They are sitting half
in the water, for her
fins. He doesn't seem
to mind – has he noticed?
But then he touches,
scales sliding through
his fingers. “I should
be freaking out,” he says.
“I've heard that humans
don't believe in us.”
She hadn't thought it
true, until now.
He smiled. “No, most
of us don't. But it's real.
Your tail. You.”
“I don't have a tail,”
she scoffs, and thinks
perhaps, humans are
as shallow and vapid
as everyone says.
He tilts his head, until
realization dawns.
“I'm sorry. I've
offended you.”
“It's okay.” Penelope
would be making fun
if she heard Ariel's
giggle. She won't tell
her about this one thing.
Maybe not about this
entire thing.
“Do you come here
a lot?” he asks.
“I mean, can I come
back? And see you?”
“You're not leaving
already.” She is maybe
too firm about this.
But he smiles and
shakes his head.
“No. Not nearly.”
YOU ARE READING
Under the Sea
PoetryShe lives in the sea, harboring a crush on a human boy. He lives on land and dreams of a beautiful mermaid. It's a forbidden love, destined to end in tragedy. (A story in verse, based loosely off of The Little Mermaid)
