Tail of a Teenage Mermaid

Hi, my name is Celaena Seener, but most call me Cel, I'm seventeen. This year I'm going into tenth grade, but right now I'm supposed to be kicked back relaxing, right? Summer has just begun, and my parents have just divorced so, no I'm not kicked back relaxing right now. I'm just trying to steer myself clear of my way to unover protective mom, Cassie Seener. Most girls my age complain about how over protective their parents are, an example is just yesterday my BFF Samantha was saying, "I wish I had your mom, mine won't even let me go to the mall without her. Where as yours wouldn't care less what you did or did not do." Samantha has been my friend since I came here, two years ago. I moved here with my mom after my parents moved to different sides of the country to get away from each other. Now, I just talk to my dad once a week for about ten minutes, and I dread those ten minutes. My dad is David Seener, he lives somewhere on the coast of California, in a beach side town. I just hope I never end up there. I'm perfectly fine up here in Portland, Maine. We live in a three room two bath house on a hotdogs, mac'ncheese, and green beans every night budget, yea; my mom doesn't have a well paying job. She works as a bartender five nights a week from 5pm-10pm. Working as a bartender gets you perks though, like getting free beer and wine. So, on the weekends my mom gets drunk, goes to parties, and goes to the pool in our backyard in a hideous bikini. I got it for her when I was twelve. The only reason she still wears it is because it's the only one she has, and it doesn't even fit her.

This morning Samantha and I were talking to each other and I told her my boyfriend, Henry and I have officially been dating for one year!!! She was happy, but also sad; she has wanted a boyfriend for so long. So after work I bought her some Swedish Fish, we both love them and they are cheap. I am sort of a social miss fit, and I am not very attractive. I have black hair, bright blue eyes, a very pale complexion, and am five foot eleven inches, very tall. Many people call me a vampire because of my looks, it's quite the opposite, I have never really liked any meat other then hotdogs, but I haven't tried many other kinds. Today, work was as boring as ever, I work at the diner in town, The Cliff Hanger. During the summer we get a lot of people. At least that is what my boss, Bill says. We really don't get that many people, maybe seven people at a time, when the diner could hold at least twenty. After work I was about to start to bike the three miles to my house, alone, when Henry suddenly popped out from in between two cars. I was caught off guard and swung around to punch him in the jaw but caught myself a couple of inches short. Looking surprised he said, "Remind me to never make you mad." Smiling sheepishly I ducked my head and mumbled an apology. Flashing me his trademark cocky grin he slung his arm across my shoulders and guided me to the sidewalk, to walk home together, Bill didn't mind when I left my bike at the diner. Walking home today was a horrible experience; it was sprinkling, foggy, and uphill. Not to mention, halfway to my house the sidewalk turns to grass, and mud. When the sidewalk changes we held hands so we can walk better. Tripping on a rock I sprawled out in the mud. When I finished letting out a string of curse words I grab Henry's offered hand to pull myself up. After trying, but failing miserably to get the grass, mud, and leaves out of my hair and outfit I wonder how long I will have to work to earn enough money to get a new outfit. A lot of times I have to take a part time job to earn some money to buy something I want or need. That, or to earn enough money to buy groceries. Finally finishing the walk to my house, I pull Henry onto the porch and into the hammock. Staring off into space I am startled when he suddenly sits up and almost flips the hammock over. Standing up with him he says, "I have to get going my Mom is probably in hysterics wondering where I am."

Laughing at the fact that it was probably true I gave him a kiss goodbye. Watching him dash to his house three doors down I sit down on the hammock, I love swinging in it. In the summers after my parents divorce I spent a lot of time laying in it staring off into space. That and hanging out at the diner with Sam and Henry, before we were dating. Actually, he asked me out there, it was out of nowhere we were just sitting there, him and I, eating the regular, cheeseburger, Coke, and fries for him and for me, a small fry. I just stared at him for a moment and then said, "Sure". It was very awkward. Thinking about it makes me smile. Coming back to reality I notice it is getting dark. Cursing I pick up my things and head inside. Shutting the door I find my Mom passed out on the couch, typical day. Grumbling about the noise I am making she turns over to cover her ears only to fall off the couch. Crying out in pain she calls out for me to help her up. Sighing I put my book bag in a corner to help her up. Bending over to help her up I notice she is already passed out again, only her.

Standing up I notice her head is bleeding, she, is not passed out but unconscious, reaching for the phone I dial Henry to see if he can drive us to the hospital. He agreed and met me out front two minutes later. Struggling to get her in the car I accidently slip in the mud-since it is still raining steadily, and drop her legs. Since Henry is quite strong he manages to not drop her. Wiping mud off myself for the second time today I watch Henry finally get her in the car. Walking to the passenger side I slide in next to Henry. Putting the car in gear he pulls out of my driveway to drive the half-hour to the nearest hospital, or nearest anything. Since we live in the middle of nowhere the roads are gravel and very curvy. It makes maneuvering the roads in the rain treacherous. Driving along at fifteen miles per hour made slow progress, so it was not the normal half-hour, but an hour. If Henry had a smaller car and not his hulking truck we may not have been able to get to the hospital. When he walked in holding my Mom like a ragdoll, and me looking like I did with mud everywhere, the hospital staff grabbed a gurney, loaded Mom up, and whisked her away. One of the nurses approached us warily with a piece of paper attached to a clip board. Jumping up to grab it the nurse handed it to me and quickly scurried away. Reading over the paper I filled it out and handed it to the nurse, who sat down behind a desk and began typing quickly. Sitting next to Henry I leaned into him for comfort. Putting his arm around me he pulled me close and put his chin on my head. It seemed we sat there forever before a doctor came out to tell us anything. Abruptly standing, Henry fell over, he had been asleep. Telling him sorry I watched the doctor approach. He looked very sad; I asked him if everything was okay. He nodded slowly, like something was bothering him. Clearing his throat the doctor said, "Your mother has suffered from alcohol poisoning and has a severe concussion." Staring at him blankly I slowly sat down. Henry took over, he asked if she would be okay, the doctor told us maybe, but not for a while. I asked him if she could come home yet and if she was awake. He said, "She is not currently awake, but if you can keep her from drinking herself into submission again you can take her home tomorrow." I sagged in relief, and Henry pulled me into a hug. I then thought of something, so I asked, "Could I have an excuse slip for work tomorrow?" He then got this look many adults do when they think on something very hard. He scrunched his eyebrows, pulled his lower lip up high, and nodded his head slowly. Eventually he said yes, but like he really didn't want to. I asked him when we should pick her up tomorrow. He replied, "Whatever is good for you." Leaving I let out a huge sigh, this had been a major scare for me and Henry. We hopped into the car and started the long drive home.