Mermaids

Discovery

I SAT UP IN BED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WHEN I WOKE UP. I looked out the window. It was a beautiful, clear-skied day, perfect for swimming or hanging ttout.




I dialed Carly and asked if she wanted to come over today. She agreed, so I grudgingly got up and changed into a tank top and sweats. I decided to straighten out my hair today, and was shocked at how pretty it looked.




Pretty. I actually used that word to describe myself.




Three knocks sounded at the door- our secret knock for each other. I opened it and let Carly in.




"My parents are still asleep," I whispered to her. "Do you want to hang out at the beach?"





"Sure," she whispered back and we walked outside. "Your hair is totally cute today!"




"Oh, thanks." I said, smiling.




"I think Hayden has a crush on you." She blurted out suddenly, reffering to the boy that sat in front of me in science.




"Me? No.." I stated. "He probably likes you.."




"C'mon, give yourself credit! For once.."




"If there's anyone he likes, it's you. Besides, I can't even talk to him, unlike you."




Speak of the devil. Just then, Hayden, and his group of friends, decided to walk right by us and stop to talk to Carly.




I put my head down so my longish hair covered my face and stared at my fingernails.




I heard them chatting about something in school. Carly nudged me, trying to get me to start talking, but I didn't want to. She nudged me harder.




"Ow!" I said, looking up. And then I realized how many of them were there, staring at me.




"I-I nevermind." I practically whispered. I took of running down the beach, not looking back. I was shy when it came to girls my age, think how bad when there were guys involved.




My hair was blowing in the wind, so I decided to slow down and walk, when I was out of Carly and the boys' view.




I'd only ever admitted that I had a crush on Hayden to myself. Of course, I'd only just learned his name. But why would he go out with me, who could barely stutter half a sentence to anyone not family or Carly?





I shook of these negative thoughts and wiped the hair out of my eyes.




"Hey!" I heard someone call and felt someone walk next to me.




I looked up, but looked down again and let the hair fall back over my face when I saw it was Hayden. Speak of the devil.





"H-h-hiii," I said shyly.




He smiled and brushed my hair out of my eyes and behind my ear. My stomach sort of flipped, having no experience in this stuff whatsoever.





"Do you wanna go swimming?"




Something inside of me stirred. "C-can't... I left.. my swimsuit at home." I said. I had barely stuttered! Maybe I was getting better.



"Let's just sit then," he said, heading over to some tall rocks.





I shyly followed, crossing my arms over my hoodied chest and sat down, wondering why he still wanted to "talk" to me.





I looked into the ocean, just wishing that I could jump in instead of feeling awkward and scared with Hayden right next to me.







Just then he grabbed my shoulders, making me face him.





"I know you have information about the lost princess. Who are you and where is she?" he said fast in a low voice, staring right into my eyes.





My eyes widened. "W-what the hell a-are you talking a-about?"






"I know the shyness is just a cover. Are you an enemy spy? Or perhaps just 'casually' trying to kidnap her?" He said in that strange tone, shaking me and staring into my eyes so intently we were like an inch apart. "I know, you're one of us. Just admit it!" He said the last sentence a little louder.






"I have spent the last year of my life up here, and some 'shy' girl under a fake name isn't going to ruin my chances!"






By now I was trembling so hard, terrified at his words. Was he in some kind of gang and he thought I was too?






Thank my lucky stars, Carly decided it would be a perfect time to show up. I looked over, and saw her electric blue eyes sparkling.





"Did I inturupt something?"





I ignored her, and feeling bold, I whispered, "I'm not the person you're looking for."






I didn't stutter once! It wasn't even that bad of a feeling to stand up for myself.




"C'mon Carly. We're leaving." I said firmly, still scared about what he meant.






I figured she looked a little baffled, but I gazed ahead, not looking back once.





"I'm going to go swimming to clear my head," I said, my voice still a little harsh.





"What happened back there?" she asked confusedly.






"I don't want to talk about it." my voice burned with his accusations still ringing in my head.










I had changed into my green bikini, being my favorite one. Of course I thought it clashed with my hair, but it fit well and didn't expose a lot of skin. Which was good, because my skin was horribly pasty.





"Mom, dad?" I called out, searching for them in the living room.





"Yes, sweetie?" she said looking up from chopping up vegetables. She had coffee-colored skin, and gorgeous long dark hair, which she usually straightened and put into one long braid.






I sighed. "I'm going swimming."





"Is something wrong?" she asked, taking note of my aggravated aura.





I shook my head.






She raised her eyebrows. "Okay then. Just tell your father. Oh, and I'll have to pick up Kayla from camp at three o'clock or something, so if dad or I aren't here, don't freak out. And be home before six, please."







I nodded, and left the room. Kayla was my bratty younger sister. She had brown hair and skin like my moms, and pretty almond shaped eyes like my dad.






I sighed. Why couldn't I get any of the pretty genes? Come to think of it, did anyone in the family even have green eyes or red hair or even curls?





"Dad, am I adopted?" I blurted out when I came to his office.






He stared at me and ran a hand through his black hair. "Why would you think that?" he asked, but something was wrong about the way he said it.






I raised my eyebrows and stared at him. "Dad. You're Asian, mom is African American, and no one in this family has skin like mine, or hair, or eyes!"






He shut his eyes and turned away. There was my answer, I guess. But he looked pretty beat up about it.






