Neptune's Grandson

Chapter 13

Blayke stopped at the crossroad between her house and the direction that I needed to go for the long way back to my house and Brady's house. She folded her arms across her chest and scowled while she raised an eyebrow.

Furrowing my brows, I stopped before I ran into her and cocked my head. "What?" I asked, clutching both bags. "Why did you stop?"

"Because I want to know why you want to take me home," Blayke said. "You don't have to take me home. I know the way myself."

I bit back a sigh and shook my head. "I told you," I replied. "I wanted to. I have no ulterior motives." Even if I am worried about you and Natalie, I added silently.

Blayke narrowed her eyes and studied me. Finally, she sighed and nodded. "Ok, here is the deal," she said. "I will tell you what I mean about you "missing out," but not here nor right now."

I raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Ok..?"

"I am going to need you to meet me at the cove at eight tonight alone. Do you think you can do that?"

I hesitated but nodded. I had no idea if Brady would allow me to go by myself, especially if I told him that she wanted me to. However, I would try, even if he was "supposed" to be my guard.

"That includes Brady as well. He can't know that you have gone to meet me."

I sighed, moved a hand through my hair, and grimaced. "I know," I replied gravely. "That's what I'm worried about. He's not going to let me go just by myself." Especially after what had happened two days ago, I added silently.

"Then it will be your loss," Blayke said. She held out her hand for her bag, but I didn't give it to her. All I did was look at her hand and then at her when she scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Come on, Ty," she scolded. "I told you that I was going to tell you. You don't need to walk me all the way to the house."

"But, I want to," I replied. I didn't take her bag off my shoulder and raised an eyebrow. "So, I am going to walk you home."

Blayke scowled and narrowed her eyes. She folded her arms across her chest and gave me a look that I knew all too well but didn't care because it wasn't given to me by my mother.

Finally, she huffed and nodded her head, caving in for the second time. "Fine," she ceded. "You can walk me the rest of the way home, but I'm not answering any of your questions."

I shrugged, knowing full well that she wouldn't because she had not done so in the past. "I am fine with that," I replied, earning a groan of annoyance from her while she rolled her eyes. "What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and feeling slightly amused that I pissed her off without trying. "What did I do?"

"Why is it so hard to piss you off?" she asked while she started to walk towards her house again. "I was trying to get you to leave me alone."

I snorted and followed her again. "You already know that I won't," I replied. "I don't know why you even try." I paused and shrugged because there was a way that she could get me to leave her alone, but she hadn't said it yet. "Besides, you already know what will make me stop following you and persisting."

Blayke nodded and didn't meet my pointed look. "I know," she replied. "However, I don't want to use it because I do like using it only in emergencies." She shrugged. "And I like you carrying my bag and walking me home. It keeps you out of trouble." She winked, and for some reason, I felt uncomfortable, even though I knew that she didn't mean anything by it.

I gave her a deadpanned look and made sure that she didn't know that I felt uncomfortable with the wink. "I don't even get into trouble when I am not with you," I said, earning a laugh from the female. "I'm not Brady. He's the one that you should be worried about."

Blayke laughed again and nodded. "Yes," she replied, agreeing with me. "He is someone that I have to worry about getting in trouble. However, there are times when I think that you are the instigator and are the one that tells Brady to do the stu-" She stopped herself from talking by snorting and shaking her head. "I don't know what I am talking about," she said. "It wouldn't be your fault."

"Exactly," I replied. "It's all on him. I have nothing to do with what he thinks and how he acts."

"However, there are times that he has gotten you into trouble." She smiled innocently, and I rolled my eyes and scowled. "Remember that one time at surf camp y-"

"Ok," I said, interrupting her. "There is no need to bring up the past, especially that incident."

"But it was so funny," she replied. "I had never seen you s-"

"La la la la," I said, sticking my fingers in my ears. "I am not listening to you." I walked a little faster and earned a laugh from the female behind me. "You swore that you would never bring it up."

Blayke laughed and pulled at my arm to get me to take my finger out of my ear. "I know," she teased. "There are many things that I had swore I would never say about surf camp." Her eyes grew lighter when she thought of it, and the edge of her lips turned upwards into a smile. "But the moment you came out with a d-"

"Ok, that is enough," I said, interrupting her. I pulled her in front of me and covered her mouth with my hand while she laughed, making sure that neither one of us would fall or get hurt. "I thought I told you to stop."

Blayke licked my hand and laughed when I grimaced and wiped my hand on her shirt. "You did," she replied, "but I don't listen, especially when it is funny."

I scowled but didn't reply when we reached her house. Instead, I handed her back her bag and turned to leave, "upset."

Blayke laughed and grabbed my arm, stopping me from leaving. "I am sorry, you big baby," she teased, and I pouted further. "I didn't mean to bring up the past."

"Did too," I replied with a mock sniffle. "You did mean to bring it up." I turned to look at her and smiled, glad that she didn't look as nervous or anxious as she had when we started walking home.

"You're right," she replied. "And, I would have finished it if you had let me talk." She scowled playfully, and I rolled my eyes before she grew serious. "Remember, meet me at the cove at eight in the evening. Alone. I promise I will answer some of your many questions then. Ok?"

I nodded. "Ok," I replied, wondering what she meant about my "many questions." I licked my lips and cleared my throat while I shifted on my feet. "There... is one thing, unfortunately," I said, not meeting her gaze.

"What is it?" Blayke asked, confusion in her voice. "What is this one thing?"

"I... will try to leave by myself and get there. However, I do not know how long I will be by myself. Ok?" I looked at her and saw the confusion written on her face. "Something... happened, and... ya." I shrugged and grimaced.

The confusion on her face turned into curiosity while studying me, trying to find the secrets that I held. "Does this have to deal with your mom leaving town?" she asked. "Or is this completely different?"

I shrugged and gave her a tired smirk. I wanted to tell her the truth, but I knew that I couldn't. I couldn't because she wasn't a mermaid, from what I could tell. "I'll see you tonight, Blayke," I replied and started to walk back towards the crossroads that connected the way to our houses.

Blayke huffed and didn't come after me because she knew I wouldn't answer her. She knew that I would stay silent and wouldn't budge even if she tried to bribe me with something. "Asshole!" she exclaimed. "I will find out what you are hiding. Do you hear me? I will find out!"

I bit back a snort, used to this type of threat and promise. I knew that she would for about a day before she would give up because something else interested her or she didn't care enough to find out the whole way through.

So all I did was wave and silently told her that I would see her tonight and did not look back.

Maybe she would find out, or maybe she wouldn't. Whatever happened, I just hoped that she wouldn't tell anyone my secret.

I had no idea what they would do to me after that, and I prayed that it wouldn't be something bad.