Escape the Sea (COMPLETED)

Chapter 25: Shiny Shells

Lydia swam into the small bedroom that her best friend has been staying in. Coral agreed to help Lydia with her princess problem and make a new outfit for her so that she could fit in with the new crowd of people she would soon be with. She zipped around the room, searching for some sliver tulle that was, supposedly, in the top drawer next to the art supplies, according to Coral. Lydia sifted through the drawer until she found the neat roll of glimmering silver tulle. As she was about to leave, she saw something shining in the corner of her eye. Her curiosity got the best of her and before she knew it, she was swimming towards the mysterious shine.

Lydia gasped at what she found. They were shiny, painted sea shells. They had all types of vibrant and soft colors like pastel blue, vibrant yellow, sea foam green, bright red, orange, and all the colors in between. "Lydia! Did you find the tulle? I'm almost done but I kind of need my model and my tulle." Coral explained, swimming in to see Lydia gawking over the sea shells she had previously painted. "Coral!" Lydia stammered, quickly turning to the confused mermaid. "Do you like them? Their one of the top sellers in the store right now." She said, raising a brow. "Uh, yeah! Their gorgeous! Girl, You are extremely talented!" Lydia exclaimed, still having a teal shell in hand. "Meh, art is just a hobby. My passion is creating new and fresh designs then making them into clothing. Which, I guess, is a form of art." She expressed, "Those shells are no easy task. First, I give all of them a personalized look, which takes about a week to paint each, might I add. I then bring them to the surface to dry and I have to remember to get them before the seagulls do." Coral ranted, throwing her hands up in the water in exaggeration.

"You go to the surface?" Lydia curiously asked. "Yeah, there is a specific rock I use. Don't worry, I've never been caught. By mermaids or humans. That's another thing! I have to go dry them at a SPECIFIC time in the day so that the sun perfectly dries those things!" Coral complained as Lydia started to die on the floor laughing. "Don't laugh at my suffering!" Coral protested, punching Lydia's frail arm. She couldn't even feel the slight pain because she was laughing so hysterically. "Oh calm down, it's not like your swimming across the Atlantic without food!" She retorted, sitting on the rocky floor. Coral playfully gave her the stink eye as she ripped the tulle from her hands. "I'm this close to not helping you!" She called, already swimming into the other room. "Yeah, yeah, sure, sure!" Lydia called back, rolling her hazel green eyes.

"Lydia, can you sit still for 5 minutes?" Coral pleaded with a needle sticking out of her mouth. "Sorry." she apologized, trying not to fidget. The outfit was almost done. It just had to be adjusted. "I just have to pinch it a little in the back and bam, you're done." She said, still fixated on the top.

BANG BANG BANG

Lydia jumped at the banging on the front door. "CHILD! Sit still!!" Coral yelled, putting Lydia back into her position. "I'll get it. You stay here! You could accidentally pinch yourself." Coral demanded, swimming to the door. "Coral honey, it's the King and Queen! We're here to pick up Lydia!" The Queen sweetly said, softly knocking on the door. "Hello King Robert and Queen Elizabeth, please come in!" She greeted, bowing in respect. "I'm so sorry for the banging. My husband underestimated how strong his arm can be." She said, giving Coral a hug. "Where's Lydia?" Robert asked, looking around the cozy apartment. "She's in here." She answered, leading the couple to the messy craft room. "You have a rather large apartment." The King added. "Yeah, I'm one of the lucky few to get a big one. Not because I'm rich, because I most definitely am not, but because I needed a craft room. I can work on new designs while we're all stuck here. Once we get back, I can restock my store with new merchandise." She explained, opening the door to the room.

In front of the folding mirrors was Lydia waiting patiently for Coral to return. "Hi Mom! Hi Dad!" She gave them a small wave, she was determined to not move. "Oh my goodness! Lydia, you look absolutely beautiful!" Elizabeth exclaimed, admiring Coral's work. Her outfit really was beautiful. Her top was made of 2 clam shells that were painted gold with silver swirls. It had shiny pink pearls delicately hanging from it. The straps were a sturdy golden ribbon. And to top it off, she wore a flowy, see through, shimmering silver skirt that went just passed the tips of her fingers. "You look like the most beautiful princess of all the seven seas!" Her father said, sounding like he was about to cry. Coral came around and took the pins out of the top.

"Coral, you did a magnificent job! I can really see the quality and effort you put into it. There's no reason to go shopping now. We'll just have to go tomorrow."

