Hey guys, this is a new chapter, and sorry for the wait. I decided to add Riley and Alaine back into the mix. I want to thank all of you for reading my last chapter. I can't help it. I love cliff hangers!
I HIGHLY suggest that you all listen to a song called "Anything but Ordinary" by Avril Lavigne. I am constantly listening to this as it often gives me inspiration while writing this fanfic. You'll find it on YouTube!
Also: I have great news!
As you should know, when I write chapters, I do my best to make my readers feel like they're watching a tv show. So, I found the perfect guy/actor to play Riley Byrnes!
And the winner is...Bob Morley! He used to be on ''Home & Away'' and I also found out that he played on fireman on the Australian TV movie "Scorched". Turns out that he and Brittany Byrnes (aka the actor who played Charlotte Watsford) were both in the movie and played boyfriend and girlfriend!
ENJOY!
Two days later: September 15th, Tuesday...
"Girl, are you okay? You missed school yesterday and today, you look like you've been attacked by something," Alaine said as she took note of Charlotte massaging her back and taking two painkillers. Their choir practice let out early and the two friends were sitting on the front steps of the school while everyone left.
Alaine was worried for her friend. She didn't come to school the other day and today, she looked like she was on the verge of passing out.
And Charlotte honestly didn't want to explain. She spent the entire day yesterday with Laguna, trying to heal the scar - or should she say, scars - that the Water Snake had left on her back.
Flashback...
Charlotte woke up with a bad headache. She tried to sit up, but the moment she did, a soaring wave of pain hit her and she yelped in, she felt two cold hands press down on her back and start rubbing it.
"Take it easy Charlotte. You've had one hell of a night," she heard Laguna's voice say to her from behind. She tried to stretch out her arms and was surprised to feel the water around her. She looked around and saw that she was her belly in her mermaid form, and in some pool.
She felt the hands press down on her back again and immediately cried in pain.
"Shh, I'm sorry about that. Honestly, that monster practically scarred you, and it doesn't help that you nearly died freezing it. Do you remember what happened?" Laguna said.
Charlotte raked her head to remember the past events and finally, she remembered what happened.
She almost died.
"Yeah," she said hoarsely. It was barely audible, but it felt painful to talk. Her back was stinging like crazy and she was worried if she was still bleeding.
As if she read her mind, Laguna said "Your bleeding stopped, and just in time though. I was worried that we were too late."
Charlotte turned her head slightly to get a better look at where she was.
She was in Laguna's pool.
Apparently, she was laying on, what seemed to be, one of the 3 stools that laid underwater near the edge of the pool...the same place where she was talking to Karen and had the vision.
Laguna was sitting on her knees by the edge in a blue dress.
"What...happened...after..." Charlotte's voice was sore and couldn't even finish the sentence.
Laguna seemed to know what she was asking about.
"I will admit, Karen and I did sit outside your house last night. And forgive us for that, but after hearing that vision yours, it just didn't sit with me to just leave you alone like that. Even if Thomas and your mother were home.
And thank god, I was right. Both of us had a front-row seat to the entire thing. I saw you and the dog run out of that house with that creäture on your tail (no pun intended). We would have gotten to you sooner but the car wasn't acting right for some reason. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the blood running down your back. And now it leaves 3 nasty scars there," Laguna said with sourly.
"S..scars..?"
"Yes. The monster was chasing after you on 4 legs and on each of them were three, long claws. And we arrived just in time to witness you freezing the creäture. Ha! Water mimicry! Marana was a dirty one for pulling a trick like that. She nearly had you killed!
Karen used her powers to turn off the sprinklers. God, you had her worried. She screamed when she saw you passed out. And when I flipped you over, I saw the claw marks doing something to your skin and I knew you were poisoned.
You were bleeding so much... I practically had to use a moon ring to heal you, or at least stop the bleeding. But now, you're in recovery," Laguna concluded.
Charlotte wanted to know more about the poison and the monster that Marana set after her. Marana wouldn't kill her sister's reincarnation without a reason.
She moved her right hand and made a "continue" gesture. Laguna saw this and sighed.
