Uncomfortable Situation.
Emma's pov
Thank you RECH2o for the idea. I hope everyone likes the story.
Isn't funny how just when you think everything is great and you are minding your own business, everything you loved and knew just falls from right below you. Then you're falling and there is no way to stop yourself from making the biggest mistake of your life. Then everything is gone and you're left wondering what on earth just happened to ruin your perfect life and what lies did you tell to get yourself where you were and what truth just came out to get yourself where you are. Well it's not funny. Just try putting yourself in my position. I promise you won't be laughing.
I woke up just as I did every day since I moved, in my large bed, in my large room that made me feel like someone was trying to put me underwater, but failed big time. The mural walls were great, don't get me wrong, and the blue carpet was nice, but I lived half my life in the ocean, and this wasn't underwater. And yes when people said they felt like they were underwater when they walked into my room, I didn't like it.
Walking down stars, I passed the photo's some underwater photographer got using some special cameras, and my parents payed a lot for when I could have gotten it much quicker and cheaper myself. But they didn't really know that.
Downstairs I find my parents sitting at the table eating breakfast and reading the paper or the mail. Elliot has already passed the table and has made it to some video game on the TV. I sit down and Mimi brings over some eggs and juice. Moving the too full glass away from the edge of the table, the perfect spill spot, I eye what my mother is reading, and her expression to it.
"What is it?" I ask motioning to the letter in her hand.
"Oh Hun, it's nothing you should be worried about. Just some work things," My mother says tossing the letter off to the side of the table. "Now what we really need to discuses is someone's birthday coming up."I turn my head back down to my breakfast than. My birthdays use to be great, when they were celebrated with my real friends, not the snobby girls at school who think I cool to be around just because I wear nice clothes or have nice things. There are many times I wished I was back with Cleo and Rikki having a secret party on Mako.
"What would you like to do this year?" My father asks tossing the paper to the side. "A big party here, small sleepover, big party at a club?"
"Move back home," is all I said before I left the table and my half touched breakfast.
After the breakfast incident, I walked out of the house into the back year that looked on over the ocean. I spot my only true friend in this neighborhood, Annie Van, the neighbor's niece who is staying here because her parents died in a car accident. Annie wasn't really rich, just a bit spoiled by two people who feel bad for her. Annie had once lived in Ireland and found a moon pool the same as the one Rikki, Cleo and I had found on Mako. She was a mermaid, like me.
"Hey Emma," She called, swinging her legs over the small wall that separates her deck from mine. "Aunt Kate thinks I need to join some more after school activities and stop running off to who knows where."I laugh at her impersonation of her aunt.
"You mean swimming out to the small island and staying out of everyone's way." I said smiling.
"Exactly, at least someone gets it," She says as we start down the path that leads to the one spot no one was ever trying hard enough to find.
We take a seat next to the water, but far enough up we know we won't get wet. The birds are chirping and we watch the bouts go by. Annie starts to mess with a small crab she finds in the sand, by making his water appear and disappear over and over again. Other than the natural noises, everything is quiet. Until we hear someone approaching.
"Emma, we need to talk." I look up to where my mother is standing. I can see her, but I know for a fact she can't see me. She is standing with a paper in her hands and she looks worried. I nod to Annie, then start making my way up to where she is.
"What is it?" I ask looking at the paper in her hand, it's the letter.
"Sweetie sit," She says motioning to the couch on the deck. I sit slowly. "We got a letter today… from Mr. Bennett." Her voice was shaky and scared. "He's worried about you."
"Why is he worried about me?" I asked my voice starting to shaky along with hers. Harrison Bennett, father of Rikki's boyfriend, Zane Bennett, has seen the three of use, Rikki, Cleo and I, as mermaids once. It changed his view on a lot of things, as it would to anyone. He got closer to his son. But he didn't know we were mermaids now. If he found out, it would mean a scientist knew, Dr. Demon.
"He put an article in here," She said taking a deep breath. "It explains the findings of a mermaid in the area, Rikki."I can't help myself. I took the paper from my mother and start reading everything. As she contuses. "It says they want to know more and will interview all her friends. Cleo is nowhere to be found. Rikki knows where she is, she just isn't telling. They think Rikki is trying to protect Cleo, who's like her. They are looking for you. They think you know something." I could handle her saying that. Cleo missing, Rikki caught, me here, and what about Annie. If they find me, they'll find her. I can't do that to her, and I knew she would go down if I did.
"Harrison wanted me to find out what you knew," my mother said slowly. "We will not turn you in to them, for questioning, if you just tell me everything now."
"Why would I turn my friend in," I said slowly, thinking this through. "I don't know where Cleo is, if that's what you are asking. How could this happen?"
"Oh, Em, I know you trusted Rikki, but she was lying to everyone," my mother said quickly trying to make me feel better about the wrong thing. "And I'm sure Cleo is just trying to protect Rikki, but we can't be too sure. Rikki is a dangerous girl. They found out she can create fire, and burn things."
"Just water," I say without really thinking. I stopped thinking when I got the news.
"So you do know something," My mother says just a bit too loud.
"No, not much," I lied. "I didn't know she was a mermaid, but I knew about… some of her… power."
"Well she is, and she is dangerous. A girl like her should just be locked up." My mother said not know who she was actually talking about. "She had power that could have hurt those around her, and without proper knowledge, someone very innocent, like you and maybe Cleo, could have gotten hurt."
"Rikki would never hurt someone intentionally," I said quickly. I could feel Annie listening. " She's not a bad person."
"I know you feel that way, but she did," My mother said, shocking me.
"Who? When?" I asked, thinking how? Lewis and Zane were usually so good with keeping us from doing things we would regret, epically on the full moon, when we had no idea what we were doing.
"It was two weeks ago, on Friday night," My mother started. "She was acting strange at some party and ended up burning the place to the ground. Two people are in the hospital."
"Did she remember anything?" I asked wondering why Rikki would ever do such a thing.
"She claims she didn't, but no one believes her." My mom said. I was really starting to get uncomfortable sitting.
"I believe her." I said confidently. I had to stand up for Rikki like I knew she'd do for me.
I was still in shock. She must feel terrible. I knew how it felt to wake up one morning, having people yelling at you saying you did things you don't remember doing. That happened to me that night too. But I just made a fool of myself and my family, was grounded for a week, and then it was forgotten, not that I remember what "it" was in the first place. But I didn't do something that bad, I think.
"She is very dangerous, and I'm glad you weren't there for that," my mother said with a smile on her face.
"I'm not," again not really thinking when I spoke. "I still wish I could've been there, with Rikki, with Cleo. I wish I could help them."
"Help them?" As my mother said this, I really realized what I had just said. "You've been lying. You know more about this than you letting on. Emma what aren't you telling us." I was trapped, not only would she figure it eventually, epically when I ran away and was never seen again. I just couldn't say anything until my mom started talking again. "It's ok to hurt her. People like her should be locked up, so they can't hurt people like us, or other innocents."
"People like her?" I shot at her. "I'm like her. You want to go lock me up. I'm trying to just protect her, I'm trying to protect myself, like Cleo. So is Rikki, and I guess that will have to stop. Because I'm just like her, without the fire. I have ice."
"Emma?" She was shocked. I knew she would believe for a second I was lying now, but she would start thinking, start wondering. She'd figure it out.
I started down to the secret spot. Annie was shocked. She was listening. She followed me as we went out of sight and swam away. At that moment I knew I was leaving. I would tell Annie, I wouldn't drag her down with us. I would go to Mako. I would find Cleo. I would be with her and Rikki when everything went down. It didn't matter how we would feel, it was about who was holding our hands the whole way down.
