Parler Tout Bas—Chapter Ten
by taitofan
Rated G
Disclaimer: I don't own Randy Cunningham 9th Grade Ninja or its characters.
Prompt: Theresa as a mermaid, who saves a drowning Julian and falls in love with him. (tumblr)
If you have any CC, please share and I'll listen. Please read, review, and enjoy! Finished 09-16-15
"Don't go near the surface," everyone said. "Human are dangerous!" they cried. Theresa always smiled and nodded, but in the back of her mind, she also knew that she didn't care what they said. Humans were fascinating, and until they either started being boring or at least stopped coming into the cove where she could safely spy on them, she would continue to ignore the other mermaids and watch the humans.
"You're going to watch that loud human again, aren't you?" Debbie's voice didn't exactly surprise Theresa, but it did almost make her groan. Debbie might have been her best friend, but she also had a hard time keeping quiet about "injustices." The last time the other mermaids had thought one of the group was going near humans, Debbie had almost given her away as she tried to "help."
"Not this time," she lied with a smile, knowing better than to say anything silly like "What do you mean?" or "Of course not!" Debbie would see through those, but she might stand a chance this way. "I told Rachel I'd find more kelp for her little dolls. Do you want to come with me?"
Just as Theresa had hoped, Debbie immediately gave an excuse for needing to leave and swam away. Theresa giggled and swam closer to the surface, positive that Debbie wouldn't come back if she thought Rachel and her ridiculously cutesy kelp dolls were involved.
Once reaching the surface, Theresa popped her head up, her body hidden behind a large rock. She could hear vague noises that told her a human was around, and she felt her heartbeat quicken. A human boy who looked about her age was often there with his friend. His name was Randy, and she thought he was awfully cute. Was he there that day? Usually she could hear him and his friend long before she surfaced, but maybe he was alone? Of course, there was the chance it wasn't him at all, and common sense kicked in. She lowered herself back into the water until only her head was visible, then she slowly moved out from the rock just enough to see who was there.
And as soon as she saw what was there, she immediately gasped and swam out to the figure. She didn't know who it was, but the figure was just barely moving on the water—this human was drowning, and she wasn't going to let that happen if she could help it. She grabbed the still figure and dragged it to the deserted shore, turning the human—a male, she vaguely noticed, one who looked no older than herself—onto his side as she tried to get the water out of his lungs. It seemed like forever before he began to cough and Theresa let herself relax. He would live, she knew, and it was really time for her to leave. This was dangerous, being so close to the shore, just barely in the water. Watching was one thing, but this could get her captured and—
"P-please," the boy croaked, his voice raspy from the trauma he'd just endured, "don't leave…"
Theresa didn't know what possessed her to stay in the shallow water with the boy, but she did. After all, she reasoned, what was he going to do in such a state? As long as they were alone, it would be all right. …Right?
Many minutes passed before the boy looked up at her, his eyes widening as he noticed her tail. She smiled nervously at him, which he returned after a beat.
"Thank you," his voice sounded a bit better, and Theresa found that it sounded rather nice. "My name is Julian. May I ask for your name?"
Part of her thought that she shouldn't answer. She should leave and listen to the others. She should leave the humans alone and never look back.
But Julian… His smile made her heart flutter more than Randy ever had.
"…I'm Theresa."
"That's a beautiful name…"
By the time Theresa returned home, she knew that she would never think that she should stay away from the surface ever again. After all, she wouldn't be able to see Julian if she did that, and that was simply not an option.