"The poison was a mix of snake poison and a type of dangerous coral. And in my opinion, it's more dangerous than a rainbow coral. But that's a lesson for another day.
Anyways, this particular coral can drain the powers of any mermaid. So, as Brendan would say, in kid speak: Snake poison that can kill people and corals that can take away your powers are a toxic mix. I found a scale from the monster in Thomas's mouth. As it turns out, he bit the thing.
Oh, don't worry. He's fine. In fact, he's sleeping in Brendan's bedroom at the moment. We had to take him with us because he refused to leave your side and you needed to get here as fast as we could.
Anyways, the scale showed that the snake's form originated from a poisonous desert snake and it had rough skin, so it was no use trying to burn it. Luckily, Jonathan got the antidote and gave it to Karen, who mixed it in with a potion to cure the coral part of the poison. After it was done, I poured it onto the scars and you started to heal. Though you did have a mini seizure the moment the potion made contact with your skin."
"Mar...ana..." Charlotte croaked.
'Yes," Laguna sneered, rubbing Charlotte's back a little too hard, "she created that monstrosity. What in the seas was she thinking?! There's no possible way she wanted you dead, otherwise, she would be ruining her own plans. Hell! If that mermaid, if I can even call her that, had any LOVE for her sister, then she wouldn't have gone that far!"
Now, Charlotte's back was hurting from Laguna's aggressive message.
DING!
Charlotte heard a timer go off beside her.
"Time to pour some more of the potion on. Don't worry, it'll only sting a little," Laguna said.
Charlotte felt her mentor's hands press off her back and then she heard a metallic 'CLAG!'. Then, she felt something warm fall on her hissed when she felt a sting on her back.
It wasn't as bad as before, but it still hurt. However, the pain soon met with a calming effect and she felt okay.
"Your very lucky to still be alive, Charlotte. It even surprised me that your mother is still alive as well," Laguna said she pressed her hands back on Charlotte's back.
Hearing this, Charlotte sat up immediately...only to hiss in pain when she stretched her scars. Laguna quickly pushed her back down.
"Sorry, wrong thing to say! Your mother IS okay. I had Jonathan go to your house earlier with a toolbox in hand to fix any damages made during the attack. When he was working on your bedroom door, he noticed that your mother didn't wake up from the noise he was making. He went to her door and felt some type of invisible veil over the door. Karen went over there to see what it was earlier.
She found out that the veil must have been put over her door to stop her from hearing the attack, or to say, keep her asleep during the whole thing. Thankfully, Karen removed it. Marana possibly planned to have you killed and not be discovered until later," Laguna explained.
Charlotte sighed with relief. Both of her loved ones were safe. She didn't think she could handle it if someone died. And she was thankful that her mother was asleep. Her mother would have had a heart attack if she saw the monster.
Which reminded her: she needed to give it a name. Monster and creäture just can't do.
Suddenly, Charlotte felt her eyes begin to drop. Either she was falling asleep from the potion or Laguna's massage, she didn't know. But she had to make one thing clear.
"W-water...s-snake..."
She felt Laguna's eyes o her.
"What did you say, dear?" she asked.
"C-call...t-the...monster...a...Water...Snake..." Charlotte said before she drifted off to sleep.
Flashback ends...
Charlotte spent the day doing some swim therapy in the pool and then tried doing therapy in her human form. She had called her mom and told her a small lie (which was nothing new nowadays) that she had left the house early to do some softball practice and would be staying at a friend's house for the night.
Laguna had given her the OK to go back to school the next day, but only if she took 2 painkillers to ease the pain in her back when it hurts. She had also given her a note that excused her from her next, real softball practice and someone would pick her up from school and take her to Paradise.
Brendan was happy when Laguna told Charlotte to leave Thomas with them for the day.
"Alaine, I'm fine. My back just hurts. That's all," she said.
Alaine scoffed. "Char, you've taken at least 10 pills today. Are you sure you're alright? Do you need to see a doctor?"
Charlotte shook her knew her friend was worried, but as long as she didn't see nor know about the scars, she was okay.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry, I'll be back to normal by tomorrow."
Suddenly, Alaine stood up straighter and looked at her with an excited look on her face.
