Dreams and their Day Dreamers
Emma walked out onto the beach. She spread out a large beach towel and sat on it. She was a good distance from the water, and she hated it. She wanted to just run into the crashing waves and play in the surf like everyone else. Her headache worsened and she laid back on the towel. Her mind started drifting somewhat from the sound of the waves and the low murmur of the people on the beach. She stayed that way for what felt like hours, letting her mind drift in and out of reality.
"Emma can I ask you something?" His voice was familiar and soothing. She managed to crack an eye open to see Zane looming over her head, blocking out the sun.
"Finally get the nerve to come over here?" It was unlike her to exert such rudeness so quickly.
"I guess you could say that. I need a favor." He cleared his throat before continuing, "Would you tutor me? My dad doesn't like my grades and is making me find one."
"Did you ask Lewis? He knows more than I do and tutor's Cleo around the clock." She closed her eye again enjoying the shade Zane's shadow cast.
"Yeah, he said he couldn't. I can pay you, money is not an issue, you know that." He seemed desperate.
"Alrig…"
"You've got visitors. We can talk about this later, I'll find you." Zane interrupted in a low voice, "I don't want anyone to know I'm being tutored. So keep your mouth closed."
Emma opened her eyes to see him power walking down the sandy dune. Rikki and Cleo sat down beside her curiosity spread across their faces like butter. Emma's stomach growled at the thought of food and she sat up with them.
"What was that about?" Lewis asked somewhere behind her.
"Oh, the usual insults and low blows nothing out of the ordinary." Emma responded casually.
"It's time for our monthly midnight swim. Is everyone prepared?" Cleo asked clearly excited.
"Yeah, I had got that outta the yesterday. I don't even know why you would Emma, she prepares for the entire year." Rikki jeered.
"I do not, and yes Cleo I am prepared. I'm surprised you did it as early as yesterday Rikki." Emma shot back guarding her face from the blazing noon-day sun. They chatted until Cleo's dad called her home, leaving Emma alone on the beach again. The sun began to set and Zane approached Emma once more, this time sitting beside her prone form.
"Are you asleep?" He asked loudly.
"Not anymore." Emma flipped over and sat up.
"You know if keep this up you're going to have some major sunburn."
"Get on with it Zane." Emma's growled.
"So you agree?" He became serious.
"Yes, but only for a month. I have other engagements that need my attention." She said matching his tone.
"I can live with that. We start tomorrow then?"
"That's fine. At my place, six o'clock sharp."
Zane nodded and followed Emma home. He told her it was because he hadn't been to her house in so long he needed to make sure he came to the right one tomorrow. She knew that wasn't his true intention. Nonetheless she didn't mind the notion of being walked home. Soon midnight was almost upon her. She met the other girls on the beach and they raced to Mako. Emma made it there first, Rikki a close second, and Cleo always last. They all loved swimming especially Emma. She had been swimming all her life, and being a mermaid made it all the more enjoyable.
"Kim told me Dad was going to take her to the marine park tomorrow." Cleo said as she floated around the moon pool.
"Good you'll have the house to yourself. I don't see what the big deal is." Rikki opinionated.
"She has to work tomorrow." Emma informed.
"So?"
"So that means Kim is going to make the easiest job in the world the hardest job in the world." Cleo exaggerated, "Hey I have an idea. Why don't you come and visit me Rikki? I'll give you free ice cream."
"I'll do it, but only for the ice cream." Rikki mumbled then suddenly remembered, "Didn't you wonder into the middle of the sprinkler system near the bathrooms yesterday?"
"I wasn't wondering, I was standing in line."
"What happened?" Emma smiled cautiously.
"The sprinklers went off while I was in line. The mechanic was trying to synchronize them. They are all on different lines."
"Back to the story." Rikki warned.
