Emma Gilbert was shaking from adrenaline as she walked through the airport. She was, at long last, back in her home country. Her parents tagged along at her right side, lugging their luggage along like it was full of bricks.
"Mom, dad, hurry up or we'll miss the shuttle," Emma called as she started walking faster. She was here in Australia for the summer, visiting her old friends. It needed to be a surprise, of course, so she'd drop off her luggage at the new summer house, hurry over to the Juicenet, and hope her besties were there.
She did just that. But the Juicenet was full of old people. And it was renamed 'Flamingo Bingo'.
Plan B: Swim to Mako and hang out there until someone shows up.
Emma missed the Aussie waters, and swimming them again refreshed her memories of the good times she shared. Mako made her even more friend-sick. She waited there for about 10 minutes when a second head popped up.
"Hey," said the surprised girl, a blonde mermaid with a lovely blue-charmed necklace.
"Hi," responded Emma politely. "You must be Bella. I've heard so much about you from Cleo and Rikki. And Zane, and Lewis… And Nate. And everyone else."
"Yup, that's me," Bella said shyly. "You have to be Emma then. I've heard a lot about you too. Why are you here, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I'm just here for the summer. My parents have a month's vacation, so we rented a summer home. It's sorta a surprise, so don't tell Cleo or Rikki." Emma liked this girl. It was a little weird, considering her belief of "three's good, four's bad", but Bella was the total opposite of Charlotte.
The girls talked for a little longer, but Bella was expected for a date with some guy named Will. They decided that Bella would make Cleo and Rikki come to the current hippest restaurant, Rikki's, for a concert later that night.