"Hey, what are you doing this weekend? Got any plans?" she asked excitedly. Oh boy, she wanted something. That was truly the only time she ever got excited.
"I probably have to work or something that day," Charlotte said, only to be met with a pout on Alaine's face. Alright, she was lying about work because she would be actually training with Laguna. But Alaine didn't know that.
"Come on, I know you just started that job, but can't you say you won't be able to come in and spend the day with me and a few girls from the choir and the softball team. We'll be volunteering at a greenhouse and then we're all going to this beach called Pirate's Cove. It's a bike ride down after this reservation near the beach.
Please, pretty please, come with us! It will be so much fun! Missing one day of work wouldn't hurt! Please?" she asked with Puppy Dog Eyes'.
Unfortunately for her, Charlotte learned to resist the Puppy Dog Eyes' after spending so much time with Thomas. However, she didn't want to disappoint her because, in a way, she was her only friend and she didn't know what Alaine was like outside of school.
"Alright...I'll try to get out of it. But I can't make any promises," Charlotte said. Alaine squealed in delight and wrapped her arms tightly around Charlotte.
"Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!" Alaine squealed, "I promise you won't regret this!"
The hug would have been nice if she wasn't squeezing on her scars but Charlotte bared through it until she let go.
"Alright Al," Alaine glowered at the nickname," I have a ride coming to pick me up. Who's taking you home?"
Alaine smiled and pointed to a green bike that was sitting leaning against a tree.
"I'm a 'go green' type of person. I have nothing against cars, but I prefer something simple and safe sometimes, besides the bus," Alaine said. Charlotte's eyes widened.
She's friends with a nature freak. Cool.
BEEP! BEEP!
WOOF!
The two girls looked up and saw Karen Cove waving a hand outside of her van and Thomas's head sticking out of the window.
"Well, gotta go." Charlotte hugged her friend and waved goodbye one last time before she got into the van and drove off.
Halfway down to Paradise Cove...
The car ride was silent. The radio was playing and Charlotte had her head against the window while Karen was driving.
Could I really miss a day of training to spend a day with Alaine? Charlotte thought, I mean, it couldn't hurt, but I could be missing something valuable that day.
She sighed and Karen turned to her.
"What's got you so down?" she asked.
Wanting to avoid the topic of her possibly skipping mermaid training, Charlotte answered with a question.
"When I cry, how come I don't turn into a mermaid?"
Karen looked at her and laughed.
"Really? I thought you would have figured that out by now, especially with all the tears you've seemed to shed but to answer your question: Tears are self-made. Tears, sweat, blood, saliva, and anything that comes from your body won't change you or else no mermaid would be safe on land. And I can say the same thing for using the bathroom."
Charlotte smiled at that.
"Alright, so tell me what's really bothering you," she asked again. Karen practically saw right through Charlotte's attempt.
The teen mermaid groaned. "Okay, so my friend, Alaine, invited me to hang out with her and a few girls from school this weekend. Thing is, I have training that day and I can't miss anything!"
"Oh, and the fact that it just so happens to be a full moon on the same night also makes that tricky, if it's an overnight thing," Karen said, "do you want to go?"
Charlotte nodded slightly. "I would honestly like to, but they plan on going to a greenhouse and then to the beach later on."
"So, you want to hang out with your friends but you're going to two water-related places. I see the problem, but you want to have a social experience, don't you?" Karen asked.
Charlotte sighed. "You'd think that after being in choir and the softball team I'd have enough of that. But I've never done anything outside of school besides going to work and training. In fact, before your family came along, my only friend was Thomas. I just guess that some free time with real, normal people might be nice."
Karen laughed.
"I guess you're right about that. It seems nice to spend time with people who don't have to share the same worries as you do, but it's also nice to spend time with people who do. But in the end, it's all the same. We have lives, we have worries, we have insecurities, and we have lives. But just because your something else- and I use that term lightly- doesn't mean you're different from everyone else. In the end, it makes you one and the same."
Charlotte smiled at that. "Thanks for the advice. I'll be sure to remember that."
And I'll write that in my journal to make sure that I do, Charlotte thought.
