Mermaid in a Bottle

Chapter 24: Dreams Returned

(Maizee's P.O.V.)

"Ew look at that crazy tattoo," Claudia stated out loud in the hallway.

"Yeah, what made her think she could pull that off with that nasty hair of hers?" Cristella said right after her.

Danielle, my ex-best friend, just stood beside them, keeping to herself. Hers eyes avoided mine. Well that was just fine. I didn't want to talk to her anyways. I never wanted to see her two-timing face again. All I wanted was Chase. He could comfort me like no one else could, and I knew just where to find him.

I ignored everyone else's stares and headed towards the janitor's closet. It was our favorite spot. We would hang out there a lot during lunch. All I had to do was text him and he would be there in a heart beat.

Meet me at the place, I typed in to my phone as I opened the closet door.

My fingers didn't have to press send. He was already there, with another girl.

I blinked back tears. Another girl. Not me, but a different girl. Wasn't this what Danielle was going on about? I had ignored her and continued on. Maybe deep down, I knew she was right, but I just didn't want to admit it. I only had two friends as it was. I didn't want to lose either of them. I ended up losing both.

I became determined. No. I wouldn't lose Chase too. I already lost Danielle to those other bitches, but before I could voice my thoughts, Chase and this "replacement" turned to me.

"Get out," Chase said with a cold steel gaze.

My expression became even more determined. "No." Then I did the only other thing I could do. I switched back to my old defense mechanism. I pretended not to care. I put on a smile. "Come on silly."

I grabbed ahold of his hand and gently pulled him towards me.

The "replacement" girl, aka skank, scoffed. "Can't you see that we're busy? He doesn't want you anymore hun."

It was my turn to scoff. "Oh don't be silly. Chase loves me very much."

Chase stood closer to the girl, as if being her supporter. "No Maizee, don't you see? I'm dumping you."

My eyebrows furrowed. "No. No! What did I do wrong?"

Chase sighed, deciding not to answer. "Shut the door on the way out."

I looked around the janitor's closet, replaying all our moments inside this closet. I couldn't believe this. I couldn't believe he was doing this to me! Everything that we shared together was basically for nothing!

I slowly backed away.

"Freak," the skank said with a laugh. "And what's with that ugly tattoo anyway?"

I never answered. I was off before she had any time to call me back.

I didn't know where I was headed. All I knew was I wanted to get away from there. I wanted to be as far away as possible. My legs seemed to know where I was headed and my mind gave me enough determination to have the will to continue on.

Soon, I was on a sandy path. I was heading towards the beach, I realized. Suddenly, I had an overwhelming feeling to just jump into the water and swim off.

Are you crazy, the better side of me thought. It's in the middle of September! It'll be too cold! And where are you going to swim to?! That's an ocean. You're going to get lost or drown!

That was the better side, but the rest of me ached with every other inch of my being to just reach that salt water, bathe in it.

Finally, I reached the water's edge. I came to a halt, breathing in the fresh air that often ended lingering around the beach, in a place where there was no space for gas guzzling cars to pollute the atmosphere. My mind was suddenly at peace. I didn't care to remember why I had come here, or that my heart had just been broken minutes before. I just wanted to feel the water on my skin.