Staying afloat ~ (Mermaid academy)

Chapter one~ Stages

They say grief has five stages.

Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance.

But I didn't feel any of those. I felt nothing. I was numb. The only thing I felt was the thump thump of my heart.

I buried my parents today. Saw their limp, lifeless bodies. Makeup caked on their faces to make them not look washed out, but it made them look different. My mother was prettier, my dad was more handsome. I wanted to reach out, and touch them, jolt them awake, but all I did was cry.

My mom's blond hair was fanned out, she would have hated that. She said that a respectable woman always wears her hair up, it shows class. I would always laugh at that. She had pink lipstick on, she never wore makeup, she said it was an abomination of nature, we were given our faces for a reason.

My father's hair was combed over, and it looked like powder was caked over skin. He was the king of Jordania. Even though people thought he was a stern, mean man, he was a teddy bear, who loved me, my mother, and my sister more than anything.

I will never hear their smiles, their laughs ever again. Never hear their voices. Never, Never, Never. Never.

They were murdered.

Murdered for no reason by an opposing kingdom called the Bahari Kingdom. They were evil creatures, not like us at all. It is a surprise to me that we even look alike. The inhabitants of Jordania all have bright colored tails and eyes, while the people of Bahari have dark colored tails, and white eyes. There has been a feud going on since god knows how long, for some stupid reason, that was forgotten eons ago. They are disgusting creatures, who feed on human blood. They take their hands up from the murky waters of the deep, and drag their victims into a watery grave, and feed on their blood with their razor sharp teeth. My parents were murdered for just going into town to pick up my sister, Talia. They where ambushed by a swarm, and killed them. They didn't even care that they had children. They just didn't care.

I hugged Talia tighter. Her black curls were askew, and her tiny 12 year old shoulders were sobbing with silent sobs.

"I'm here, Tal. I'm here." I whispered into her hair.

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"Gabby!"

I turned over in a fit full sleep. I was having another nightmare and someone kept shouting my name.

"Gabby! Gabby! Gabby!" The cries were louder, and on the verge of tears.

Hands shook my shoulders, and pushed me out of the bed.

"Oof!" I said while simultaneously rubbing my hurt shoulder.

"Gabby, I had another nightmare. I can't sleep."

I looked into the eyes of my sisters. They were red, and glossy from tears. They lost their spunk, and aquamarine color. I missed that spunk.

Pulling her closer, I felt a tear slip down my cheek. Mom always took care of these things, not me. I was only 17. I had no clue how to be a mother, let alone the new queen of Jordania. The initiation ceremony was tomorrow. They gave me no time to grieve..

"Tal, Its okay. I'm here. Don't cry."

She turned to look at me when I heard a rapping at the window. Her blue tail shifted in my lap. She swam over to the window. The window was a large window, at least 14 feet tall. A little big for my bedroom, because you can see everything in it when you look in, and I mean everything. Including me changing. I usually forget to close the blinds, and I gather a crowd of the boys who live here.

I swam across the room to where Talia was standing. Peering down the window, I saw Bryn and Fay. My best friend and her brother, staring at me.

"Gabriella. Can we come in?" Fay asked. She was still wearing black from the funeral. It made her cherry colored locks stand out.

Opening the window, I motioned them to swim up.

 Bryn was the first to hug me, his hands lingering longer than they should. He had a crush on me since as long as I could remember. He wasn't bad looking either, with his bright green eyes and tail, and his sandy locks. But he was more like a brother to me, and I wouldn't risk the friendship we have.

Fay pushed her brother out of the way and pulled me and Talia into a group hug.

"I'm so sorry." She said into our hair.

"Thank you." I said, barely above a whisper.

Fay swam around me again, looking at my dress.

"What are you wearing tomorrow, Gabs?"

I looked at her with confusion.

"Does it really matter what I'm wearing tomorrow?" I asked her.

"Your initiation ceremony!" She said.

"I had alot more things to deal with. I don't have time for a stupid dress." I said with more venom than I intended.

Hurt registered on her face, and I instantly felt a little bit bad.

"I'm sorry. I just have alot going on---" I suddenly burst to tears on her shoulder. I felt her rubbing my back in circles.

"Shhhh. It's okay. The mall doesn't close until 7. Its 5 now. We can pick one up, and be out before the sun sets."

She grabbed my arm before I could protest.

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Katilla's POV

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Katilla watched the princess with disgust from behind a monument. Who did she think she is? She couldn't wait until the day came when she could choke the breaths from her too perfect throat. Then her people would drink her royal blood. She wouldn't be so pretty with the color and life drained from her body. Katilla smiled when she pictured it. Voices became much clearer now, and the princess and a girl with disgustingly bright hair swam down the window. Flicking her grey tail farther down, she listened in on their conversation.

"Come on, Gab. Maria Desmond's mother makes dresses that would look great on you."

The Princess looked at the red haired girl with an unsure look on her face.

"I don't know, Fay. I don't feel comfortable leaving Talia alone. She's my responsibility now, and if anything happens to her---."

Fay grabbed the princess by the shoulders, and looked her straight in her purple eyes, and brushed away her straight blonde hair.

"Bryn is watching her. Don't you trust him?" Fay said, the hurt clear on her face.

The princess looked at her apologetically.

"Your'e right. I trust him."

Fay squealed and swung her around.

"Yay! Lets go buy some dresses!"

She suddenly stopped squealing and spinning and looked right in Katilla's direction.

"Shh! Do you see that?"

The princess looked around in the other direction.

"See what?"

Fay swung her the right way.

"Over there! Behind the Poseidon monument, by the koi fish pond. I see a tail. A grey one."

The Princess tried squinting, but it was obvious that all she saw was nothing but the big, bulky crumbling statue covered by barnacles.

Katilla flicked her tail, and swam as fast as she could towards her kingdom. She vowed to herself that she would kill the Princess one day. After all, what were family for?

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