"Mmmm..." Rikki murmured, rolling around in her bed. She had been awoken by the sunlight streaming into her window, and by a delicious smell coming from the kitchen. She gave a happy sigh as she pulled herself out of bed. She pulled on a blue sundress and walked into the trailer's little kitchen.

"That smells amazing, Dad," she said before noticing that her father wasn't at the stove, but sitting at the table with a newspaper.

"Thank Zane, sweetheart. He seems to have planned a big day for you," he answered, his eyes remaining on the paper.

Rikki looked towards the nook where the stove was, and saw Zane flipping pancakes. He flashed a smile at her. She glared at him, and then her father. "Dad! What's he doing here?!"

"Rikki," he warned as he looked through his glasses.

Rikki sighed, and sat down as Zane slid a stack of pancakes to her. Just as she began to reluctantly eat them, her dad abruptly stood up, saying, "better leave now. There're some errands that I need to run before we leave," thus leaving Rikki alone with Zane.

"Good morning, Rikki-o," Zane said brightly, taking her dad's chair.

When she didn't answer him, he then said with a laugh, "Well, you never were a morning person."

Once again, Rikki didn't respond.

"So, love," Zane started.

"Don't call me love," Rikki butted in.

"She speaks!" Zane jokingly exclaimed. "Anyway, I've planned quite a day for us. After this we'll go for juices at Rikki's, then a walk on the beach, then a movie, then a picnic at Mako. I've already prepared everything."

"Zane..."

"Oh, how're your pancakes? I've never used this recipe before."

She ignored him. "Do we really have to? Zane, I've still got a lot of packing to do, and there are some things that I want to do before leaving town."

"No worries! No worries. We can do all of that tomorrow. Today's for me and you, not for packing."

"Yes, yes, but I hope you realize that I'll be leaving in six days now."

Zane just smiled.


"Welcome back," Zane said to Rikki as he pulled the beaded curtain on the door to the cafe open for her.

"I was never gone," she answered with a smile. The rest of breakfast had gone considerably better than the beginning had been. The two had nostalgically discussed their high school years together, and talked about what they wanted their futures to look like. Rikki was planning on majoring in woman's studies at university, and eventually writing about them. Zane wanted to go to law school, but instead of becoming a lawyer like his father had, he wanted to continue being an entrepreneur.

They sat down in a booth in the back.

"So... New Zealand, huh?" Zane asked her with his signature smirk.

"Yep," Rikki answered, popping the 'p'.

"What are you going to do there?"

"Well, I'm planning on taking a gap year for this year, and over that gap I'll be applying to colleges and helping settle in," she said. As she talked, Zane moved his head closer and closers to her face. "And, of course, I'll have to help dad move in... wait, what are you doing?"

Zane had moved his face so close to her that Rikki had finally realized that he was trying to kiss her. Rikki laughed it off. "Not now, Zane," she said as she pushed his head away.

"But Rikki," Zane said with little sign that he had just been rejected. "We're getting so close again."

"Zane, you only started talking to me again yesterday! And I've been talking to you for less than an hour. Now!" she said, jumping out of the booth. "What were you saying about that walk on the beach?"

Zane smiled. She was still his Rikki.


The walk on the beach below Rikki's was quick. Zane hadn't realized how early the movie that he'd already bought tickets for would be, and after some more conversation by the splashing waves, they rushed off the the movie theater.

"What'll we be watching?" Rikki asked brightly.

"There's going to be a re-run of the Ring, we'll see that." Zane answered as he gave the tickets to a man.

"The Ring?"

"Yep, horror movie from 2002. It's like a remake of some Japanese movie."

"Oh." Although she had an extremely tough persona, she absolutely despised horror movies. She hated hating them; she had done so much of what the characters did in the movies, and sometimes more! But she couldn't stand just watching it. Despite this, she faithfully followed Zane into the theatre.

"The middle always has the best view, don't you think, Rikki-o?" he asked, oblivious to her feelings towards the horror genre.

"y-no! Why don't we sit in the back?" Rikki quickly said. That way I can further away from the screen, Rikki thought to herself as she steered Zane to the back.

"Suit yourself," Zane chuckled, as they walked to the furthest end of the theatre.

When the movie started, Rikki tried to act as normal as possible, but she quickly realized that it was impossible to keep quiet. She couldn't slide into her seat like she would have if she had been five years younger, as Zane would notice. Instead, she had to just bare it. Every little movement on screen made her wince or internally scream. She closed her eyes tightly at the climax of the movie, gripping the arms of her chair. She was so absorbed in trying not to notice what was happening on the screen, that she didn't notice when Zane took her hand, and lightly held it the rest of the movie. When the film ended, Rikki leapt out of her seat. Zane quickly followed her still holding her hand.

"Let go my hand!" Rikki said, turning around.

He let go of it, but not before saying, "You seemed to like it during the movie."

Rikki didn't day anything, but she continued walking out of the theatre.

"Are you still up for the picnic at Mako?"

Although she once again didn't respond verbally, she nodded her head.


Rikki speed through the warm waters that surrounded Mako Island. She was in mermaid form, and above her, Zane was in his boat speeding towards the same location as she was with a full picnic. She felt free again as she realized that she hadn't been for a swim to Mako Island in almost a month. Rikki and Zane weren't going to meet at the moonpool, but by the shores of the beach, so she quickly landed and dried herself off. When Zane came, the two set up their picnic, and sat down to eat. By now, the sun had begun to set.

Rikki put her head down on the blanket, and closed her eyes.

"You're so beautiful," Zane whispered.

She pretended not to hear.

A few minutes later, she jumped up, and said, "We'd better be going now. Here, I'll ride in the boat with you."

They packed up the picnic, and jumped into Zane's boat. The rest of the ride was spent in an easy silence. When they got to the dock, Zane parked the boat and helped Rikki out.

"Well," Rikki said, looking into his eyes.

"Well," he answered leaning his head towards hers, almost kissing her.

"Not now, Zane," she whispered, gently pushing his head away. "Good night." She ran into the night.

"I'll see you tomorrow!" Zane called after her. Then he whispered to himself, "I love you, Rikki."

He packed up the rest of the picnic with a smile on his face.