I glanced down at my phone. My heart stuck in my chest. My parents were coming tomorrow, I had really spent a week under the water. I searched the room for as many changes as I could find. Sammy had moved a rug over the floor where I once lay, the scratches now covered with frilly blue material.

"I only went swimming, I was gone for a night," I whispered, Sammy, wrapping her arms around me once more. I took her embrace willingly, my mind feeling like I had suddenly missed so much in my life.

"Why didn't you tell me before you left?" Sammy's voice sounded choked in her throat. Like she was struggling to get any words out, I sank into my own skin. I couldn't remember anything after Gage left my bedroom. It all felt like it was last night. Less than twelve hours ago, I was laying in my bed, dreaming of the waves.

"I didn't, I mean, I don't know I just woke up on the beach this morning," I paused for a moment, realizing that I woke up then went into the ocean. "I actually don't know when I woke up, I just went for a swim. I actually found something really exciting."

Sammy shook her head, tears falling from her eyes. I must have seriously worried the poor girl. She tried to wipe them away as quickly as possible.

"No, Olyvya, you should have talked to me before you left. Gage and I searched for hours around town. No one knew where you were. We were watching the news for any signs. We thought some creepy man came in here and kidnapped you. Gage was pacing this house for days hoping you would come back. I finally got so annoyed of his stress, it was making mine worse, that I sent him home. I needed to relax a little." I watched her as she spoke. Her eyes never looking at me.

I thought for a moment, Gage was really that concerned about me? He paced this house day and night until Sammy sent him home. Is that why the first thing he did when he saw me was kiss me? My body tingled thinking back to the kiss from earlier. His lips were like magic, drawing my body even further in. I wanted to run back to his house again to remake it. I'd give anything for the chance to kiss him again. My body in a trance, running on desire.

"Is that why he kissed me?" I mumbled not realizing Sammy could hear me.

"What!" She shouted, the whole room echoing with her voice. I jumped at the sudden jolt of sound. "Gage kissed you? When? Were you over there lost in his house this entire week?"

I couldn't help but chuckle at the last question. No, I wasn't trapped in Gage's house, but it was big enough that, I very easily could have been, and been gone just as long.

"No, Sammy, I went for a swim. I ended up on his private beach naked so I went in and tried to get a shirt. I assumed he would be there. He was, but the garage door was open so I just went in. I stood in the kitchen for a long time calling his name, when he came running in, I don't know, he ran up and kissed me." Word vomit, that was all my brain could pull together. I didn't know how to explain the kiss to Sammy, my mind was putting a mental block on it so I didn't have to figure out what it meant.

"You went to his house first?" Sammy suddenly seemed hurt by my instinct to see Gage before her. If only she would take a second to listen to what I was saying.

"No, well yes, but only because I needed to get some clothes so I could come here. I think I left the house with no clothes on, but I honestly can't remember anything." Images of the pink fin flashed back in my mind. I needed to tell Sammy that there were more creatures like me.

"You left the house naked?" Sammy came to a screeching halt. Her mouth wide open, her eyes bugging out of her head.

"No, nevermind that listen to me," I tried to fight back. I needed her to focus on the information I needed to tell her, not just the things she wanted to hear. There were more creatures like me, we just had to find them.

"What, I'm just trying to figure out what is wrong with you." Sammy folded her arms. She sounded like a mother scolding her child, I felt even smaller under her glare now. There was nothing I could do.

"I found another mermaid," I blurted out realizing that if I didn't just say it, the words were never going to come out. Sammy paused for a moment, her breath hitching in her throat before she finally took a seat at the counter.

"Okay, go on," She waved for me to continue talking. I looked around, finally, I had her full attention and that was really all I needed to say. That was all the information I had. There wasn't an elaborate story.

"Sammy, I was swimming in the water, I was sitting on the bottom of the ocean looking at all the beautiful fish down there, when suddenly I turned and realized there was a fish-shaped a little differently, short blonde hair flowing around in the waves, a fish that was half human. So I tried chasing her, but I couldn't swim fast enough. Do you know what this means?" My excitement was growing with the realization that there were other people just like me. If they could hide it so well then I eventually would be able to. Hopefully, I don't slip up too much giving my cover away. I needed people to not know.

"There are more creatures out there just like you?" I nodded my head. Sammy was finally getting exactly what I was telling her.

"I'm not alone anymore."