Swim Again (Mermaid)

Chapter Six

"Lara, are you okay? Seven rushed you out of here and I didn't get to say a word. What's going on with you?" Ariel paused. "Does this have to do with what I saw last time?"

My eyes were slightly open, barely making out Ariel's face as she sat next to my bed, playing with her fingers. She wasn't looking at me as she spoke. So, she had no idea that I was awake and that I heard her words. It was best that I left those questions unanswered.

I waited about five minutes before opening my eyes completely. A small whisper of Ariel's name escaped my lips and she stood up eyes wide.

"What are you doing?" I rubbed my eyes. "Didn't Aiden tell you I'm fine. Damn... no one knocks anymore," I groaned.

"He did. But I had to see for myself." She sat on my bed. "You passed out all of sudden and-"

I lightly poked her back which stopped her from talking. "I'm okay. Don't worry. Seven helped me, okay?"

"Okay as in temporarily or for good?"

"Oh my gosh, Ariel. Stop worrying. If I deem it serious enough, I'll get help. But trust me, okay?"

I got out of bed and changed, since Ariel suggested to go eat breakfast together. She dragged me to one of her favorite places. We sat at a little booth and placed our orders. Her favorite was blueberry pancakes while I decided on an omelet.

As soon as it arrived, I began munching on it. Ariel stared at her pancakes, then made eye contact with me. I knew that look...

She wasn't over our topic from earlier.

"I think, maybe, you should tell Aiden, Lara. If Seven hasn't already," she said, lightly stabbing at her pancake.

"If you want me to die at age seventeen, then sure. I'll tell Aiden."

"Lara..." She knew damn well what I went through.

"Being Amara's creation puts a target on my back. The second the mermaids down there find out that something's wrong with me, they're going to assume the worst. It's like my existence is a sin. Please, understand." This conversation was making me lose my appetite.

"Was Amara really that bad?" Ariel asked, still slowly working with her pancakes.

"Yes. I told you already. I don't know her past as well as the other mermaids who have been learning about her since probably birth, but I've had enough of her memories to know she wasn't a saint." I didn't mean to drop the fork as hard as I had, causing Ariel to jump in her seat.

My omelet was left unfinished, while Ariel tried to eat as much as she could. Probably trying to stay silent after that little burst of annoyance from me. I didn't mean to present myself that way, but the mere thought of Amara sent my anger into overdrive.

I closed my eyes and shook my head, "I'm sorry. I-"

"Yeah, I get it. You went through a lot," Ariel sighed, looking down at her hands.

Closing my eyes, I inhaled and exhaled, trying to get a grip on my emotions. "But I know that's no excuse to let it all out on you. Maybe, I need some space to figure this out." As I stood to leave the cafe, Ariel grabbed my arm.

"Wait... Lara! All you've done is shun yourself from everyone! I think maybe you should let it out, even if it isn't to me. It's clear to me that you have more going on with you than you are letting on." She let go, frowning. "I'm worried."

"I'm sorry," I whispered, glancing over to see an old couple and a few teenagers watching the disaster unfold. I lowered my voice even more, "mermaid stuff that people won't understand. I'm working on it."

Ariel let go, but she didn't move from her spot as I walked out the door. My sandals dug into the sand with every step I took. Kicking them off, I watched the shore. The waves moving back and forth, like they always did; never-changing. Maybe a swim would do me good.

Before I could step foot in the water, a flash of what the mermaids did appeared before my eyes. The sea belonged to them, not me. I was an unwelcome guest. I gasped, falling on my knees and running my hands through my hair. No, I was able to jump in before, I could do it again!

But I never did. I lied there for hours, maybe I fell asleep a couple times. It sure felt more like limbo. Was I even there? Or aware?

Once the night sky appeared and my body couldn't take my mind away anymore, I decided to head back home. If you could even call it one. Swimming away sounded like a good plan to me. Somewhere far where no one would find me. If only it were that easy to leave everything behind...

It could be. That easy, you know.

Better run before I was tempted by my thoughts.

"Ow!" I screamed as I fell toward the sand. But my body wasn't pressed against it. I was trying to feel for what I landed on, but before I could make it out, something or someone grabbed my hand. Panicking, I began to chant causing my arm to overheat, but I felt their counter magic. "Hey!" I rolled off them, but their hand was still gripped around my wrist.

"Lara?" I froze. it was a voice I recognized.

No.

This was exactly how we met. One of the most embarrassing moments of my life. Because, who meets someone that way? Apparently, me.

And he didn't even remember.

"Noah!" A female voice called, running around.

I pulled hard, releasing my arm from his hold. I whispered with anger in my voice, "What are you doing here?"

He shouldn't be here, at least, not for a while. Last I knew, Noah was working with the Guardians and started going around the world to keep things in line in sea and on land.

"Noah! Are you here?" She continued to call for him, but Noah stayed silent.

"I can't explain, there's no time." He turned to look at me as I sat up, patting the sand off me. "But, we do need to talk soon."

"I have nothing to say to you, Noah. I'm... moving on." Things change, and you're part of the group I see as my enemies now. And I encouraged you to do that... so I could get over you. "Just leave me alone."

"But, Lara, I-" Noah pleaded behind me, telling me there was something I needed to know. But I couldn't stay. I didn't want to.

I had to keep my distance, if I didn't and everything went wrong, he'd be part of it. We would always be linked, including Asher, because of what happened the year before. At least, Asher knew the consequences of interacting with me. He knew to follow his brain. But Noah...

That Noah continued to let his feelings guide him. The rational Noah disappeared with those memories, so I had to be levelheaded for the both of us.

The sound of the door's bell silenced my thoughts and the sight of an emo looking boy had caught my attention. He leaned against the desk, pen in his mouth, and a book in hand. I watched him as he slowly turned the page, mark something, then placed the pen back in his mouth. He repeated this a couple of times, but that routine broke when I passed by him.

"Fancy seeing you here," he said, pen in hand.

"I live here, Seven. What's your excuse?"

"Aiden went out looking for you. I was in the area and told him I'd stay here in case you showed up." He didn't look at me, his eyes still glued to that book.

"Okay, you can tell him that I'm here and everything's fine," I said, ready to stomp up to my room. I didn't have the energy to talk to anyone anymore.

"I could..." he closed the book, finally making eye contact with me. "Or maybe, we can talk for a little bit."