Iridescent

Chapter 1

Sirena's POV

Today is the day. I'm going to tell Luke how I feel about him.

Most of my classmates think me and my twin sister's love for the sea makes us weird, but Luke has proved to be different. He always backs me up, even if he gets teased about it later on. His actions gave me hope that maybe, just maybe, he might like me back. Plenty of really pretty girls at school like Luke, who wouldn't, but everything he's done has to count for something, right?

My sister helped me pick out a casual, yet cute outfit, and made sure I was wearing my green, crystal necklace mum gave me. Marina had one that was exactly identical, other than the vibrant blue color of hers. They were kind've like us, we're twins, but we look different. Sometimes we wondered where she found them and how.

"You look stunning. You best be going if you don't want to be late!" She nudged me out the door, waving at me before slamming it shut. I took a deep breath and began to walk.

It was a short walk to the beach from our home. Within 10 minutes, I had arrived, and Luke was already waiting for me. I took a seat next to him and he mumbled a quick 'hey' which earned a small 'hi' in response.

"I have to tell you something," I said, blurting it out before I had the chance of backing out. He turned his head, focusing his attention towards me.

"What is it?" he asked after I had been silent for a few minutes.

"Um... let's take a walk?" I suggested, as though that might make it easier on me. He stood quickly, extending his hand to help me up. I blushed at the action.

Once I was on my feet, I realized how close we were standing. My eyes flickered towards his lips, and before I knew it, I was leaning in. Our lips touched, and for a second I thought Luke was kissing back, but that thought was quickly shaken when he pulled away as quick as he possibly could. I ignored the ache in my chest. Maybe he just wasn't expecting it and got startled.

"What the hell?!" Luke yelled.

"Sorry... I just... I kind've like you. You've always been so kind to me, and I thought you might like me too." I looked down, trying to hide the deep blush that was painted across my face.

"Seriously?! You think I would ever like a freak who's obsessed with the damn ocean? I could never like you!" As soon as the words left his lips, I shoved passed him so I could make my way home. "Si wait! I didn't mean that, I-"

"Save it Luke. I'm done." As much as I wanted to forgive him and stay friends, I just couldn't do that. I hear those words from school mates all the time, but hearing them from my best friend's mouth gave me the worst feeling I've ever experienced in my life.

I made it to my house in a record time of 3 minutes. I ignored the burning in my lungs from the run and pushed the door open, heading straight for my room.

"Si? What happened? Why are you crying?" Marina asked, concern lacing her voice. I hadn't even realized I was crying until she mentioned it.

"Luke told me what he really thinks about me." I managed to say between sobs.

"It wasn't good was it?"

"No. I never want to see him again. That was so embarrassing. I wish he would've said it before." I viciously wiped at my eyes with the sleeves of my jumper.

"Let's take a swim. It'll take your mind off it. We haven't been in ages."

"Alright. Yeah, why not." I agreed. We changed and walked in silence to an isolated part of the shore that was unable to be reached unless you were familiar with the correct path.

It was beautiful. It had been out favorite place to swim as children. We wasted no time in entering the water, forgetting everything else as the delicate waves splashed against our skin. We felt so at peace that we lost track of time.

A strange glimmer in the water caught my eye, and I immediately turned my attention towards the light.

"Marina, do you see that?" I asked, pointing at the strange glow.

"Let's go see what it is!" she exclaimed, swimming towards it without waiting for me to agree. I groaned but followed her anyway. "Should we dive in to see it?" She asked once we were over the light.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Maybe we should just stay here, it's safer."

"Staying here is in no way safer than diving towards it."

Before I could argue any further, the glow intensified. It kept getting brighter and brighter, until it was all we saw. We had become completely entranced by the iridescent light in the sea.

By the time the glowing went down, we noticed something a bit strange. Well, that's putting it lightly.

"Marina... what is that?" I pointed at the turquoise thing, that I could barely see with the moon light, under the water.

"I could ask you the same thing." She was grinning as though this was completely normal.

I let out a small shriek when I tried moving my legs to swim to shore, noticing something far from normal happen. The scaly thing was attached to me, and it was identical to the one that I had seen on Marina. I was freaking out until she swam towards me and smiled.

"You said you never wanted to see Luke again, right?" she asked, reminding me of the heartache I had experienced earlier.

"Never." I replied.

"So don't. We'll never go back. We don't belong there, we never did. They were right, we are different. We're better." And she was right. We've never fit in out there. For the first time in my life, I knew exactly where I belonged.