"You were gone for almost a week," His words hit me like a bag of bricks.

"What do you mean I was gone for almost a week?" I shook my head, he was just making things up, maybe he just wanted an excuse to kiss me and if he tricked me he knew I wouldn't question it. Why did he kiss me?

"No, Olyvya, where the hell were you?" His tone was harsher now, he bent down picking up the towel handing it to me. I quickly wrapped it around my body. I was so tired of always being naked. I needed to get this mermaid thing under control.

"Can I borrow a shirt?" I mumbled. Gage glared at me as if my question had opened up the fiery gates of hell. My body shrinking under his gaze. He was seriously pissed and I wasn't sure what about. "Sorry, I just, can't really have a conversation with you right now until I am dressed, there's a lot of stuff going on," My brain tried to convince me that this was the reason I was avoiding the conversation. Gage had kissed me, and he was truly terrified when he saw me. Was I really gone for a week?

"Fine," Gage growled before disappearing to grab a shirt for me. When he returned he held the material out before turning to look away.

"Okay, I'm dressed," I mumbled taking in the tense body language Gage was giving off. He was about to explode with emotions.

"Olyvya, I think you need to go home. You need to go see Sammy, she has been worried sick about you. It's a damn good thing you showed up today, your parents are supposed to be here tomorrow. Sammy has been freaking out about how she was going to explain your disappearance to them. You can't do that to your friends. Are you listening to me?" The words he was saying made sense, but their meaning didn't. There was no way I was gone for a week.

"What are you talking about, I went to bed last night after you and Sammy snuck attacked me and then I woke up this morning on the beach. I just went swimming." I tried my best to explain myself but I felt the anger boiling up in my own veins. Gage wasn't taking any time to listen to my side of the story. It wasn't fair.

"You went swimming?" He folded his arms. I wasn't sure if this was a question I was supposed to answer or not.

"Yes," without really thinking through the consequences I went for it. I answered his question.

"For a goddamn week!" He was screaming now, his words so loud I worried the neighbors could hear them.

"You have no right to yell at me like this," I tried to stand my ground, realizing I was on the losing end of this battle. I hadn't left for a week, I had no reason to do something like that. If anything I was gone for a few hours. There was no way time went by that fast.

"Olyvya," His voice was quiet now which almost made it worse. The anger pulsating with every syllable of my name. "Go home," He left the room heading for the front door before holding it wide open. His hand directing me to exit. I did so. Letting out a sigh. There was nothing I could do, he wouldn't listen. I felt the tears welling up in my eyes getting heavier as I left his house. I tried to keep to the sidewalk, my bare feet aching with every step I took. I just hoped Sammy reacted better when I got back.

Was I gone for a week? There was no way, Gage was just messing with me. But why would he be so harsh about it? He kissed me like he was never going to see me again like I was dying. My fingers brushed my lip where he had been. They still tingled. He was so angry though, every word an attack against me.

The sun was straight up, the rays nearly burning my skin as I walked. My bare legs feeling hot against the asphalt. My feet felt like they were bleeding, the skin raw from the concrete.

When I reached my very own home Sammy was waiting outside on the sidewalk. Her face puffy from crying, her hair wrapped up in a messy bun like she hadn't washed it in days. Her body frail, she had lost weight.

"Olyvya," She shouted running to meet me on the sidewalk, wrapping her arms around me just like Gage had done before. Her body felt smaller than I remembered. Had she been eating?

"Sammy, you are falling apart," I whined taking in the frail beauty. She wasn't the vibrant girl she was when I went to bed last night. She led the way into the house, a stack of mail on the table. Mail that wasn't there yesterday.

"I'm so glad you are okay," Sammy turned to look at me, her hands on my face like Gage's had been. I hope to god she wasn't about to kiss me. I couldn't handle two first kisses in one day. The tears began falling down her face, my heart broke with each one that hit the ground. Carefully avoiding them I pushed past her for the kitchen.

"Oly, you were gone for so long, Gage and I didn't know what to do, who to call." I shot her a look, her face was in her hands now. She was blubbering like a baby.

"I was only gone for a couple of hours!" I nearly shouted I was so exhausted at these two for trying to convince me I was gone for a week. She reached into the pocket of her pajama pants pulling out my phone before handing it to me.

"Thank you?" I questioned before grabbing a glass of water. I searched the screen, texts that hadn't been opened for almost a week were the first things to pop up. How did they--Suddenly a new text popped onto my phone.

Olyvya, are you okay? We haven't heard from you in a while, just wanted to let you know we are going to be there tomorrow afternoon.

Love Mom