Dusk 'Til Mermaid

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Silence. Nothing was being said. All that was there, was the anger on his face. He was mad. I know that. But, I just wish he would say something. Anything would be better than this deadly silence.

"You're not going."

Except that.

"What?" I ask, hoping I didn't hear him correctly the first time.

"I said, you're not going." He says again.

Shocked, I swim backward a tiny bit. I must be hearing things because I know that he couldn't have told me what I'm not doing. Doesn't he realize that I am my own person? And yes, I know that he knows I love Aiden. But, he also knows that Aiden loves Darcy. And, I hope that he knows that I wouldn't cheat on him.

I chose him and being a mermaid. Yes, as a last option, but I could be up on land looking for my true love. Someone to break this curse. I need this. He has to understand that.

"Aquarius, you can't tell me I can't see him." I tell him, trying to keep the anger out of my voice.

I can't be mad at him for trying to protect me.

"I don't care what you think I can or can't do, but you are not going to see Aiden. We are together now, Bambina. You have to listen to me. I don't know how it is in the human world, but here, I'm the boss. And, if you can't accept that, we can't be together." Aquarius tells me, daring me to go against what he just said.

I'm angry at his words. Whether or not I have to be a mermaid, I will not let anyone control me ever again. Even if that means being alone for the rest of my life.

"Then I guess we can't be together."

His face drops the stubbornness and he looks almost heartbroken. Like he really thought I'd obey him if he gave me an alternative.

"I'm sorry, Aquarius. I can't be with someone who thinks they are the boss of me. I font care if you're next in line to be the king. It doesn't matter to me. Even if I were to listen to you now, do you really think you can control what I do on land? I didn't have to tell you, I could've just let you swim me to our spot then left toward Aiden's. But I didn't do that. I told you the truth because I felt like it was the right thing to do. I thought you would be okay with it because he is just - I'm sorry - was a friend. I'm not from this world so no matter what, you can't control me. I don't bow down to you. I will never bow down to you. I thought you were better than this. I was wrong. We're done, Aquarius. I would never be with someone that thanks he is the boss of me."

And with those last words, I turn around and swim away.

Aiden's POV

She didn't exactly specify which usual spot to meet her at. The one by our house? Or the one where I first found out she was a mermaid? Decisions, decisions. It must be the one by our house because that's where it ended.

Hours felt like years, waiting for dusk. I can't wait to see her beautiful form coming out of the water. I want to kiss her and hold her and most importantly, never let her out of my life again. I never want to hurt her in any type of way. I wish that Darcy didn't kiss me but I can't change it. What I can do, though, is explain to Bambi that Darcy wasn't the girl I wanted to kiss.

Then, maybe, she'll forgive me and she'll love me back.

But, finally, it was time for her to come out of the water and I rushed down the stairs to open the door. You can't even imagine the excitement in my heart that I was going to get to see her and tell her how I truly feel.

I sit on the lounge chair, waiting for her to come out of the water but after half an hour and her not coming up, I wonder if she meant the old spot after all. She must have because I know Bambina. And she wouldn't stand me up.

I walk along the beach until I arrive at our old spot and was proven absolutely wrong. She did stand me up. Why, though? Actually, maybe she thought I stood HER up? She might be waiting for me at the park. Or her old abandoned hideout.

I walk into the park and look around. No one was around. I start walking back to head to the abandoned building I once visited with Bambina. She must be there or she left because she thought I stood her up.

The walk was longer than I remembered or maybe it was just the nerves I was feeling. She couldn't have stood me up because that's nothing like the Bambina I know.

I finally reach the entrance and try calling out to her.

"Bambi?" No answer.

I step in and look around. She was absolutely no where to be found. Sighing, I step out and head back home. She doesn't want to see me. I now realize this. As much as I love her, I guess its time for me to let go. For real this time.

I lay in my bed, feeling like I want to cry. But, what's the point. Bambina must have changed in these past two months. The old Bambina that I know and love, wouldn't have stood me up after telling me to meet her. I hurt her. Its my fault.

My phone rings, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Did you tell her?" Kelsie was on the other line.

I sigh. "She didn't show up."

After a moment of silence, she speaks again. "That's not possible. I came to the laundromat, just in case she got cold feet. I was going to tell her to go talk to you. She never showed up. By the way, I talked to the owner and she lives upstairs. So, she couldn't have stood you up."

My eyebrows raise at this statement and I sit up. If she isn't at her house, or wherever she lives, and she isn't at none of the normal places...

Then where is she?

😦😦😦  Any clue where Bambina is? Who do you think is involved?