Kidge story, Mermaid au

Chapter 7

Keith went out to garrison beach. He checked his phone. 7:55. He had gotten up early to meet her. He figured she had chosen garrison because it was normally empty. He sat down in the tide pools to wait for her.
"You're early." He heard from next to him. He jumped and looked over to see Katie.
"Can you stop that please?" Keith says.
"Sorry. So, are you ready?" Katie asked.
"Ready for what?"
"To go in and ya know, swim."
"What! Um I don't know I just kind of-"
"Woah woah woah, don't worry, I'm not gonna shove you in the deep end."
"I don't know."
"Trust me okay?" He looked into her eyes.
"Alright."
"Yay! Come on." She said. She got out of the ride pool and made her way to the ocean. Keith followed behind and saw her scooting along the sand.
"Do you need some help?" He said to her.
"Don't mock me." Once they got to the water, Katie was able to readjust herself.
"Alright. Let's do this." Throughout the morning, she taught him all of the basics of swimming. Floating, paddling, kicking. Keith was clumsy with it at first but got the hang of it.
"Let me show you something." Katie said. "Follow me." She went under the water and Keith followed. She held his hand and took him out to the reef. Katie then let him float and went over to one of the coral pieces. She closed her eyes and touched it. Immediately, hundreds of fish started swimming around them. Keith watched them all scatter around him.
"Tada!" Katie said. The fish then all swam away and back into hiding as they swam back to the surface.
"Wow, how did you- wow." Keith said. They swim back closer to the shore. "How did you do that?"
"It's just some of my perks." She responded.
"Can you do anything else?" He asks.
"I can do this." She says. She turns and splashes him with her tail.
"Alright." Keith says. He then kicks water into her face. They go back and forth splashing each other as much as they can.
"Alright I have no other options now." Keith says. He lifts her up out of the water. Katie squeals and giggles.
"Hey! Put me down you smelly sailor!" She  shrieks. She grabs onto his neck for support as they laugh. When the laughing slows, everything grows quiet. They stare at each other for a moment and they can't even hear the sound of the ocean. And then, slowly and yet suddenly, they grow closer, closing their eyes when their lips meet in the middle. They stay like this for a while. They let go as slowly as they collided.
"Wow." Keith says.
"Oh my god." Katie says. "Um, I should go home." She says smiling.
"O-okay." He says putting her down in the water. "Will we see each other again?" She nods in response, to then disappear under the water.