Fish's Thirteenth

Eleven

Hello! The answer to the last trivia question is: Samson's turtle and Gypsy, who's supposed to be a heavy sleeper. In this chapter, I say something about a character that wasn't mentioned before because I forgot to add it earlier in the story. I'd appreciate it if you just went with it for now😁 Enjoy Chapter Eleven!

The Picnic Table
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I was mildly enjoying my birthday until a few minutes ago. Now I can't keep a smile off my face. Missy and I were splashing each other in the ocean while Momma and Poppa were inside finishing up the icing on my cake. Samson had somehow gotten Gypsy to get focused enough to help him search for his turtle. My guess was, if they hadn't found that turtle yet, it'd wandered off and become roadkill.

But I wasn't about to tell them that. Gypsy angry with you lasts about as long as anyone would with their hand over fire. With Samson it's like you just up and disappear from his life.

In the ocean, I told Missy to tell me everything she knew, and she started rounding off multiplication problems. I told her to quit goofing and just tell me where Rocket was. Turns out, he drove off to pick up Grandpa Bomba. (I knew Grandpa Bomba wouldn't miss my party!) Missy said he left real early, and would've left earlier if he hadn't tried to wiggle himself out of it. Said I should've seen him too if I'd woke up any earlier.

I still can't believe Rocket drove. He only got his license six months ago: not nearly enough time to learn how to drive the right way. That and, the contraption runs on him. One distraction and he could send himself AND Grandpa Bomba into a tree. I sure hope he's got some sort of something figured out.

By the way Missy had explained it to me, I knew flat out that she's just as worried as I am. Just as we were about to start a full blown splash battle, something caught my eye. From beside the house. I almost looked away when I saw it again: a hand! Waving at me with the slightest hint of her rainbow bracelets bouncing all about. I knew those bracelets all too well.

I told Missy I was going to go inside to check on my cake. I knew it'd be easy to distract her because Missy just loves that ocean. When she turned towards it, I full on bounded for her: Mellie Danzinger.

I was about to yell at her to get out and leave me alone when she pulled out an object from a boxy bag. Then the object sprouted limbs and a head from around its shell. It was Samson's turtle! She took my brother's pet, his best friend more than anything else. I couldn't let her off easy.

"You stole my brother's turtle!"

She shushed me and looked around to see if anyone heard. I didn't want to get worked up again do I took a deep breath and went on as calmly as I could.

"Mellie, I've had enough of you," I said. "You stalking me at school and acting crooked as a barrel a snakes is not my idea of fun. And it shouldn't be yours neither. I used to have a crush on you, too, Mellie. But lately you've just annoyin' me till day's end. Now that dream's good and dead 'cause of your craziness. And another thing--"

And then she started to float.

She slipped off the backpack I just then noticed her wearing, and hovered right there in front of me; a good foot off the ground.

I suppose she got bored of repeating my full name in a sorry attempt to interrupt me.

"Now would you stop being ugly and help me down?" Mellie asked.

I was dumbfounded. I was dreaming. What I was seeing couldn't possibly be true.

But soon enough my hand found hers and pulled her down with ease. She snatched up her backpack and hurriedly pulled the straps onto her shoulders. Her eyes searched my face for an expression other than surprise.

"C'mon Fisher, say something," she prompted when I still couldn't form words.

"Yours... is a savvy family," I managed to get out.

A bright smile lit up her face. "That's right! Just like yours."

She went on to tell me why she was interrogating me on Tuesday. Her family had suspected mine for a while but didn't do a thing about it. Thing is, Mellie wanted to know for sure. We both ended up apologizing to each other. Me, for obvious reasons and her for going about certainty the wrong way.

She gave me Samson's turtle and her home phone number to keep in touch. I told her she should be going since I wasn't certain what kind of savvy birthday this was going to be. (And I'm still not in case you were wondering.)

"Yeah," she agreed, but she didn't make a move for the bike she rode here. "Y'know, Fisher," she began slowly, "I've always been sweet on you too."

Then she leaned in and planted a kiss on my cheek. Before I could do or say anything, she was pedaling off into the setting sun.

I've still got this fizzy, tingly warmness in my chest. And I can't stop smiling. Not that I'd ever want to.

Now that Samson's got his turtle back, he's out and playing in the ocean with Gyps and Missy and Poppa. Momma's here at the table watching them and sippin' on some iced sweet tea.

Right now is nearly perfect. I just got kissed by my crush nearly three years running, Poppa's here splashing about with my younger siblings, Momma here not always worrying about what her sons have gotten into, Samson out there looking like the time of his life.

But it's nearly perfect. Rocket's not here.

-Fisher

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Except for right this second. Rocket's here! WITH Grandpa Bomba! (Figures they should show up right after I sign off.) I could tell Rocket was antsy by the way he jumped out of the car but as long as they're both here it's fine. And I spot an Oakley-shaped box wrapped in blue paper with Grandpa Bomba. I'm already fixing for it to be the first I open.

-Fisher

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What are you all thinking about Rocket, right about now? He's being really weird🤔Also, should I start uploading the last few chapters earlier in the day, or is when I usually update fine? This chapter's trivia question is pretty specific, but I wanna see if anyone will get it😄

Like it?
Love it?
Not feeling it?
Mixed feelings?

Let me know in the comments.

Don't forget to vote.

VOTE!

~F

Comment Trivia Question: What was the first thing Mibs heard from Bobbi's angel tatoo?
**BONUS**: What was Fish doing when Mibs came to (after fainting from a talking tattoo, of course)?

Comment Question: I kinda feel bad for what I'm about to do to you all in the next part. Bare with me till the end?