Swim Away (Mermaid)

Chapter Fifty-One

I took a bite out of one of the chocolate bars I bought at the store. It was me and the sea, which was relaxing if only my problems didn't come to mind.

Noah crawled out of the ocean, staring at his tail for a moment, then drying it until his legs appeared. When he stood up, he met my gaze. His stare was intense like a strong silent message was being sent. But I couldn't read it so I hid my face behind my hair as I took another bite.

I would've told him to grab a bite, but I was afraid of saying anything. He watched me as he took one for himself and sat down next to me, which I didn't expect.

"How?" He asked, staring at the flat ocean water. Not a single wave and the water was a murky beige. It wasn't as nice to look at, but it would have to do for now.

I knew what he was asking about and to be honest, I was afraid of giving him the answer. I played with my hands, dreading the moment I would open my mouth and continue that conversation.

"I think you have it wrong. There's no way I died," he added.

I looked into his eyes, then down at the sand as I ran my hands through it, hesitating. "I'll admit, I didn't see you die, but Asher found out what happened and told me. If you guys weren't such annoying Protectors, I would've been able to see it for myself, but whatever." I rolled my eyes as I took another bite of my bar. "There's a spell in my journal. It's called, Revive. It brings the dead back to life, but it must be done before the month ends. That's what I did, Noah. I used that spell to bring you back."

He sat there without saying a word.

I was glad for the silence, but I couldn't stand seeing him that way. If only I knew what he was thinking.

"Funny thing is, you specifically told me not to use that spell when you were my Protector. It's like you knew..." I took the last piece of the chocolate bar into my mouth. Before I swallowed my food, it was like something turned on in my mind. Back when Noah and I were together, he would cringe away when we were too close. "And you accepted it. Just like that." 

"Lara, I..." He paused, trying to search for the right words. "I don't...know." He sighed. 

I wasn't sure how to approach this situation. Telling someone they were brought back from the dead wasn't a daily occurrence. A part of me wished that I kept my mouth shut, but somewhere deep down, I knew I made the right choice. But it sure didn't feel like it.

I turned away from Noah and continued to play with the sand. The tiny little rocks slipped through my fingers. I kept my eyes glued on it and repeated the process every time. As long as I wasn't looking at Noah. 

"We should keep moving," Noah said, getting up. 

I pulled the bag toward me and pulled out the cloak, putting it around me. Once again taking the appearance of my friend. It was easier to travel this way, but I hated the idea of becoming someone else. 

I ran my hands through my now red hair, still not used to the way I looked. It was for the best, I kept reminding myself.

My old life felt like it wasn't even mine. It amazed me how much things had changed. 

I stood up, grabbing the bag, and taking out the other cloak. Noah gently took it from my hands. He put it on, but stayed as himself and pulled the hoodie over his head. He kept his head low, then started walking ahead of me. I followed him silently.

I couldn't believe I was letting the one with amnesia lead the way. But I wasn't in the mood to say anything about it. As long as we were on the move it didn't matter to me. We needed to be safe and away from the people of the sea.