At Paradise Cove...
When they finally got to the café, Charlotte went to the café staff's locker room to change into her uniform while Brendan practically stole Thomas for the remainder of the day.
Once again, Charlotte looked at herself in the mirror and felt different. Maybe it was the scars on her back-which would not be seen by anyone because of her shirt- that was making self-conscious...or was the change that her mother was talking about from the previous night finally settling in on her.
Leaving the locker room, she put on her "Happy Face" and began work.
When she got to a table, she pulled out her pen and notepad and said "Hello there and welcome to the Paradise Cove Cafe. What would you like to order?"
But, apparently, she should have looked at who she was serving.
"Thanks and I would like a date with a beautiful waitress named Charlotte. Is that on the menu?" a rather familiar voice asked.
Charlotte's eyes widened as she looked up from her notepad and saw Riley sitting in front of her, smirking at her. He was in his casual lifeguard uniform and his black eye was gone.
Still mad at him for the "twilight" comment, she gave him a fake smile and said, "I'm sorry, we don't serve that nor do we serve to arrogant lifeguards."
With that, she walked away and went to serve a family at the next table.
But Riley seemed to have other ideas. He got up and started to walk beside her.
"Listen, I'm really, really, really sorry about what I said before! It was-"
"Rude, stereotypical, insulting! And then saying that I'm on some kind of team was pushing it!" Charlotte exclaimed as she turned to him. She walked away from him and started taking orders from a family at the next table.
But Riley said "Excuse us," to the family before grabbing Charlotte's arm and dragging her outside the café, leaving the family confused.
When they got on the beach, Charlotte grabbed her notepad and started to whack him upside the head with it repeatedly.
"How. Dare. You. Do. That!" she shouted as she continued to hit him. Riley grabbed her arm and took the notepad out of her hand.
"Really? I'm trying to apologize and you're hitting me!" He said, a little agitated. He expected her to be stubborn, but not still angry at him.
Then again, he did avoid her afterward.
"Well, when you drag me from my job in front of customers, that's when I get angry! Now shouldn't you be flirting with some other girl in distress?" she asked.
"Actually, I don't because I'm trying to apologize to a beautiful waitress and ask her out on a date!" Riley exclaimed. Then, he covered his mouth.
That had not come out as planned.
Charlotte just stared at him. Slowly, the anger she held for him started to dissipate and eventually calmed down. Riley noticed this.
Maybe there was hope for them after all.
"Listen, you seem like a great guy and all, but I'm not interested in dating anyone. And besides, I am completely done with guys who send me mixed signals, "she said, slightly directing that point to him, "the first time we met, you were sweet and caring. The next time we saw each other, you were rude, arrogant, and a complete jerkface! Not to mention, that you've been in all my classes and you've never acknowledged me. Never once.
So even if we were friends, it would be hard dealing with you. Not to sound harsh, but I'm speaking the truth."
Ok. Maybe not complete hope, but Riley had to try.
He raised his hands up in surrender.
"Alright, I understand. Around you, I haven't seemed like the best person and I'm sorry. I have my days where I can be moody and my days where I can be great and you honestly shouldn't have to deal with that. But I want to get to know you. Maybe asking for a date is a little too much, but can we at least be friends? I promise I will try to act better around you. Just give me a chance, please."
By this time, he was practically begging. Charlotte looked at him in shock.
Alright, no one has ever done this before. Especially for her.
What made her so special?
"Alright, we can be friends," Charlotte said, "but only if you promise to keep your word, not only to me but to everyone else."
Riley smiled and almost went up to hug her but realized that he would be overstepping his boundaries.
Cool it, dude! Don't mess this up, he thought to himself.
So instead, he held out his hand, which Charlotte grasped firmly, and shook it
"Okay, now that that's done with, may I please have my notepad back and head back in for work before I get fired?" Charlotte asked.
Not that Laguna would, Charlotte thought.
Riley slightly fumbled while handing her the notepad. She accepted it gracefully and started to head back to the café. But she had one thing left to be said.
Charlotte turned around one last time and said to Riley,
"I'm Team Neither."
