15-year-old Melody stretched out on a rock with her arms over head. High above her, the sun shone in the sky, warming the water and creating glowing ripples on the sea. It was the perfect day, but not because of the surrounding beauty. It was a perfect day because Melody was going to hang out with her best friend, Alex.
Alex was more than her best friend, though. She'd had a crush on him for three whole years now, ever since she had met him in Atlantica, her grandfather's kingdom. Alex was a merboy, and Melody was half human and half mermaid, so they hung out under water. She was always under the sea to visit her family anyway. They liked Alex too.
"I thought you were hanging out with Alex today," Ariel, Melody's mother, said as she swam past her daydreaming daughter.
"I am, but not for another twelve or so minutes," Melody blurted out, then regretted it. Apparently, her mother had noticed that she had been sitting on this rock waiting for Alex for well over a half hour at this point.
"Twelve?" Ariel grinned. "Are you counting down the minutes?"
"Of course not." Melody's beautiful face turned the color of her mom's hair. "I just came out here to get…some…air, and I know I've been waiting around a half hour, so I know that Alex is going to-"
"I'm just kidding, sweetheart," Ariel assured her daughter, putting a halt to Melody's rambling. "Your father and I are going shopping with Aunt Attina, so we'll see you later."
"Okay, bye!" Melody instantly forgot about her mom as she resumed waiting for Alex. Nine minutes.
Melody wished she could do something to kill these endless minutes, but nothing came to mind. If she had been at home on land, she would instead be seeing her other best friends, Hector and Maria. But they were not merpeople. In fact, it had taken those two quite a long time to accept that Melody was half mermaid.
Hector and Maria were not always good friends. In fact, the first time they had met three years ago, Melody was not a big fan. And the feeling was mutual. Hector and Maria had talked about Melody behind her back when she stumbled in right before her birthday party from a secret ocean swim. They'd even snarked on how she talked to fish! But they understood each other now and had grown up a lot since then. They were all very close.
Melody sighed. Five more minutes until Alex arrived…
17-year-old Alex tried to catch his breath. Every few seconds, he would peer around the coral that he was hiding behind so that he could see her. Her being Melody, of course. His best friend. His crush of three years.
Alex had been so excited to hang out with her that he had left his house way too early and rushed all the way over to King Triton's castle. He didn't want to seem too excited, so he had to hide for a few minutes and compose himself. If he was too eager, then she would know about his crush, and then who knows what? What if she didn't like him that way?!
But then…what if she did? Sometimes, they would be hanging out, and she would say or do something and Alex would think…but no. Why would someone as beautiful and wonderful as she was like him?
Alex fidgeted nervously in his hiding spot. Just five more minutes. Then he could casually walk up to her. When he peered around the coral again, he could see Melody looking this way and that. Was she looking for him? She must be.
One minute! Alex left his coral and swam towards Melody on the rock.
"Heeeey!" Melody called when she saw him. She leapt off the rock with her arms out towards him.
Alex's heart sped up. She wanted to hug him?! They never hugged! That could only mean-
What am I doing? Melody screeched internally. We don't hug! I can't hug him! She dropped her arms and reached out her hands.
Alex's shoulders dropped. I guess she doesn't want to hug after all. He reached out his hands towards her to start their secret handshake that they'd been doing for years: shake both hands two times exactly, touch elbows, hook pinkies, and high five with their fins. When they were finished, they both burst out laughing.
Yup, Melody and Alex were the best of friends. Just friends.
Right?
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