Under the Sea *Book One* Water Trilogy

~Nine~

"Do you like the party so far?" Seth questioned as we sat on a small dock. I had taken my shoes off and put my feet in the water. It felt so natural but at the same time so wrong. I wasn't at home waiting for Finn; I was sitting with Seth, the high school guy every girl wanted to date. He was charming, I would give him that, and attractive with his blonde hair, but inside I knew it would never work. He wasn't what I wanted. He seemed like he would play me and enjoy it.

What I wanted seemed impossible and ridiculous.

"I haven't really been here that long," I said. In all honesty I wanted to be home, at my dock, talking to a different boy. The weather outside was great and instead of taking advantage of it and talking to the most fascinating thing in the planet, I found myself stuck at a party I didn't really want to be at. I didn't say that though and I didn't lie. I really hadn't been long enough to say if I enjoyed it. I didn't really want to stay long enough to find out if I would either.

We sat in silence. The waves were calming even though I sat anxiously, waiting, to see if Seth was going to make a move. I didn't want him to. I didn't want to become that girl who he hated and his friends hated. I didn't wanted to be the weird outcast who turned him down.

"You know there are legends about this place, don't you?" he broke the silence.

"Legends? Like what?"

"Mermaids."

I felt something clench in my heart. I cleared my throat and tried to speak normally. "You don't say."

"Yeah, there's an old fisher around who claims to have seen them, even caught one," he took this as an opportunity to keep talking since I was paying attention. "He owns a little fishing shop a few miles from where the fair was."

"And he has caught a mermaid?" My throat felt dry. Seth laughed.

"Of course not," he looked at me like I was the most amusing toy he had ever seen. "He's old and bat shit crazy!"

I let out the breath I had been holding in. "Bat shit crazy, huh?"

"Totally." Seth said. "The only thing he talks about is mermaids. It's like he has an obsession with them. Like, who picks that, out of everything in the world to be obsessed with?"

"Yeah, a weird obsession if you ask me." I couldn't help the blush that crept into my cheeks.

"You are always drawing them, aren't you?" he asked casually.

"Yeah," I couldn't leave him thinking that I had an obsession with them though, even if I really did. "I am kind of an artist. They're the new thing I have learned to draw." I continued. "It's not something I do all the time. I was inspired by the water and the idea crossed my mind when I moved here."

"So art's kind of your thing?" I laughed.

Meeting his gaze I said, "Yes, art is kind of my thing."

"You know," Seth slurred slightly. "I love green eyes."

"Oh, than-," I was cut off as I turned to look at him and his lips caught mine. My eyes widened. Before I knew what was happening a large wave crashed over us. He jerked away and I jumped up. Most of the water had landed on him while I had a little on my legs and a few sprinkles everywhere else.

"What the hell?" Seth was aggravated.

"That wave just came out of nowhere, I swear-" I cut my own self off. Seth had his back turned from the water with his hands placed behind his head, but I was looking. There I saw a tail, not of a fish but of a merman, and I knew whose.

My stomach dropped.

Finn.

He disappeared under the water as quickly as he had appeared but I knew it was him. I wanted more than anything to dive after him.

"-okay?" Seth snapped my back from my thoughts.

"What?"

"I said, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I looked him over. "You're all wet though."

He sighed. "Good thing I live here then, right?"

I gave a small smile and agreed. At least he could go change his clothes. "Right."

We walked back up to his house, and the party, so he could change his clothes. I hoped to find Heidi so we could leave. I searched everywhere while Seth went to his room. Eventually I found her in the pool room. Jake stood a few feet from her with an aggravated look plastered on his face. Heidi, on the other hand, had a pool stick in her grip and was preparing to shoot the eight ball into a pocket. One stripe ball was left.

Heidi hit it with a clack and she turned around and smiled at Jake, who kept his "excitement" hidden.

"And that, boys, is how it's done." She wiped her hands on her pants like she was cleaning off mud from doing dirty work. A couple of guys sighed as they approached her, money in hand. Heidi took it and then shooed them away, after she counted every bill they handed her of course, before she turned on Jake. "I should keep this money, you know."

"Heidi, I said I was sorry-" he reached for the green in her hand; she pulled away before his fingertips could even graze it.

"You shouldn't be betting," she accused. "Especially when you've been drinking. You better be thankful I got this back for you!"

"Thank you," Jake bit out and she handed over the cash. They both looked over to see me in the door way. "Hey, Audrey."

I could tell Jake was trying to use me as a way to get out of the wrath of Heidi. I also knew it wasn't going to work.

"I don't think so," she said as she grabbed his arm as he started to walk towards me. "Can you believe he's going to try to run from me after I saved his sorry ass and his cash?" She looked at me. I wanted to laugh but it wasn't a good time.

"I came to say that I wanted to leave-"

"Great!" Jake said too enthusiastically. "Heidi, she's your ride-"

"Oh, no. I don't think so," she gripped his arm tighter. "I'm going to stay at this party and then you're going to leave when I feel like leaving and you're going to take me home."

"Oh, boy." I said. I was half tempted to make a break for it.

"Audrey?" I froze as Heidi said my name. "Do you think you could just bring my bags to school Monday and we can meet up in the parking lot?"

"Um," I looked at Jake and looked at her. "Sure." I backed out and headed down the hallway I had come from.

"See you Monday!" Jake called. I knew he was mad for leaving him with her, but I also had a feeling he wouldn't stay mad for long. I felt like Heidi was going to use that opportunity in the car with him later to tell him how she felt. I had no doubt that they would be dating Monday.

I escaped without Seth running into me first. I just wanted to get home and go sit out on the dock. Finn would be waiting, probably angry, but he would be there and that's all I needed.