time in my life, I observed the beauty of the forest without fear. Soft moss, light between the trees, dry and strong bark. A great sense of forgetfulness began to overwhelm me and I no longer worried about anything. Not my past, my future, not the whole weird situation with Windy or these conflicts.

"I am so happy!" I screamed loudly and jumped on Jungkook's back, attacking him playfully. But as soon as I touched his skin, my breath was taken away. He doesn't have to use any tricks, just contact with his warmth takes away my sanity.

"We're getting close to a magical place," Martinus said while Jungkook tried to push me off of him. However, I held on tight and I can't tell whether it was out of spite or the desire to be close as long as possible.

"Girl..." he hissed through clenched teeth. "I'm about to think you're after me."

"You would like to. I have better candidates than you," I retorted.

"Yes?"

"Martinus is a hundred times better than you." I replied and was blind enough not to notice the confusion and slight blush on my face that was caused.

"You will pay for these words," he said with mock horror and threw me over his shoulder to hold me like a bride. Before I could say anything, he threw me in front of him, and for a few seconds I thought that an attempt had been made on my life and that I was about to die, smashed against some tree or rocks, but instead I fell into the lake with a splash.

"You, you, you..." I threatened, choking on the water I swallowed.

A few seconds later, Martinus landed next to me with a new splash. Jungkook stood on the shore.

"You're not coming in?" I asked.

"I don't want to cook you. None of them will be very tasty."

I didn't understand anything, but I didn't ask any more questions.

I turned to Martinus and my eyes widened. How different he looked in the water! His blue eyes shone brightly, his skin took on a new glow. There was more confidence in himself than usual.

I shouldn't have been surprised, but I watched in rapturous amazement at how perfectly he adjusted to the water, how skillful he was in it. The water seemed to be drawn towards him, wrapping softly around his body.

I dived underwater and joined him. I felt him take my hand under the water and start swimming forward. I had never swam so fast, it felt great. I started giving signs that I was out of air, and he created an oxygen bubble around my head. We were alone underwater and this situation had an extraordinary intimacy about it.

Martinus led me towards an underwater cave that was so narrow that we had to hug each other tightly. I was overcome by a completely different sensation than with Jungkook. Deeper, more shy. I wouldn't have the courage to look at him here. He was powerful in this place.

Suddenly something strange flashed before my eyes.

"Was that a tail?" I asked, shocked by what great monster was lurking in these depths and whether it could be dangerous.

Martinus' eyes flashed and, pressing me against him, he began to chase the creature at the speed of light.

I strained my eyes as much as possible and... wait a minute... am I chasing a mermaid?!

Without warning, we jumped up into the air, and the familiar laughter reached my ears. I wiped my face from the blinding water drops and saw Rikki, Emma and Cleo in front of me.

I put my hand on my head to check if I was overheating.

"I thought losing my mind would be less fun." Exactly. How could I not have guessed this before? All these strange events, it's obvious that I've just gone crazy.

"She's your biggest fan I've ever met," Martinus said.

They laughed brilliantly, swam up and each kissed my cheek.

It's a good thing Martinus was standing by me, because I would have surely died trying to dive after them.