OCEAN GIRL ━━ SEAVEY

━ PROLOGUE!

𝙺𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚒!

Being honest, I never did think many of my decisions through. I was a yes girl. Why say no when you can simply have fun all the time? It avoids arguments and any sense of a dull time.

Unfortunately, my best friend was not quite similar.

A dark brown haired, loving girl, Liliana Knowles was more of the indoors type up until now. She's always been a bit more shy than others, and it's sad that I know all the right buttons to push her into doing something crazy with me. So that's what we would be doing today.

The beach smelling night air grazes the skin of my arm as I hang it out the window. The quiet sounding of the radio playing soft acoustic music has me lulling to sleep, but I force myself awake. I don't want to miss scenery, even if it is close to midnight. Liliana is driving, which means I can relax until we switch again.

"Maybe we should stop at a motel tonight?"

"No, this is nice."

"Are you sure?"

Liliana is a nervous night driver. She'd rather be in the passenger seat right now, which is totally reasonable in my opinion. Normally, I'd let her stop and either I would drive all night or give into her idea of a motel. But I just want a free night. Where we can stop and appreciate the worlds beauty, instead of finding a motel and playing on our cell phones all night.

Maybe I'm old fashioned, maybe I'm a nature lover. Perspectives are everything.

I nod to Liliana, even if she doesn't see, she'll take my silence as a yes. We've known each other since we were born, being family friends opens a lot of friendship opportunities. We've seen the highs and lows of each others lives and stuck through it. I would never trade Liliana for anything, not even a supposed soulmate, if they were real.

"Alright, but tomorrow we're stopping."

"Okay."

The breeze continues to send my hair flowing behind my shoulders. I wish I could stay out here forever. I wish this could be more than a vacation.

✵ ✵ ✵

"The moon looks creepy," I comment, following Liliana out of her red car.

She ignores me and heads for the water on the beach. Sand is everywhere and it seems to have gotten windier. I rub my arms while looking around cautiously. It's too late to be outside wandering, even for me.

Liliana gets close to the shoreline and I'm confused as to why we took this pit stop. There is no sensible reason. I'm trying to rationalize this with Liliana being tired; it's the only logical thing. Perhaps I should've let her pass out in the car and driven. It's
too late now, though.

A hand dips down into the lake, which the moon is shining brightly on.

"The beach at night," Liliana starts,
making a shiver come up my spine just by her expression. "It's like a drug, no?"

"Sure?"

I'm five feet away from the shore line whereas Liliana is walking along in the water, having removed her shoes in the car. There seems to be a serious problem going on, but I'm not willing to bring it up.

"Can you hold this?" Liliana asks, holding her hand in front of me with a silver chain resting in her palm.

Unsure, I study the chain. It's Liliana's favourite necklace; her silver chain with a rose quartz pendant. A gift from her grandmother before she passed. I remember how sad that day was.

I take the necklace from Liliana and watch as she quickly makes a runs for a deeper part of the lake. My eyes widen and my jaw drops slightly at this scene. I swear I see a tail flap up and splash water around, but it's not close enough to me to get me wet.
I still back away from the lake. I don't know how to feel, or what to think.

"Kalani, I've wanted you to join me for so so long." Liliana's head pops out from underneath the water.

Even in the dark from a few feet away I can see her tail glow a bright blue. I'm both too mesmerized and confused to form a coherent reply, so I just stare.

"What do you mean?"

"It's a full moon and barely cloudy. Join me in the water."

Little did I know I was making very permanent decisions.
Decisions that changed me to a completely different person.