"Hey sleepy head! Wake up! You don't want to be late for you're first day of school do you?" A voice broke through my mind shattering my dream that was unfolding around me, taking me from the dream world and back to reality.

I slowly woke up and growled at the intruder. 'I am so going to kill them' I groaned and roled over pulling the covers over my head blocking out the light and shielding me from another day.

"Go away Matt!"

"No mom said to wake you up, it's your first day of school."

"Uggh! I don't wanna!" I moaned into my pillow. "Coff coff I think I'm sick"

"No you're not so get up!"

With that he jumped onto my bed flipping me off and forcing me to the floor with a crash.

"Matt!!" I screached at him now fully awake.

"Ha ha ha, don't look at me like that sis, it was for you're own good" he smiled and quickly kissed me on the cheek before dashing out of my room.

"Oh, and Happy Birthday!" he called from down the hall.

I groaned again and streached out on my back, working out the kinks in my muscles. He would pay for that, he soo would. 'I am soo going to kill him' I thought to my self. 'He knows I hate him doing that but he just can't help but do it anyway.

I put my hand to my forehead and massaged the tightness out, 'what a strange dream. It felt so real but it couldn't be. No it was just my imignation running wild on me driving my mind crazy creating a false reality for my subconcious. Not real at all.'

***

I was in the ocean, swimming. Swimming in the ocean, probably the very deep part far from the shore. But I wasn't scared. I was happy. I finally felt at peace and was calm, not frightened at all. And I was really swimming-like fast. It me was increadable. There were bubbles all around conconing me in but I could still see everything around me.

The ocean and waves were beautiful-but underneith it-was magical.

The way the water swirrled around me and sent bubbles through my long brown hair tickled me. And the fish. Oh what beautiful fish there were down here. The sea was alive and vibrant and...home.

I chuckled at that thought. Being at home in the sea. Only fish adn sea animals were at home in the ocean not humans. I laughed at my silly thought and kept swimming.

I swam deeper into the waters and further away from the shore and home but I still was not afraid. For some reason I knew exactly where I was going and knew I would be safe. Not long after I saw a shift in the area around me: reefs and sea life became more scattered and building like structures appeared.

'Strange' I thought as I looked at the sites around me. 'it's as if there's a city around down here.' I thought and swam toward it not knowing why I was so drawn to it.

The structure before me was unlike any I had every seen. It looked like an underwater palace with gleaming windows and sparkely walls and towers. An abandoned underwater structure, just beautiful.

Then I saw something, something moving, something alive, something very strange.

It looked like there were dozens of them down there. 'Not abandoned then'. I continuned on my way. When I reached the gate I heard a strange sound. A sound I thought I would only hear above water, not underwater. A trumpet-many trumpets sounding.

'What is this place?' I thought. 'This has to be a dream.' I reasoned, 'No way a place like could be real. It's not logically possible.' I was very scientific and had a very scientific upbringing so I knew that all of this could not be real. But yet it was, I felt in my heart that it was real.

I looked up as the world starting fading-concluding that this was a dream, and saw the most beautiful green eyes in the world. Like the sea and the sky combined with gold flecks.

I gasped in amazement at the boy who stood before me. His eyes, his lush dark black hair billowing in the current. His pale pink lips and olive toned complection. He was beautiful. The boy took my hand in his and pulled me forward-toward the castle and all around us the people were coming out and looking at him, me, us.

"Where am I?"

Tiny bubbles escaped my mouth and I was shocked that I was able to speak underwater.

"Home" he replied. "You are home."

Suddently the world began shaking and I felt myself being pulled by a strange force. The people around me began to fade, the music disolve, and the world turn to dust. The boy before me grabed me as he began to fade "remember us" he said as he completly disolved in the water. "Remember who you are...."

The last thing I saw before I too disolved and was swept away was that everyone here, every person did not have feet.

Everyone here had a tale-long, scally fish tales. Including me.

Everyone here was a merperson, and so was I.

It was at that moment I heard Matt's voice and was ripped from the dream and back to reality.

'Why would I dream about that? That I am a mermaid? That is just too strange' I shock myself erressing all thoughts that strange dream adn forced myself to think about reality and the present.

Today was my first day of school, and my 18th birthday. Not that anyone besides my family would remember. I was the freak girl. Nobody paid any attention to me except to teae and torment me. But that was rare seeing that my brother's Matt and William, were the biggest and strongest fishermen in town and they never let anyone mess with me. I was their only baby sister after all so they had to protect me. It was their duty, their job, their sole reason for existence-or so they have told me countless times.

