Fifteen Is My New Unlucky Number

Happy Birthday!... You Thought!

"Stupid freaking alarm clock! Mom, I need a new alarm clock; one I don't have to reset it ever day!" I threw off my covers and fell out of bed, literally. I fumbled around my room, frantically throwing stuff into my bag, really struggling since my hair was knotted around my tail yet again. I threw on a pair shells, not really caring which ones, and sped out of my room.

Tripping over my tail, I fell head first into the kitchen, "Aggie! Is breakfast ready?-"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" My whole family shouted, springing up from behind the kitchen appliances. I screamed and dropped my bag in surprise, my hand flying to my throat, jerking backwards and tumbling over the back of the couch. I heard my family laugh as my sister swam over and encircled me in a group hug.

Barely able to breathe, from shock and my sisters squeezing the life out of me, I looked around, wondering what was going on. There was a home made sign that read 'Happy Birthday!' Wait, it's my birthday! How could I forget? Below the sign floated both of my parents which really made me happy because that meant dad had taken time off work and mom was actually facing reality with us!

I smiled and crushed my sisters to me before breaking free and tackling my mom. Her usually glassy eyes were clear for once and that lifted a heavy weight off my chest. I tenderly swam over to dad and waited for his approval. When he opened up his arms I squealed and rushed into his embrace. I felt him lean down and peck the top of my head. I smiled, looking up at him, and for the first time in a long time, he smiled back. That alone made my day. My smile grew as I motioned the rest of my family over for a group hug. My sisters and I giggled before we dispersed.

"We have a surprise for you," Aquata said. I raised an eyebrow as she dissappeared into the kitchen and came back out with a brand new Apple laptop.

"Is that from the surface?" I breathed.

Aquata nodded, "We all chipped in and called in a favor to have it special made to work down here. And look!" She opened it up and clicked and few buttons. I swam to her side slowly and watched her move the little digital hand to a picture of a video clam-era. She double clicked it and suddenly my brothers face popped up on the screen.

My mouth popped open like a fish out of water. "Caspian!" I squealed and snatched the laptop from Aquata's hands and flopped onto a table chair.

"Hey Coralia!" He smiled at me and my eyes roamed the part of him I could see, I had missed him so much. His curly brown hair, that matched my sisters, was ruffled and unkempt and his sea blue-green eyes were tired and sleepy. I frowned, ignoring it for now.

"Why have you not come to visit us lately?" I scolded. I heard my family chuckle and Caspian smiled sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, Coral, I've been busy," he ran a hand threw his messy locks, he only did that when he was really tired and stressed... Or when he was thinking really hard. I took notice of the bags under his eyes again and my frowned turned to a more sympathetic one.

"Hey... You alright? You don't look so good..."

"Ya, Coral, I'm fine. I just-" he was interrupted by a shrill cry.

"Cas! Can you get him please? I've got my hands full!" I heard Caspians mate, Rhiannon, call from another room.

"Wait! Cas! Who's him? Is there another person with you?" I hunched closer to the screen with everyone gathering around me.

"Caspian! What's going on?" Aggie shouted.

"Calm down, calm down, I'm coming," he slowly walked back in, but he was walking backwards, he sat down and took a deep breath. "Are you ready?," he asked.