Chapter 1-Still in Love

Song: Still in Love by Jason Chen

(Zyla)

Zac stared at Lyla with a sad smile. He knew that she had chosen to search for a new home for the pod with Nixie. She would leave soon, and Zac would probably never see her again. She looked on the verge of crying, and Zac felt as though he might cry, too. But no, he must be strong for the both of them.

"Thank you," Zac mumbled, unable to meet her eyes as strong emotions coursed through him, overwhelmingly powerful. "Thank you for everything. For helping me, for always being there for me."

"Of course," Lyla murmured. She didn't meet his eyes, either. Maybe she knew that if she did, Zac wouldn't be able to let her go.

"I don't want you to go," he said in a choked voice.

"I don't want to go, either, but I have to, Zac. I belong in the sea." She met his eyes this time—it was only for a moment, but Zac could see everything in her azure irises. All of emotions in him were in her, he knew. "But I'll never regret coming on land and meeting you. A part of me will always yearn for the land."

She drew him in a close embrace, and Zac let her hold him. He embraced her tightly, not wanting to let go. As she drew back, Zac felt raw and empty. She met his gaze unwaveringly and stepped back—towards the sea and away from him.

"Don't go!" he blurted out, his hand reaching out towards her wrist. He held her tightly, desperate and wanting her to stay.

She shot him a small, rueful smile. She shook her head sadly, pulling her wrist out of his reach. "I have to. Be strong, Zac."

"Don't leave me alone," he whispered, his heart breaking into a million pieces as he watched her, with all that regret in her eyes.

"I'm not. I'll always be with you—in your heart," she whispered back, her fingers tapping his chest lightly. Her light, butterfly touches were soft, yet they sent electrical shocks through him.

"Time is moving faster than before," Zac whispered, voice choked up. "How can we make things better? Everything I know is in you."

She walked up to him, closing the intimate space between them. She looked right into his eyes, and Zac knew that she was thinking the same thought as him. He touched her face gently, and he knew he was crying now. Then, he lowered his lips down to hers. It was magical, but it was also a good-bye kiss. Their first and last.

"I know you love me," Zac whispered. "And know that I love you, too. Our past will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will never forget you."

"I love you," she murmured.

Zac drew his arms around her tightly. He felt her lean into his powerful chest. He knew that she was crying. He was crying, too, now. Then, she pulled away to look into his eyes.

"Still in love with you," she whispered as she ran away from him to the sea. Zac knew why she was running. If she went slowly, she would want to run back to Zac. He knew that the second she hit the surface of the water, she would be gone. But Zac still went after her. Bubbles remained in the water where her golden tail had been.

"I know you still feel the way I do because I'm still in love with you," he whispered, watching the bubbles disappear as he frantically tried to grasp the memory of her gentle touch, and the way she looked at him with all that love in her eyes. He would never see that look again.

…One year later…

Zac grinned at Mimmi as he hurried back to his house. He opened the door and headed inside. His gaze landed on a small picture frame. He frowned. It was dusty. Zac walked towards it and brushed the dust away.

His heart stopped as he stared at the image. It was him along with a very pretty girl with long golden locks and bright azure irises. Lyla. The thought of her name sent emotions coursing through Zac's chest. He felt tears bud in his eyes as he remembered her.

Her sweet scent, her fierce attitude, her passionate soul. Memory by memory came tumbling back to him. It was as if time had frozen to let the memories roll back to him. And he remembered the last day with her…

It was the first and last time that they had kissed. Then, she had left and never came back. Zac had forgotten her long enough to forget why he needed to forget, but now, he knew why. He knew that it would hurt to remember her. Hurt him that she would never be in his arms again.

He turned to the open ocean. He ran towards it and jumped in. He heard someone—Evie—shout his name, but he ignored her. He swam far into the vast ocean. Then, he headed to the surface for some air. He floated there. He remembered the last words she had said to him. Still in love with you.

The words were like daggers against his flesh as he remembered the way she said it. He felt tears prick in his eyes. He wanted to find her, but he didn't. He didn't want to have to leave her again. Good-bye was always the hardest. No, good-bye was hard, but letting go and moving on—that was the hardest.

"Zac?"

Zac turned to see a mermaid by him. He grinned at the familiar face, but his smile soon disappeared. "Hey, Nixie."

"What're you doing here?" She didn't bother to mask her astonishment. "How did you even get here from Mako?"

"Did I really swim that far?" he asked softly. Then, he turned back to Nixie. "Did you and Lyla find a home for the pod?"

"Oh, yeah," Nixie said, a smile on her face. She looked relaxed and calm. "You know, I could go get her, and you two could…"

"I…" Zac stopped himself from speaking. "Yeah. Could you do that?"

"Of course," Nixie said. She dove under the waters, and Zac watched the ripples cascade across the calm surface. Zac closed his eyes and opened them once more, staring as gold began to thread the sky.