Riley looked at her in confusion.
"What?"
Charlotte rolled her eyes playfully and said "You thought that I was on Team Edward or on Team Jacob. But I'm on Team Neither, meaning that I'm on neither side because it's pointless to go after someone who's, one way or another, managed to ruin so many people's lives for a little thing. Plus, both guys could do better and now Jacob is back to being Bella's lapdog, only this time, her daughter is holding the leash."
Riley got what she was trying to say and started to laugh. Charlotte started to laugh as well as she turned and headed towards the café.
Charlotte's POV
When I walked back into the café, I quickly felt a pair of eyes on me. I turned around and saw Jonathan glaring at me with his black eyes. He must have seen me and Riley talking.
Suddenly, the words he said to me the day he stopped Jason and his gang from assaulting me came into my head.
"Let me make this clear: I didn't do that for you. I did that because it would have been only a matter of minutes until you remembered what you could do and expose my family. To be honest, I could care less about you being harassed by some boy you led on... "
I couldn't help but feel a shiver run down my back and shudder at his words. I always thought about it.
He honestly thought I would harm the Coves. That was preposterous... yet so true.
After constantly, re-listening to Lewis's video message, I understood that I had the potential to be a dangerous threat to anyone around me. But I would never harm the Coves, especially Laguna and Karen. They've helped me so much and they really care about me.
Besides, even if I did use my powers on others, I strictly limited myself for only using them for self-defense purposes only. I would never use them to harm other people on purpose. I've already learned my lesson.
After waiting for a few tables and bringing them their order, I was taking a small break when I saw Karen walking towards me with a smirk on her face.
Oh boy, what's up with her now?
"So, I see that you and Riley are well acquainted now," She said. My eyes widened.
Oh, joy. Not only did Jonathan see me, but even Karen saw our little "talk".
"It was nothing really. It was just him apologizing for being an a-butthole, " I said to refrain from cursing, "he even had the nerve to ask me out before even asking if we could be friends first! And I hope even agreeing to be friends will be enough!"
Dating was officially the last thing on my list and I didn't plan on moving it up any time soon.
Karen giggled.
"Well, since I saw the two of you laughing, I think your decision will be worth well."
She winked at me and left to go back to manning the cash register. I felt my sweatdrop.
Oh great. Everyone is trying to play matchmaker with me.
On the drive to the Cove's residence...
3rd POV
After Charlotte's shift ended, Karen and she (Brendan and Thomas would ride with Jonathan, much to his displeasure) took the van and drove to the Cove's house for Charlotte's new lesson.
Her scars had healed well, but Charlotte could still feel the pain in her back. Knowing Laguna, she would probably have to do more water therapy to make sure she felt better again.
"So, what am I learning?" Charlotte asked Karen.
She had no problem with a history lesson- which, to be honest, she hadn't gotten a lot of- but Charlotte wanted to know more about mermaids, like the myths that are actually true.
For example, is it really a myth that mermaids have underwater kingdoms? Or, were there other types of things she could use her powers on, like acids?
Stupid, she knew, but it would be exciting to learn about it.
As if she read her mind, Karen said "Don't worry. You'll know more about your heritage soon. But for the lesson, it's a surprise."
Charlotte gave her a pouty face and they both laughed.
By the time they arrived, Charlotte practically jumped out the car while it was still moving into the driveway - Karen laughed at that - and entered the house.
When she got to the fireplace, she'll admit that she waited impatiently for Karen, but who could blame either of them. Charlotte was eager to find out what she was learning and Karen was pregnant and needed to take her time.
When Karen FINALLY arrived, she asked "How come you're not already in the cave?"
Charlotte was about to reply that she was waiting for her but realized something.
She had no idea how to open the passageway.
Charlotte, realizing her dilemma, blushed in embarrassment.
Karen laughed and said "All you have to do is ignite a fire and make it grow all the way to the top of the glass cylinder. Then, after a few seconds, pull the flame out."
Charlotte nodded and looked at the fireplace.
She raised her hand up and closed it in the direction of the fireplace. Then, the wood ignited into flames. Next, using both hands, she raised both up to the ceiling, causing the fire to grow with it.
