Quills n' Parchment: When I saw your review up, I just about went insane. You see, chapter 6 was not the end, and your suggestion was actually my original plan for this story. Now I see how predictable that ending was, and I have changed the ending almost completely. Thanks for your unintentional & unconventional inspiration.

maskedcat: Try looking up the meanings of some of the character's first and last names and you will see why I think Dylan's name fits him pretty well.

Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed so far!

"It is you!" he gasped, his deep eyes wide with shock. "God, Nerita!" It was Dylan, all right. The boyish face, the wiry physique, the tousled auburn hair, the deep turquoise eyes that had haunted my dreams.

"Shhhhh!" I hushed him. "Keep it down. That's not my name anymore."

"Oh. What is it?"

"Michelle."

"Ah, I get it. I go by Nathan now."

"I see."

"Well, anyway, what are you doing here? I never thought for a million years I'd see you on the surface, never mind in New York." he said with a laugh.

"What am I doing here? What the hell are you doing here? Don't you have a kingdom to look after?" I asked bitterly. "And a wife to go home to?" I added somewhat sadly.

The excited expression on his face faded. "Look, maybe the sidewalk isn't the best place to catch up. Why don't we go to my place or something."

"I'd rather not." I said. "I really don't want anything to do with you." I turned and started to walk away, but he grabbed my arm and I whipped around.

"Please! Just let me explain! I've missed you so much! I thought I'd never see you again! Just talk to me. Please?" I sighed.

"All right, let's talk. But forget your place. Let's just go to a cafe or something."

"Okay."

We walked side by side down the street until we came across a greasy-looking burger joint. I nodded towards it, and we walked in and took a booth. The waitress came by to take our order, two coffees. She left, soon returned with our drinks, then walked away, leaving us to discuss the past, present, and future.

Dylan, or Nathan, whichever, sipped his coffee slowly, his bluegreen eyes focused on me over the rim of his cup. Those eyes brought back so many memories and feelings I thought I had banished away forever. My heart wrenched, tears coming to my eyes. When he brought his cup down, I spoke.

"Have you seen the movie Carrie since you've been on the surface?" I asked him. The first time I had seen that movie, I'd cried my eyes out. The second time, I had cheered her on each time she killed someone. My deceitful old friend swallowed nervously.

"As a matter of fact, I have. See, I've got this friend who really loves horror flicks-"

I cut him off with a move of my hand. "I guess, then, you can imagine how I felt that night."

His face fell as his ploy to change the subject failed. "Look, Nerita . . . uh, Michelle . . . I really had no idea that was going to happen. I mean, I thought it was strange that we were visiting Atalanta so often, but I never thought it had anything to do with me, never mind me and Marina. You've got to understand, they never told me anything." His expression was regretful, but honest.

"All right then, let's say I believe you. Then why did you lie to me about who you were?"

He nodded, as though he knew I was going to ask him that question, yet he struggled to answer it. "I . . . you . . . I don't know. I'd never had a friend who didn't know I was royalty before. Someone who cared about me and respected me as a person, not a position. Someone who wouldn't act all humble and call me 'your highness' and crap like that, you know?" He snorted a bitter laugh. "It's pretty ironic, I planned to surprise you that night when we arrived at Pacificus. I was going to show you the palace, ask you what you thought, and then I'd be like, that's where we're going to live. Smooth, huh?" He shook his head. "It didn't exactly work out the way I planned."

I was satisfied that he had told the truth, that he had been telling it all alone. He and Marina hadn't been playing some cruel joke on me. Dylan's feelings for me had been genuine. Yet I still didn't know if I could forgive him. Perhaps if he had told me the truth about who he was, I could have seen it coming, at least.

"So what did you do after that?" I urged him on.

"Well, after you left, everyone wanted to know who you were and why you were so angry. I told them just about everything. I excused myself as soon as I could and tried to find you. I wanted to apologize, to tell the truth, and I wanted us to run off together. I didn't want to marry Marina any more than you wanted me to. I never found you. You were long gone.

So I just went back, and life went on. The wedding was scheduled for my 18th birthday. I acted enthusiastic about it, but I never wanted to go through with it. Then came the rite of passage at 16." I nodded. The rite of passage on a royal's sixteenth birthday was the first trip to the surface. My own had come a little early. "I ditched the guards who were chaperoning the visit and ran away. No more Pacificus or Atalanta or any other underwater prison. No more titles, authorities, responsibilities. No more Marina. I was free. I got used to the surface pretty quick. I'd brought some of my mom's jewelry with me, and I sold it to get some money. Now I'm living here, I've got a nice place, a good job. I've taken up painting. I'm pretty much the happiest I've ever been. And that's where you come in." He put his hand over mine. I let it remain there. "So what's your life like?"

I told him about the past few years of my life, growing up, the changes I had gone through, school, my career. He listened intently. Another cup of coffee later, I was finished. "So," I said to him, "Do you think we're in danger of being found out and dragged back to the ocean?" He shrugged, half shaking his head.

"I don't know. There's actually a lot more of us up here than you think. Everyone's got their own reasons for leaving. I've never heard of anyone being brought back undersea against their will before. Of course, there's a first time for everything. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you, no offense but the queen was probably glad to see the last of you. Me, on the other hand, I'm always worried about having to go back to fulfill my royal duties. And I feel bad for my younger sister, she's probably going to have to get married and take the throne . . . " he trailed off. "Sorry. Long story short, I think we're safe."

"Good." I said with a smile. "I like it here."

"Do you ever miss it though?" he asked suddenly.

"Miss it? Why would I? I was miserable there."

"I know, I know, but there must be some things you miss."

I didn't want to say anything, but he was right. I missed the cool feeling of water surrounding my body. I missed that feeling of weightlessness and flowing freedom. I missed the amazing colors of the sunset magnified and refracted off the waves. I missed the lovely coral, the colorful fish. Most of all I missed my tail, my beautiful purple tail. I shook my head.

"No. I don't miss it at all. This is where I belong."

"I see." he replied. There was a long pause.

"Michelle, do you believe in fate?" Nathan/Dylan asked me. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, I knew where he was going with it.

"Nathan, no. We can't. I can't. I'm with someone now, and besides, even if I weren't-"

"You've got a boyfriend? You didn't mention anything about that." he said. "Who is he? What's his name? Does he know about . . ."

"Of course not. How could I ever explain something like that? 'Oh, honey, by the way, I'm a mermaid!'" I said, lowering my voice on the last word.

"Now look who's not being honest." he scoffed, suddenly bitter. "You're being a total hypocrite."

"This is something completely different, and you know it! I wouldn't have thought you were crazy if you told me you were a prince! Besides, even if he did believe me, and I showed him the proof, how do I know he wouldn't tell other people about me!"

"So you're saying you don't trust him."

"Of course I trust him! But I can't trust anybody but myself with this secret. You of all people should understand that. Have you told anyone?"

"No." he admitted.

"Well, then." I said, digging through my purse and taking out my wallet. I threw a five and some ones out on the table as I clumsily stood up. "This should cover what I owe. I'm leaving now. Please don't bother me again. Goodbye, Nathan."

"N-Michelle, please, wait, I won't bring it up again, I promise!" he said as I left. "We can just be friends, can't we." I turned.

"I'm sorry, Nathan, but you're just another reminder of a past I want to forget." With that, I walked out.