The next day I got out of school early, so I went to the park to attempt to have some peace and quiet. That plan was a failure. Two seconds after I sat down, five kids my age - sixteen - raced over to me. I recognized them. They went to my new school.

"Hi Sophia." A blonde girl greeted me. "How do you like school?"

"It's terrible." I replied, earning a few nods and snorts. "But not as bad as I thought it would be."

We talked, but after five minutes I suddenly heard a echoing lullaby. The same song from last night.

"Do you hear that?"

"What? I don't hear anything."

The teenagers looked around. I took that chance to jam my ear buds in my ears. "Oops. I left my music on." I lied, acting sheepish. I pulled out my earbuds and held them out.

They relaxed and so did I. Phew. As long as they don't think I'm crazy...

"So we wanted to ask you..." The blonde began. "There's this party happening down at the beach tomorrow. Hope you can come." They began to walk away.

"Uh...hey wait!" I called, slightly bewildered. They didn't stop. "When is it?"

"8:30." The blonde called back to me. "Tell them Alexia invited you." 

I sat, still puzzling over our conversation. Those people were the popular kids at school. Why would they specifically invite me? To a party with people I barely know and at a beach that had hosted an odd encounter a couple nights ago...

Wait a minute. I couldn't go to that beach. The mer was there. And that mer's last words to me sounded like my death sentance. I couldn't go back there. Wouldn't. Not for the rest of my life.