“You'll have to be careful around water.”, Adalyn asked.

Vanessa was sitting next to her, all this news trying to build up in her head, but she was worried her own head was going to fall off. How can this be possible? I thought the legends were just that! Legends!, she thought. But the mermaid next to her who didn't haven't a tail anymore, walking on two legs, were telling her everything.

“Even a single drop can be dangerous.”, she said. “And that means try not to let anything when you drink touch your skin, only your lips.”.

“O-okay, avoid water.”, Vanessa said. “But I don't grow a tail or anything when I touch water. I just get these scales on my arms.”.

“That's the first physical change that happens.”, she said. “In days, they'll appear on your legs and soon, your legs will attach and you'll begin to grow your beautiful tail and soon it make it up to your chest. It should only take two weeks.”, she said, excitedly. “Blue your color. Matches your blue eyes and light blonde hair.”.

“Why me though?”, Vanessa finally asked. “Of all people, why me?”.

She smiled warmly, “Cause you stuck out. I came to your school, searching for a girl who would stand out and when I saw you, I knew you were that girl. Your smart, beautiful, and you look like could use an adventure.”.

“But...but, what does this mean?”, she asked and Adalyn gave a confused look until she smiled.

“Your the last mermaid to join of Coasta Sirenas. I was suppose to be the last before we all left, but Queen Severina century since we plan to make our return.”, she said.

“Century?”, Vanessa asked, gaping at Adalyn. “How—how old are you?”.

She looked a little nervous as she chuckled and scratched behind her neck, “A hundred and twenty two.”.

Vanessa mouth dropped in shock and she looked frighten, “I'm going to live forever?”

“If that's what you wish.”, she said. “We could live as long as we want, but if we feel like we're finish as our time as a human, Queen Severina will take the magic away and we'll turn back human and continue aging.”.

“I-I can't live forever!”, Vanessa gasped. “My father needs me and I have school. I can't go out living in the sea for god know how long!”.

“Vanessa, dear, calm down.”, she said, putting her hands on Vanessa shoulder to stop her from shaking. “I know this seems scary, but it's not until you realize how amazing this gift can be.”, she said, smiling. “Once you get into the water, it's like—being somewhere else, in a new other world. It's beautiful.”.

“But my father--”

“We all have to sacrifice somethings, I had to sacrifice an engagement with a man I loved so much.”, she said. “I couldn't wait to marry him, have a family, grow old and watch our little grandbabies run around in the back yard, but being a mermaid, it's so much better.”.

'H-how are mermaid even possible?”, she asked. “I mean, how did we never find a mermaid before? How did you keep yourself hidden for this long?”.

“Queen Serevina was here even before human, but it was after the ice age she began to feel lonely. She saw the women in tribes, seeing they resemble her as a female, but they walked on legs. She used her magic to change them and she felt so happy after. And over the years, she just continued created more of use. We taught us to keep hidden by never going so close to the surface unless we know it's safe or only when we have a job to do. Like mine, when she gave me the magic to change you.”, she said.

“I don't know if I want this.”, Vanessa sighed as she got up and crossed her arms over her chest.

Adalyn sat up behind her, “I know this is scary, Vanessa. Look, I'll be here for two and half more weeks, so why don't you come to the beach tomorrow. Meet me under the carnival bridge if you want to see how what I mean. No matter what you think, even if you try not, the ocean wil be calling for you.” she said before she walked over to the door.

Her door suddenly opened and her father walked in.

He looked at Adalyn in surprise to be someone in his house and Vanessa felt like he was hypnotize by her beauty also. Aren't mermaids suppose to be men hater her something, so why is she smiling at her father sweetly?

“Sorry.” she said. She turned to Vanessa and waved, “See you, Vanessa.” she said before she left.

Once she was gone, her father closed the door and looked so confused, “Uh, Nessa, who was that?”.

Vanessa hesitated for a moment, “Oh, uh, she a substitute for Mr. Troike cause he's out sick.”.

“O-kay?”, he said, more confused as they walked into the kitchen and he put the grocery bags on the counter. “Doesn't explain why she was here.”.

“She saw what happened on the news and wanted to see how I was.”, she said, not very good at lying, but she hoped her dad wouldn't see the lie on her.

But he seem to have wanted to dropped it, “Okay. Are you hungry?”.

Vanessa smiled, “Starving. What you get?”.

He pulled some stuff out, “I thought chicken, a nice salad, and your favorite, seasoned shrimped.”

Vanessa eyes widen when she saw the see through bag of gray uncooked shrimp. A sudden feeling of sorrow, fear, and dread washed over her. She doesn't know what happened, but she felt so icy cold, scared, and sick. Like she was going to through up.