"I'm going swimming and mom told me to tell you," I changed the subject and left the room quickly. The hallways were brown, just making me a little madder. My mom and sisters skin was brown! Why couldn't I have been born into this family and have dark skin?







I left my house and walked the narrow strip to the beach. We lived right on the beach front, meaning we had our own private section. I wiped a tear from my eye.






Suddenly, my legs went numb for a second. I stopped.





That was strange.






I shrugged and continued walking, jumping into the waves as soon as I got there. I rolled my eyes as I realized I forgot my towel. And watch.







I swam out, past the waves, until I stopped to take a breath. Not bad! It only took a few seconds.





I treaded water for a few more seconds, until I felt a strange sensation. My legs started burning, as if they were on fire. I screamed, moving my arms rapidly. Then, I actually started to sink.






I couldn't move my legs at all! How was I supposed to get back to the surface. My eyes were closed shut, afraid.






I was too young to die! I'd be known forever as the shy girl who was too afraid to even talk to a freakin girl who wasn't her best friend!






I think tears slipped through my eyes, but I wasn't sure. After all, it was really wet down underwater.






And my dad! He looked soo upset!






I tried once again to swim upwards, but it did no good, with my legs being immobile.




I thought of all the good things that happened in my life in the last few minutes I would live.






Learning how to bike with Carly, being proud at donating the three dollars and thirty seven cents to charity. Standing up to myself today.







With a heaving heart, I took a breath of the murky water.








Nothing happened, except the burning in my lungs subsided, and I could feel my legs. Shocked, I opened my eyes.








Everything was so clear and colorful! I could plainly see the school of makeral fish above me, the light reflecting off of their silver scales. I could actually sense the giant bat ray coming up behind me. I turned around, using my arms, and realized that I was pretty close to the floor. And I reached down... and pet it.







I remembered that the first thing I was taught was to never, EVER touch a stingray, or anything wild underwater.






But I'm pretty sure that I wasn't supposed to be breathing underwater.






That's when it hit me. I was BREATHING.





UNDER-freaking-WATER.







This was sooo cool!! And terrifying, a part of my mind said. Oh, shut up. I said to it.





I looked up and noticed that the water was about fourty feet here, and I was probably thirty five feet down. I looked downward at the coral dotting the floor when something shiny caught my attention.







It was a copper color, scaly-like a fish, and I looked closer, only to find....






It was attached to my leg.







Where'd my legs even go?? I couldn't help it, I screamed. A trillion tiny bubbles burst out of my mouth.







When I got a hold of myself, I was breathing really heavily.






I looked like a mermaid, I realized. I started hysterically laughing for a few minutes.







Geez, what was I doing? I was trapped, underwater, as a freakish fish! Would I ever see my parents again? And more importantly, how the heck did this happen?






It was sort of pretty, my tail. MY tail. Shudder. It was so not!






Ok, maybe it was. At least I until I found a way to get rid of it!





Wait, a part of my mind said. What about swimming? You can probably swim better than anyone, yet you choose to ignore that and find a way to reverse it?






I sighed, and awkwardly tried to swim like I used to do in the pool.






It felt strange, since all I wanted to do was separate them, even though I obviously couldn't.





I tried moving them in unison. Bingo! I shot forward, blasting past the little fish in caves and coral.






This was the best feeling ever! I thought, giggling.





I flipped and swam through the gentle currents, not even stopping when a pod of dolphins came and played next to me, making little honking noises.





This was exhilarating!






I stopped after what felt like a very short time, although I wasn't tired at all. I sighed. I wish I could stay here all week like this!






What's stopping me? I wondered. My parents. Carly. I had to see what made Hayden tick. My sister. My whole family. School. Good grades.





I couldn't stay here, as wonderful as it was. But how was I supposed to go and walk with a fish tail?





I looked up. It wasnt dark yet, and I could see that the surface was about thirty feet above me.






Hey, wasn't I around that cave I went to? I started looking for it, getting distracted far too easily.




Ahh! There it was. I should visit, I figured.





Wait a second, I should be getting back!




However, I felt myself being...drawn to the cave. I couldn't help it, strangely...





I found the familiar rocks and swam to the ledge below them, easily entering the cave.





I swam upward, until my head popped out of the water, and I took a breath of the air.






Something was wrong. The air was way too thin. I breathed faster and faster, but nothing was happening.






I went back underwater and breathed normally again. Hmm. I remembered on those crazy television shows, they had to be dry to change back. Even though that was completely cliched, I guess I had to try it. I couldn't stay like this forever, could I?







I remember a long time ago, when I was like six years old, I wished I could be a mermaid. Of course, now that that happened, I wanted nothing more than a regular life.




But... Now? I wasn't sure at all. I took a deep breath and hoisted myself up, out of the water, into the sand.




To my complete an udder relief, it disappeared and I smiled. Thank goodness.



All was quiet for a few minutes, and I sat thinking. The soothing sound of waves calmed me down, being the only sound in here.




I dozed off.






***

Hey guys!(if you are reading this, obviously.) I already got a read and vote, and that was the first chapter! What!!! Haha.

Okay, so I just realized what I want to do. I know it sounds crazy, but I want to write a book series, publish it, then use the money to travel around the world. Terrifying? Yup. It's totally crazy. What do you guys dream of doing?

Please vote or comment(or both!)

Rae <3