I just scoffed and said they just wanted to make sure I never dated anyone. They just laughed but never denied it.

I shook myself from memory lane and huffed a laugh. My brothers. My protectors. My best friends. They could have left town and gone off to college like most did, and could have-they were star athletes and always had top marks in school. But they choose to stay here in this dead-in-town for me. And as much as I hated that they did that I loved them for it.

"Cora hurry up, you're going to be late!" My mother shouted from down stairs. I looked at the clock: 7:30. Bollocks! She was right. I quickly hopped down stairs trying not to trip over the clutter in my room.

I dashed to my chair and pored a bowl of Frosted Flakes into my already waiting bowl and quickly ate.

"Ha ha slow down Cor you don't want to choke do you?" my brother Will laughed as I scarffed dowh my breakfast.

"Yeah, they we'd have to save you're sorry butt," Matt joked. "And you know you hate that" he laughed.

I stuck out my tongue at them, accidently letting some of the milk from my ceral drip down my chin.

"Corissa!" my mother scolded disaprovilly.

I stuck my touge back inside my mouth and wipped the dripping milk from my face. I could feel the smirks on my brother's faces as I was repremended once again and shot them daggers with my eyes. They quickly looked down and we ate in silence.

"So Cora are you ready for school? It's your senior year!" My mother practically gushed with excitement.

"Mom" I winned, it's just school and no different from last year or my sophmore year. It's just a year. Nothing. Just another year trapped in boardoom.

I never made a big deal about school. Most people kept to themselves and away from me-they knew inviting me to things and places wouldn't end well so they stopped bothering.

Not that I didn't have friends: I did. But no one I really connected with or truely understood me. I never really felt like I belonged anywhere or with anyone for that matter. Even with my brothers and my own family I felt like I didn't belong.

"But it's your senior year, the best year of high school! You should be excited." She told me shocked.

My mother was popular in high school and just couldn't understand why I didn't love school like she did.

"Oh and Friday is that senior party. You know the one on the beach? I think it would be great if you went to it."

I knew the party, it was held every year marking the start of school and celebrating the senior classes achievements. It seemed really fun, all of us together hanging out, cooking outside, the only problem was it was held on the beach. Right next to the ocean.

"Mom I don't want to go to that. All it is is girls in skimmpy swim suits and horny boys sneaking in beer. There is no way I am going to that!"

Normally I wouldn't be so off minded about such parties but being on the beach, near the water. My mother knows that I do not like water, everyone does. Why is she doing this?

"Cora, you really need to get over that silly fear of yours" calling my bluff.

"You are 17, no 18 years old. You're not a child. So stop acting like one with this silly fear of yours."

"Mother--" William tried to cut in. He was always defending me. Always protecting me, like a big brother should. But it had to stop- I had to defend myself now.

"It's okay Will, Mom people have fears. I'm sorry that mine disrupts your life, but it's my life not yours and I will do what I want with it."

"But Cora, don't you want to have fun? All you ever do is read and keep cooped up in that room of yours. I just want you happy."

"Mom," I said expasperated, "It's just another grade level. "Nothing special." I told her finishing my ceral. Hopefully ending the conversation.

But not for my mother. She began to open her mouth again when my father, who normally sat through breakfast hiding behind his newspaper, grunting only when abbsultly necessary, spoke.

"Pen leave Corissa alone. She knows what she's doing. Don't worry about her."

My brother's and I looked at eachother shocked. Our father never spoke at breakfast and most certainly did not tell my mother off for anything.

"David I'm just worried about the well-meaning of our only daughter. How is she suppost to be to get married if she never dates or even attempts to have a conversation with a boy. I'm just trying to do what's best for her, and so should you." She said pouting.

"Mom, Cora is fine. You should be happy she's not out with boys. Then you would have grandkids." Matt interjacked laughing.

I glared at him and he smirked at me.

"When you are all done discussing Cora's love life, I'd like to say something" William stood up looking at all of us. "Cora I was going to give this to you later after you got home from school, but I think youc could use it now." He reached under the table and pulled out a package crudelly wrapped in paper.

I raised my eyebrows at him jesturing at the gift. He held it out and I took it feeling the heavy weight of the package.

"Well open it" Will said softly.

I quickly ripped through the paper revealing a box and quickly snapped it open unvealing a book. A big thick beautifully decorated book with gold pages and a elequently scripted lettering on the cover.

"Wow." I was shocked at the beauty and the style. I carefully lifted the book out of the box and gently placed it on the table.

