Mermaids and Mysteries | H2O

Chapter XVIII

*Bella's POV*
We agreed that the best way to ensure our safety was to steer clear of Dr Denman, more than we usually would, and make sure Tammy and Nala did too. With the amount of photos, Denman or even Sophie could figure out the two were mermaids at first glance. We'd have to be extra careful, now that she has all the information to link us to being mermaids.

This meant no swimming, no trips to the wharf where Denman's boat was moored and no public meet ups at Rikki's café after Denman had her act with the smoke bomb. Rikki and Emma had tried to do as much private work as possible and the only time we'd all talk was in person, locked away in someone's bedroom.

It had been fear and chaos all week after Sophie had shown us the pictures in the moon pool and around Mako. I was never on the receiving end of Dr Denman's sting but I agreed to the girl's overprotective safety procedures. We had to protect the secret, especially now that a mermaid hunter is this close to discovering it.

"Sophie's going diving out by the moon pool with Denman today," Will informed me.
Yet again, silence fell.
"Could we- could we talk about something else?" I whimper.

Cleo, Emma, Rikki and I couldn't be caught all in a group anyone, Denman would want us all together if she was planning anything. So, the only person I could talk to through all of this was Will. I'd drop by his boat shed every day and he'd update me on Sophie and everything she's told him about her work with Dr Denman.

Talking about it just made it all worse though. I thought that if I just kept it bottled up and ignored it, then it wouldn't get to me. But that wasn't the case, I'd just feel unsafe and uncomfortable whenever the topic came up.

"Bella? What's up?" he stared at me.
"Nothing- nothing's up, don't worry," I faked a smile for him.
"You can tell me anything Bels." I looked up into his big, worried eyes.

How could I keep this from him when he cared so much for me? I'd always been so closed off, I never talked much about myself or my problems. I was never socially advanced, though I wish I was. Some things you just can't change.

I don't need to say anything, I just give Will a look and he understands.
"I know- this must be really hard on you."
I smile but remain silent, I didn't have anything interesting to say anyway.
"How about we go get a juice at the café?" he suggested.

I couldn't bring myself to speaking so I just nod, smile and stand up. I know that the café was one of the safety restrictions but the girls were so strict, I was starting to feel trapped with so much to worry about and so little freedom.

Will recently got his license so we drive to the café, mainly because it was boiling outside and Will's car had air-conditioning. Being with Will calmed me, even if we didn't speak, his presence made me feel safe, a feeling I can't take for granted anymore.

*Nala's POV*
The summer heat was almost unbearable outdoors when the weather soared above 100 degrees everyday. The road was burning my feet through my flip flops and I could feel my skin getting tanned. Tammy and I would run between the shade of trees to escape the sun as we walked to the café.

Panting from an extra long run to the shade, we hid under the short shadow of a garden fence.
"Will you be coming for a swim with me later?" Tammy asks.
"Well- I kinda- I actually planned to go see a movie with Ezra," I muttered awkwardly.
She sneered at the ground, "You seem to spend an awful lot of time with him."
"Yeah, well we're good friends now."
"Good friends? Really? You guys haven't made out yet?"