Emma's Pov

"Hey there." Ash smiled as he wrapped his arms around me.

"So you ready to go?" I smiled, knowing we were going down to a sand which shop for lunch.

"Wait a sec. Mom said you were coming down to the picnic at the beach." Elliot exclaimed, coming down the stairs.

I frowned knowing it was true. Our parents wanted to spend some "family" time together and the least place I needed to be was at a beach.

"Sweetie your not coming?' My mom asked, also coming down the stairs.

"Well me and Ash already made plans. Sorry." I mentioned grabbing onto his arm to pull him out the door but my dad walked into the hall way before I had time to leave.

"Why don't you invite him over? We haven't talked to Ash for a while." My dad said, mom smiling at the idea.

"That's not a bad idea. You could join us." She mentioned.

"Oh that's very kind Mrs. Gilbert but i-" But I stopped him.

"But we already are going out for lunch so we wont be attending the picnic." I grabbed Ash, trying to lead him out the door but Elliot crossed his arms madly.

"Ya Emma? Why dont you wanna come to the picnic? The beach will be there. Where you can swim. Cause you love swimming..." Elliot mentioned in annoyance, me giving him the evil eye.

"See, Emma's not much of a swimmer." Ash backed me up but Elliot rolled his eyes.

"Oh and i supose you haven't told him etheir." Elliot snapped at me.

"Well you seriously shut up!" I screamed!

"Me! You can't even tell anyone the truth! You were lying to me, mom, dad, friends and your acting like its no big deal!" He yelled.

"Well have you ever thought it is a big deal?" I screamed back.

"Hey woah woah woah!" What are you guys talking about? Whos lying about what?" Mom barged in.

We both kept quite.

"Fine. Go ahead and skip the picnic like its nothing. Ill be in my room." Elliot snarled, running up the stairs.

Immediately my mom gave me that disappointed look. Ash didn't seem quite comfortable with the situation.

"I can't believe your doing this to Elliot. All he wants is some quality time with his sister and you won't even come-" but i stopped her.

"Its not that!" I snapped.

"Then what is it!" My mom crossed her arms.

I looked down at the carpet, trying to avoid eye-contact.

"Please Emma. Just do this for your brother." She calmly told me.

"For the last time I'm not going!" I looked at her, regretting what i just said.

My mom took a deep breathe.

"Ash. Ill see you later. Emma can't go." My mom snapped in anger, after a minute of silence.

"Wait! What! You can't do that!" I yelled.

"Oh yes I can. Bye Ash." My mom shoved him outside, slamming the door as he awkwardly left.

"Oh my gosh! I can't believe you did that! We already had plans!" I screamed.

"And so did we! Now listen to me young lady! Your brother has been quite upset from something you did, im not sure what it is but you better shape up your behavior. Were going down to the beach and might as well hang out with him since you haven't for the past 3 months. And if you don't, you can't see your friends for a month." She exclaimed.

"What! That's not fair! Im 18! I can do what i want!" I screamed.

"Well under my roof you can't! All im asking for you to do is spend one afternoon with your brother. Is that so hard?" She yelled, walking up the stairs.

"UGHHH!" I screamed, wanting to slam something against the wall. This was probably exactly what Eliot wanted me to do. Go down to the beach so i can tell my parents im a mermaid. I needed to find a way to get out of this.

I was unpacking all the beach supplies from out of the car without speaking to anyone.

"The ice cooler." my mom asked, harshly dropping the heavy box into her hands.

She gave me that mad look.

"Shape up your attitude. I don't want to see you acting like this. You were always involved in family activities when we were travailing. I expect you to do the same now." She lectured me.

I put my sunglasses above my head, sitting on the slightly sandy blanket. I grabbed a magazine, reading the latest gossips that were on tv.

My parents were in front of me, setting up all the supplies while Elliot was jumping in the water, acting like an idiot. I rolled my eyes, knowing that right now I could be eating lunch with Ash instead of doing this. Why did my parents always make me do the lamest things. I just wanted to go home already.

My mom laughed as she watched Elliot swimming in the water. She grabbed a juice from the cooler, relaxing and sitting in the sun with my dad. I continued reading the magazine, looking at cool styles and designs for clothes. There were these really cute high heel sandals that probably would match one of my outfits.
Immediately I saw Elliot running up the beach towards me.