"Will...wow this is...thank you." I turned to give my borther a hug. It was a book on magical creatures and legends; my favorite topic.

"This is awesome" I said squeezing him tightly before reaching for the book and opened it to the Table of Contents page reading all the chapters and then flipping through it excited at a;l the topics and pictures within.

There was a section on vampires, gods, and even Celtic faeries. This book had everything! I was so looking forward to reading this today. Might even make school somewhat bearable. But I doubt it.

"Really William a fantasy book? Why do you keep feeding her fantasies like this?" My mother groaned looking at the colorful pictures of faeries I was looking at.

"Momm! What is wrong with the book? It's awesome and I love it." I said defiantly gripping the book to my chest.

"Why do you always critize everything I do? Am I just not good enough for you?" My voice raised as I got even more angry. It just seemed that no matter what I do, or everything I try, I'm just not good enough and it's all wrong.

"Well I'm sorry that I am not the perfect daughter you hoped for." With that I stood up cluching my book and ran out of the room to the safty and comfort of my room. I shut the door trying to block out the negative emotions tht were swimming around my room.

I colasped on my bed and blocked the tears that were threatening to show and opened my book stroaking the elegant pages feeling the gentle velvet of the page's words. 'Why does my mother despise me? I didn't do anything wrong.' I thought feeling the tears come. 'And why does my father just let her do that? Why are my parents never supportive and understanding and caring? Why'

I quickly stopped the tears not wanting to let her know she made me crack and got up to get ready for school.

I walked to my large walkin closet and glanced inside glancing through trying to decide what to wear. I picked a pleasent cream colored blouse and a pair of dark blue skinny genes and finished up with my trademark strappy heals.

Being under 5 feet and no having no curves I had to do something to add to my plain features. I have medium lenght dark brown hair with even darker bown eyes-so dark you couldn't see my pubils-the colors blending in so well together. My eyes were the darkest color I had ever seen and most of the people in my town had seen. And with my olive toned complection that contrasted from my dark features I was quite the contdiction.

I went to the bathroom and brushed some light blush on to my cheeks and added light blue eyeliner under my eyes and a dab of mascara finally finishing with a light gloss on my lips. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and was satisified with my look. I left the bathroom and headed downstairs grabbing my school bag and headed out the door, my book on Magical Creatures and Legends book in my hands. Knowing that if I left the book at home it would be gone by the time I got back tonight.

The walk from my house to the high school only took about ten minunts and as always I just couldn't help but stop by the beach and stair at the crashing waves. The beach was so beautiful and the water so welcoming but as always the neverending urge to run away was there forcing me to leave the beautiful sight and run towars Bayfield High School, where my torcher occurs.

It's not that I hate the place and that everyone is mean, no it's just the few who are who make it aweful. As the saying goes; it only takes a few bad apples to spoil the batch.

That's how it is here. The jocks and the cheerleaders ruled the school and their word was law. And because I dared not bow at their feet I was deemed an outcast and a freak. I really didn't mind though, I prefered to be alone.

I didn't want live off of everyone else's worship and gosip like they did that held no desire at all for me No I could live without their petty and cocky ways just fine.

As I walked into the school a burst of fake and extremely high pitched laughter erupted echoing throughout the hallway.

'The first day back and Lauren Alaine was already hitting on the male population, though I shouldn't be suprised, the leach has new prey to suck dry.' As I walked down the hall I wondered who her newest victom was; last year it was Tom the captain of the soccer team, Erik head of the swim team, and finally Aaron the surfing king. Who did she get caught in her web this year?

I felt sorry for the poor guy. Lauren was a soul sucking leach, a down right succubus and no man could surive her grip. Poor suckers.

I quickly passed praying she wouldn't see me and I could get to my locker and class without a confrontation.

"Hey Richardson!" A high shrill voice called out.

Crap. Lauren.

I turned and saw an evil snear plastered on her cat-like face.

"They let you back in here? I thought they had a policy against freaks of nature. Would be bad for the school's rep."

Her friends around her laughed at her remarks and I fought to keep my anger controled. I cried once today because of some bitch I wouldn't be caught twice, expecally since it's my God damn 18 birthday for Christ's sake.

I took in her look, she had a different style for every year. 'Keeping with the latest fashion she said' Well any type of fashion that says inorder to be beautiful you have to flash everyone, I wanted no part of.

She was defently going of the slut look this year. She was wearing a skirt so short I was positive their was nothing underneith it, and a tank top so low she left nothing to the immignation. And completed the slut outfit with supper high pink stelito heals.

