Lake Larson

The leaves froze to the grass as I rushed on the path back to my dorm room. Ian disappeared and hadn't joined me on my walk. I raced up the stairs, quickly changing into my work uniform.

I parked my car on the side of the road, only being used when I would leave the campus. The old vehicle puttered down the highway to Spokane, missing the busy traffic. Cars sped by me as I used the off-ramp, driving down the main road of the large city. The Northtown Mall held a tiny aquarium, making parking easy with the empty lot.

As I entered The Blue Zoo, my favorite co-worker greeted me with a wave as she assisted a customer. She braided her gray hair down the back, touching her belt. A water stain soaked the front of her shirt from her shift.

"Hey there, Annie. How is Dakota doing today?" I walked toward her as she picked up a bucket.

"Lake," her voice cracked. "I am so happy you arrived early today," she said as I took the bucket from her. "Dakota is doing alright." She frowned at me. "Not happy with any of the food today," Annie huffed.

"I don't blame her. Where did you want me to start today?" I asked, while following her to the employee's area only.

"Well, some tanks are filthy, but Ryan didn't show up today," she said, bringing her braid to the front over her shoulder. "Would you be able to get into your gear and clean the shark tank?" she asked, grabbing the bucket from my palms and dumping it down a floor drain into the waste area.

"Yes," I replied, turning to my locker. "Does this mean I'm closing alone tonight?"

"Sorry, honey, but yes," she replied, giving me a sad look. "I would stay with you, but Robby's got an appointment."

I opened my locker, pulling my scuba gear from the hook. Annie followed me into the shower changing area. The water soaked the tile floors from the group of employees before us. With the coed lockers, the changing stalls were private with showers.

"It's okay," I said to Annie.

"I'll see you up front." Annie left while I entered a stall.

I hooked my gear onto the wall, changing out of my clothes fast. My black and sea foam green scuba suit fit tight along my body. The flexible material made it easy to move and swim in narrow places. It even had plush material on the inside to help keep me warmer.

"Hey, Lake," I hear a sweet voice with splattering water.

I stepped out of the stall, seeing little Ashley standing with a fake orange tail and matching shell top. Her hair curled over her shoulders while the neon makeup mirrored her mermaid outfit.

"Hey Ash, you off now?" I asked her, slightly stepping to the exit.

"Yes," she replied with her arms behind her back, trying to unhook the shell top. "Thank goodness, too. Some kid threw stingray food at me today."

"So, it's that type of day?" I replied, leaning against the exit door.

"Yep, I don't get how some people can have those crotch goblins." She slipped off her shell top with a bathing suit underneath.

"I ask my sister that every time I see her," I laughed, opening the door to exit the conversation.

"See you later, Lake," she said, stepping into a stall.

"Bye, have a great night." I rushed out of the employee area with my scuba gear in hand.

With my head down, I stepped on the concrete floor, entering the backroom for the shark tank without customers seeing me. The kids loved it when I walked around in my gear, but I had a long night ahead of me if I wanted to finish cleaning.

Placed on the back of the tank, I climbed up the ladder, seeing Ian at the top with his feet in the water. I paused, realizing he had been barefoot the entire time now.

"You must be dying without shoes," I said, pointing at his feet.

He glanced at me, making eye contact. "Yeah, I tried putting shoes on but gave up fast." Ian kicked his feet around, standing next to me.

"Is it cold?" Why am I asking him dumb questions?

"Actually, I don't feel any temperature. Which is outstanding since the weather is colder than the north pole's ass lately." He jumped sideways, planking into the shark tank.

I watched him swim around without having to hold his breath. The water never moved, unphased by him, almost like he was floating in the air.

I snapped on my scuba tank, turned on the air, and sat down to slip on my flippers. Falling backward, I flipped in a circle, breaking the surface to put my goggles on. I tested the air on the tank and then bit down on the mouthpiece.

Ian swam around me as I cleaned the edges of the tank. At one point, he stepped through the glass and stood beside the kids, watching me scrub the walls.

I picked up the statue at the bottom of the tank, moving it over while I brushed the underneath. The statue had a tint of green to it while I picked off the algae created around the mermaid's eyes. Once done, I placed her back in her spot, grabbing my brush from the rocks.

As I bagged a dead plant, finishing the cleaning quicker than most, I glanced out of the glass to see Ian watching me. He smirked to a smile once we made eye contact. I slowly waved at him while he lifted his palm to do a non-waving wave.

A group of kids ran to the glass, smiling with amazement while yelling at me. One kid placed his hand on the wall, and I mirrored him inside the tank. I pushed off the glass, spinning in circles until I was dizzy.

I removed my mouthpiece, creating bubbles for the kids. Tilting my head back, I clicked my tongue, moving my lips as a ring formed, floating to the surface. I breathed in more air, repeating myself a few more times before biting down on my air again.

I smiled at Ian through my mouthpiece before pointing to the top of the water. Swimming backward, I waved to the kids before they ran away.

I broke the surface, pulling my mouthpiece off. Ian hung his legs in the water, kicking them as I swam to him. I pulled myself onto the edge, leaving my flippers in the tank with his. Ian's hazel eyes looked at me as he smiled.

