Conversing with a young lass who seem'd to be in pain

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𝕋ℍ𝔼 evening light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm, golden glow over the living room. Rain sat on the couch, her legs tucked underneath her, holding a cold glass of water. The rich aroma filled the room as she took a sip and glanced over at Charlie, who sat across from her with a knowing smile and a beer cane by his side.

"So, do you think Bella's going to come back before the sun sets?" Rain quipped, raising an eyebrow playfully.

Charlie chuckled, shaking his head as he leaned back in his chair. "If we're lucky. That girl could be a professional at sneaking in and out by now," he said, a hint of dry humour in his voice. His eyes, though tired, were warm with the kind of love only a father could have, even when caught between his daughters' strained relationship.

Rain let out a small laugh. "I swear, Dad, if you start installing a revolving door just for her, I'm moving out," she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Charlie smirked, taking another sip of his beer. "I might just do that, but only if you promise to come back for breakfast every morning. Who else is going to criticize my attempts at pancakes?" Rain grinned, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Please, the last time you made pancakes, the fire alarm went off. I still think the smoke detectors have PTSD."

They both burst out laughing, the sound filling the small house with warmth. It felt good to laugh like this, even if just for a moment. Rain's banter was always quick and sharp, reminiscent of the kind of humor she shared with her dad, making mornings like these feel special.

"So," Charlie said after a beat, setting his cane down on the table, "how's Erian? You two still going strong?"

A warm blush crept up Rain's cheeks, and she shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Yeah, he's good. Strong as a lumberjack, stubborn as a wolf, and annoying as ever. It's perfect," she joked, but her smile betrayed the genuine affection she felt.

Charlie's eyes twinkled. "Well, he better be treating you right, or I'll have to take a leaf out of your book and scare him off." Rain laughed, leaning forward. "Oh, Dad, trust me, no one wants to see you try and be intimidating. Erian would probably give you a pat on the back and offer to help with the grilling."

"Hey, I can be scary," Charlie protested, a mock-serious expression on his face that only made Rain laugh harder.

Their lighthearted conversation was interrupted by the sound of a car pulling up outside. Rain's smile faded, and her expression hardened. She didn't have to look out the window to know who it was.  Charlie's face fell slightly, the tension creeping back into the room. "Alright, play nice," he said gently, but even he knew that asking for peace between his daughters was like asking the ocean to stay calm in a storm.

Rain set her glass down with a clink. "I'll try," she muttered, her tone losing its earlier warmth. The door creaked open, and Bella stepped inside, eyes darting nervously between her sister and their father

Bella sat on the couch next to Rain, who was lounging with one leg draped over the armrest, a half-smile playing on her lips. Charlie glanced at the clock, his brow furrowing as he broke the silence. "4:00 on the dot. That kid trying to brown-nose me now or something?"

Rain let out a snicker, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Yeah, Dad. Pretty sure next time he's going to show up with an apple and ask for your permission to take Bella to prom. Watch out."

Bella shot her sister a look before responding to their father. "He has a name, you know. Now he's too punctual for you?" The room fell into a brief silence before Charlie cleared his throat and leaned forward in his chair. "Okay. You understand why you're being punished, right?" His voice was firm but tinged with that fatherly worry that always made the air heavy.

Bella nodded, the seriousness on her face evident as she spoke. "I know. I put you through hell." Charlie's eyes softened slightly as he nodded. "Yes, you did. And not just me—your sister too." He gestured toward Rain, who responded with an exaggerated yawn, just to break the tension.

"But," Charlie continued, "I have other reasons for grounding you. Like... I just want you to get some separation from him."

Bella's shoulders sagged as she let out a long sigh, looking at the floor. "Dad, there's nothing you can say. Edward is in my life."

Rain couldn't help herself. She leaned forward, eyes wide with fake shock. "Oh no! Edward's in your life? Stop the presses! Someone alert the media! Next thing you know, we'll find out vampires' sparkle or something ridiculous."

Charlie bit back a smile, trying to maintain his serious demeanour, while Bella's glare could've melted steel. Rain shrugged innocently, her grin widening. "What? I'm just saying. Someone has to keep this drama from turning into a full-on soap opera." Bella huffed and muttered under her breath, "You're impossible."

Rain took another sip of her water, raising her eyebrows. "And yet, here I am, being everyone's favourite sibling. Go figure."

"So, alright, how about this?" Charlie said, leaning back in his chair as he eyed Bella. "I'll make you a deal. You're not grounded anymore if you use your newfound freedom to see some of your other friends, too, like... like Jacob." Rain couldn't help but chuckle at the suggestion, earning an eye roll from Bella. Bella crossed her arms and turned her gaze back to their father. "What about Rain? She hangs out with Erian all the time, and you don't lecture her."

Charlie's eyebrows shot up, and he glanced at Rain with a small smirk. "Rain also hangs out with her other friends—Sam, Emily, and all the boys." Rain, ever quick with a comeback, leaned against the doorframe with a grin. "Also, Erian is Dad's favourite."

Bella's glare could have set the room on fire, but Rain just flashed an innocent smile, completely unbothered by her sister's reaction. She pushed herself off the doorframe and stretched, letting out an exaggerated yawn. "Well, I'm gonna call it a night. You two lovebirds have fun figuring out your social schedules."

With that, she sauntered off to her room, leaving Bella fuming silently and Charlie trying not to chuckle at the truth in Rain's words.

༄.°

The moon hung high in the night sky, casting a silvery glow across the restless ocean. The waves lapped gently at the shore, their rhythmic whispers calling to the deep. Rain slipped quietly into the water, the chill of the ocean biting at her skin before she transformed, her human guise giving way to the sleek, shimmering form of her siren self. Her skin turned a silvery-grey under the moonlight, and a fin unfurled down her spine, delicate and powerful. Her hands, now webbed and tipped with graceful, sharp claws, cut through the water as she moved effortlessly beneath the surface.

With each flick of her tail, Rain dove deeper, weaving between ribbons of seaweed that reached out like emerald dancers in the current. The bioluminescent creatures of the deep blinked to life around her, casting a constellation of blue and green that mirrored the sky above. The water itself seemed to come alive, responding to her presence with a pulse that matched the song welling up in her chest.

She opened her mouth, and the siren song poured out, lilting and haunting, a melody that wrapped itself around the night. The sound was liquid gold, smooth and hypnotic, weaving through the waves and dancing on the wind. It spoke of longing, of the boundless beauty and loneliness of the sea, and of the wild freedom that came with being a creature of both water and song. Her voice held a power that could enchant sailors and draw them into the deep, but tonight it was a song for herself—a release of everything bound inside her, an ode to the magic she seldom showed.

The ocean responded to her song, rippling in a synchronized dance as fish darted around her, their scales glistening like jewels in the dim light. The surface of the water broke with a scattering of droplets as Rain swam upward, twisting into a fluid spin before breaking through into the open air, the moon painting her silhouette in radiant silver. She hovered for a moment, suspended between sea and sky, eyes closed, the song pouring from her and filling the space with an almost sacred resonance.

When she sank back into the depths, the water closed over her, muffling the sound and blending it into the ocean's heartbeat. The current caressed her like an old friend as she drifted, a contented smile curving her lips. For that moment, Rain felt untethered, connected to the pulse of the sea, free from the weight of the world and all the unspoken words that haunted her on land. Here, in the embrace of the ocean, she was truly herself—powerful, untamed, and whole.

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By: SilverMist707

It's been a long time since I wrote this book and I plan to make justice for Rain than the first story.