Vanessa sat on her bathroom counter as the water filled her small shower tub. She was wondering how she was suppose to clean her feet when they were turn into fins and what happens when she sprouts a tail? How does she clean her lady part?

                Ugh, she thought, rolling her eyes as she jumped off and turned off the water. She stripped from her clothes and hurry into the hot water, she laid back and relax. It wasn’t long before her feet changed before her eyes and so did her arms. Her finger nails were getting longer and they were forming into a point shape, the gels creeping up to the top of her hand and fingers.

                She slid her back down the tub and went into the water. She stared up at the ceiling from under the water and she didn’t even did to take a breath before she did it.

                Her thought turned to her life, her father, and what she needs to do. She isn’t sure what she wants to do actually. She loved the freedom of being a mermaid, she never felt so full in her life like she actually belong on the world and meant to do something, but then there’s her family and father.

                She just can’t leave him, not after losing her mother. She couldn’t just leave him here heart broken all over again and then what? She would miss him so badly, she could never bare to leave him behind.

                So what’s more important to her? Freedom or her father?

                Her eyes stung and she didn’t feel her tears as they came out.

                {}

                Vanessa walked in her class and saw Adalyn eating something out of a container. She walked over and raised an eyebrow, “What is that?’.

                It was green, wet, and look kind of…good.

                She smiled, “Seaweed.”.

                Vanessa guess was spinaches but now that she looked at it better, it was seaweed.

                “Want some?”, she asked, holding it out towards her.

                Vanessa shook her head, “I’m good.”.

                “Well you should start eating it, it’s the main thing you’ll eat again that you’ll love. Chicken and meat not seeming so good as it was before?”, she asked.

                Vanessa nodded hesitantly. It was true, all the food she use to love, it lost her taste in it. She just keeping eating it cause it would fill her up, but it was satisfying.  She also tried to drink a can of soda, but the syrup was disgusting to her now and she would drown herself with water, but she has this weird feeling putting salt in it would make it even better, like salt could replace the syrup from the soda.

                She turned to go to her seat, but Adalyn moaned, “Hm, wait a second, Nessa.”, she said, opening her draw and held a sea shell necklace out to her. The necklace beautiful with blue and gold ones and it made her gap at how beautiful it was, “For you.”.

                She reached out and took it, “Thank you.”, she said.

                {}

                Vanessa tapped her thumb nail against the counter as she leaned down on it. Today at the boardwalk was a little slow, so it was kind of boring and she wasn’t so interest in Shayna’s and Cameron’s talk about night clubs.

                Two girls then walked into the shop, but something about the vibe in the air was different. They were talking to each other as they walked in and they were staring at Vanessa weirdly with this strange reboot face.

                Her eyebrows came together as she stood up, “Hello…?”.

                “Your Vanessa, right?”, one asked.

                The other one didn’t even wait for her to answer, “We’re Adalyn friends.”, she said and Vanessa mouthed formed an O shape.

                “So your…”, she trailed off, not wanting to say the M word out loud.

                They nodded and the first one spoke, “Yes, we just wanted to come see the new girl. We’re very please to finally welcome you. I’m Anna and this is Kiara.”.

                Vanessa turned her head around and both Cameron and Shayna were both being their noisy selves. She turned back to the girls and gave an awkward smile, “It’s nice to meet you to. I’m kind of working right now though…”.

                Kiara chuckled, “Of course, but we’ll be here until you finish. We’re—“, she looked at both girls behind Vanessa before turning her attention back to Vanessa, “A ride under the moon later. Join us?”.

                “Uh…”, she trailed off, not wanting to rude and say no since she don’t even know these girls.

                “Adalyn will be there to of course.”, Anna added.

                “Oh, um, okay. Maybe.”, she said.

                “Great.”, Kiara said, smiling brightly. “See you around then.”

                {}

                Vanessa was first to go and she walked over to the fence of the boardwalk, wondering if she should go out there for a swim or just go home. It was pretty late already and her dad would just worry so much about her, but she felt a pull towards the water. It was like needing air, she needed to be in the ocean.

                “Vanessa.”, someone called out and she jumped, turning around to see Raphael coming towards her.

                “Jeez, don’t sneak up like that.”, she said shyly as her hand came up to her chest, trying to control it.

                He chuckled, “Sorry.”, he said as he made his way over.

                She knew it was safe to say that weird glowly thing wasn’t happening cause she just turned it off twenty minutes ago when Shayna started play and stare at her hair as if was gold. She turned back to the face the fence and leaned against it

                Raphael joined next to her, “What are you looking at?”, he asked.

                “Oh nothing.”, she said, lowering her head a little. “The ocean just beautiful tonight.”.

