Mermaid

The Fairgrounds

  Josie wandered around the park for an hour, shivering inside her sweater. She had known that coming to the fall festival with Hope and Lizzie was a bad idea. The two girls had run off together with MG and Landon soon after they arrived, leaving Josie to keep herself company. This would have been fine had her phone not been dead and it being past their curfew. Her father was going to kill her for sure. Still, she couldn't just ask someone to use their phone; She had anxiety asking a waiter for another napkin earlier at lunch, for Christ's sake. So, her only other option was to wander the fairground, hoping to spot her friends among the crowd. She cursed herself for not bringing a heavier coat with her as her mother said to. Entering one am on a Sunday morning in September, it was freezing. She wrapped her thin jacket around her, trying to keep her body heat inside it. It was ineffective. Josie started debating if she should make the long trek home, alone in the dark, when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

  "Well, it's about time!", she grumbled at whom she assumed to be Hope. "I've been looking for-" She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes meeting Hazel ones, black hair cut into a long bob just meeting two slim shoulders, and a signature smirk she knew so well. It was the last person on the planet Josie wanted to deal with right now- Penelope Park. "I didn't expect you to be here, Saltzman. This isn't even your part of town." Josie sighed, gritting her teeth as she braved another cold gust of wind. Penelope reached out hesitantly, touching her cheek with a warm hand. "Jesus Christ, Josette, you're colder than a damn popsicle.", She commented, unzipping her jacket. She put it over Josie's shoulders, but the taller girl shrugged it off in defiance. Penelope gave her a pointed look, but Josie could see what she could only describe as concern in her eyes. "You're going to get sick, Josie. Please; Just take the jacket." Seeing no other choice, Josie put the jacket on, relieved to have the extra warmth. "Aren't you going to get cold?", she asked, and Penelope shook her head no. "Don't worry about me- I'm used to the cold. It's the only perk of growing up in fucking Belgium." Josie awkwardly put her hands in the jacket's pockets, not knowing what else to say.

  "Where's your sister? Aren't you two attached at the hip?", Penelope joked, but it only further annoyed Josie. "I don't know- she took off a while ago." Penelope frowned, her demeanor softening toward the girl. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, my friends ditched me too. They're still pissed I demoted Kelsey." Josie looked at Penelope with a confused expression; She was surprised that Penelope had punished the girl for what she said to her. "You didn't have to do that.", she said, and Penelope dismissed her words immediately. "I don't train bullies, Josie.", she explained. "We go to meets to kick your asses, not kick your asses." Josie couldn't help but laugh at the joke. She hated to admit it, but just walking around with Penelope, talking to her so candidly, was surprisingly enjoyable. "Well, I appreciate it. No one's ever stood up for me like that besides Lizzie and Hope.", Josie admitted, pushing her hair back behind her ears. Penelope smiled, looking over at Josie. "It was no big deal. I just didn't think you deserved that." The two girls were quiet after this until Josie looked down at her watch and remembered just how late it was.

  "Shit", she cursed, catching Penelope's attention. "Is everything okay?", she asked, and Josie shook her head no. "Uh, can I borrow your phone? I need to call my dad, and mine is dead." Penelope handed it over, and Josie quickly dialed the number. "Josette Parker Forbes-Saltzman!", he father yelled through the speaker, making both girls cringe. "We have been trying to get a hold of you for hours. Where are you? Where is your sister?" "She's with Hope, dad. They left me- again.", she admitted, a tinge of sadness in her voice. "I'm sorry dad; My phone died. I'll be on my way home now." Alaric sighed on the other end of the line. "Find your sister and Hope, and meet me by the front of the park. I'll be there in 30 minutes." And with that, he hung up. Josie dialed Lizzie's number, and when she didn't answer she called Hope's. The girl picked up on the second ring. "Hope's phone, Hope speaking.", she greeted, and Josie cringed when she heard loud music and laughter in the background. "Are you serious, Hope? You ditched me for a house party?", she shouted, more hurt than angry. "Shit- I thought Lizzie got you.", Hope slurred. Josie's eyes widened in realization. "You lost my sister?!", she exclaimed. "Where the hell are you?", she asked, and Hope reluctantly told her the address. She hung up, practically throwing the phone at Penelope. "I have to go. thank you.", she said in a rushed goodbye, before taking off down the street.
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  "I can't believe you two", Josie grumbled quietly, stumbling with her sister up the stairs. Hope, soberer than Lizzie, didn't respond. Josie knew that she felt bad, as she should, but she wasn't in a very forgiving mood. In the morning, they'd talk and everything would be okay- they could never be mad at each other for very long- but Josie wasn't in a very forgiving mood at that moment. She let go of her sister when they reached the bedroom, and a half-asleep Lizzie crashed onto the mattress. Josie started untying the laces of Lizzie's boots, look over at Hope in annoyance. "A little help would be nice", she mumbled, and Hope wordlessly untied the other boot, letting it drop to the floor with a soft thump. Josie covered Lizzie with the blanket and then sat on the edge of the bed, yawning. "Hey, I'm sorry Jo. I honestly thought that Lizzie went to get you.", Hope apologized, taking off her shoes. "Let's talk in the morning, okay?", Josie said, squeezing Hope's hand as a sign that, though she was mad, she and Hope were still okay. "You stay here with Liz. I'll sleep in the guest room." Hope didn't argue with Josie, climbing into the bed next to Lizzie. "Goodnight, Jo." "Goodnight Hope", Josie whispered, closing the door behind her as she exited the room.

