Nariya waited for her shape-shifter friend, Sha'Jewl, to show up as she sat under the wooden dock by the island beach. The last time she had seen him, he was telling her that humans, real humans, would be visiting the island for a few weeks. She hadn't been able to speak with him for a while, for his mother was dying and he had to stay with her before she died.
It was a day where the sun was warm and welcoming, and she wanted desperately to go up to the beach. But if Sah'Jewl was right, and there were humans coming, then she had no choice but to wait until they went back before she could show her pale face to the sunlight. She brushed her golden wavy hair out of her face, and turned to dive back into the water. Just as she was about to leave, footsteps could be heard on the wooden dock from above. Her eyes widened in fear, and she sat as still as possible. A human!
She looked up through the cracks, and saw a boy. He was wearing a pair of khaki shorts, a blue tee-shirt, and no shoes. He was about her age, with olive skin and curly brown hair. He stood at the edge of the dock, staring out into the distance, as if searching in the woods.
"Leo!"
The boy turned his head.
A girl, a human girl, jogged up to him. She had mouse-brown, shoulder-length, pin-straight hair, and a pair of sunglasses resting on the top of her brow. She wore a pink tank top, black shorts, and lime-green flip-flops. With a pretty smile, she told him, "Lolah says it's time for lunch."
He looked back out at the sea. "I'll be there in a second. Go on ahead; I'll catch up."
She put her hands on her hips, staring at the back of his head. Then, with a huff, she jogged back up to the beach house.
When she was gone, the boy let out a small sigh. Nariya gazed up at his face, wishing she knew just what he was thinking. He sat down, and his legs dangled over the edge, his bare feet skimming the water two feet in front of her. She held her breath, hoping he wouldn't decide to kick his feet.
Then, after a few minutes, he stood, and walked back up the beach. Cautiously, she peered over the top of the dock, but he didn't look back. Every morning, Nariya visited underneath the dock, hoping to see Leo again, and every time, he came, sitting down to gaze out at the open sea, unaware of her presence. The sky was dark, showing signs of a violent storm that was soon to come. Sah'Jewl appeared on the fourth day, in the shape of a water snake. He slithered up to her, and she almost yelped aloud.
"Sah'Jewl?" she gasped under her breath, praying that Leo wouldn't hear her.
The shape-shifter transformed into a fish and dived down into the water, and she followed.
"Sah'Jewl?" she asked again, a little louder than the first time, for they were safely underwater, out of the range of human ears.
"I was wondering when you'd recognize me, little naiad," Sah'Jewl replied.
She laughed. "How long were you waiting?"
"I was in the shape of an seagull, a minnow, a goldfish, and finally the snake before you realized it was me," he grumbled, put out.
"Sorry about that," she chuckled.
"So, I've been watching you stare at that human," he said with a mischievous grin.
"You saw that?"
"How could I not, with you making googly eyes every time you look at him?" he teased.
"Shut up, I do not make googly eyes!" She flushed pink.
"Oh, really? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were in love with a human!"
"Am not!" She looked up at Leo from under the water, and her blush deepened. "I just find him... interesting. You know, cause he's a human."
"Mmm-hmmm," he said, unconvinced.
Desperate for a change of the subject, Nariya asked, "So, how's your mother?"
"She... is not getting better," he replied softly.
"I'm... sorry."
He shrugged sadly. "It wasn't your fault."
Suddenly, his eyes widened.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Nariya asked with alarm.
"Shape-shifters can send messages through their thoughts, and I just got one from my brother. He says mother needs me there now. Sorry, I have to go." He turned to swim away.
"It's fine. See you!" she called after him.
Nariya returned to the bottom of the dock, but Leo was no longer there. It had begun to rain ferociously, and the wind howled like a wolf. She started to swim back to her home under the sea, but a large boat suddenly sped by her, cutting her off. She bobbed to the surface, hoping no one had seen her.
BAM!
The noise startled her, but then the pain erupted. Her shoulder was bleeding, badly. She felt dizzy, and she swam to the nearest thing in her sights: the beach.
Making sure she was hidden well, she landed by the rocks, where the tide was low and the humans wouldn't go. Her head spinning, she clutched her wounded shoulder. What had hit her? She knew she had to go back to her father, for he was the king of the naiads, and he would have the healers help her. But she couldn't even hold up her own head. She collapsed on the wet sand.
After what seemed like hours, she heard distant voices. Couldn't her sisters be quieter? She was trying to sleep. But then, why did it hurt so much?
She woke to full consciousness.
"Ashley! Call 911!" shouted the voice of a boy.
"I can't! The storm cut off all electricity! The phones are dead!" Panicked a girl.
"Fine. Get Lolah!"
Suddenly, Nariya felt herself being lifted. She moaned in agony. She looked up in the hazel eyes of the human boy, Leo, who carried her up to the beach house. He looked concerned, and she vaguely wondered what he was thinking.
Then, all went black.