The Mermaid in Me

Chapter 10 - Are you Kidding Me

Luke is such a gentleman he controls himself better than I do. I don't have to worry about him. 

 It’s funny to think that I’m the one going fast now. It's because I've never felt like this before, a love for my first boyfriend, it's all so exciting. He walked me home last night. He even made sure I got into the house before he left. My heart and head are thinking of him all the time now, I can see why girls go crazy for them. 

But my life just isn’t that easy... 

I still need to talk to my parents about my past, but before I do, I’m going to find out more from Tasha. Thankfully, it’s the weekend and I can go over to her house for the day. I want to know a bit more information before I hit my parents with the truth. I want them just as surprised as I was, knowing they were hiding a secret from me.  

Tasha already knows I’m coming over. I just need to get up, but this bed is so comfortable. Ahh...

 I'm going to look my best, even if it’s Tasha’s house. They say, "practice makes perfect" and the newly inspired me wants this more than anything.

 I dread the dark colors I had worn, they were the color of my soul for so long. I push them all to the side and grab one of the new tops Tasha brought over. Each time I take a glimpse at myself in the mirror, I’m in shock. I am not the same person I was a week ago.  

“Sandy, are you up?” I can hear my mom yelling at me.

 I look at the clock it’s 11 am, and I haven’t been downstairs yet for breakfast. I am trying to avoid them until I find out more, but I think I better get down there before she sends a rescue army up for me. 

“Yes, mom! I’m just getting dressed, I’ll be down in a minute.” I yell back at her knowing I’m going to grab some food and run.  

I barely got out without my mom questioning every move I made. 

I finally get to Tasha's house, she lives right off the beach. I understand now why they live so close to it. Her house is the easiest to find, it’s painted the most vibrant shade of teal, with a massive wrap-around porch that views of the water.

Her brother is at the door before I can ever knock on the door.  

“Hey Tyler, is Tasha upstairs?” 

He replies so innocently, “Oh yes! She said you were on your way and my job is to let you in.” 

I pat him on the head as I walk past and say, “Thank you, you’re such a great little brother.” 

He grins up at me with satisfaction.  

 I can hear Tasha’s music coming from her room. I hope she is ready for a million questions on everything and anything mermaid. I need an emergency course on learning mermaids.

 I crash into the door just hoping to scare her.  

She just looks up from her magazine and screams over the music, “Hey Beautiful Mermaid! Are you ready for mermaid 101?”

 I can barely make out what she is saying. I look at the radio and then her. She grabs her remote and turns it down. 

I exclaimed. “How can you think over this music?  I can barely think or hear!" I smile at her.  "But... I am super excited about today!" 

She snickers at me. “Okay well, where do you want to begin? And what did your parents say?”

 I look at my feet and stammer out. “I haven’t talked with them yet. I want to be fully ready with knowledge before I get anymore lies thrown at me.”

 I can see she isn’t happy by the frown on her face, but I don’t care. “If they cared, they would have told me something more than just a silly ‘birthmark’ story. That’s why I need more information, then tonight I will ask them everything, even if it hurts.”

As she rolls her eyes at me she states. “If I must, but make sure you ask them tonight!”

 I nod in approval, “I promise!”  “Let’s start where we left off!” I tell her, “I want to know all the rules first!” 

She agrees and starts right in. “We normally stick together as mermaid families there aren’t many in this town. A few of our classmates are mermaids and mermen. That might just shock you!” 

I look at her appalled and jump in. “I’m just learning we aren't the only ones at school and guys are merman? Who are the other mersomethings?” 

She glares at me, “Don’t get snotty, we weren’t the ones that hid this from you! And you are a mersomething, so don’t insult us like that, you're insulting yourself!” She takes moment to breathe.“Yes, girls are mermaids and guys are mermen. There is Stacy from school, Derek, and I’ll let you kill him...”

 I'm hoping she says Luke is, so I shout.  “Let me kill who?” 

She already knows what I'm thinking and spits out. “It’s not your human Luke!” 

I give her a sad face. “Then who?” 

 “Are you ready for this, Sandy?”

I’m going to choke her if she doesn’t spit out his name! 

 I get louder with my tone. “Then who?"

 “Brace yourself!” She utters out. “It’s DEVIN MAINE!”

 My face gets beat red in anger. I start yelling at her. “Are you kidding me, the boy who called me out my freshman year? The one who nicknamed me Fish Legs? Didn’t he break the mermaid's rules?” 

“Well, technically he didn’t break them because we don’t have our tails till we hit 18.  He can be a bully, he just can’t fully expose our nature. That’s why I stepped in. I don’t know why he didn’t just let it go after he saw your leg.” 

I can hear the empathy in her tone, but it doesn’t help the anger surging through my body.

“Wait till I get a hold of him!” I shout at her, but she just sits there. “I just can’t understand people! It doesn’t matter if they are human or mermaid, they are cruel!”

She calmly states, “Oh Sweetheart, he isn’t everyone. My family has known him since we were kids, he’s just a boy with low self-esteem. Can you imagine trying to fit in with the guys, and have a patch on your leg? I still don’t know where his patch is located? I bet it’s on his butt!” 

 I snap back “His butt?” 

She laughs at me. “Oh yes! You can have it on your butt. You can have a patch anywhere from your hips down to your toes when you are a child."

 I start to laugh and barely get out. “I hope his marking is on his butt, that way I can tease him about that.” 

Tasha and I both have tears from laughing so hard.