Carly felt a mixture of sadness and anger. In the worst scenario she wouldn't have predicted that Cam would cheat on her. And yet he did.

She found out yesterday evening. At a party with people from their university, someone couldn't hide the surprise that she's Cam Mitchell's girlfriend.

'What? I thought he is dating Brooke from the Chemical Faculty. I saw them together last week- they were holding hands and even kissing' this person blurted out.

Whole situation ended with them both screaming and crying. Obviously Cam tried to explain himself and apologize to Carly but she wasn't willing to talk with him any longer.

Evie and Zac were comforting her all last night but to no avail. Zac even intended to have it out with Cam and Carly held him back. She wouldn't tell him about it at all because she didn't want to jeopardize the two boys' friendship. It was Evie who let him know.

At that moment she was sitting at the Ocean Café'soutside table and sipping a strawberry-orange cocktail. Carly wasn't sure why she came to this place, she didn't work here anymore andhasn't been here since she had graduated high school. Most likely the reason was her positive attitude towards the coffee shop- at last she had a lot of great memories associated with the Ocean Café. Furthermore, the view of the ocean was always quite soothing for her. These two factors made her well-being slightly better than before but, unfortunately, still far from good.

Suddenly she saw a familiar brunette walking towards her.

'Hi Carly,' Nixie started and without invitation sat on the chair on the other side of the table.

'Oh, hi Nixie! Long time no see.'

Ok, maybe not that long. Nixie sometimes visited Rita's grotto or simply spent her free time on the land. Even though it didn't occur as often, like in the case of Mimmi and Sirena, or Ondina (until she had gone to China with her girlfriend Weilan), but it happened regularly.

'Yeah, time flows really fast,' Nixie said with her typical, slightly mocking smile. Very attractive smile. 'So… How are you?'

'Ah, nothing special. Mostly university stuff. University is a type of school. Level higher than my previous one,' Carly thought that Nixie may not know what that word means. 'And I have a new job, in the city center. How about you?'

'It's ok. I'm still studying too. Mermaids' magic and the like. Unluckily I'm not doing as well as I wished to,' Nixie laughed in a little bitter way.

'Come on, I'm sure it's not that bad,' Carly hoped that she sounded convincing. She didn't want to negatively affect someone else by her poor mood.

'That's fine, maybe I'll get better. But! I've got big, good news! I have been appointed the human matters specialist in my pod! My research activities paid off,' Nixie proudly straightened up on her chair.

'Cool, congratulations!'

'Thanks. And as it befits the specialist, I heard what universities are.'

Carly couldn't help but smile.

'You have brightened up a little. I'm glad.'

'What?'

Nixie put her hand on Carly's shoulder in a caring gesture. Blonde's heart involuntarily started beating faster.

'I noticed that something is bothering you. If you want to confide in someone, you can talk to me. Of course I'm not putting any pressure. If you'd rather be alone now, I'll go.'

Carly usually didn't complain to people who weren't her best friends, she wasn't that kind of person, but words came from her mouth by themselves. Perhaps she needed consolation more than she thought.

'Cam and I… In the first place, do you know that we're going out?'

'Yes, Sirena told me that you guys are a couple. What's with him?'

'Cam… that jerk… he cheated on me. He met with another girl several times. Until yesterday I was sure we could rely on each other. It would never come to my mind, that he would let me down like that.'

'What an asshole!' exclaimed indignant Nixie.

Both girls sat in silence for several seconds, then Nixie spoke up. 'No offence but he always had the makings of a traitor.'

In other circumstances Carly could feel angry for such a statement and just go away. However one glance at her interlocutor was enough to see the emotions raging through her too.

'He used me to get the trident. To do this, he didn't hesitate to play with my feelings. I really liked him a lot… After all this, I couldn't pull myself together. That was the reason I gave up the fight for Mako Island and set off with our pod to find a new home. Cam broke my heart. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told you this. You surely don't want to hear this, you've got your own problems right now.'

Carly covered Nixie's hand, resting on the table, with hers and looked straight in the mermaid's eyes.

'That's ok. It's not our fault that he did what he did. For now, we ought to deal with it somehow. You can count on me. At last we were disappointed by the same bastard.'

Nixie relaxed again. 'I totally don't understand him. I mean, you're a great, beautiful woman. In my case I was only a tool needed to achieve his goal. But you? You had a normal, healthy relationship. He's stupid that he risked losing you,' she said without breaking eye contact.

Carly raised her eyebrows. And probably blushed lightly.

'I can tell the same about you. You have a pretty smile.'

Something clicked.

From Evie, Carly knew that mermaids were rather pansexual, judging by human's standards. Exactly like Carly.

…

The next morning Carly woke up to smartphone's alarm. Because of all this, she forgot to turn it off. She usually got up at this hour to make it to work or to the academy but today was her day off.

She looked to the left. Nixie didn't lay next to her on the bed. Had the other girl run away? That was quite possible.

Previous day's events ended in a rather unexpected way. After flirting in the cafe they went to Carly's house and had sex… Satisfying and passionate sex, to be exact. Luckily her parents left for a week so no one disturbed them.

It wasn't something that Carly had planned.

Suddenly there was the sound of the door opening and at the bedroom's entrance Nixie appeared wearing, well, entirely nothing. She was chewing something and held a small can of sardines in her hands.

'I was hungry so I went to look for something to eat,' Nixie said roguishly. Carly got the impression that talking with her about anything was a kind of flirtation. 'I found only this, the rest was inedible. I don't understand how you can be full after such a small portion.'

'Unfortunately I have merely this last package of seafood,' Carly got up and began to dress.

'It's all right babe. How are you feeling?' Nixie asked with concern.

'It's better now, thanks to you,' the blonde smiled warmly.

'I recommend myself for the future. With pure pleasure, like yesterday. Have you decided what you are going to do next? I mean with Cam.'

'Not yet. I wonder if it still makes sense. Me and him,' Carly sighted and fastened her bra.

'You unintentionally took a nice revenge on him.'

'Yeah, I think so. I don't know if I'll ever tell him about it. Sleeping with his ex…'

'But we weren't together, in any sense,' Nixie was confused.

'He has a different opinion on this topic.'

Mermaid laughed.

'If you two reconcile, we won't make love again, am I right?' Nixie enquired.

'Yes,' Carly was unable to say more. For some reason, she felt bad.

'I understand. If you change your mind, you know where to find me,' Nixie pecked a fast kiss on Carly's lips and started getting dressed herself.