"Let's go swimming!" Elliot yelled loud enough for my mom and dad to hear. I gave him that disgusted look.

"No thanks." I mentioned, placing the sunglasses on my face.

Ellito faked a sad face, slowly returning to my mom and dad.

I saw my mom running up to me. She yanked the magazine from out of my hands and pulled me off the towel.

"Im so sick of your behavior! You etheir go out with your brother or you're-" But I cut her from saying the rest of her setence.

"Fine! You really want me to go swimming!" I yelled at my mom. "You really want me to go swimming?" I looked at Elliot in the eyes. "Then I will!" And with that, I ran into the ocean and jumped in.

My mom stood there in shock, Elliot chasing after me.

"Emma wait!" He yelled but i was too mad to even wait for him.

I was already swimming below the surface of the waves, swimming far away from the beach.

"Em!" He yelled again, still chasing after me but I didn't even turn around to look.

I heard the kicking and splashing of water behind me as I went faster.

Elliot would eventually have to stop swimming but he didn't. He kept on going.

"Em... Please... Wait!" Elliot was swalling water, trying to doggy paddle towards me.

I saw him place the goggles over his head, going below the ocean to follow me. He glared at my shinny redish-orange tail, trying to keep up at my speed.

My tail silently waved back and forth through the water, Elliot glaring at me with amazement. He surfaced back for air, as I went to the surface as well.

He took a deep breath, struggling to keep above the water. We could barley see the beach by now.

"Woah! That's so cool! How do you swim that fast!" He asked in excitement.

I slightly smiled.

"That's not all I can do." I grabbed his hand, pulling him back under the water to show him the coral reefs.

He rapped his arms around my neck, staying above my back as he slightly kicked the water with his feet.

Many fish were below us as Elliot continued to point at the very shiny ones. He finally got comfortable and let go of my neck. I grabbed his hand so I wouldn't loose him.

I did flips in the water, Elliot smiling in excitement. He swam back up to the surface for air, but immediately came down to watch me swim again. Colorful fish were surrounding us both as turtles were swimming below us. I swam in front of Elliot, him gliding his hands across my tail. At first it was a bit weird but I didn't mind after a while. He grabbed onto my fin, swimming with me in the water. He smiled, amazed to see what I could do.

He went back up for air, looking a bit exhausted.

"Here, ill take you back to the beach. Hold on." I directed, him putting his arms around my neck again.

I dove below the water, quickly paddling my tail so that I could get to the beach sooner. We had to go up for air a few times but I didn't mind.

As I got the beach, Elliot climbed off of me and sat down. I pulled myself up, Elliot still glaring at me with amazement.

"Wow! That's so incredible what you can do! We have to do that again!" He laughed, me smiling back.

"Ya right! That would involve me carrying you!" I teased, dragging my heavy tail up the beach.

I couldn't see mom or dad at this point, but it didn't matter, the least thing i needed was some one else finding out my secret.

"So do you swim everyday?" He asked, me laying my tail out in the sun for it to dry.

"Sometimes. That is if i have time." I explained.

"Wow. So for how long were you a mermaid?" He asked.

"Mmm, 3 years." I started out saying but he stopped me.

"I can't believe my sister was a mermaid for 3 years and i never found out. Your not also part fairy or anything like that?" He raised an eyebrow,

I laughed.

"Nope. Just a mermaid." I explained, my tail finally drying out so that i could stand up again.

We walked up along the beach so that I was far away from the ocean. The least thing i needed was a wave splashing up onto me.

I sat down, watching the ocean move up and down the sands of the beach. Elliot stayed quite for a few minutes.

"Em. Im sorry I was being all mean to you. I was just... confused. I really didn't know-" But i stopped him from talking.

"No. Im sorry. I should of you told you, mom and dad about it earlier but the risks involving telling you guys... are something I didn't want to deal with. I guess I was just too scared" I mentioned.

"So are you eventually going to tell them?" Elliot asked.

I looked at the sand.

"Hopefully one day I can. I just haven't found the right time to tell them. You know, it can be complicated sometimes." I told him.