Soon enough, the fire was at the top of the cylinder.
Charlotte grasps her hand in thin air, like she was pulling something to her, and pulled it back.
The entire fire disappeared.
The cylinder started to go up into the ceiling and the fireplace went into the ground. Then, the granite wall slid to the side, revealing the passage to the cave.
Karen clapped.
"Congratulations, Charlotte. You have now gotten access to the cave!"
Charlotte smiled as she walked through the cave entrance with Karen right behind her.
In the cave/pool...
When Charlotte arrived at the pool, she was surprised to see that no one was there.
"Laguna? Laguna, where are you?" she called as she looked around the pool.
There was no response.
Charlotte looked around the sitting area to see if her mentor may have hidden behind the chairs. But she wasn't there.
"Alright. This is a funny prank, I'll admit. I honestly didn't think you had this kind of sense of humor, but this is good," she said.
Still no response.
She was about to leave the pool and walk out of the cave, when, all of a sudden, she felt it.
Whenever she controlled water, she could almost dare say that she could feel it, or an essence of it.
She turned around and decided to look again. When she walked past the pool, she felt that essence again. But it felt all clumped up together, not like how it felt to freeze, but like it was moving but being forced together in a contained space.
And then she remembered what she learned in science class: Water is everywhere, even dispersed in small molecules or water vapor.
Only one person should be in this room beside her and Karen, who also just so happened to be missing as well.
And also, water can appear clear because it's not absorbing enough light.
Could it be?
"Laguna...is that you?" she asked.
Not knowing exactly what she was doing, she reached her hand out and got a reflection. It was water-like, but inside it appeared to be...
Suddenly, to her not-so-much astonishment, Laguna appeared in front of her.
Though she wasn't surprised, Laguna was.
How would Charlotte have known it was her, let alone, seen her?
Deciding to ask her about that later, Laguna put on a smile and said "Hello Charlotte. In case you missed it, which I find highly impossible, you just saw one of the powers for a natural mermaid."
"Wait a minute! You can turn invisible?" Charlotte asked. She didn't know what happened to allowed her to sense Laguna, but she was going to have to work on it.
Laguna nodded. "Yes, usually, natural-born mermaids get extra powers, along with their original ones. And as you saw, one of them is invisibility."
Then, Karen appeared beside Charlotte, only this time, she managed to scare the heck out of her.
"Sorry! Didn't mean to scare you, that was supposed to be my mother's job," Karen said, earning a look from Laguna, "but that's beside the point. You see, for today, or rather this evening's lesson, we'll be teaching you the powers of natural-born mermaids. But first...History lesson!"
The few minutes, Charlotte and the two women sat around the sitting as she listened to how mermaids had used these powers to escape predators and fishermen. They used invisibility to escape and not be seen as their enemies and land dwellers, and sometimes play pranks on each other. The power to counter this ability was Invisibility Detection, the ability to detect other invisible mermaids.
However, Laguna believed that it was hard to learn and master because it was controlling small portions of water and needed control to hold it, often doing the action standing still.
Laguna believed that Charlotte's hydrokinesis- and time(s) as a mermaid- had developed her senses to feel the molecules making her invisible. There's no other explanation to how she could have seen her.
"So, try it," Laguna urged to Charlotte. "It will be good practice. Just concentrate, wave, and curl your hand into a fist. Believe you're gathering and holding something tight."
Charlotte nodded. She waved her hand into a fist and pulled it into her chest. She didn't feel any different. But when she looked at her other hand, she couldn't see it. So when she dropped the hand that was on her chest, she saw her other hand became visible.
She had just turned herself invisible.
Cool.
"Alright, one power down, one more to go," Karen muttered.
The other power was telekinesis, much to Charlotte's surprise.
"This power took centuries for natural-born mermaids to fully master before any mermaid could do it. Telekinesis, which is most often mistaken for levitation," Laguna said, "takes concentration, visualization, and sometimes silence to master. When it is, this could become as easy to use, practically as easy as using your powers on a daily basis."
"It takes a great deal of practice and concentration. For example, watch me," Karen said.
She placed a glass of water on the table and stared at the glass.
