𝐈'𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐃 || 𝐙𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐭

Epilogue

I'll be your mermaid... 

I walked in the sand, toes sinking, every little grain touching my skin. I felt numb and out of place - like I didn't belong somehow. Even with Zane right by my side, his hand brushing mine every so often as we walked, I felt...lost. Just thinking about it made it hard to breathe. Maybe that was a feeling that wouldn't go away. Or rather...maybe with time.

A hand slipped around my waist then, bringing me into my boyfriend's side. I smiled up at him but it didn't quite reach my eyes and I think he noticed because he stopped walking, making me stop as well. I glanced up to look at him then and gently, he cupped my face in his large hands.

"You're not alone in this, you know, Lee," he told me softly, brown eyes gazing down at me, "I've been here when you were a mermaid and I'll be here after. You're not alone - you'll always have me,"

My heart fluttered at his words. Reaching up, I pressed my hands to the back of his, running my thumb across the skin there. He was perfect. He always had been.

"I know, Zane...I know," I said quietly, nodding.

"I know you do...I think the ice cream incidents have proven that many times," he deadpanned, finally eliciting a laugh from me.

I grinned, shaking my head at him but he continued, his expression growing somber as his arms wrapped around me gently.

"But...after knowing you this year and...becoming so scared when I saw you in that moon pool after you'd been captured, I..." he started, his words faltering before he took in a deep breath, chocolate-brown eyes boring into mine with an intensity I'd never seen there before, "I realized that...I'm in love with you, Leona. Completely and irrevocably. And it doesn't matter to me whether you're a mermaid or not because I love you. Not your tail, not your powers - you, Leona Ramirez,"

My chocolate-brown gaze widened, feeling as if all the air had been knocked out of me. My heart raced in my chest and suddenly, a grin split my face. He loved me? He-he...he really loved me?!

"I... I love you, too, Zane." I confessed, feeling my heart swell with love for this boy in front of me, this boy meant everything to me.

He leaned in, crashing his lips into mine just as soon as the words had left my mouth. His lips were soft and sweet on my own, the kiss full of passion as I wound my fingers into his dark hair. I could feel his hand skimming the sliver of skin peeking out from underneath my tank top, making goosebumps appear there. Unbidden, a sigh escaped my lips and I felt Zane smile into the kiss before we broke away. His brown eyes held an emotion I couldn't quite put my finger on as he gazed down at me intensely, his thumb caressing my cheek. I leaned into his hand.

I loved when we could be like this - just together, without any worries or cares. But suddenly, a mischievous glint came into his eyes and I tilted my head at him. What was he about to...

But before I could even react, his hands had slid up my sides, moving his fingers so that they tickled my skin. I jumped involuntarily and Zane began to laugh heartily at my discomfort. I want to say I got angry...but I just couldn't keep the smile off my face.

"Oh, that's how it's gonna be, huh?" I asked playfully, arching my eyebrows as I took a step away.

He smirked over at me, lifting his hands up again, "Come on, Leona - you know I haven't gotten you back yet for ruining my good shirts with your ice cream catastrophes. Time to pay the piper,"

I laughed, shaking my head so that a few strands of my brown hair came free of its ponytail.

"Maybe, maybe...but you'll just have to catch me first!" I shrugged, smiling like crazy before I took off running across the sand.

My feet thudded across the ground as I ran, squealing with laughter as I heard Zane trying to catch up. With my heart racing in my chest, feeling exhilarated, I raced across the surf. The soles of my feet touched the water but I took no notice as I kept going, heading straight for the water. Let's see him take me on now! I might not have my tail anymore but after being a mermaid for so long, my swimming was still better than his. I had waded all the way out into the open ocean, not far from shore but far enough so that it was up to my waist when it happened.

I barely felt the rush of tingles, I was so distracted by Zane chasing after me. But in a split-second, I felt the change come over me and gravity pulled me down, down, down. I fell forward onto my stomach, catching myself just barely thanks to the soft sand underneath the waves. My eyes widened in shock, feeling surprise ripple through me as I turned over slightly. My gaze met that of something orange, long, and shimmery that I had missed terribly - my tail. It-it-

"ZANE!" I shouted loudly, twisting over back onto my stomach so that I could glance up at him just as he came racing over, "IT'S BACK, IT'S BACK!"

"What's-" he started, stopping short when he saw my tail.

His eyes went wide at the sight and I grinned over at my boyfriend.

"IT'S BACK! My tail is back! I'm a mermaid again, Zane! I'm still a mermaid!" I said happily, laughing at his baffled expression.

Soon, though, surprise turned into joy and he ran over to me, his feet splashing in the waves. Once he'd reached me, his arms dove beneath the water, wrapping around my waist before he lifted me up out of the ocean. His arms held me bridal-style and a giggle escaped my mouth as I gazed up into his face, his chocolate-brown eyes shining while he briefly scanned my long, orange tail before meeting my own dark orbs.

"Zane...I think there's something you should know..." I began, my voice soft as he held me in his strong arms, "You remember that day of the video contest? With the sharks at Mako Island?"

Slowly, he nodded, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"That was me..." I admitted, glancing down at my hands, "And the time in Miss Chatham's boat? When you almost drowned? That was me, too..."

"You-you were my mermaid?" he stuttered out in wide-eyed shock.

I bit my lip, nodding. I didn't know how he'd take it, to be honest. Would he be mad I hadn't told him sooner? Would it make things awkward between us now? But my fears were unfounded because ever so slowly, his lips grew into a beaming smile.

"That's...incredible, Leona," he admitted.

I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding, feeling like my heart would burst at the seems from how happy I was in this moment. But the next words he spoke melted me completely.

"But with or without the tail...you'll always be my mermaid."

A smile split my face, love shining in my eyes for this amazing man holding me tight. And I couldn't help but agree with him just before our lips met in a passionate kiss.

"I'll be your mermaid..."