Scared New World

Chapter 1

For most of my life, I've been timid and reserved. I'm fortunate to have such a close relationship with my family, but I don't have many friends. The reason? I'm deaf. I should probably introduce myself before I go any further—my name's Nerissa Singh. But you can call me Rissa. Oh, one more thing. I'm also a mermaid.

Before you ask, no, I wasn't born deaf. I started losing my hearing when I was five. It started with my friends and family's voices becoming distorted and faint even when I was right beside them. It only got worse as the years went on. By the time I turned seventeen (last month, as a matter of fact), it was gone completely.

I have two sisters, Naia and Meribella, whom I love dearly. I'm the oldest, with Meri being the middle child (15), and Naia being the youngest (14). Despite the age difference, we've never been closer. They're my lifesavers.

I woke that morning to the sun shining on the ocean's surface. I couldn't help but smile as I swam out of bed and dressed. My shift at the Ocean Blue Café started soon.

As I swam out of my room and downstairs, a cerulean tail caught my eye, along with a flash of red-gold hair. Meri. My smile grew wider as I zipped after her. I tapped her on the shoulder, laughing at the surprised look on her face as she whirled around to face me.

"Rissa! You scared me! When does your shift start?"

In a few minutes. Wanna grab a bite to eat after? Then maybe go for a swim? My fingers moved effortlessly through the water as I signed.

She grinned, nodding. "Definitely. I'll see if Naia wants to come. See you after?"

Reading lips was one of the first things I learned when I started losing my hearing. It wasn't easy at first, but over time, it became as easy as signing. I waved as I slung my bag over my shoulder and swam out of the house. The town of Nepptheas was already in full swing. I took my time heading to the café, enjoying the many sea creatures that swam past me.

When you lose one of your primary senses—taste, sight, hearing, smell, touch—you learn quickly to appreciate and lean on your remaining ones. Since I lost my hearing, my other senses have sharpened.

Pausing, I stopped before twin statues of Merais, God of the Sea, and Antia, Goddess of Fertility. I nodded at their stone faces, paying my respects.

I sighed happily as I opened the door to the Café, inhaling the scents of fresh-baked bread and bubble tea. I grabbed my apron from the hook by the door, quickly tying it around my waist before swimming behind the counter and grabbing a pen and pad. Smiling, I swam to the first table, introducing myself before taking their orders.

After caring for them, I swam to another table, quickly falling into the routine. Another thing I've learned: deaf or not, it's always good to have a pattern. Before I knew it, the waters had darkened, signaling the end of my shift.

As I hung up my apron and swam outside, a sudden chill ran down my spine. I spun around slowly, my sharp eyes scanning my surroundings.

After a few heartbeats had passed, I shook it off and continued swimming. I had only taken a few strokes when the scent hit me. It was so strong it brought tears to my eyes. My heart pounded as I swam closer, biting back a shriek as I stumbled upon the body.

Yup, you heard that right. Body. From what I could tell, it was a young mermaid around Naia's age. Her blonde hair was limp around her shoulders, her blue-grey eyes staring blankly at the surface. What really scared me, however, was the grey tone to her skin. I couldn't breathe as I stared at the body.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder, and I flinched, whirling around. A powerfully built merman with short black hair and piercing grey eyes was before me. His dark skin gleamed in the twilight. He started speaking, but I shook my head and pointed to his notepad.

I gave him my name and explained what had happened. He thanked me and told me to find him if I remembered anything else. My whole body was trembling as I swam home. Little did I know that merman would play a key role in my life in the future.

I was so numb I barely saw the shocked expressions of my sisters and my mother. In the back of my mind, a memory resurfaced: Meri and me talking about meeting up for dinner and a swim after my shift. I had forgotten entirely. I shook my head, quickly signing. I'll explain everything tomorrow. I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning, okay?

Only when I was alone in my room did I let myself cry. Exhaustion quickly took hold as I lay in bed, my eyes closing as soon as my head hit the pillow.

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