Charlotte watched in amazement as 3 small balls of water rose out of the glass and began to move in a ring-like circle. All while literally lifting the glass itself into the air.
Karen wasn't doing any specific hand gestures or anything. She was doing the whole thing with her mind.
"Wow..." Charlotte awed as Karen put the water back into the cup, bringing the whole cup onto the table again. "That's amazing!"
Laguna agreed. "Yes, it is. But like what we said, it takes a great deal of practice and concentration."
"So, can I try it?" Charlotte asked. Laguna looked skeptical about this but nodded.
Charlotte looked at the glass and closed her eyes.
She started to think about water, it rises out of the glass in a ball, and it circling itself around the glass in a juggling matter.
Charlotte peaked with one eye and both of her eyes widened when she saw a small ball of water moving around the glass cup as it lifted wobbly off the table.
But unfortunately, due to her loss of concentration, the ball fell on the table with a small 'SPLAT', as did the cup, spilling water in some places.
"Oops..." Charlotte said.
Laguna made a hand gesture that caused the small puddled to rise off the table and back into the glass.
"Don't worry, practice makes perfect. But that was a really good try for your first time," Laguna said, "so you see, there's more to being a mermaid than sprouting a tail and having powers. One thing for sure is that you have to actually learn something. The other is that you can expand your abilities."
Charlotte nodded and realized that she had something to ask.
"Are there more abilities to having visions? I mean, I have the gift to see visions and all, so is it possible to do more than that?" she asked.
Laguna looked at her sadly. This was a topic she did NOT want to teach the girl.
"Charlotte, though I'm NOT going to tell you how old I am, I can tell you that that gift is a mixed blessing. You know how you reacted when you had the vision of the Water-Snake. That is just one of the many examples of how this gift can harm you physically and mentally.
Trust me, for as long as I had it, I did learn that there was more to it than just seeing certain things. And if I were to teach you that, there would be a chance that I would be putting you at risk," Laguna explained.
Charlotte put her head down a little in shame.
"So, is that a no?" she asked.
Laguna looked at her in pity.
"I'm sorry my dear, but I'm afraid so."
At Charlotte's house...
When Charlotte and Thomas ( he arrived at the Coves in the middle of Charlotte's lesson) got dropped off at home, Charlotte was relieved to see that the house was dark-signaling that Annette was in bed already.
Charlotte used her key to get both of them in. After that, she made him a bowl of food, took a bath- part of her may never get over her tail- and got ready for bed.
After putting on her nightgown, she let Thomas into her room and plopped herself onto her bed.
Alright, so Charlotte learned two things tonight.
1. Like natural-born mermaids, land-transformed mermaids can acquire the ability of Telekinesis, but not Invisibility. Apparently, Invisibility was a birthright to the natural ones only.
2. Laguna refuses to teach her how to control and manipulate her visions.
It's not like Charlotte doesn't know pain. She's been through it physically and mentally for months and she could care less.
Was it that Laguna didn't trust her?
No, Laguna wouldn't judge her like that. If she had known Charlotte last year, of course.
But she had her memories and yet agreed to train her.
So what's the matter?
Charlotte shook her head. She already had enough to deal with.
She still owed Alaine the proper reply to if she was going with her this weekend. And don't get her started on Riley!
Sighing in frustration, she pulled the covers over her and turned off the lights. Thomas took the decency to jump onto the bed and lay next to her feet.
With one huff, she closed her eyes and went to sleep.
Only, she didn't stay there.
She couldn't help but think she should have known she was going to have a vision.
What else would take her someplace other but Dreamland?
Like the last vision, it was all black everywhere. There was nothing but darkness and silence at first.
Then, like a vacuüm, everything started to spin around and around until it stopped and Charlotte heard waves crashing.
She was now in a different place.
The scenery took place around night-time, she noticed. The sky was black and full of stars. She turned around and saw that she was at the beach, but it was a different beach, not Paradise Cove.
There were cliffs that surrounded the top part of the beach in an oval-like shape. There were large rocks on both sides of the beach, making anyone who came here have to walk a few feet into the water to get there.
The beach was practically a secluded area.