"Zac?"

Zac spun around. He knew who it was even before he had turned. He had that voice memorized. He understood the astonishment in her eyes. "Lyla!"

He threw his arms around her, which was a bit awkward in the water but comforting nonetheless. He felt her lean into his arms a little awkwardly at first. Then, she relaxed. Zac saw Nixie watching them. She shot him a rueful smile and dove under the waters.

"What're you doing here?" she asked softly.

"I didn't realize how far I swam from Mako," Zac declared truthfully. "I just wanted to get away and here I am."

"Here you are," she said softly. "How're things back there, anyways?"

"Well, I discovered that I'm actually a merman. My mother was a powerful mermaid named Nerissa. I have a sister named Mimmi. Oh, and Evie turned into a mermaid. There's another merman back at Mako. His name is Erik."

"That's… wow," Lyla murmured softly. Then, her eyes met his once more. "How did Evie become a mermaid? Did she just fall into the moon pool during a full moon?"

"Yeah," Zac admitted. "Are you happy here?"

"Yeah," Lyla said softly, a smile lighting up her pretty features. "The ocean is where I belong… but sometimes, I go on land… When I need to escape, you know?"

"Yeah," Zac murmured.

"So what're you doing here?"

"Well, I went back to my house when I saw a dusty picture frame," Zac said. "I brushed the dust away and saw the picture. It was you and me. And I felt an overwhelmingly strong desire to see you again."

"So you decided to swim in a random direction?"

"I remember which direction you left, and I followed that. Then, I just floated there when Nixie found me. And then, she got you."

"So here you are," she murmured.

"Here I am," he murmured back. Memories of their good-bye tumbled through his mind—the images vivid and clear. He could tell that the same images were emerging within Lyla's mind, as well. He pulled her close to him. "I'm still in love with you," he whispered.

A small, tentative smile played on her lips. She looked down before looking back into his eyes. "I know that because I'm still in love with you, too."

"I was missing your love, missing your face," he murmured. "All of our past, don't let it erase." His eyes met hers as his hand sought out hers. "I tried to move on. Evie provided to be a great distraction"—Zac paused when he saw the hurt in her eyes—"but she's no you." He felt a smile play on his lips. "But I'm not as strong as you."

"The sunset is gone," Lyla whispered, pointing at the dark sky, illuminated by thousands upon thousands of beautiful, twinkling stars. She gestured towards the distance. "You should go back to Mako. The others will be worried."

"I don't want to leave you," Zac whispered, holding her in his arms. "Don't stay here. Come back with me," he pleaded.

She removed herself from his touch and shook her head. Zac could feel his heart breaking again. "Your life is with Evie. My life is in the ocean. You have family back at Mako. You can't leave them."

"I don't care. It won't matter if you're not here with me," he argued.

"Yes, you do. You care so much that it hurts you," she whispered, touching his face gently. Her piercing azure irises glittered with tears. "I'm so sorry."

"Please don't leave me," he pleaded. "What's the point of being where we belong when I end up losing you? Again."

He saw tears trail down her face, and he gently wiped them away. He didn't want to say good-bye, but a part of him knew that he had to. He had to move on from her. He touched her face, and at first, she flinched.

"Be careful, Lyla," he murmured, still cupping her face.

"I will," she promised. Her hands touched his wrists and began to drag them away from her face, but Zac didn't let her. She shot him a wry smile.

Zac leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. He could feel her respond to the kiss immediately, and Zac could feel how alive Lyla made him—more than Evie or anybody else could. He sank into the kiss. It burned through his entire body. As they pulled back, they slowly appraised each other.

"I know you still feel the way I do because I'm still in love with you," he murmured, holding her close to him.

"Romantic words."

Zac and Lyla spun around to see Nixie. She was smiling wryly. "W-what're you doing here, Nixie?" Lyla stammered.

"Lyla, I've stalled for as long as I could. You two had better say good-bye. I can't keep making excuses," Nixie said, appraising them gently. "If you're not back in a minute…"

"I know," Lyla said gently, nodding at Nixie to show that she comprehended. Nixie disappeared under the surface of the water. She turned to Zac. "I guess this is good-bye. For real, this time."

"I guess it is," Zac whispered, voice trembling.

"I'm still in love with you," Lyla whispered, "and I will always stay in love with you. No matter the distance between us, your memory will burn in me forever. Good-bye, Zac."

"I will never forget you, Lyla," he promised. He shot her a wry smile. "Whenever I'm with Evie, I think of you, you know?" He pulled her close and pressed his lips against hers once more. Then, he moved back. "You are brilliant and unique. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." He closed his eyes and opened them. "I will always love you. Fate brought us together…"

"And fate will drive us apart…" she finished. "Bye, land boy."

"Still in love with you," he whispered as he dove under the waters, finally feeling free at last. He knew that he was still in love with her. He hadn't been ready last time. He was now.

Still in love.