Whispers Beneath The Waves (Boy x Boy) [Shortlisted for The Wattys 2018!]

Chapter 17 - Past Life

Hi everyone! I am so, so sorry for the MASSIVE hiatus on this story - because of other projects, travelling and general life distractions it has been a bit neglected over the past few months... But I really do want to finish it now I've come this far so THANK YOU to those of you sticking with it despite the erratic updates. Here is a really long chapter to make up for it, I hope you enjoy this glimpse into the Merworld...!

Becky xx

Chapter 17

Past Life

I didn't know what else to do or where else to go, so I went home. And the second I saw my mother's warm, familiar face, I lost it.

"Oh, my dear boy!" she cried as I broke into sobs in front of her. "Come here, come here. What's wrong? Where's Kye?"

At the sound of his name, heartbreak wracked my body even harder, spilling out in a wave of tears. I felt so pathetic, weeping into Mum's arms, but there was nothing I could do to stop the enormity of emotion demanding to be unleashed.

"I-I should have listened to you," I stuttered. "He's betrayed me, Mum. Just like you said he would. Just like Dad did with that mermaid. They're exactly the same."

"What on earth has happened?" she cooed into my ear, stroking my beanie hat and pulling me close. "Look, go and sit down while I make us some tea. Then you can tell me everything."

Tea. Tea always solved any problem. I didn't have the heart to tell her that this time around it wasn't going to work.

Once we were settled on the sofa with two hot mugs in our hands, the whole story fell out of me, unfolding like paper cranes in reverse. That's exactly how I felt. Like a beautiful creation being flattened out into something crumpled and ordinary.

Mum didn't say anything as I spoke, she just listened. I told her about Keiko's strange behaviour, about Maryssa, about how close Kye and I had become. I took a breath and told her we had transcended. She still said nothing, but her eyes widened in wild surprise. It was excruciating to bear the private details of this with my own mother who hadn't even acknowledged I was gay until a week ago, but she had to know if she was going to help me fix this mess. She had to know everything.

Finally, I got to the events of the last few hours. Kye's revelation that Maryssa was his fiancé. Fiancé. The word still sickened me. Maryssa's threatening taunts. Keiko's hair-cutting and her parents blocking me out of the house. As I relived the string of incidents, I had to force myself to swallow back a second wave of tears.

"What am I supposed to do?" I choked out. "Keiko's in danger and I have no idea how to stop it. And Kye... He lied to me. Our whole relationship is built on a lie. I thought... I thought he loved me."

Mum put down her tea and wrapped her hands around mine. "Darling, he does love you. If you two had that experience together then there's no doubt about that. It wouldn't happen if he didn't. It's the merpeople way."