"There's no time either. We're having dinner in 30 minutes my dear." Robert warned his wife.

"Yes, yes. Well, good bye Coral. Thank you for keeping my daughter company while we were gone."

"You're welcome, I love her company! Your daughter has been a blessing to me from the moment I met her." She said with a smile.

Coral got a hug from the King and Queen and out the door they went. But before Lydia left, Coral bolted out of the apartment crying "Lydia! Wait!" "What's wrong?" Lydia asked worryingly. "I have an awesome shell drying right now. If you want, after your dinner, you can come pick it up! I should be back by then." "Really?! I get to keep one?!" Lydia exclaimed, holding her hands tightly together. "Of course, girl! For you, anything." She winked, giving her a big hug. "Lydia! Let's go!" Her father called, trying to hurry the happy mermaid up. "Alrighty, I'll see you after dinner!" Lydia waved good bye and set off to go eat dinner with her parents.

Dinner didn't last too long. She greeted all 20 of the mermaids and mermen, which were all very nice to her. After the introductions, they ate the giant feast before them. Lydia has never seen so much food in one place. Not just food, but DELICIOUS food! The best sea food she has ever had. All this food talk made her think back to that heavenly cotton candy she ate before she left. And she couldn't help but wish she was back on land with Josh and his family. The small family dinners, the amazing noodles that Mrs.C would make. Oh, and the heavenly sauce she draped it in? It was to die for. Hands down, it's Lydia's favorite food. Anyway, after the food and awkward small talk with some of the surrounding adults, her mother wanted to take her back to her room for a moment. She said it was important.

"I was waiting to give this to you but I couldn't wait any longer." Her mother explained, placing a small golden box in Lydia's palms. "I asked Bow to head back to the castle and retrieve a few things. Like, clothes and a few small necessities." Her mother said, looking eagerly at Lydia as she unlatched the front and opened it gently. Lydia's mouth dropped as she saw the beauty that was in front of her. It was a golden crown with different colored jewels just like her father's, just smaller and more feminine. "Oh Mom, I love it!" Lydia embraced her mother, squeezing her tightly. "Your father and I had it picked out before you were born." She said, placing the crown on her daughter. She felt a lump in her throat as she saw her beautiful daughter that she never thought she'd see again right in front of her, with the crown her and her husband picked out so many years ago. "Now when people see you, they'll treat you with respect." Her mother said, holding Lydia's hands.

"Respect?" Lydia thought. She wasn't sure she wanted to be respected in such an extreme way. She just wanted to be like everyone else. But, that's what comes with being an ocean princess. She gave her mother a long embrace. "I'll be right back, I need to go pick up my shell from Coral before it gets too late." She said, swimming to the door. "Alrighty dear. I love you!" Lydia paused at the soft words. She remembered when she was a teen, wishing she had a parent to tell her "I love you." To tell her she was beautiful and to never give up. "I love you too... Mom." She said with a soft smile, and then swam out the door.

"Coral!" Lydia called, knocking on the door for the fifth time. "Where could she be?" She pondered aloud. She swam all around the surrounding areas, searching for the tiger striped mermaid. Around the hotel, nearby shops, anywhere Coral would be at. Almost an hour went by and Lydia was starting to get worried that something had happened to her. "Coral!!" She called desperately. Think Lydia, where did she say she'd be? She tried her best to remember what Coral had said. "The surface! She went to the surface to get the shells! But, she said she'd already be back by the time dinner was over and it's been well over an hour after dinner?" She said, still swimming around.

She finally swam back to Coral's apartment, still having some hope she'd be home. She softly knocked on the door one last time. "Where are you Coral?" She quietly asked herself. "Lydia! Uh, you're here!" She said excitedly. "Coral! Where were you?!" Lydia asked, relieved that she found her and that she wouldn't have call the authorities. "Nowhere.." Coral answered, trying not to make eye contact. "Are you ok?" "Yeah! Of course!" She suddenly had a very energetic tone, a very suspicious energetic tone. "Coral, I know there's something wrong." Lydia protested, crossing her arms. "Um, I couldn't get your shell because it's not, uh, dry yet. Do you want to come with me to get it? I can show you my drying rock." She said, obviously changing the subject. "Um, sure! I just need to get back soon." She agreed. "Don't worry, it's not like I'm going to kidnap you!" Coral joked, sharing a small laugh with Lydia." Let's go!" She rushed, locking her arm with Lydia's, impatiently leading her to the spot.

"What is this crazy mermaid up to?"