The Mermaid Tale "If I Could Stand"

His Art

The bus jumped and bounced along the bumpy road, and my head wobbled to the side as we turned in the direction of the school. It was early, and my head ached in tiresome. I didn't think school would start so early, but I was wrong. My uniform was tucked in perfectly and I carried the scent of a freshly washed strawberry. Andrina had sprayed me with perfume all morning, because she said it was important to make a good impression on the first day. I felt eyes on me throughout the whole ride. People thought I was different I suppose. Something about me didn't click to them, and everything about them never clicked to me.
"Have a great first day!" The bus driver yelled as I hopped off the bus.
I walked a couple steps and I stood staring around the large campus. The amount of people looked ridiculous. So many tall boys and many medium height and short blonde and brown haired girls. I was the only red haired girl in the crowd, and every time I turned around my eyes flicked to someone else's and they stared in awe. I passed a crowd of boys who then again whistled as I walked by.
"Hey baby! Looking good!" A boy yelled as he followed behind me for awhile.
I smiled a bit and kept walking straight. I looked around for Cassandra, but I couldn't catch a glimpse of her anywhere. I recognized no faces. I walked into the noisy classroom and swiftly took the seat in the front to look up and see big pale green eyes sinking down into mine.
"Sorry, I'm sitting here."
I looked up at her, and I sulked. I didn't feel like moving, and I wasn't going to move just because she told me to. When I got here there were no signs of seating.
"I'm sorry but when I sat here there was no one sitting here." I said.
She props her hand on her hip and cocks her head to the side as if she were waiting for something...which was probably for me to move.
"Sorry." I say getting up.
She gives me a crooked smile and I sit in the seat in the next row. I was in front of a boy who's music was so loud it seemed that he had no earphones in. I saw a woman walk in with spectacles bigger than my thumb, and gray hair tossed in a bun. I sat up straight to hear her loud and clear.
"Good morning sophomore class. I'm Ms. Duval and I will be your Literary Arts professor. I hope all of you have been well, and that all of you are enjoying the love,y weather."
People nodded and I just sat there as the woman went on about the year's upcoming events. My mind drifted off quickly when I saw the rest of the class walk in. I saw Alessandro, and Cassandra, and her group of friends trailing behind her. I saw some boys walk in too.
"Late again? I thought we had handled this last year." The old woman said.
People laughed and I just smiled. Alessandro winked at me and I blushed profusely. I wondered if anyone noticed my feelings.
***
After my fourth class I went to lunch with Cassandra. I saw people in the corner wearing these shirts with numbers on them drinking water. One of them nodded their head in my direction and I just smiled. Shyly, I followed Cassandra in the line with her friends. I scanned the food, and saw no fish. I saw this vanilla pudding so I went with that.
"You want a drink?" Asked Cassandra.
"No I'm not thirsty."
It may seem bizarre for a human, but I hadn't felt thirsty since I've had two legs. The spell really worked. I don't need water to survive.
"Hey Alice!" Cassandra yells as she wraps her arms around Alessandro.
Alice? I see another girl run up and link arms with Alesandro. Apparently, many of the girls followed after him.
"What's your name?" The girl asks me.
"Anastasia." I say in a whisper.
"What a beautiful name. I'm Rose."
"Nice to meet you." I say smiling.
After a couple minutes of acquainting with each other we all sit down. I try some of the pudding that makes me gag. It tasted like slime with sugar in it. I watched the boys scarf down large portions of chicken tender thingys. The girls munched on salads and ice cream bars. I sat there sneaking glimpses at Alessandro as he sketched in this large books. I realized he had been wearing a shirt with a number on it too.
"Alessandro." I say interrupting the conversation.
"Yes, my fiore?" He says as his strong accent lingers on the re in fiore.
"Why are you wearing a number shirt?"
The girls giggle and some of the boys give me weird looks. Sorry, it wasn't my fault I had only been human for three or two weeks.
"I play soccer...." He says laughing a little.
"Oh sorry."
"Anastasia what school did you attend before this one?"
I fiddled with my fingers thinking of an answer.
"Homeschool."
"Awesome."A boy says from the end of the table.

After lunch everyone goes outside near the water. My mind starts to drift off to the memories. I see some people sticking their feet in the rushing waves, and I just sit there watching. I turn around and I see Alessandro sitting on a rock drawing quite quickly.
"Am I in your way." I ask shifting to the other side.
"You're perfect."
He holds up his sketch book and I see the start of his drawing. It's me watching the sea, but I'm wearing a flower in my hair.
"It's lovely Alessandro!"
I see some girls watching us. I suppose I should watch the way I speak with him. I could tell many of the girls wanted to win him. I wouldn't blame them.
"I'm no where near done."
"It looks beautiful already."
For a moment he just watches me intensely making me feel self conscious.
"What?" I ask.
"It's just...you remind me of something I saw..."
My brain starts shutting down at this. I hope he doesn't find out...
"Nevermind it's no big deal."
I smile and he gets up. He picks up a pretty purple flower and gives it to me. I take the flower and out it in my hair.
"I think that'd be a pretty picture of you." He says studying my appearance.
My heart raced as he turned me around a couple times. I felt him behind me and he raised my arms in the air.
"Alright just stay in that position."
His pencil moved faster than my beating heart. I could hear his breathing and the passion he felt as he drew.

   ***
"How was your first day of school?" Andrina asks.
I'm in front my mirror brushing my hair.
"It was amazing." I say dreamy eyed.
"Sounds like someone's in love already."
I throw her a look in awe.
"How would you know that?!"
"You'd be surprised at things I know. Be careful those highschool boys are nothing, but trouble. You don't wanna get pregnant."
"Do humans do it?"
"What do you mean?" She asks as her face turns a little red,
"Like...have you did it with a human?"
Her eyes fly open big and wide, and she stays silent for a moment.
"I'm not telling you that, and don't get any ideas. You don't know the first thing of anything, and keep it that way for along time!"
"I was just askin-"
"Don't wanna hear it! You have got a lot to learn and that part of your life should be last on the list."
She leaves out my room and I just sit there with my brush sitting in my hair. I look over at my wall at the picture Alessandro drew of me. He was such a dream to me. I don't care of Andrina said about boys. He was the nicest one I had ever seen.