Mermaids and Mysteries | H2O

Chapter IV

*Nala's POV*
I knock on the front door, nobody answered. The door was locked, she wasn't home, which meant Tammy must have done exactly what I told her not to. I had to make sure she was okay, she could be terribly reckless at times.

Tammy had gone to her swim meet.

It was a 40 minute walk to the pool from her house. By the time I'd get there, it would be too late to do anything but join my fishy friend in the circus. I didn't have any money to get on the bus and Tammy's bike was broken.

Her dad's car was in the driveway, he was probably away traveling with his work, as usual. I'd only had a few driving lessons, all of which I hated, but I didn't have much of a choice. I open the car door and was surprised by my luck, the keys were on the dashboard.

I shakily pulled out of the driveway and convinced myself to drive this thing, just for a few minutes to get to the swimming pools. Anyone could tell I didn't have a license, I didn't even have my learner's permit yet. I was stopping and starting all over the place, it was one of the most anxious moments of my life.

Thankful not to have been pulled over, I parked the car in 2 parking bays and ran inside, trying not to think about what could have happened to Tammy already.

*Tammy's POV*
Emma, the assistant swim teacher, hadn't been working here long but she was about my age and over the past few weeks, I've grown close to her. I'd never seen her in the water but I've been told she's an excellent swimmer.

Nala told me not to even come to the swim meet today, but I had to, I loved the swim team. Being this close to water, in public, was a major step for me. Nala and I agreed to keep this a big secret. We had become something that wasn't even meant to exist, we didn't want to end up in science labs.

Emma stood by the pool with a clipboard, watching the other girls on the team. I approached her slowly, hoping she'd understand that I couldn't be on the team anymore. I was shaking, I didn't even know why, maybe it was being near water or maybe I thought Emma would see right through me.

"Hey Emma," I say, she turned around and smiled at me.
"Tammy, what's up? Shouldn't you be in the water?"
"About that," I start. I didn't want to do it, this was how I'd met some of my best friends, I didn't want to have to leave but I couldn't stay, I had no choice.
"You okay?" she asks.
"I'm quitting the swim team." I squeak.
"Really? Why?" Emma questions, shocked.
"I just- don't feel like swimming anymore," I hoped that was believable.
Emma gave me a look and then a pat on the shoulder and said, "That's okay Tammy, I'm sure you're doing the right thing."

I smile, glad she understood. She didn't sound suspicious or even bother to question me further and was really kind and supportive of the whole thing. I wish I could become better friends with her, she seemed like a great person.

"I remember when I had to quit the team," she reminisces, sadly.
"Why did you quit?" I ask, out of curiosity.

She seemed lost in her thoughts, like the reason was very private. For a second there, I thought that maybe she was just like me, a mermaid, but that's not possible, is it?

"I guess I just moved on," she mumbles.

The squeaking sound of flip flops on tiled floor seemed to be echoing towards us. I turned around just as the flip flop lady grabs my wrist. It was Nala, of course, she always made a scene without even trying. She pulled me away from Emma, obviously worried that I was around water at all.

"What are you doing here?" she whisper-shouts.
"I had to quit the team sooner or later," I state.
"Did you- did you tell her about us?"
"No, Nala. I was careful, I wouldn't do that to you."