"This is really dope," he said, looking away to watch his feet in the liquid.

"Yep, one of my favorite places in the world," I replied, pulling my goggles to my forehead.

I leaned into the water, removing my flippers. My legs swung around as I stood to my feet with my hand out to help Ian up. He looked at it before peeking up at me with a confused expression.

"Oh, yeah," I replied, pulling my hand away and walking to the ladder.

I climbed down, fixing the straps on my air tank before heading to the lockers. The kids scattered around the aquarium as one scaled to the top of the pirate ship, yelling nonsense.

With my hand on the door to the employee's area, Ian appeared beside me. "So, what's next on the list?" he asked, ready to follow me.

I stepped into the back rooms, glancing around to be positive nobody could hear me. "I'll probably visit Dakota and start my closing tasks, like cleaning the floors."

"Dakota?" Ian looked at me with his brows down. "Another boy, Lake?" he asked. "I thought Hudson was going to be our only goal?"

I laughed, hearing my giggles echo around the changing area. My fingers tugged on the string at the back of my suit, unzipping it as I walked into the stalls. I changed into my uniform quickly before towel-drying my hair.

Ian leaned against the sink as I looked at myself in the mirror to make sure no makeup smudged down my cheeks. I waved for Ian to follow me while I exited the employee area with a lady only a few feet from me.

"Miss, do you work here?" she asked, tapping her foot on the concrete floor with annoyance.

Ian scuffed. "No, she just wears that awful uniform for fun to confuse customers here," he said.

"Yes, may I help you with something?" I asked her, ignoring Ian.

"Yes, I noticed the price on the shark calendars says forty percent off, but my receipt shows I did not get that deal." She forced the receipt into my hands, already blaming me.

With the front area not being my hired job, I knew I'd need someone's help.

"I'm sorry," I replied. "Let me get the cashier for you."

"I thought you said you worked here?" she asked angrily through her teeth.

"Yeah, Lake, how dare you?" Ian laughed, mocking the woman.

I tried to ignore Ian, but his chuckles were too loud. "Yes, I do, but not in that department," I said nicely to the woman, hoping she would understand.

Like clockwork, Annie walked around the corner, saving the day. The lady huffed out when she saw Annie.

"Hey, Annie, do you think you can help this lady out? She says there is a sign for forty percent off the shark calendars, but her receipt shows she did not get it," I said, handing the receipt while Annie glanced at the lady.

I turned to the angry customer with a fake smile while Annie waved for her to follow to the front counter.

"Yes, let me help you out over here," Annie said while the lady glared at me for no reason.

With my head down, shaking it, I walked straight to a back room, away from the customers. I kept looking back to see Ian following me with his cheesy smile.

Once at the door, I glanced at Ian, slowly opening it. Inside the dark, tiny room was a tank illuminating the area blue. It was away from customers and not for show.

I waved my hand in the air, stepping up to the tank. "This right here is Dakota."

I glanced at Ian with a smile while his eyes widened in shock as he walked up to the glass. The green sea turtle swam to the edge, seeing who walked into her room to say hello.

"She is a young sea turtle that we rescued," I said with my hand on the glass to watch her swim to it, nudging her nose. "Here, come with me."

I walked alongside the tank to the back as Dakota followed. I climbed the ladder to the top of the tank with Ian. With a bucket of sea grass and algae ready, I grabbed the handle, bringing it closer to the water. My fingers scooped up the wet substance before I sat near the edge crisscrossed. Dakota poked her nose out of the water while I brushed my fingers over her skin.

I dropped the food into the tank and watched it float to the bottom as Dakota grabbed what she could.

"What happened to her?" Ian asked, sitting next to me.

"A boat ran her over," I replied, pointing at her fin to show the rough scar. "It's healing, but slowly."

"She has the same scar as you," Ian said, reaching his hand into the water.

"Yeah, I suppose." I watched Dakota nudge his fingers with her nose. "Did she—" I said.

"Yeah," Ian interrupted, but answered my question.

While smiling at Dakota, I looked over at Ian, who was touching her shell. "I think she likes you, which I'm not sure why, because you had been pretty unpleasant to be around." I laughed with my palm over my mouth.

"Hey, now," he said, friendly shoving my shoulder, but his hand went through, sending chills down my spine. "I helped you with Hudson."

"Yeah," I looked at my hands. "That."

"Speaking of Hudson. Do you like-like him?" he asked.

"I think that is all the time you get," I said, standing quickly and walking away from Ian, racing down the ladder.

I left the room without him protesting, but saw him petting Dakota before closing the door.

My shift was quick, given Ian stayed in the room with Dakota for the rest of the night. At one point, I thought I heard the door open, but nothing but the company of fish and parakeets.

As I turned off the lights, I checked to see if Ian was even in there. I opened the door to see Ian walking toward me with his head down. His bare feet walked right at me and then right through me. Inhaling a deep breath, I froze with chills from my fingers to my toes. I turned around, seeing him spinning, grabbing for me, but paused.

"Sorry, I had my head down," he said, giving me a forced smile.

"It's okay. I'm invisible to everyone else, too," I replied, closing the door and walking away from Ian.

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