"Time to close up." Rikki heard Emma say. The blonde girl removed her head from Zane's chest to question her friend.
"I thought Wilfred said there was no curfew." Rikki questioned her friend.
"Wilfred might have said that but I'm not him." Emma replied. "It's nearing midnight."
"You're just upset because your date left." Rikki retorted.
"Byron's got practice in the morning so he can't-" Emma started before she stopped herself. "I don't need to explain myself or Byron. You don't have to go home, you just can't stay here."
"Yes, Mum." Zane replied as he lead Rikki past Emma. Rikki couldn't help but laugh at him.
It had been quite the eventful night for the three girls. They were worried about getting wet but Lewis seemed to have the answer to all of their prayers in a deodorant bottle. The solution made them water proof, thus preventing them from turning into mermaids upon contact with water. A part of Rikki thought it was too good to be true. She should have trusted that part as she realized she and her friends looked like they developed the worst rash. They ran out of the dance without being caught and swam to Mako Island where they could hopefully make a recovery. Miriam had been all over Zane when she left, Rikki was sure he would end up taking her home. She was happy to learn from Lewis that assumption false and she swam with Emma back to the dance where Zane and Byron were still waiting for the two girls. They slow danced for what felt like mere minutes but must have been at least an hour of it was really midnight.
"Did you have a good time?" Zane asked her as they took a seat at the JuiceNet patio.
"I did." Rikki replied. "At least all the times I was with you."
Zane blushed in response. "I'm glad. What happened earlier when the three of you ran off?"
"Oh, um…" Rikki started, trying to think of an excuse. "Cleo was mad at Lewis for not asking her and Emma and I were trying to calm her down."
"You couldn't answer a text?" Zane asked.
"She was really, really upset." Rikki defended. "Did you have a good time?"
"Well, aside from Miriam clinging to me, yeah it was great." Zane said. "I wish it didn't have to be over."
"You guys aren't leaving, are you?" Emma asked as she exited the main entrance of the JuiceNet.
"What, we can't hang out here?" Rikki asked.
"That's not it." Emma said as she placed a remote on the table the pair were sitting at. "The sound system works outside too, if you wanted to get in a few dances. I've got to head home."
"Thanks, Em." Rikki replied as Zane took the remote. Emma gave her fellow mermaid a nod as she disappeared into the night.
"Good thing we have this." Zane said.
"Do you have a song in mind?" Rikki asked as she stood to follow Zane, feeling the autumn leaves on the patio crunch under her feet.
"Yeah," Zane said. "I was going to request this song before you left."
The band's rare love song started playing and Rikki felt herself melt. Zane smiled at her as he pulled her into him and they swayed beneath the fall trees that were shedding their leaves.
"What made you choose this song, if I may ask?" Rikki asked him once the song was coming to a close.
"I heard it the other day and you were the first thing that popped into my mind." Zane replied with a shrug.
"Well, I love it." Rikki said as she leaned up to kiss him.
"I love you." He said once she backed away from the kiss.
Rikki took a sharp inhale once he spoke those words. She had seen the movies, she knew if she didn't say it back, the near perfect night was going to be soiled. Did she feel that way about him? Wasn't she just dating him to keep him away from the mermaid secret and now he was in love with her? She was beginning to feel guilty about keeping her mermaid identity from him and this was just the cherry on top.
"You don't have to say it back." Zane said as he felt her hesitation. "I just wanted to say it, is all."
"Really?" Rikki replied. "You don't mind?"
"No," Zane said. "I know you're much more reserved with your feelings than most and I don't want you to lie. Hopefully one day you'll feel the same way."
Rikki smiled as she put her head back on his chest. She felt him place his chin on top of her head. They fit perfectly together in more ways than one. Did she love him? Rikki wasn't sure. Like Zane had said, she didn't want to lie to him. She didn't feel comfortable telling him she loved him without him knowing of her mermaid secret. Tonight wasn't the night for her to say those words. She hoped she would be able to tell him such one day too.
"I'm a lot closer to saying those words back to you than you would think." Rikki said. She felt him smile above her.