Aria spent her whole life believing she was just like everyone else-ordinary, with nothing out of the ordinary world. That all changed the day she made the choice to visit Mako Island.
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Aria's POV:
I sat with my brother Cam, Zac, and Evie at the Ocean Café, trying to focus on the meal in front of me. Cam's gaze was fixed on us, a puzzled look in his eyes as Zac and I dug into the seafood. Zac's enthusiasm for the dishes made sense to Cam—he knew the reason behind Zac's taste, considering he was a merman. Me? Cam had no idea I was also a mermaid, so my sudden liking for seafood seemed odd to him.
Evie, seated beside me, was also giving me curious glances. She seemed a bit puzzled by my choice of food and the fact that I was so invested in it. Her eyes darted between Zac and me, and I could tell she was trying to piece together what was going on.
My school bag sat beside me, a constant reminder that the new school year had begun. The sight of it made me feel a twinge of anxiety. I had to stay vigilant and avoid water to keep my mermaid identity a secret. The thought of potentially turning into a mermaid in front of everyone, becoming an involuntary science project for my classmates, was unnerving.
"So, Aria," Cam broke the silence, his tone casual but his eyes still studying me, "you've been really into seafood lately. Is this a new thing?"
Evie, still looking a bit weirded out, finally spoke up. "Yeah, I noticed that too. It's just... odd, you know? You were never this into seafood before."
I forced a light laugh, trying to sound nonchalant. "Oh, just expanding my tastes."
In the corner of my eye, I saw Lyla approach us with a determined look and I choked on my prawn, knowing this was bad news. Evie patted me on the back Zac gave me his water and I was quick to take a sip, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Hi, I'm Lyla!" She greeted and looked straight at Zac. "You're Zac."
"Yup." Zac nodded, more focused on his food, which made me bite back a laugh.
Lyla continued, "You're a lifesaver. I've seen you on the beach. I really want to be one too. Can you show me how?"
Evie, clearly confused by Lyla's sudden interest, jumped in. "Is there a problem?"
Lyla shot Evie a look that clearly showed her dislike. "Actually, there is. But I'd rather not share it with you."
Evie's eyes narrowed. "Go down to the surf club and see the guard there, okay?"
I laid a hand on her shoulder, knowing she was doing this because she knew I had a crush on Zac. I knew that Lyla just approached him because of this whole mermaid and merman thing.
"Evie," I said softly, trying to de-escalate the situation, "it's okay. Lyla's here about something else. Let me handle it."
I grabbed onto Lyla's wrist and guided her towards where Nixie and Sirena were sitting. Her genuine confusion about the situation made me soften a bit; I had to remind myself that she wasn't familiar with our land rules.
