Chapter 1
You will rarely see us. Multiple claims to have spotted us, multiple times. You humans debate on what we look like, what we do, and the power we possess. But everyone knows we live in the water, and have beautiful tails. Well I know what you are thinking. Mermaids! Yes, my name is Beatrice Prior I'm 15 years old 16 tomorrow, and I am a mermaid.
My tail is a scarlet red with matching shells. We don't believe in cutting our hair until its past our waist. So that's how mine is. Long and blond. Of course this is only for the girls. I live in the California corals with my aqua tailed mother, silver tailed father, and light green 10 month older brother, Caleb. We live close to the beach. But not too close to wear humans can spot us.
All mermaids/mermen have the same features humans do. Well, not hips and down but you already knew that. We use our hands to evaporate the water from our tails if we wanted to walk on land. I have never waked before. We are able to read sea creatures emotions. We can tell when they are scared, happy, sad, playful, you get it. And btw, we don't kill sailors. We much prefer to save them from drowning and leave them on the shores.
There are not many rules when it comes to being a mermaid. Let me list them for you.
1) Stay away from sharks. 2) Never sit on rocks in the daylight where you are easily spotted. 3) Stay away from water on land our you will grow a tail in 10 seconds flat. 4) Always help fellow mermaid/mermen in need. 5) The most important, never tell a human what you are.
When you tell a human what you are big guys in huge boats and large nets come looking for you. And nobody wants that. Other than that do whatever you want.
Today the water was clear and the sunlight makes my tail glisten. Fish were swimming wildely but peacefully. My brother and I collected pears. We raced to see who could find the most. Collecting them was the hard part but it was worth it once you saw what could be made of. My mother made me a tiara when she had some left over. Believe it or not this was one of our chores.
We met up at the usual place. A large rock covered in fungi. We sit side by side.
"16, 17, 18, 19." Caleb says dropping them in his pearls in a little sack we carry around. Most fabrics come from sunken boats. I count mine.
"15, 16, 17." I finish with a frown.
"I win, I win!" Caleb yells pumping his fists and tail creating tiny bubbles. I swipe them out of my face and move back my hair.
"Whatever." I say and put on my tiara. Caleb signs and shakes his head when he sees it.
"When are you not wearing that thing." He asks pointing to my tiara. I smack his hand away.
"When I'm not wearing it." I answer and giggle. Suddenly I remember something. "Caleb we have to meet everyone at the cave!" Without answering he gets up and starts swimming with me on his tail (Get my joke).
The cave is a 20 minute swim from the reef. It's a hidden underwater tunnel that leads to a large cave. The cave has a 20ft waterfall, multiple large rocks to sit on and deep blue water to swim in. Mermaids/ mermen meet there to catch up and enjoy the music we play. I play the flute or sometimes sing while my mother plays the harp. My best friend, Tobias plays the horn. The instruments are made of shells we collect over time. It's always been a beautiful tune.
When we reach the cave Caleb swims in followed by myself. I see the tails of other mermaids/mermen and hear the rush of the waterfall. I swim to the surface and immediately spot Tobias sitting on a rock tail in the water. Tobias has a midnight blue tail that matches his eyes. Over the years he grew taller and muscled up. Honestly I have the tinniest crushe on him. Okay a really big crush. He has dark short hair, a thin top lip and full bottom lip. But unlike me he goes to school on land.
He doesn't notice me. I swim up beside his tail and pull him in. I try and swim away but he grabs me and pulls me to him. My back to his bare chest and swims back up the surface our heads only above the water.
"You think you can beat me?" he says smiling. "You are a very sneaky mermaid, Bea."
I shrug, "I've been told." We make our way back to the rocks and pull ourselves up. I sit with my tail bent (where our knees would be) and Tobias resumes his normal position. He rests back on his hands and closes his eyes enjoying the rush of the water and the melody of the voices around us.
"So why were so late today." He asks. "You are never late." His blue eyes meet mine.
"Me and Caleb got caught up in collecting pearls. He won. Again." I say and he chuckles.
"I bet you could win, too if you wouldn't get so distracted with the reef." I push him slightly and we smile. I have lived in those reefs my entire life and yet I never get tired of looking and exploring them.
"Oh hush Toby. I know you love those reefs as much as I love them. You can't help it."
He shakes his head and glares at me for using his nickname that he hates, "You got me there, Tris." Only he was allowed to use that name. He called me it when we first met he didn't like the name Beatrice. Said it was too stuck up. I was upset at first then, well, look at us now. We sit in silence for a few minutes before I speak up.
"So, I know your starting school next week." I say with a sigh.
"Yea." He looks down at the water and moves his tail up and down. Something he does when he is nervous or doesn't know what to say. "It's my senior year." I raise my eyebrow and he smirks. "That means that it is my last year in high school."
"Oh. What year would I be in?"
"Well, since you will be turning 16 tomorrow you would be in your sophomore year. Then you would have two more years in school. Then collage." I shake my head and his face brightens and he grabs my hand making me blush and dives into the water.
"Wait," I say, "where are we going?"
"I need to give you something."
"For what?"
He rolls his eyes and grins, "Early birthday present."
I smile and nod, "Ok let me just go and tell my mom. Wait right here." I swim back quickly to the cave and swim towards my mom. I pull myself up next to here. "Excuse me, mom." She turns to me from the ladies she was talking to.
"Yes, honey what's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing I just wanted to ask you if I could go with Tobias for a few hours."
She licks her lips and says, "Ok, but make sure you are home for supper." I nod once and make my way back to Tobias.
TIME SKIP
"Tobias what do you want to show me, again?" I ask as he leads me to his home. Tobias lives alone now. When he turned 16 his dad choose to live as human. He doesn't like to talk about him very much and whenever I asked him about it he would just change the subject.
My father and his father, Marcus used to be good friends. But when Marcus choose to be human they lost all contact. That is how me and Tobias met. Through our dads.
"It's a present for you. I think you will love it."
"Oh, Tobias you know I loved all of your gifts." We go through the entrance and to his room. He takes a clam from a shelf. He turns to me smiling. His cheeks are slightly red. No, I must be seeing things.
"I got this for you last week. I was just waiting for the perfect time to give you it." He looks down and claps his hand together.
"I guess the night before my birthday is perfect." I say in a whisper. He moves towards me a little and something in my stomach sparks. He is so close. He places the shell in my hands.
"Open it." He says and I gently do so. I gasp when I see what is inside. A small golden scallop shell, starfish and a pearl connected to a golden chain. It's the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Our it was the most beautiful piece of jewelry I had received.
"Tobias it's beautiful." I take it out of the shell and hold it in my hands. It feels so delicate in my hands.
"It's stainless steel so it won't rust. I took a trip to the surface and took like 30 minutes deciding. Here let me put it one for you." He takes it from my hands unclips it and instructs me to turn. I move my hair and he places it on me. I stare at it holding the shell in my hand. Tobias's hand wraps around my wrist and I look at his dazzling blue eyes. "A beautiful piece of jewelry for a beautiful girl." He says. I can't tell you how hard we blushed.