The next morning I woke up on the couch in Kims living room by a gentle shaking. I opened my eyes slowly to see Embry above me with a small smile. I sat up and streched. I was in his hoodie still but now I had a pair of shorts on so I wasn't fully naked underneath. I stood up and cracked my neck before remembering something.
"What took you so long in getting back to me?" I asked as I crossed my arms and stared him down. I know it was last night and I was being overdramatic about this but at the moment I was shocked by what he said.
"I have a secret too," he said as he stepped cloer to me. I narrowed my arms and him and waited for him to continue but he didn't. He picked a pair of clothes off the table and handed them to me. "I'll tell you later but for now, go get ready," I sighed at him and stomped to the bathroom. I was already acting like a human girl as I looked in the mirror. I slid on the black jeans and a deep green long sleeve shirt before brushing my hair and teeth. I slid on the black ballet flas on the ground and opened the door to see Embry waiting outside of it for me.
"We're gonna be late," he said as he grabbed my hand and pulled me to the door. His rusty old truck was waiting for we climbed down the porch. I wasn't sure if I could totally trust him but I felt like something was growing. Maybe an understanding. As we started going to school he started firing questions for me.
"Do you sink ships? Do you seduce men? How can you come on land? Where are you really from? How do you decide to leave and become what you are? " Once again I had to stop him so I could think.
"Sinking ships really isn't our thing. Men never see us, actucally no one does, we tend to stay out of peoples way. I'm from a small town in Maine. We can come on land because of our genes, we still have human in us, whether all of us like to believe it. And we get calling to the sea, our parnets can't do anything about it so they let us go, I'm not even sure if my parents are still alive..." Before I could get lost out in thought Embry brought me back.
"They can't be that old right. I mean your no more then what...17?" I looked at him with wide eyes. I really did look like I was seventeen didn't I? I sighed and shook my head. " Well then what, 16, 15, no younger then that right?" I sighed and bit my lip.
"I'm actucally 67," I said mumbling my age. I never came to terms how old I really am since I looked still so young. Embry slammed on his brakes and almost sent me through the window but his arms stopped me. I looked up at him and saw his wide eyes. They reminded me of last night.
"67? How is that possible? You look so young," I convinced him to start driving before I started explaining.
"Mermaids are immortal. I'm not sure why I looked like I'm 17 but I know if I ever do fall in love that I will start ageing from the age of 17. I've just been alive for 67 years." I looked at him as we pulled into the parking lot of the school. He looked confused but then it clicked.
"So if you ever fall in love your no longer immortal," he stated with a hint of sparkle in his eye. He knew something that I didn't but I was to nervous about today to ask. I looked at the students and breathed a shaky sigh.
"It will be fine," he said with a small wink and a shoulder rub. I nodded as I climbed out the truck. Embry was by my side the entire way to the office and to my first period. He told me to just wait in the classroom when the bell rang then he would come get me. I sat in the back and looked over my classes.\
First: U.S History with Miss Wolfe in room 321
Second: Geometery with Miss Golden in room 908
Thrid: Biology with Mr. Ross in room 678
Fourth: PE with Mr. Krick in the gym
LUNCH
Five: French with Miss Millier in room 458
Six: Pyschology in room 542 with Mr. Walker
Seven: Dance with Miss Brooks in the dance room
I bit my lip and watched the teacher go on and on about the 60s. I was around then so I knew some things about the war. Hell a few mermaids and I saved men drowning out in the open sea during Vietnam. But I knew I couldn't tell them that so I kept my mouth shut and waited until 8:10. Then I could go then I could go to Geometery and try to focus on something other then my past for a few hours.
When lunch finally came around I was waiting on Embry to get me from the gym when I heard snickers behind me. I turned around to see three tall girls staring at me. They were pointing and whispering but I was frozen and couldn't say anything. I stared at the ground waiting for Embry. My cheeks turned red as they laughed louder and harder.
"Tabi, Amanda, Coutrney! Leave her alone," Embry yelled as he came around the corner. I watched them sulk and turn away. "Don't worry about them," Embry said with a hot hand on my shoulder. I nodded and followed him to his locker and put everything I was carrying in there. I sighed and let Embry pull me close making everything from those last few moments fade. I guess this is what humans go through day after day...
