Chapter 9: Feelings Grow and Blossom

Lapis found herself underwater again and saw a glimmering shiny city, but it wasn't exactly clear.

"I feel like I've been here before." she said, squinting.

Just then, she heard a faint voice calling, "Lapis? Lapis, wake up!"

In a flash of light, her vision was brought back into reality. She saw a blurry figure hovering over her. When her vision fell back into focus, that figure turned out to be Jamie with an expression of worry on his face. The sky was now free of storm clouds and the sun was setting over the horizon.

"Jamie?" she asked in a hoarse voice, noticing that she was laying down on the sandy beach.

"You're okay." the human boy said with tears of joy in his eyes. "Thank goodness. I thought you were going to drown if I didn't swoop in in time."

"I almost drowned?" the blue girl asked. Then, she remembered the storm and her locket. "Jamie, you saved my life."

"Yeah." Jamie said, blushing. "How ironic is it that the human is the one who saved the mermaid?"

Lapis looked up at her savior with a deep blue blush spread across her face. She was lost in the human's soft black eyes as he put a hand on her cheek.

Lapis and Jamie had been friends ever since they were kids, but as they grew up; Lapis started having strong, funny feelings towards the teenage boy. Aside from her dad, Steven, and Connie; Jamie was the only person who looked past how different she was and viewed her like a person. She dreamed of having him hold her close and even share her first kiss with him.

On the other hand, Jamie found Lapis the most incredible and beautiful girl he could ever know. Even after he discovered that she was a mermaid, it didn't make him like her any less. If anything, his respect for her had grown. He had planned on eventually asking her to be his girlfriend, but was always too shy to do so.

"Lapis, I think you are the most awesome girl in the entire world." Jamie continued. "Every moment we've shared together makes the butterflies in my stomach flutter. I... I love you."

"Oh, Jamie." Lapis said, feeling flattered and her cheeks blushing. "I think you're incredible too. You have always been so good and caring to me. I feel so lucky to have you in my life."

"I know." the teenage boy replied as he helped her stand up. "Which is why I need to ask you something very important."

He took the blue girl's hands, looked into her ocean blue eyes and asked, "Lapis Lazuli, will you be my girlfriend?"

Lapis's eyes started to well up and a great big smile started to creep across her face. She had been waiting for that question to be asked for a long time.

"Jamie." she said, starting to cry. "Yes! Yes, I will!"

Jamie gleefully wrapped his arms around the tearful girl, swept her off her feet and spun around while hugging her. Lapis giggled full of mirth.

After he set her down, the two lovers looked into each other's gleaming eyes dreamily. As their faces drew closer to each other, their eyes began to slowly close. And then, their lips met each other and the two teens shared their first kiss. Lapis was blushing like crazy and even started to glow bright blue.

After she and Jamie pulled away, Lapis opened her eyes and was surprised to find that the Mermaid's Cradle was pulling in. Greg, Steven, Connie, and the mermaids were watching the two lovers in awe.

"Um, how long have you all been watching us?" the blue girl asked, feeling embarrassed.

"Not long enough." Amethyst said, smugly. The other mermaids smiled in agreement.

"And you're not against this?" Lapis inquired.

"You've known him for a long time and if he makes you happy, who are we to judge?" Peridot responded.

Lapis gave a small, relieved smile.


Night had fallen and after everybody set up camp on the beach, Greg cooked a good old-fashioned campfire dinner for the kids. Once everyone had full bellies, the kids got into their pajamas and sat around the crackling fire while Greg strummed a song on his guitar before heading off to bed.

The other mermaids were curious as they watched the group.

"What is that thing you all are sitting around?" Rhodonite asked.

"And what are those strange clothes?" added Smoky Quartz.

"These are pajamas." Steven explained. "Humans wear them when they sleep."

"And this is a fire." Connie added, pointing at the flames. "But, don't get too close to it. It's really hot."

Lapis sat closely next to Jamie while staring into the mesmerizing orange and yellow flames of the campfire and suddenly started to get cold as the wind brushed against her bare skin. Jamie noticed this and enveloped the shivering girl in a warm blanket. After awhile, the pleasant warmth from the blanket and the heat radiating from the fire made Lapis feel very tired. She lay her head on Jamie's shoulder and gave out a steady yawn.

"Looks like somebody's ready for bed." Greg chuckled.

While the mermaids went to rest on the rocks near the shore, Lapis and the humans retired in the tents they set up. Greg had his own tent while the two pairs of kids each shared a tent which was good news for Lapis and Jamie.

As the two lovebirds settled on the air mattress in their tent and snuggled under the blanket, Jamie heard a familiar tinkling song.

"You're playing your locket music box." he said to Lapis who had opened up her special necklace. "Yeah." the young girl said, resting her head on her pillow.

"I always found it easier to sleep when that song was playing. It also reminds me that I'm getting closer to finding my birth mother. I can't wait to meet her in person."

"What do you think your mom is like anyway?" her boyfriend asked.

"I think she's the most gorgeous, big-hearted, altruistic mermaid in the whole ocean." Lapis guessed with a big yawn and a sleepy look in her eyes.

"I'm pretty sure a mermaid like that would definitely be related to you." Jamie conveyed. "She must have had the right idea when she met your dad. She couldn't have picked a better human to adopt you."

He looked over to the side and saw that his girlfriend was now peacefully sound asleep. He smiled, moved the blue girl's bangs, kissed her on the forehead, and whispered; "I love you, Lapis."

He rested his head on his own pillow, but didn't fall asleep right away. He just gazed at his girlfriend's tranquil face and watched as her body rose and fell as she breathed. Her locket closed automatically once Lapis was absolutely asleep.

Jamie felt blessed that his best friend was now his girlfriend and that he got to share in this magical life that she had. With one last look, he closed his eyes and placed a hand on her hand which was on the gap between the two pillows as he fell asleep with a smile on his face.