The bad thing about having a school near a beach is that everyone thinks since the ocean is only like ten minunts away that it's okay to not wear hardly any chloes to school. It was distucting really and only made all of us appear as sluts and whores to the rest of the world. Which was why I always made a point to wear genes to school no matter how hott it was. And here it got hott.

Lauren was the sterotypical blonde beach bitch and had to keep her look it seemed. We use to be friends when we were kids but after six grade she decided I was bad for her image and dropped me like yesterday's garbage.

It hurt for a while but I got over it and moved on. I didn't need her friendship, or anyone's for that matter. I was fine on my own and prefered it that way. But the harsh words and cruel pranks had taken it's tool and I didn't know how much more I could take before I cracked and beat her ass, or my brother's did. They spent alot of time comforting me and drying my tears as teenagers and I saw that every tear I shed hurt them as much as it did me. I didn't think they could take much more of any of it.

After six years of torment and cruelity I had had it. It was payback time.

I slowly let a devious smile grow on my face, I was done hiding and quietly taking this shit, if this was how she was going to be-well two can play that game.

"Oh of corse I'm back." I smiled sweetly at her. "I know how much my being here means to you and well honestly the school just loves me so I woud never even think about not returning for another year. Though why you are still here I really do not know. I mean you must have so many diseases that every lab in the world would want to experiment on you."

Lauren was a bonified slut and slept with..well.. anything that moved really. She would mark a victom, suck them in, have her fun and then dispose of them and move on to the next one. Sucubus. A real sucubus demon.

She glared dagers at me. "Well at least I have boyfriends. No one in their right mind would ever date you. Freak!" She shot at me.

"If I'm a freak then what are you? If you're behavior is what is considered normal then count me out, cause HIV and AIDS is just not worth the trouble of being like you."

With that I turned around and walked away before we really got into it. I headed to muy locker number 713, the same one I had, had since freshman year. For some reason the school made us have the same lockers for the entire time we were here. Gave us more pride and helped us bond with our locker buddies I guess. But whatever.

I opened my locker and deposited my books inside and took out a few notebooks for class and shoved them into my backpack. As I was about to shut the door something in the corner caught my eye. Something shinny. I reached in and pulled out a shimmering piece of paper; just like the ones from my Mythology book! Will must have put it there for me. Aww that sweet big brother of mine!

I unfolded the paper expecting to see my brother's sloppy scrall but I was shocked to see an elegant cursive that was clearly not my brother's, nor anyone else's that I knew.

But it wasn't the handwritting that did me in, it was the words that the script was made of.

The words were terrifing and completly impossible to be true.

The words said "Remember US" the very words the boy had said to me in my dream. But that was impossible. It was a dream, a dream. This was obsivosly a joke, some stupid immature person's idea of a prank.

But how could anyone know those words or what they meant. Could they?

I balled the paper up and stuffed it inside my bag right by my fantasy book, slammed my locker shut and headed to class still freaking out from the note. Holding my book to my chest, backpack over my sholder and went to go pick up my class schedule from the office.

The office was painted a light cream color and had pictures of inspiritional quotes all over the walls. Their lame attempt at telling us to work hard and succeed at life. The room had a new paint smell even though the room had not been painted since Matt's senior year when he had redecorated the whole place as his senior prank.

I smiled at the memory of the office painted bright green with all the motivitional pictures replaced with magizine pictures of girls.

It was priceless.

The principles were so mad at the prank he spent the rest of the year in detention and didn't get to walk at graduation our family name was ruined, but the students loved it. Matt was still a celebrity to this day and . The only problem was the office staff watched me like a hawk in case I had the Matt genes my entire freshman year, but I was more like Will; quiet, calm, studius, and responsible so they liked me well enough.

After I got my class schedule and headed off to my first class: AP Biology.

The classroom was still mostly empty, it was still early and so most of the students would be out in the hallway talking with their friends. I took the time alone to take out my book Will gave me and the paper that I had found in my locker that morning.

I placed them both on the table and unfolded the paper to compare it to the pages of the book. I fliped through the book trying to find any sign that the paper came from this book.

The class slowly began to fill up and I was still flipping the pages.

"Is this seat taken?"

I reconized the voice and smiled deviously.

Caleb.

"Yes sorry that seat is taken." I told him without looking up.

I smilied as I felt the chair move out beside me and screach as he pulled it up to the dest and sat down beside me.

I looked up from my book and into the hazel eyes of the boy sitting beside me. He had light brown shaggy hair that stuck up in random spots, not like he had bad hair but just in a way to show he didn't care.

