Hey guys this is my first story and I'd really appreciate feedback, as long as it isn't hate. This story is set in a fictional underwater kingdom called Aquata and the religion is entirely made up, so please don't get offended. I hope you enjoy my story.🍫

I arrived at school late, as usual, to try and avoid Celeste and her friends. They usually got to school early for cheerleading practice. A part of their goody-two-shoes act they put up for the teachers. I swam into the stone classroom and headed straight to my seat at the back, next to my best friend Eleckra.

Just as I was sitting down, Celeste, Enrika, and Illae swam into class."So sorry we're late Miss, cheerleading went longer today. It was handover day; I had to present the new captain and vice captains." Celeste simpered at the teacher.

"Of course, take a seat now dears." The teacher said, lapping her words up like milk. Ugh, I hate these people, except for Eleckra of course.

"As you all know tomorrow is graduation day- "elated cheering from the jocks cut her off: Marco, Rakael, and Eli. "As I was saying, tomorrow is graduation day and as you all know the Dolphin Choosing and Profession Selection will be taking place. I would like to remind you all that the dolphin chooses you and not the other way around, so no getting any ideas. I'd also like to remind you how the Profession Selection works. Mentors from all professions who are looking for apprentices have examined your reports and comments. If a mentor shows interest in you, they will swim forwards and you will have the choice of professions. If you try an apprenticeship that isn't for you ..." I zoned out and wondered what my dolphin would look like and what profession I'd end up in. All of our teachers have been telling us the same thing for the past year. What was the point of listening to it once more?

The abrupt ringing of the bell cut off my train of thoughts and I remembered what I had today. I had a Mermaid History exam, my worst subject. Eleckra noticed my panic stricken face and gave me a small smile. "Miara, you'll do fine." I just raised one eyebrow at her and with a flick of my tail swam off to my history class. Eleckra was a lot better at academic classes than me, so she wasn't in the remedial Mermaid History class like me. My bored looking teacher told the rowdy class to sit down and be quiet as we went in. I sat right next to the window, preparing myself for my eventual failure. The moment I was given my paper all the studying I had done with Eleckra flew out of my mind and I ended up guessing half the questions. I got the easy ones, like who is the queen of Aquata, Queen Eleanor obviously, but others were just too hard. I ended up staring out the window for half the exam. The bell finally went and I swam out to the cafeteria.

I found Eleckra sitting at our table already eating. "Couldn't wait two seconds for me?" I asked, mock hurt.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll survive. Go get your lunch, it's kelp and red coral day today." I nodded and went to join the queue. Just as I was swimming back to Eleckra, Illae and Enrika intercepted me.

"What is up with her hair?" Enrika mockingly asks Illae.

"I don't know. It just seems to be lacking something but I can't think what it is." Illae responds in kind.

"I know what it is! That brown colour is getting rather dull. I think red would be a big improvement." With that, I Enrika tips the contents of her tray all over me. I wipe it off doing my best to look dignified but Rakael comes from behind and pushes me into Illae. I lose my balance and fall face first into her chest. She screams and pushes me away from her forcefully. Eli came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Get off me your lesbian freak! Did you guys see what she did? She tried to grope me!" Illae shrieks at me, looking every inch the terrified victim. The others try to 'console' her and I push past them, to go clean myself off and have lunch.

I sit down with Eleckra to eat and just shake my head. She closes her mouth when she sees my gesture, but I can see her rant fuming beneath the surface. This wasn't the first time they'd pulled a stunt like this but soon I wouldn't have to deal with this crap. It wasn't worth asking for help from the teachers, who would believe me over her? At least last period I had Eleckra in Combat Class. The dreaded bell went and I went to my last two hours of torture.

Our combat instructor was an old man who couldn't give a damn about any of his students but Celeste and her friends. The only reason I was good at this class was because my Dad tutored me at home, he used to be a border guard in his younger days. "Listen up class, today is our last lesson so I thought we'd do something fun. We're going to have a bit of a tournament between ourselves. Look at the fixtures and first person to be held on the mat for ten seconds loses." A crowd gathered around the fixtures and Eleckra went to see who we were going to fight. She came back grinning ear to ear and I knew we were paired together. We swam onto one of the fight mats and listened for the whistle. The coach blew it and I swam at her. She tried to dodge but I grabbed her retreating tail and gently flipped her with it. I held her to the floor for the count of ten and she didn't even put up a fight.

I helped her up and told her, "You didn't even try."

She smiled but protested her innocence as she said, "I did! You're just too good a fighter; you'll probably get into the grand finale." I smiled and we swam over to the fixtures ready to fight our next opponents. I won the next three of my fights and as I swam back to the board I saw only Marco, Celeste, Eli and I were left. A very stroppy looking Rakael was sitting on the benches, probably bitter that I was in the finals and he wasn't. After defeating a very sheepish Eli I looked over to Marco and Celeste's fight. They were both amazing fighters, though Celeste was out of her comfort zone without her knife. Marco was going easy on her; she'd probably threatened to break up with him if he didn't let her win. They finished their fight, Celeste coming out victorious, such a surprise. Coach blows the whistle and she swings a clumsy blow in my direction, too busy looking at Marco to pay attention. I grabbed her arm and twisted her into me. Using her momentum against her I pin her to the floor and keep her there. She struggles but I'm stronger. Coach blows the whistle and declares me winner.