Suddenly, she heard someone snoring. She looked around the sands and saw a few girls sleeping on the ground in sleeping bags.
As Charlotte walked towards them, she recognized most of them. They were the girls from the choir and teammates from the softball team.
Where the hell was she?
"Grrr..."
Charlotte, recognizing that growl anywhere, turned around to see Thomas right behind her.
"Thomas...what are you doing here?" She asked. He just whined and started walking along the bottom of the cliffs.
Charlotte walked away from the sleeping girls and followed him.
He sniffed around the rocks, moving any pebbles and sand in the way.
"Thomas, what are you looking for?" Charlotte asked curiously.
She got her answer when he stopped and halted at the center of the cliffs.
Charlotte honestly didn't know what he was doing. One minute, he searching for gold. The next, he stops like something's wrong.
Then, Charlotte looked up at the sky and felt a strong pull inside her.
It was a full moon.
It gave off a bright glow, so bright that you would seem to think it was lighting up the beach on purpose.
WOOF!
Charlotte looked at where Thomas was barking at and gasped.
The light shined on the cliffs to the place where Thomas stopped.
The glow started to form an oval-shaped entrance as the light got brighter. In fact, it started to glow blue.
Suddenly, the glow was gone and there was a tunnel in its place.
Thomas made no hesitation and ran in.
"Thomas STOP!" She yelled, running into the tunnel.
The rocky walls seemed to have been there for years. As Charlotte walked through the tunnel, she couldn't help but feel like this was so familiar.
It felt like she had walked forever until she heard Thomas bark.
WOOF!
She ran to the end of the tunnel and, though she was glad to have found him, what she saw amazed her.
At the end of the tunnel was a huge cave. And it was HUGE! The walls were formed in a big, circular shape and in them were hundreds- no thousands of sparkling blue crystals embedded in them.
The cave ceiling was exposed to the night sky. It was in a circular shape, possibly a few hundred feet wide. It resembled the top of a cave beach.
Wait? If that's the top, then...Charlotte's eyes grew as she looked at the bottom.
There was a giant, crystal blue pool right in front of her. Very big and possibly very deep.
No, it was practically the size of the Great Lake, but deep down, she knew it was a pool.
Suddenly, there was a bright, blue glow and she looked up to see the moon hovering over the pool. The pool started to glow and a big, and she means BIG, amount of bubbles, and rise up to the sky.
Wait a minute! She knew those bubbles anywhere.
Those were the same bubbles that turned her into a mermaid in Australia.
Her eyes widened in shock.
Holy hell, she was looking at what was possibly the world's largest moon pool in existence!
Charlotte...
Charlotte froze.
It might have been a while, but she knew that voice anywhere.
Marana.
"Who are you? No, scratch that. What do you want?" Charlotte yelled.
For a while, there was no reply.
For a moment, Charlotte thought she was safe until she heard haunting words.
Welcome home, Charlotte...
Charlotte's eyes popped open as she stood straight up in her bed, causing Thomas to raise his head up in alarm.
Charlotte felt herself sweating and she started to breathe heavy. She wrapped her arms around herself.
What did she just witness?
Obviously, it was a vision. But it didn't leave her anything. Another thing she would have to learn by Karen or by herself: the scale of her visions.
Why would Marana tell Charlotte to be welcomed home?
And most importantly, why the hell were her classmates there?
Charlotte thought about this for a moment and suddenly, her eyes widened.
No. Way.
Charlotte grabbed her phone and quickly started to dial the number she was looking for.
Of course, it made complete sense now!
As she put the phone to her ear and heard the phone ringing, someone picked up at the other end.
"Hello...?"
Obviously, she had been asleep.
"Hey, Alaine. It's Charlotte. Where and what time will the girls be meeting up this weekend?"
Alright. This is the end and I hope you enjoyed it.
I hope you all have your happy dances ready because the new trailer for Mako Mermaids Season 2 just came out! And guess what? Evie is indeed a mermaid!
YAAAAAYYYY!
By the way, if you want to know what the characters look like, go to my profile.
Also, from reader to author, what do you want to happen next?
Read and Review!