"They went off and I had to knock over a few kids to reach an open stall. Lewis told everyone I had explosive diaharria so they wouldn't get mad and complain to my boss." Cleo stared down at the water embarrassed beyond belief. Rikki was laughing uncontrollably and Emma was biting her lip trying not to let giggles escape. Cleo continued to turn all shades of red before submerging and swimming away. Emma and Rikki followed her from a distance. Rikki stopped shortly after looking up at a boat floating near Mako. She pointed up at it then at Cleo. Emma understood they would investigate together. She returned to the surface to get a breath of air while she waited. The boat was still a good distance away from her. From what she could tell it was small and a dark color. A figure moved every once in a while, but she couldn't make out any distinguishing features, not even the tone of their skin, it was too dark.
Emma felt something pulling her to the boat. At first she hesitated not wanting to do anything without her friends. She knew Rikki would be very cross and it wasn't like Emma to act on impulse. She tread water a moment longer before making up her mind. She swam away heading back to the moon pool, whoever it was would be on the shore soon and she would greet them on two legs. It took entirely too long for her to dry off, or at least she thought it did. She scoured the thick vegetation looking for signs of life. The beach wasn't far from her current position she could almost feel the sway of the ocean. Footsteps could be heard in the sand, they weren't going anywhere so Emma crept closer.
Rikki and Cleo stood on the beach. Rikki had begun pacing back and forth occasionally looking out at the ocean. Emma sighed and emerged from woods calling out to them as she got closer.
"Emma we were worried." Cleo scolded, "That's Zane's boat. He's diving near the reef."
"Why it's too dark to see anything?" Emma asked.
"We need to go. My dad will be doing his early morning rounds pretty soon." Cleo grabbed Emma's arm and pulled her into the water.
"What is with you?" Rikki asked as soon as they reached land again.
"What are talking about?" Emma responded.
"Why did you swim off like that? You knew I was going to get Cleo so we could check it out together."
"Well, I thought you were taking too long." Emma lied, she really didn't know why she did it.
"And why were you in the woods?"
"I was looking for the owner of that boat. I thought they were going to shore. I got this urge to just go and I did." Emma went home and slept her troubles away. She woke up refreshed and went to work in a cheery mood.
The day went by quickly she clocked out and sat down at a booth to wait for her friends. Rikki was the first to storm in. She quickly spotted Emma and sat down beside her.
"What's wrong?" Emma asked concerned.
Rikki waited as Lewis joined them at the table, "Cleo's family visited her like she said they would. She was showing me how weird Ronnie was acting when they walked up. Kim scared Cleo which pissed off Ronnie. That stupid dolphin splashed Cleo."
"Did she get to a safe place?" Lewis asked.
"No," Rikki shook her head, "She jumped into the dolphin pond. I had to distract her dad for almost fifteen minutes. You know what she did next? She came back to the side of the pool. Her dad saw her. I had to make her move to the other side of the pond and drag her in-between the rocks and dry her off."
"So her dad knows now." Lewis looked around as if Don might suddenly appear.
"Maybe, we came up with a lie about a new mermaid attraction they were testing. The girl just happened to look a little like Cleo."
"Why did she try to come up in front of her dad?" Emma asked.
"She told me she couldn't find a safe place to get out and couldn't hold her breath any longer. She was only down for fifteen minutes. I told her to get another job." Rikki huffed and got up to order a juice.
"We should probably go see her." Emma suggested.
When they arrived at the Sertori house Cleo had locked herself in her room.
"He won't stop looking at me with that look." Cleo whispered.
"You are just paranoid." Emma explained.
"It's like he knows and wants me to confess. It very creepy!"
"You can't tell him." Rikki warned.
There was a knock at the door.
"It's him!" Cleo squeaked.
"Cleo I need to talk to you. Open up." Don Sertori's voice boomed through the door. Everyone fell silent waiting for Cleo to do something.
"Go. We'll be right here." Lewis nudged her toward the door. Cleo opened it and stepped out into the hall closing the door behind her.