  When Josie had gotten ready for bed, she turned on her now half-charged phone. Multiple missed messages and texts popped up from her parents, making her cringe thinking how worried they must have been. Another was from Lizzie, asking her where he was. And the last was from her Mermaid, sent only twenty minutes ago. Josie opened the last message, revealing the picture that her Mermaid had sent her. It was an image of the sky, where the stars were shining brightly. The moon was out, and it looked like the whole night sky was dancing with life. It looked like it was taken near the fairground because she could see the shadows of the colorful lights on the grass. Below, a poem accompanied the picture:

Mermaid- 3:23 am- "Yours is the light by which my spirit's born: - you are my sun, my moon, and all my stars." The sky and this quote made me think of you tonight. I'll have to bring you here someday.
Josie- 3:46 am- Wow; It's beautiful. How did you take such a clear picture? You can hardly see the stars near my place.
Mermaid- 3:49 am- I have my ways. Mainly, a very expensive camera and a little creativity.
Josie- 3:53 am - It's like magic.
Mermaid- 3:56 am- Anything for you, baby.
Josie- 4:00 am- I needed this tonight; thank you. It's like you always know how to make me feel better.
Mermaid- 4:02 am- Is everything okay? Is there anything I can do?
Josie- 4:04 am - No, I'm fine. My sister and Hope were just being annoying today.
Mermaid- 4:06 am- How so?
Josie- 4:10 am- They just like to ditch me when something better comes along. Sometimes I feel like they only hang out with me because I'm Lizzie's sister. That's all that anybody ever sees me as.
Mermaid- 4:12 am- Hey, you're more than just Lizzie's sister, okay? You're smart, beautiful, and your heart is so open and pure. Anyone who doesn't see how lucky they are to have you don't deserve you to begin with.
Mermaid- 4:17 am- I just wish you loved you like I do (message not sent)
Josie- 4:18 am- No one has ever told me that before.
Mermaid- 4:21 am- Well, then I will. Because you deserve to hear how wonderful you truly are, Jojo.
Josie- 4:26 am- Can I ask you a question?
Mermaid- 4:32am- Of course
Josie- 4:35 am- Why did you pick me?
Mermaid- 4:37 am- Honestly? I don't know.
Mermaid- 4:39 am- I don't know why I like you, Josie. I just know that I do. That's why I sent you that note. I was afraid to talk to you in person; I was scared of rejection. I never expected anything like this- this connection with you- but I'm happy to have it. Even if I can't have you in person, this is ours. No one can take that away from us, right?
Josie- 4:43 am- You do have me, though. God, I want to be yours. (Message Unsent)
Josie- 4:44 am- I just wish I knew who you were...
Mermaid- 4:45 am- I'm sorry, I'm just not ready.
Mermaid- 4:47 am- By regionals; I promise you'll know me by regionals.
Josie- 4:53 am- I can live with that.
Mermaid- 4:58 am- I have to go now; You should get some sleep.
Josie- 5:02am- Alright; goodnight <3
Mermaid- Goodnight, Jojo. Sweet dreams.