I swam out of school in a daze, I didn't even realize Celeste and her group were waiting for me at the gates. "Where do you think you're going?" Eli demanded as he grabbed me by my school bag.

"I saw what you were trying to do to Celeste, did you think we'd get away with it?!" Rakael threatened.

They closed in on me and I felt like I was being suffocated, by both their physical proximity and aggressive emotions swirling in the background of my mind. I closed my eyes and forced myself away from the situation. I opened my eyes to find I was in my bedroom. I didn't question it; I just fell into an exhausted sleep.

I grabbed my bag and shouted a goodbye in the general direction of my family. I swam off as quickly as I could, trying to escape the I'm-so-proud-my-baby-is-all-grown-up speech my mother probably had all prepared. I loved my parents dearly, but they did tend to make a big fuss about nothing. And today was certainly not nothing. It was graduation day, the time when the graduating class received their profession and a dolphin chose them for life. For the life of the dolphins, that is. Merfolk can live up to a thousand years and it would be very lonely without at least one companion. Besides, I didn't want any questions asked about what happened yesterday.

When I got to school the Celeste and her friends were waiting for me. Ugh, they were the one thing about high school I was CERTAINLY NOT going to miss. For forty of my fifty years on this Earth I have suffered their relentless taunting. I shuddered as I remembered yesterday's events. Oh well, it

It seemed they had the same idea, for they wanted one last chance to torment me." Hey, Miara, looking forward to having more than one friend after the dolphin choosing? " Celeste, also known as Queen Bee Bitch, sneered. I tried to swim past them but Enrika , one of her cronies, blocked my path. I tried to swim past her again but she moved back into my way and we crashed and my books went flying. "Oops. You should really watch where you're going. " Enrika said in a sickeningly sweet voice.

I knelt down to gather my things and heard Eleckra come up behind me. "I can't believe them! They think they're so cool, just because their parents are rich and-" I cut her off, I usually love and join in her endless rants about them, but we had more important things to worry about. "We have to get to the graduation ceremony, we don't want to be late."

We got to the amphitheatre just as everyone else was sitting down. The headmistress droned on about responsibility, serving the queen and Alchitâe and the future. Might as well have been in form. "Let the dolphin choosing begin!" She announced and the dolphins and trainers swam in form above the amphitheatre.

They brought in bottlenose dolphins, bajii dolphins, Amazon River dolphins and even an orca! An orca was a rare occurance and I could only remember them choosing a mergil once in my high schooling. " Would the graduating class please swim forward and let the Dolphin Choosing begin!" In a flurry of tails and excitement, we lined up and the Dolphin Choosing began.

Dolphins and their harried looking handlers were swimming in utter chaos. It made the suspense even worse, as we couldn't tell if anyone was heading towards us or someone else. I saw Eleckra receive a small, grey, energetic dolphin but was soon distracted by the orca and its handler swimming
towards me.

"He's been looking for you." The handler said with a smile, before he departed. I looked into my orca's eyes and saw curiosity and playfulness there. I smiled and looked around to see everyone else with their dolphins. I had a feeling today was going to the start of something good.

" And now for the main event, the profession selection." The headmistress boomed. The mentors swam down to greet us and I saw there was a couple of unfamiliar faces. As the headmistress went down the role, whichever mentors wanted the student would swim forward and the student picked where they wanted to go. I saw Enrika and Illae become krill singers, unsurprising as they were the best singers in our year. Marco, Eleckra's crush and ex- tailball captain, was chosen as a warrior. The warriors followed the path of Arooshum, consort of Alchitâe and god of rock and warriors.

The role reached Eleckra and a beautiful, elegant woman swam forwards and announced Eleckra would become her priestess apprentice and I felt a wave of pride. Eleckra was a devout worshipper of Alchitâe, our goddess of the sea and The Winds, and had been gifted with foretellings of the future. It was no surprise that she was chosen to become a priestess.

When it finally got around to me, an ancient yet beautiful woman claimed me. " I am Anarkra, sea witch, I claim Miara as my apprentice. "I swam to meet her in a daze. This never happened, at least I don't remember it happening. However, history never was my best subject.

I sat through the rest of the ceremony in a semi-daze. However, I do remember Celeste bursting out of the auditorium in tears. I had no idea why, but I was too out of it to really pay attention. After the ceremony my family came up to say goodbye. The queen believed family distracted apprentices too much, and should not see them whilst completing their apprenticeship. While my little sister Alli was annoying and my parents made a massive fuss over everything, I didn't want to say good bye for however long my apprenticeship was. No one really knew what sea witches did, just that they had both power and prestige in our society. Naturally, I was curious to find out why.We sat through the rest of graduation but I don't really remember the rest of it. After graduation finished I swam back home, for my last dinner with my family before I complete my apprenticeship.