"I'm getting fed up with these lies, Cleo." Don said angrily.
"What lies? I don't know what you're talking about." Cleo said smoothly.
"I know that you pay Kim to do your chores."
"Is that such a bad thing? As long as it gets done, I don't see the problem."
"What happened at the marine park?"
"I already told you what happened."
"Tell me the truth, Cleo. We are not leaving this spot until I hear the truth."
Lewis, Emma and Rikki had their ears to the door listening to the conversation.
"She needs back up." Lewis whispered.
"Shhh." The girls said in unison.
"How will you know when you hear it?" Kim asked.
"Ahh!" Cleo yelled.
"Oh no you don't ." Don grunted.
Rikki tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge.
"If you're going to do this make Kim go away. I don't want her to see." Cleo said as fast as she could.
"No!" Emma and Rikki shouted and beat on the door hysterically.
"Go dry off." Don's voice wafted to Emma's ears. The door gave way a few minutes later.
"Cleo!" Rikki shouted looking up and down the hall.
"Someone help me dry off." Cleo yelled from the bathroom. Rikki rushed in and within a few seconds escorted her back to her room.
"I want to know what's going on." Kim demanded from her room, "Is something wrong with Cleo?"
"No." Emma said and shut the door.
"Do you think he's going to do anything?" Lewis asked.
"I don't know." Cleo sulked, "All he said was go dry off."
Emma leaned on the door not worried. She knew Don just needed to get over the initial shock. If Kim had seen Cleo's tail then she would have already taken action. Emma's phone started vibrating in her pocket making her jump. She pulled it out.
"Hello?" she asked quietly.
"Where are you?" Zane asked annoyed.
"At Cleo's…is it six already?" Emma mentally hit herself, "I'll be right over."
"You're leaving?" Rikki asked from her perch on the window.
"Yeah, I've got to tutor. I'll see you later." Emma pushed her phone into her pocket and left. Zane was pacing on her front porch. As Emma approached he looked at his watch. She gave him one of Rikki's death glares but he didn't take the hint.
"What was this about being on time?" Zane said brow raised.
"There was an emergency. It won't happen again." Emma unlocked the door and they settled at the kitchen table. He opened his math book and showed her what he was doing in class. After an hour Zane was still struggling.
"What don't you understand?" Emma asked him again.
"How did you get that number there?" he pointed to an exponent, "and what's that explanation point mean again?"
Emma explained it again. As she helped him do another set of problems he seemed to relax in his posture. Soon they got more and more off topic. He had one question left and she was determined to have it finished before he left.
"Alright Zane last one." She tapped her pencil on the paper. He looked at it and quickly scribbled down the answer he thought was correct, "Good job. I'll see you next week."
"Next week? I have this class everyday. I need to catch up as soon as possible."
"I do have my own work to do you know. We can meet again on Wednesday and Friday. Will that work for you?"
"Wednesday is alright but Friday…"
"Zane we'll be finished before any of your juvenile friends call you to hang out."
"Fine. I'll see you Wednesday then." Zane began packing up his books.
As Emma watched him her phone rang.
"Hello?" she answered.
"We need to have a meeting." Rikki said.
"Where?" Emma asked suddenly concerned, "What happened?"
"We can discuss it at Mako. Get there as soon as possible."
"Mako…I'll pickup Cleo on my way." Emma let out a heavy breath as she signed off.
"You're going to Mako?" This caught Zane's attention.
"No I'm going to the library. We have to do some research on Mako for a paper." She wouldn't look him in the eye.
Zane gave her a curious gaze before walking out the door. Emma quickly locked it and ran out the back. She sprinted to Cleo's house and together they met Rikki in the moon pool.
"I don't want Cleo to be alone for a while." Rikki began, "Just until her father chills out."
"I'm not worried about him." Emma said, "He'll understand I'm more worried about Kim finding out."
