The Cut On Her Neck

f o u r

I got distracted by my glowing cut and didn't realize that the huge crashing waves were pounding all around me. Suddenly, a huge wave crashed over me, knocking me to the ocean floor. My foot got stuck between two rocks and I couldn't get my foot out. I was still trying and trying, but my kings desperately needed air. I tried to call for help, but my lungs were burning. I felt the world in front of me go black as I fell into unconscious.

I woke up on the ocean floor. My cut had stopped glowing, and strangely I didn't need air. I looked around, my eyesight perfectly clear underwater. I swam around and felt something weird on my neck. I touched it, and there were gills! I had gills! No wonder I can breath underwater, I thought to myself. I swam around delighted that my cut was gone and in its place, gills! I couldn't wait to tell Rose and Gina! But should I? It's, my secret, and no one should know. Eventually, I decided not to tell anyone, not even my mom.

I decided should probably go back, for my mom would be waiting for me. As much as I loved swimming and breathing through my gills, my mom needs me home.

I returned to the surface, where my mom was reading a book. Luckily, my gills faded away when I walked to my mom.

"There you are, Aquaria! It's time to leave, you have school tomorrow."

"Ok, I'm coming," I answered.

That night, I had a dream. It was like the other one. But this time I had the beautiful necklace on and I was swimming freely through the ocean. I could breath through my gills and I loved it.

I woke up, my alarm ringing for 6:00 am. I got out of bed, and walked to the mirror. In my reflection, around my neck, I was wearing the white shell necklace. The same one in my dreams!

"Mom! Did you get me this shell necklace?"

My mom came jogging in. " Honey, what necklace? I didn't get you anything. Maybe you forgot you had it," she closed my door leaving me to think about it.

I quickly took my phone and texted Anthony.

Aquaria: Hey, I had another dreams and now I have a random necklace around my neck. Do you think you can help me after school today?

Anthony: Sure! Meet me in the library after seventh period.

I shut off my phone feeling tired and confused. Where did I get this necklace? Was it because of my dreams? Did my gills have anything to do with it?

When I got to school, I got so many compliments about my necklace, especially from Rose and Gina.

"Whoa! I like your necklace! Where did you get it?" Rose and Gina said in unison.

"Thanks but, I really don't know where I got it. I had a dream I was wearing it and I woke up with it on," I told them all the details, except for the fact that had gills underwater.

" You should talk to Anthony, " Gina advised.

"Yeah your dreams and the necklace could be a sign of something important." Rose said.

At the end of the school day, I went to the library to wait. And there he was sitting across from me.

"Hey Anthony," I said nervously. Do I like him? No, no I don't. I'm just a bit jumpy from my dreams, that's all.

"Hey, Aquaria, so you had another dream?"

"Yeah I had a dream I was swimming around with this necklace on, and when I woke up I had it on!"

" Hmm, that is weird but I was wondering if you would like to talk about at the coffee shop," he said, looking a little embarrassed.

"Oh! Um, sure! Let's go!" I said feeling a little uneasy and confused.

We sitting at the coffee shops tables when I broke the awkward silence by saying, "Hey so, what do your parents do?"

" My dad is a marine biologist. That's why I want be a oceanographer someday."

"That's cool! What about your mom?"

"Oh, my mom was kidnapped and killed by..... mermaids."

Suddenly, all the color drained from my face. Is this real?

Now I can never tell him my secret. He would hate me for the rest of his life!

It's okay Aquaria, conceal it, don't feel it. Don't show your secret.

What if I accidently do?