Mermaids and Mysteries | H2O

Chapter VI

*Rikki's POV*
"Hey you," someone calls from the door. I look up, Zane was early for his shift, although I had a feeling he wasn't here for his shift. I smile at the thought.
"Hey yourself."
"What are you working on?" he asks.
"Your overdue bills again," I probably sounded more disappointed than I meant to because he sits down next to me and offers to help.
"Zane, I love the café but ever since I've been back here, things just aren't working out."
"Really? Just yesterday, you and I went swimming and we seemed fine then."
"Not us, you idiot," I laugh. "The café is going downhill again."
"Leave it to me," he smiles and helps me up.

He shoves me out the office and figure I better do something useful. I look around for anyone who looks ready to order but the café was completely empty. It usually was at this time of day. There was only a girl sitting alone, in the corner of a booth, reading the menu.

She looks familiar. Then it hits me. She's the girl Cleo and Bella were talking about? The one they forced me to cyber stalk, Nala, I think her name was? I pull out my phone to check the picture Bella had sent Cleo and I. The light brown, almost blonde, hair with slight waves, pale skin and glowing hazel eyes.

It's a long shot but there was a chance this girl could be a mermaid and I had to find out, she had to get water on her, somehow. I could walk past and splash her but then there's the chance I'd get wet as well and spill our secret to some girl.

I walked into the staff room and as expected, our newest employee, Ezra, was there, drinking his coffee, by himself. He comes in early every shift and reads the newspaper. He'd recently taken over for Sophie, who I could no longer stand.

"Morning, Rikki," he chirped.
"Yeah, whatever," I took the seat next to him.
"Everything alright?"
"Well, my friend and I have been playing a few pranks on each other lately and I was wondering if you could play a role," he was gullible, I might get away with this.
"Oh, of course, anything," he smiled. He was always so cheerful, I didn't get it.
"My friend is out there right now, one of the corner booths, I need you to walk past with a few drinks and perhaps trip and get her a little wet."
"And why can't you do it?"
"She'll see me coming, she'll expect it, but not from you." He still didn't look convinced. "Please, I'm so behind on the pranks. She always gets me and I mean I can't just give in to her like this."
"Okay, okay," he agreed.

I stood at the counter while Ezra walked around the booths and picked up any left over drinks, pouring all the sticky substances into one glass. The girl didn't see him coming, everything was working. As planned, Ezra made it look like he tripped and whatever was in that glass was now all over that girl.

10 seconds.

She let out a nervous laugh, then stood up and ran. I had to look busy, I pretended to count the money in the till. I wasn't sure where she ran but it was one of the backrooms. I thanked Ezra for what he'd done and headed for the bathrooms. Perhaps she was just cleaning herself up. Perhaps she was an ordinary girl. Perhaps we were wrong, wouldn't be the first time.

All the stalls were empty, even the guys bathroom, which I only checked because this was an emergency. I now knew what I needed to know. This girl was one of our mermaids. Then I waited behind the counter for the girl to make a reappearance.

*Nala's POV*
I slipped into the room quietly and sat down, barricading the door. That idiot of a waiter had spilt his drink all over me. The transformation happened immediately after I hit the floor, my tail appearing as always. This mermaid thing was beginning to be a bit of a pain.

"This room is off limits to the public," said a voice. The manager. I jumped at the sound, I didn't even check if the room was empty, I was so careless. I didn't know what to do, I was going to be exposed to the world, I'd be in museums, eating raw sardines for every meal. I don't even like sardines.