"We can always get her a quick show of our powers." Rikki thought out loud.
"I have qualms with making her a living hell." Cleo nodded.
"It won't have to come to that if you, Cleo, talk to your dad about it. Don't tell him anything specific. Don't use names and demand that he doesn't tell anyone not even Kim." Emma said, "And if Rikki's so worried then she can stay with you."
"Why are you so cool about this?" Rikki asked drawing out the words.
"Why are you so worried?" Emma shot back.
"Because a blabber mouth fisherman knows our secret."
"Cleo's dad isn't going to give his daughter to science. He barely lets her date Lewis. He's known Lewis as long as he's known me."
Cleo could feel the air getting lighter and hear the distant thunder. Even thought her friends didn't have their hands up they were still able to force their powers on one another. The hair on the back of her neck suddenly stood on end and she knew she had to break this up before lightning struck. Cleo lifted her hand and blew her friends to opposite sides of the pool. In turn the snapped out of their mad fixation.
"You promised!" Cleo was on the verge of tears.
"We weren't going to take it that far Cleo. Calm down." Rikki said matter-of-factly.
"She's right we know when to stop." Emma moved closer to Cleo to comfort her. They crawled out of the pool and dried off.
"You are aware that when lightning hits water we get electrocuted." Cleo pointed at Rikki.
"Yeah I'm aware." Rikki heard something vibrating, "What's that noise?"
Emma looked at her phone, Zane was calling again. She answered and walked out of the cave for privacy.
"Emma I've been trying to call you for ages. Where are you? I went to the library to ask you a question and you're not here." Zane complained.
"How are you able to call me? I shouldn't be able to get a signal out here." Emma looked around panicking.
"Where are you?"
"On Mako. I shouldn't be able to get a call. What is going on!"
"Mako? Why are you on Mako?"
"Why are you calling me?" Emma didn't wait for an answer. She hung up and returned to the moon pool, "Where did they go?"
The small cave was empty. She looked up the volcano cone at the sky. It was dark and littered with stars. Emma took a deep breath then dove into the water returning home. When she got to the canal it was already morning. Emma looked around confused. She knew it only takes her a few minutes to get to her house from Mako.
"Emma? What took you so long to get home? We've been waiting here all night." Cleo asked from the deck. She was leaning against the railing casually.
Emma got out of the water and joined her friends on the deck. They complained about her tardiness then Zane appeared.
"What is this Emma?" He looked at her outraged, "I told you not to tell anyone."
"What are you talking about? I haven't told anyone anything. Besides I was just speaking to you on the phone." Emma pursed her lips.
"You told Rikki I know you did. I heard her talking about it."
"It was probably just speculation she doesn't actually know anything." Emma tried to explain, "Why are you asking like a child Zane? It's just tutoring."
"Well thanks a lot now Cleo knows. I quit!" Zane stormed off the property.
"Emma." Rikki said.
"Emma?" Cleo repeated.
"Emma!"
Emma jolted off her beach towel. Rikki and Cleo stood behind her now laughing at her behavior. Lewis smiled and helped her up. She looked around a bit confused.
"Weren't we just at my house?" Emma asked.
"No, you must have been dreaming." Lewis said scratching his chin, "Why don't you tell us about it."
"I'd rather not it was very weird."
"Come on Em, I really want to know now." Rikki said.
"Well Cleo's dad found out our secret and Rikki freaked out then Zane asked me to secretly tutor him in math." Emma sat back down.
"That doesn't sound that weird." Rikki let out a disappointing breath, "I was really hoping for something better."
"It was so real though." Emma looked down at her hands in her lap.
"Whatever it was only a dream right? Kim told me Dad was going to take her to the marine park tomorrow." Cleo said annoyed.
"Good you'll have the house to yourself. I don't see what the big deal is." Rikki grumbled.
Emma looked up at her two friends her eyes wide, she couldn't believe her ears.
~Fin~