Swim Away (Mermaid)

Chapter One

The sun was out shining beautifully over the crystal clear ocean. The sound of the waves crashing against each other was calming. The water sparkling, bubbling, and turning clear as it reached the shore. Seagulls high above flying over the beach and some landing to grab food left over by others. The soft sand underneath, the smell of salt, and the wind blowing on my face was the most peaceful thing to me. I couldn't imagine living without it all. That was my heaven.

***

I slowly opened my eyes. The sun was shining as if it was in front of my face, making me blind. I adjusted to the light blinking a couple times to see exactly where I was. I could make out the sand on my towel. Sand on my towel? Well, obviously I wasn't in my room.

Fully awake, I felt the sand on my lips and some in my mouth. I coughed it out and slowly got on my knees. I rubbed my eyes and could see clearly now.

I slept on the beach. Again.

I came to relax at the beach like I did everyday, and on the weekends I'd be there in the mornings. The beach was pretty much my life. My best friend. I came to it when I needed to relax or to get away. I was glad to be living by the beach. I didn't know what I would do if I didn't live near it.

I got up, grabbed my towel, and my bag. I searched through my bag to get my phone, but it wasn't there. Then I remembered I left it in my jean shorts pocket. I reached for it, but it wasn't there either. I turned around where I was laying seconds ago and found it. It was in the sand. I picked it up. Great, it wasn't working. That was the third phone that the ocean destroyed.

I walked to my house. It wasn't too far, it was right by the beach.

When I walked inside I saw my dad sitting at the kitchen table.

"Hey Lara," he said, without even looking at me.

"Hi, dad."

He took off his glasses and looked right at me. I smiled as if I did nothing wrong. "Don't tell me, you fell asleep on the beach again."

"No, I was watching the waves for hours."

"Ah, I see." He obviously didn't believe me. "I called you and you didn't pick up."

"Um, phone died." I placed it on the table.

"Not again."

"Yes again." I pressed my lips together. Oh well, I didn't use my phone anyway.

"We'll go buy you a new one tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's school." My peaceful summer was coming to an end tomorrow. Somebody rewind summer!

"Oh yeah. Hmm, we can go now actually or after school."

"Doesn't really matter to me." Knowing him he'd pick tomorrow. I didn't care either way.

"Tomorrow it is." He put his glasses back on and continued going through the papers he had in front of him.

I walked up to my room and placed all my stuff on the floor. The only thing I hated about the beach was sand stuck to everything. I had to wash my towel, get rid the sand in my bag, and clean the floor. Ugh.

I decided to shower first. I turned on the water and made the temperature just right. Not too cold and not too hot. I removed my clothing and stepped inside. The water felt nice but not as nice as when the waves crash onto me.

When I finished with my shower and wore one of my many beautiful summer dresses, I came and stood in front of the mirror. I left the window open and the sun was shining so brightly that my blonde hair looked almost bleach blonde. I took the brush from my dresser, brushed my hair, and put it up in a ponytail.

Well, now that I showered, I couldn't go back out to the beach. Avoiding the water was like a problem. I felt like it would be calling my name. Like it was my home.

***

"Lara!"

"Yes?"

"Come on, we got to go."

I pressed my lips together as I watched the waves crash on the shore. I put my hair behind my ear since the wind was making my hair attack my face. I stood up and we went to the car. I couldn't believe my summer was already over.

I woke up around six, got dressed, and went to the beach. I spent the whole time thinking about how nice it'd be to run in, to have the waves crash on me.

My dad parked in front of the school. I sighed and looked around. The school was exactly the same. I saw the huge sign that said 'Welcome to Deep Blue high! Home of the Sharks!' The whole school was painted in blue. It was supposed to have that underwater look but it was only blue. I thought it'd be cute if they added fish, dolphins, and sharks on the wall.

I opened the door to get out, "bye dad."

"Bye, have a good first day!" He drove off. Wait! Take me back!

I took a few steps and noticed how old friends gathered. The new students were also in a group. But me, I was alone. No one was my friend. No one liked me and I didn't even know why. I always felt like I never belonged here.

I took another step and kept going. Suddenly, a girl appeared in front of me. "Um, do you know where the main office is?" Why was she asking me? There were like a million other people around her.

"Go through the entrance and go left. It's the first door. You can't miss it. It says Main Office." I explained.

"Oh thanks!" She left going where I told her.

The bell rang and everyone ran to their classes. I took my schedule out. First class was P.E. Well, what a nice way to start my day, everyday. I put it away walking to the P.E. section.

The class gathered around the grass area. We had to find our teacher and stand in front of them. I heard the P.E. teacher I had made his students run a lot.

Well, that was wonderful. I hated running.

He started roll call to make sure everyone was there. Then he told us it was free play. We had to play a sport, we weren't allowed to walk around. I grabbed a basketball and played by myself. But after a while I stopped, and put the basketball away. I was watching everyone play against each other in basketball, volleyball, football, and tennis. I wished I could join them.

Sighing, I went to grab something else to play with. Then, I saw the pool. I walked straight toward it. It was across a few volleyball nets. No one was around there. I looked at the pool.

Sometimes I wished I could just swim away.