"Umm I'm pretty sure that I said that, that seat was taken." My voice getting dark as I glared at him.

"Yeah, taken by me!" He answered eyes gleaming meciviously. I smiled at him knowing that he was right, I actually wanted him to sit there. Caleb was my best and closest friend.

"So," he said ending our charade. "you ready for this class? I heard from the seniors last year that this class was hell."

I had heard the rumers too. That most of the class recieved C's in this class, learned absolutly nothing in the nine months of this class so when they went to take the AP final at the end of the year they failed and recieved no college credit even after all the hard work they put in.

"Yeah I think I am. I've been studing all summer and have all of the AP prep books. What about you?"

Caleb laughed. " Oh of corse you would get those books. I bet you've got the entire book memorized."

"I do not!" I protested. "I only memorized the parts that we will be covering this semester." I stated sheepishly blushing.

"Ha Ha I KNEW it! You might play the 'school sucks why bother' card for everyone, but you and I both know you are the most studious student of us all."

He was right. I was smart. But I liked to keep it a secret. The only people who know my grades and just how smart I am were the teachers, staff and my few friends. Everyone else thinks I'm the poster girl for not caring student. Caleb and I always joke about how supriesd everyone will be at graduation when they find out I'm the valvictorian. Their shocked and angry faces will be priceless.

I couldn't wait.

"Ha ha yeah and the smartest." I added then mellowed.

"Joking aside, Caleb, from what I've read and studed last summer this is going to ne the hardest class we've ever had."

"And is that why you're sitting in class reading a mythology book?" He asked me pointing to the open book in front of me.

I smiled sheepishly and flipped to another page continuing to search for a missing page.

"So what is with the book? Is it new?"

"Oh yeah Will gave it to me this morning. It's really intresting so far."

"It looks intresting." Looking the book over taking in the descriptive pictures. "What all does it have?" He asked me.

I put a book mark where I was and flipped to the contents page and began reading. "Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Scandivia(Norse), Irish, Welsh, Scottish, and North American myths and stories. Pretty much this book goes into every type of mythology in the world and their magical creatures that go along with them."

"WoW. That is alot of stories. How many pages are in that book anyway?" He asked.

I checked the back of the book and replied "Around like eight-hundredish pages or so." not quite givig an specific answer.

"So it will take you by the end of tomorrow to finish all of it."

"No it won't" I rebuffed forcing myself not to blush.

He laughed.

"So Cora," Ignoring my remark he spoke, "you accepted the book from Will, does that mean you are acknowledging what today is?" He never actually spelled out what today meant but I understood what he meant.

I never choose to acknowledge my birthday-it was always on the first day of school. And since I really didn't have that many friends, just Caleb and a few others, most of the time my birthday went unnoticed. And honestly, I really didn't mind that at all.

I sighed "Caleb, I really don't know."

"Oh come on Cor, it's your 18 birthday! You have to."

"Caleb! It's just that today has not exactally been a reward winning day and its bairly begun.

"So if I were to say give you a present, a really good present, you wouldn't take it?" He asked.

"I don't know, it depends."

"On?"

"What it is."

With that he reached down into his backpack and pulled out a medium-sized package and placed it on the desk. He looked up at me expectantly.

I gave in opened the gift and ghasped.

Inside the box was a book, not as thick or as beautiful as the mythology book, but it was not far behind.

"What is it?"

The book had no title or even an author's name on the cover.

"Do you like it?" He whispered.

I opened the book and skimmed the pages realizing--

"Caleb, this is my book. What is this?"

The book in my hand was an old book, a book that I had had since I was a child when I went through my Little Mermaid phase. I hadn't seen this book in years and believed that my mother had taken it a long time ago.

"Mermaids?" I asked him looking confused. I had never told anyone that I use to love mermaids, nor showed any interest in that subject since my book, this book vanished all those years ago.

"How...what...Caleb, how did you know about this book? No body did. Where did you find this?"

I was completly flaberghasted and amazed at the sight of my book.

"Your brother's mentioned it a while ago about how you loved this book and well I just decided to start looking for it and i finally found it. Best part is it comes with a second gift." He flipped to the back cover and reveled a braclet, a beautiful silver braclet that had small charms on it.

I carfully lifted the braclet out and examined it in my hand shocked at its simple beauty.

"It's beautiful" I breathed.

*************

Sorry it took so long to finish it. You would not believe the weeks I've had. Sooo sorry I promise to be better and stop my slow posting thing. Promise.

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