Opal Waters | ✔

- Chapter 4 -

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Chapter 4 - Unedited

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"Was that my name?" I turned and look at Damien, he shot me a side glance that made me worry. Why was my name announced? Olyvya was staring at me... Sammy was staring at me... actually, everybody was staring at me. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I had wanted the attention so badly but the idea of not knowing why it was there was driving me crazy.

"Are you going to walk up there or just stare at everyone like they are a bunch of idiots?" Damien leaned over to whisper in my ear. My heart dropped and I turned to look at him.

"What am I going up there for?" I snarled as quietly as possible. A few gentlemen were walking towards me now, and I wasn't sure why they were. I was cursing myself for not paying closer attention to what was going on around me.

"Better get up there...queen," Damien winks as he allows the men to grab my hands pulling me towards the stage.

"What are you talking about?" I question, my feet reluctantly following them as they take me towards what I assumed was going to be embarrassing. Damien just clapped, louder than anyone else in the crowd. Letting out a few hoots and hollers he continued to cheer me on. I took the few steps up onto the stage as the bright lights were shining against me.

"Opal, you have been chosen as queen for your outstanding work this year, and all of the progress you have made both in yourself and with helping the new students figure out what they need to do," Olyvya smiles as she wraps her arms around me. Sammy places a small crown delicately on my head.

"What?" I stuttered, looking over the crowd of faces that were all staring right back at me. I felt like I was out of breath, but something was taking over my body. It was like my inner self-realized this was exactly what I had asked for. I grabbed the microphone from Olyvya before holding it close to my lips.

"Can we go swimming now?" I question, looking at the smiles plastered on everyone's faces. I wasn't interested in learning who the king was, I just wanted to get to the water. Olyvya pulled the microphone away from me laughing for a brief moment before shaking her head.

"No, not quite yet, but very soon," She turned to look at the moon to see how high it had become. It was still pretty low over the water. It'd be time to head to the waves any second.

As soon as I was able to leave the stage I was. My heart was racing and for some reason I found myself standing next to Damien once again. It brought some comfort to me to have someone so close to me that had at least been slightly nice to me. Though he was still annoying. He smiled at me as I walked back towards him from the stage. Olyvya continued talking as she blabbed on about whoever won the king portion of the year. Damien had his fingers crossed as he whispered something to himself.

"What are you doing?" I whispered trying my best to not create a scene. He looks at me, shooting me a glare as he turns back to the stage.

"I'm hoping I get the king," His words were muffled, his hands were now covering his face as he listens intently. I went to speak again but he places his finger in the air to shush me. Now it was my turn to glare at him. This was ridiculous.

"Why do you want to be king so bad?" I forced my voice above the whispers coming from his lips. Something about this felt weird, it felt off. Like I was missing a huge piece of the puzzle. I fiddled with the silver crystal that hung neatly on the chain around my neck. The crystal that kept me from transforming.

I glanced down taking a mental note of how close the water was. The moon was pulling the tide closer to us with every passing second. The waves crashing only a few inches away from Damien and myself. Soon it would be upon us and it would be time for our swim. The ritual we always did after the dance. When we would let the newest recruits explore the ocean for the first time. Since they would finally have enough common sense to not get themselves killed by another fish or a rip current.

"Because the king almost always starts dating the queen," Damien growls as Olyvya prepares to announce the king. I shook my head.

"You think just by winning some title I would start dating you without a second thought?" I folded my arms over my chest taking a step away from the water. I was regretting telling him I would swim with him. At this very moment, I wanted to strangle him, I wanted to tell him how stupid he was but for some reason, it seems like it wouldn't matter even if I had wanted to.

"No, but I'll have a better shot," He waved his hand through the air completely ignoring me. Maybe if he'd pay attention to me he would have a better shot. Winning king wasn't helping his odds at all.

"And the king is..." Olyvya paused for a moment, allowing the tension to build up before she announced the winner. She loved doing this and would almost always keep people waiting for a ridiculous amount of time, "Blake!" She started clapping to show everyone else that they could as well. The crowd erupted as Alexa's boyfriend makes his way towards the stage.

"Ugh!" Damien and I let out a grunt at the same time, startling the both of us as we meet each other's gazes.

"Why are you mad?" He questions. I roll my eyes.

"Because now everyone is going to think I would date him," I let another scoff escape my lips as I point towards Blake accepting his award. 

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A U T H O R S     N O T E

Thank you so much for taking the time to read the fourth chapter of Opal Waters, it means the world to me. I really hope you enjoyed it and please do tell me your thoughts about it.

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Please don't forget to comment and vote. Also, check back tomorrow for the next chapter.

- Brittani

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