Her hands came up to her stomach and mouth, backing a braffing sound as something felt like it was coming up. Her father looked at her confused and she ran over to the trash can, throwing up her breakfast.

“Nessa, are you okay?”, her father asked, concern as he rubbed her back. “What's wrong?”.

“I-I don't know.”, she said, feeling the pressure in her throat and she threw up again. Once more, she gave it a moment and it didn't come up again. She stood up and ran her hand under he nose as snot came out a little, “I don't know what happened.”.

“It's okay.”, he said, rubbing her arms. “Just go brush you teeth and lay in bed. I'll call you down when dinner ready.”.

She just nodded as she walked out of the kitchen, avoiding looking at the dead fish.

{}

The next day, Vanessa stayed home again. She was laying under the covers of her bed, trying not to picture the headless shrimp her father was eating.

“I don't want any.”, she had told her father and he looked at her confused.

“But it's your favorite.”, he said. “You love seasoned shrimp.”.

She shook her head, the same feeling she had when she threw up in the pit of her stomach and the fear was there, but she was able to hold back the nausea. “I'm not feeling it tonight. Sorry, daddy.”.

He sighed, scrapping the poor fish off her plate as he shook his head, “No, don't be. I'm sure with happened to you in the ocean can be traumatizing and anything that comes from it.”.

Not really the problem, but the sad feeling, she thought before she took her dinner and they ate at the island table together.

She closed her eyes, trying not to think about it anymore. She laid there for a couple of moment before opening her eyes and threw her blanket off her. She looked up at her light blue ceiling and thought.

Me? A mermaid? How unreal, she thought.

She heard the sounds of giggling in her ear. It didn't like one person, but many. It was a sweet kind of giggles, not the annoying ones you hear. She pictured the silhouette mermaids she saw when Adalyn made her remember when she dragged Vanessa into the sea and 'changed' her.

She heard the sounds of the ocean, the salty breezy hair, like it was calling to her. She could just picture herself running her hand around the surface.

Her eyes widen, No! No, I will not go out there. God knows what could happen to me then.

She heard the beautiful sounds of 'ahh, ahh, ahhh' in an enchanting sound. Her eyes closed and she smiled, feeling at peace.

Her eyes opened and she didn't quite feel herself. She got up from her bed and changed into some pants and tank top. She put on her saddles and grabbed her cell phone she never even used. Her father had picked it up from Rita's yesterday before coming home from grocery store.

She left the house and made her way towards the ocean. Her father shouldn't be home for another four hours and the sea just calling! She smiled brightly, already feeling the water run through her hands and hair! She was excited!

Once she got on the board walk, she ran over to the fences. She leaned out, closing her eyes, and took a big whiff of the fresh air. She opened her eyes and watched as the strong waves crash against the stand. She could just imagine herself making flips as she jumped out of the ocean and dove right back in!

“I hear you, I'm coming.”, she whispered.

“Vanessa?”, she heard behind her and her smiled dropped. She stood up from the fence and turned her head around to see Raphael. Just like that, all the beauty and power she felt while she was looking at the ocean, it was gone and she felt like herself again.

She turned her head back around and turned to face him, “Hi.”, she said shyly.

He walked over to her, “What are you doing here?”.

She shrugged, “I had to get out the house, walk around a little.”.

“You come here of all places?”, he asked.

Again, she shrugged, but didn't say anything as she brought one hand up to her other arm.

“Okay then.”, he said. “Well, I don't have to start work for another thirty minutes. Do you wanna just walk around?”.

Her cheeks blushed up a little, “Me?”, she asked, then wanted to smack herself. Who else is around?

He chuckled, half smiling and his dimples made her want to melt, “Of course. We could go to the arcade.”.

She couldn't help but smile a little, amused, “The arcade?”, she asked, finding it a little childish place to go to. She never imagine when he asked her if they wanted hang out, it would be the arcade of all places. Maybe the movies, but not the arcade.

He chuckled, but it seem like he was trying to cover being a little embarrassed, “Yeah, it is the only place closes on the boardwalk and why not? Like have some fun.”.

Vanessa chuckled, “Okay, sure. Does sound fun.”.

“Great.”, he said and they walked down the boardwalk for a few moment. It was quiet and she wasn't sure how to make the awkwardness go away. She was never good with boys, so she couldn't think of anything to say and it was making it just worse!

A breeze came and she turned her hair towards the ocean. Her eyes widen when she saw Adalyn in a human form near the water. She was glaring, having a hateful look on her face. But she wasn't looking at Vanessa, but it seems like the person next to her that made her stomach turn a little.

Raphael.