His Mermaid

Prologue

It was dark and starry the night I found out I was a mermaid. It was a bit blurry considering how young I was back then.

I was six when I found out.

I was panicking when I fell face-first on the shores at the back of our house by the beach. It was already half-past six. My mom called me to go home an hour ago but I was too stubborn for my good.

I was calling for anybody to come and help me. I couldn't swim at that age.

"Mommy! Daddy! Help me!" 

It wasn't my mom or my dad who saw me drowning. He didn't hesitate to help me. He ran to where I was and started to half-walk, half-run on the waves.

The waves are slowly bringing me with them to the open sea. I stretched out my hand to his outstretched one.

"Hold on. Don't let go of my hand." He spoke. I just nodded and didn't utter a word.

He was dragging me back to the shallower parts until we hit the shore.

"Can you stand?" I shake my head in a frantic motion when my parents found me and they gasp when they saw my fin. The boy didn't see them because it was dark. My parents saw it because they've always had brighter eyes than most people.

"Thank you. For helping our daughter. It's getting late. You should go home." My mom told the boy. The boy nodded and left to go back home.

When my parents were sure that the boy has gone home, my dad took me out of the water and quickly carried me inside the house.

Daddy placed me inside a bathtub and filled it with water. I was shaking from the cold when my mom appeared with a towel for my upper body.

"Mommy? What is happening? Why do I look like a fish?"

Mommy didn't answer me and just wrapped my upper body in the towel she brought with her. Daddy was keeping the hot water flowing and praying that I would go back to normal.

"Mommy? Daddy?"

Nobody answered me and the darkness was slowly creeping up on me, swallowing me up in its embrace.

I braced myself before letting go of my restraints and let the dark take me where it wants to take me.

Thirteen years later~~

I breathed in the fresh salty morning air.

"Haaaaa!"

I can feel that today is going to be a great day! I can feel it in my gut! Well, no time to dawdle. It's graduation day, after all. I can't wait to finish the day and start a new school year at a new school. The school doesn't start their classes until August 31st so, I'll be hanging out here with mom and dad at the surf shack.

Waiting for tables.

I know that it sounds boring and lame, but I love helping at the shack. I get to see lots of handsome men walking around half-naked, showcasing their toned abs. The sight of them makes me drool and my mom would sometimes slap me in front of everybody just to get me back on earth.

Most of the time, people would laugh it off and think that we do it all the time. Well, we do it every time someone attractive comes in and dine there. 

But others think that I'm an easy target because I drool at their handsomeness.

Dude, I find you attractive, not lovable.

That's what I always say to them. Some would back off, humiliated. Others, they're just too thick to understand that I don't want that kind of attention from any of them. And because of that, my father would always be involved in fights with some of the customers.

The locals would bet on who would win, the young ones or the old man. It's quite funny sometimes when that happens. Most of the time, my dad wins. Sometimes, others would cheat and dad is against several of them at once. Whenever those happen, the locals were there to help break up the fight.

But enough of that. I have a graduation ceremony to attend. I heard my mom scream at the top of her lungs for me to get in the bathroom and take a shower because the hairstylist and make-up artists are here already. 

And since I don't want to be late, I went in immediately and started my bathroom rituals before momzilla comes in and give me a good scrubbing of my body that will leave my skin raw for the whole day.

After I was done with all of my rituals in the bathroom, I got out and got dressed in a simple button on shirt and shorts. I'll wear my dress later. I don't want it to get dirty and all crinkly.

I hurried down the stairs before the monster appears to drag me down the stairs. I was surprised to see that the living room has been turned into a salon by the hairstylists and make-up artists.

I went to where my mom was standing and asked what is happening.

"What is happening? It's your graduation, Serena Sinclair. You need to be beautiful!"

I pouted. I didn't want to stand out like all the other girls. I just want to blend into the background. I don't like being with other people in school because they are all fakes. Well, most of them anyway.

The only place where I can be myself is at the Shack during weekends and school breaks.

"Mom, I don't need to be all dolled up. It's not like I'm attending a coronation or something fancy schmancy. Don't let them put too much make-up on me. I don't want to get pimples."

Mom grimaced at what I said. "Pimples? Is that your concern right now? Everyone at your graduation will be at the peak of their youth, putting on the best make-up for the occasion. While you don't want too much on your face?"

I nodded. "Yup. That about sums it up."

She breathed in a deep sigh before agreeing with me. I know she can't resist doing what I ask of her. She's the one who taught me that 'Simple is better.' in the first place.

"Fine. But you will have your hair dolled up, understand? It's already hard because you don't comb your hair often."

Eh? Why should I? I love my curls. I ignored what mom said and went to meet the stylists and the make-up artists before sitting down on the chair in front of a mirror. Let's get this over with.