"What? How could it be complicated? I wish I was a mermaid!" He exclaimed.

I laughed.

"Merman you mean?" I smiled, Elliot pulling off the goggles from off the top of his head.

I paused for a minute. Thinking for a way to ask him this.

"And... why didn't you tell my mom and dad about me? You had every opportunity to tell them" I softly asked.

Elliot stayed silent for a few seconds but finally spoke up.

"Because I'm your brother and I would never want to do anything that would hurt you." He quitly told me.

I smiled, considering that fact that Elliot didnt want anything bad to happen to me. Did he really care that much about me?

"I'm glad your my brother." I admitted. "I couldn't ask for a better one." I smiled, him returning the smile back.

I wrapped my arm around his shoulder, looking at the sun above the bright blue ocean. Maybe it was a good thing Elliot finding out about my secret. Something told me that it was all going to be ok, that I could finally start trusting him now.

Will's Pov

Me and Bella were both holding ice cream cones in our hands, walking down the side walk.

"What! Your so lucky you don't have a sibling. Sometimes it can be such a pain." I metioned, Bella giggling.

"Ah well at least you had company through out your life. See, me growing up as a single child made me have no one to hang out with at home. It would be so cool to have a younger or older sibling." She exclaimed.

"Ya right. One time i wanted to take the boat at sea and my parents forced Sophie to go out with me because they thought i was too young! I was 16!" I mentioned, Bella rapping her arms around my body.

"Well ya but your parents were looking out for you." She explained.

"Ok, fine. Have a sibiling but dont be the youngest in the family. It can be annoying when everyone's looking out for you." I mentioned.

Bella poked me in the side of the stomach, making me jump a bit. I smiled, grabbing Bella by the stomach and swinging her around. She laughed as I carried her over my shoulder like a potatoe bag.

"Were taking you to court!" I said in a harsh mainly voice, Bella holding onto my shirt.

"Let go of me you weirdo!" She yelled trying to keep herself from laughing.

I swung Bella around in circles, her squealing in a laughing voice.

"Ok I get it! I get it!" She giggled as I immediately saw Rikki walking towards our direction.

She looked at us weirdly, gently setting Bella down onto her feet. We just stood there awkwardly, Bella fixing her slightly messed up hair.

"Well you guys sure have a whole load of energy." Rikki crossed her arms as I chuckled.

"Hey where were you for the past 2 weeks. We haven't seen each other in like... forever." Bell exclaimed, standing next to me.

"I was sick. Remember?" She snapped back but slowly relaxed, knowing it was a bit harsh the way she said.

"Oh ya. Didn't you have the flu or something?" I asked.

"Ya. I guess you could say that." She softly said.

"That sucks. You missed out on a whole load of stuff. We need to get together and hang out before collage starts." I mentioned.

"Sure. I guess." She looked at the ground with her arms crossed.

"Are you ok?" Bella asked her.

"I'm sorry! I've just been... I don't know. Maybe its the sick after feeling or whatever." Rikki told us, resulting me and Bella to frown.

"Do you need to talk?" I asked but she shook her head.

"No, im fine. Going out to Mako. Wanna come?" Rikki asked Bella.

"You don't mind if i go?" Bella whipsered to me.

"Oh no. its fine. Go ahead. I need to return to the boat shack anyways. Ill see you later." I said, leaving Rikki and Bella behind to talk.

I continued to walk down the sidewalk as all these thoughts popped into my head. It was like Rikki wasn't telling us something. She hasn't been herself at all. She looked... depressed. I didn't want to jump to conclusions but I missed the old her. Whatever it was, i was hoping she would tell Bella cause I didn't want to see her like this anymore. Hopefully she'll openly talk to us. I mean, why would she keep her problems to herself like it was some big secret?

A/N: Sorry if theirs a lot of grammer errors in this chapter. I was rushing to write this. I've been studying for finals and packing to move so ive been soooo busy... still. Anyways...

THANKS SO MUCH FOR 300 REVIEWS! You guys are so awesome! I LOVE every single review you guys write to me! Means the world. I probably wont be able to update for another week but ill do what i can. ok, thanks again ;)