In Too Deep //Daniel Seavey//

Chapter 3

"Ready." I announce quietly rubbing my arms embarrassed. Daniel looks up from his wall lean position and only looks at my face. What a gentleman.

"Do you need a coverup?" He questions tugging on his shirt for reference. He noted me trying to hide my fat arms. I nod gingerly. He slide his hoodie off as I turn away immediately after I realized. He has no shirt. My cheeks blush as I clench my jaw trying to make it stop.

Daniel hands me the hoodie walking down the stair bear chested. I slide it on over my head and it was a perfect fit.
Let me tell you I was a tall kid in my school take this in mind the average height for a girl is 5"5. I'm 6"0. Ya way taller than most of the guys. Jonah had me by one inch.

"Emily you coming?" Daniel shouts at me from the bottom of the stairs.

"Ya," I say back going down the stairs, "let's get this over with." I say plopping down next to him. He smiles weakly and starts walking as I follow him. He starts walking down another flight of stairs into a big steel door.

"Turn please." He whispers concentrating without looking at me. I turn willingly looking at the dark steps I have traveled. My life barely got started, heck I don't even think I'm 18 yet. A loud creek signals for me to turn around to find a cave connected to a lake of water at the end. The boys are in the water already their backs facing me and Daniel showing their sweet tattoos.

"Daniel what if I drown?" I ask thinking about my life choices and things I haven't gotten to do yet.

"What did we do last time?" He says cocking his eyebrow up diving into the water. Wow. A mist swirls around Daniels legs turning them into one large blue masculine tail.

"Are you coming?" Corbyn asks throwing a crowd winning smile. I nod walking up to the side slipping my toes in.

"Guys why can't I just go? I'm waisting everyone's time just let me be." I say looking at the group. Jonah looks sympathetically at me as he waves his hand pulling me under the water. I hold my breath as Jonah does another wave making a bubble of air around my head. I feel out of it. If they believe this is a mark, then shouldn't I have a tail?

"Grab on." Zach says turning his back to me. I kind of swim backwards skeptical of him.

"Zach she doesn't trust you." Corbyn says in a daze like slur.

"Hey Emily." Jacks says trying to get me to look at him. I close my eyes tightly not wanting him to use his powers.

"Jack stop you freaking retard." Daniel shouts as I crack my eyes open. Daniel is seen before me fending me off from Jacks gaze. "Emily do you trust me." He says looking me in the eyes. I nod scared. He turns for me to latch on to his back. I gingerly oblige putting my hands softly on his shoulder. He reaches back grabbing both of my legs wrapping them around his muscular torso.

"Thank you." I whisper in his ear being careful of the bubble. I see a slight smile out of the side of his face that spreads to mine. Jonah swims out of the small hole in the pool of water. One by one the boys follow out of the small underwater cave. Daniel strongly swims out almost going as fast as the others. We cruz along the sea floor as I look around the vast ocean wonderland. Corbyn stops abruptly shocked.

"Ambush." He whispers.

"What?" Jonah asks swimming next to him confused.

"Mermaid ambush. Get Emily away from here Daniel." Corbyn says in a rush. Daniel bolts to a nearby boulder placing me behind a large bolder. I start floating up until I grip the sides being cations of the bubble. Daniel swims off to ready the rest of the team leaving me 20 feet away peering into the danger zone.

"Daniel what are you doing?!" Corbyn shouts. I look away this isn't my business.

"What?" He questions as bubbles come into my view.

"They are after Emily. Mermaids use humans." Corbyn shouts as red beefy eyes peep out of the corner of my eye. I scream shakily knowing I am going to get eaten. The mermaid bolts up to me grabbing my shoulders as another one goes and distracts the boys.

With all of my force I push up my leg kicking the mermaid back. I scoot up to the rock holding it for dear life.

"DANIEL!" I shout as the mermaid gets closer to me again. A whoosh flies by me causing hair to cover my eyes. I push it frantically back seeing Daniel and the other mermaid toughening it out.

The mermaid wiggles out of Daniels grip trying to grab me but ultimately pushes me against the rock bashing my head on the large slime bolder. Daniel drags him back then continues. The mermaid screeches as Daniel bends his arm the wrong way. They both scurry off back into their territory. Daniel pants laying in the ocean floor out of energy.

"Guys," Jack starts staring at me as the other boys do the same.

"What?" I say letting go of the rock making hand signals. I don't float up though. I push in my head not being stopped by a bubble.

"We need you to get to the town." Zach retorts.

"Not now. Daniel isn't doing well and I can't swim so what the flip will happen." I say looking a Jonah because he is obviously the leader here.

"I'm ok." He says with a floating up to a normal position with a few sneers.

"I'll get Emily Jonah you get Daniel." Corbyn says finalizing this argument. Jonah agrees scooping Daniel on his shoulder as I sketchily climb onto Corbyn's back.

"Jack go." Zach says to get him to lead. All I need is for Daniel to be ok.