                “Hm, it is.”, he said. “Just imagine the mermaids just jumping out of the water under the moon  light.”, he said.

                Her eyes widen and her stomach turned as her head snapped up to look at him, “Huh?”, she asked.

                He looked down at her, amused a little, “You know, the legend how their were mermaids here at one time. It would be a cool thing to watch if they were true.”.

                “Oh.”, she said, looking away then. “I guess.”, she said and a small breeze came. Something strong and gross hit her nose and it wrinkled as she made a face, “What is that small?”.

                “What?”, he asked then brought his white shirt up to his nose. “Oh, that must be me.”, he chuckled. “I give dead fish out, so I would smell a little.”.

                “Your job sucks.”, she said without meaning to say it out loud, she only meant to say in her thoughts. “Oh, my God, I mean, I—I…”

                He chuckled, “Hey, relax, it’s cool. It does sometimes, I mean, it can be sometimes. I just can’t wait to get out of there and actually be out there catching it.”.

                Her eyebrows came together, “What?”.

                “My uncle and father might let me join them on the boot soon to catch the fish. I can finally get out of that smelly face and put my strength to go work, I also get paid more.”, he said.

                “You mean, like out there out there?”, she asked, pointing out into the ocean.

                “Yeah.”, he chuckled.

                Where most people would be happy for the big promotion from there job, Vanessa knew that wasn’t a good thing right now. If the mermaids are planning on coming back, that means Raphael could get hurt by one of them.

                Or worse.

                “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”, she said.

                “Huh?”, he asked.

                She realized what she said and she didn’t have a good explanation excuse to tell him, so she looked away and brought her hand up to her hair, “Um, nothing. That’s exciting, Raphael. Good luck.”.

                It was quiet for a moment, but Vanessa was thankful for it. It gave her time to think about the news and try to figure out what she should do. Should she tell Adalyn about it so maybe she can make Adalyn understand Raphael is a good guy, no a bad guy.

                “Can I walk you home?”, Raphael suddenly asked and her eyes widen alittle as her cheek blushed.

                “Why?”, she couldn’t help but asked.

                “Eh, it just doesn’t seem like such a good thing to walk home alone a night. Weirdo’s are out there.”, he said.

                “I’ve walked home before many of times.”, she said, looking up at him. “And who knows, maybe you’re a weirdo.”, she jokingly said. “And even, I like to be alone.”.

                “Being alone isn’t always a good thing though.”, he said. “Come on, we can get to know each other better.”.

                Again, she asked, “Why?”, she asked, then blushed. “I-I mean, why would you want to know me?”

                He chuckled hesitantly, “I don’t know, you seem like a nice girl. You don’t see to much of them here in Coasta Sirenas.”.

                She bit down on her bottom lip for a second, “You sure it’s not just because of what happened to me and your taking pity on me? I had enough pity when my mom passed away, Raphael.”.

                “No, of course not.”, he said. “Go on, I’ll buy us some ice cream.”.

                “I woke in a ice cream shop, you think I want to have some?”, she asked, then chuckled when he looked a little offended. “I could go for a pretzel more though”

                {}

                “So hey,”, Raphael said when they close to reaching her house. “My friend having a party this weekend, why don’t you come with me.”.

                “Me?”, she asked and he nodded. “Isn’t that a college kind of thing? I’m a high scholar.”.

                “Yeah, but so.”, he shrugged. “You look like you could have some fun in your life.”

                She crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow, “This isn’t come kind of joke party where you bring a girl like me and humiliate me?”.

                “What?”, he asked, chuckling. “You watch way to much TV, Vanessa. You really think I would do that?”.

                She dropped her arms and chuckled, “Your right, but I don’t know. I never really—actually ever been to a real party. No one has ever invited me.”.

                “Well I’m inviting you.”, he said.

                “You sure you want to be seen with me?”, she asked.

                “What’s wrong with you?”, he asked.

                “Well first I’m the freaky girl who vanished in the ocean and reappeared. And look at me, I don’t fit the scene.”, she said, looking down at herself.

                “Your beautiful though.”, he said and her face heated up, but he looked caught off guard by what he said and she swears he even looked like he was blushing as he looked away, clearing his throat as he brought his hand up behind his neck.  “So I’m coming back Saturday around twelve to pick you, ready or not.”, he said, walking backwards with his one side smile. She tried her best to hide her smile at how cute his dimples were.

                “Okay.”, she said.

                “Wear a swim suit.”, he said before he turned around to leave and her smile dropped. Swim suit? Like as in, bathing suit for a pool? Oh God, there’s going to be a pool at this party.