Hey guys! For those of you seeing this: Yes, I rewrote this chapter! Newer readers shouldn't have to suffer from my tragic mistake. Thankfully, being as advanced as I am now, I could write this up to par with my more recent chapters later on. And it helps with your reviews and that I remember some of the dialogue!

But for those who are just now reading this chapter...

ENJOY!

Previously...

So tell me: Why oh why did I decide to agree to go camping with Alaine...on an island of all places?!

...

"'A picture is worth a thousand words, so what does this picture say about you'," Alaine read with a smile before opening the card and pulling out a picture.

...

"'Sometimes it's better to be alone than be with anyone else. There's no one else to tell you your pathetic better than yourself oxoxox Willow & Tessa!'"

...

"Shut it!" I exclaimed, "I know you too well by now. You'll try to brush it off like it's nothing and then when your alone, you'll cry your eyes out. So tell me what I can do to prevent that!"

...

"Speaking of islands, have you too decided where you're going?" my mom asked. She was skeptical about me going off somewhere completely foreign without adult supervision and she couldn't get there fast enough in case something went wrong, but she trusted us.

...

Alaine started to explain "We decided to go on the Channel Islands National Parks. We specifically picked Santa Rosa Island because it has great wildlife, beautiful scenery, hiking/backpacking trails, and a lot of fun stuff to do. We would go to the beach, but Char refuses to anything water-related."

...

"Your right. We are going to have a fantastic day with just you, and me. And NO psychotic, bitch of a mother!" She exclaimed.

"And no Rileys," I added, which was met with a series of giggles from Alaine that I joined in on.

...

"RILEY!" I yelled into the phone.

"Took you long enough. You know I'm surprised you didn't realize it was me. I thought you wouldn't forget the sound of my voice. I've hurt Charlotte," Riley replied, with a mock tone of hurt.

...

"Oh great," I said, and twenty seconds later, I'm on the restroom floor in my tail, "OUCH!"

...

I looked over my shoulder making sure that nobody was looking my way, then I jump off the pier and into the ocean.

...

That's when I heard the most frightening sound known to Man. A sound that stopped me in my tracks, or rather, fins.

A Dolphin!

...

I let out a laugh, who would have thought that, out in the middle of a kelp forest, I would be playing catch with a dolphin? After years of fearing the creatures, because 1,000 to 1 attack that killed my father. And now I've finally gotten over my fear.

...

I turn to see a dolphin doing backflips and tricks right in front of us. My dolphin.

"Looks like we made a friend!" Alaine said excitedly.

"Yeah, it looks like we did," I smiled.

On Santa Rosa Island...

Charlotte's POV

Alaine and I gathered our stuff as we met up with the ranger and walked 1.5 miles to the beach campground called Water Canyon.

"We have a variety of activities for you to enjoy," he said, "For those that I can see, there's backpacking, overnight camping, hiking, and photography. And for those interested in our more water-based activities, we have Swimming, Fishing, Diving, and Kayaking."

"And adding the fact that he's leading us to the beach must mean he's the instructor," Alaine whispered to me, "and a cute one at that too!"

Eyes widened, I got a good eyeful of the ranger, who looked to be in his mid-twenties, Caucasian, with a 5 o'clock shadow growing in the process.

And the fact that it looked like he was giving Alaine the "eyes" screamed out two paired of words.

The first: Jail-Bait

The second: Statutory-Rape

"Alaine, please remember your place in society and that you're still legally a minor. A fifteen-year-old minor, to be exact," I stated to her silently.

"Haha, very funny. You know, you need to loosen up a little bit. Show some skin. We're out camping, with consent from your mother of course, but still. Have fun for once!" Alaine said.

Oh yes, fun. Fun that has a really funny way of showing itself when it involves mermaids and self-destructing caves.

"Yeah, yeah. I can have fun. I'm just more for the nature-walking type of fun. What about you? You have been pretty hush-hush about your time here. What do you plan on doing?" I asked.

"Well Ms. Nature-Walk, I'm more on the aqua-based fun. Sure, I don't do fishing, but I can do swimming, kayaking, and more. Who knows? I might get the chance to test out my sea legs!" Alaine giggled.

"Didn't you get your turn on the boat?" I asked curiously.

"No, because my pig-headed best friend had me scared to death!" she exclaimed, bumping me in the shoulder. I laughed.

We continued our hike down the sandy trail as everyone chatted amongst themselves and took pictures of the landscape around them. I always found it funny how, between me and Al, she was more of the photogenic child while I was the more observant child.

Randy, the ranger- HA! Randy the Ranger- gave everyone a brief history lesson of the island: Native Americans called the Chumas that lived on the island during the European contact, the archeologists finding the remains of inhabitants 8-12 thousand years ago, the land grants and more before leading to becoming a nature preserve and all the good stuff I'm sure Lewis would love to get his hands on!

An hour later, we found ourselves at a beach. And, just as the artistic side of me opened up, gasped in amazement as I stared at the sandcastle-tanned sand and the cerulean sea as the waves washed up the shores.

Beautiful.

I was halfway tempted to take my sketchpad and color pencils, but Alaine grabbed me and directed me towards the beach as the ranger started talking again.

"Alright, now seeing as Fall is almost here, the tide tends to go higher due to climate change. And, once Fall hits, any remaining campers will have to go up the terrain to the campground. But for now, I heavily advise that you set your tents up the shore to avoid being soaked in the current," he said.

And that was fine with me. The moment we hit the beach, I knew for sure Alaine wanted another camping trip on the beach. It would kill her not to!

But what I was not fine with was sprouting a tail in the spot where I'm most likely to get drenched. I swear, sometimes it's like Alaine knows my secret and wants to see the proof before her very eyes.

Eventually, the group broke off and I and Alaine started to, at the Ranger's suggestion and my own's, set up the tent away from the beach near some logs and grassy areas.

"Hey Char, do you mind going down there and seeing how long it takes until the kayaking thing starts?" Alaine asked me. I gave her a look.

"Are you sure this isn't some twisted way of getting rid of me so you can finish the tent?" I asked teasingly, crossing my arms. If I knew anything about my friend, it was that she tends to reek the stench of being an over-achiever.

Alaine rolled her eyes. "Haha, don't worry. I won't finish without you. Now go!"

Shaking my head, I walked down the beach where I saw several other tents being put up and a bunch of red kayaks is being set up.

I regretted ever leaving Alaine alone because of this.

You see, right as I was walking back to the tent, I stood their, gobsmacked, as a multi-colored, floral tent stood up proudly with a happy-go-lucky Alaine standing in front of it triumphantly.

"Alaine!" I exclaimed.

Said girl burst out into laughter at the look on my face and it was extremely tempting to create a water-ball and throw it at her.

Extremely tempting.

"I thought you said you were going to wait for me!?" I yelled at her as she started to calm down.

"I did, and then I got bored and well, I timed myself to see how fast I could set it up and the next thing I knew, I did," Alaine explained, not able to wipe the smile off her face.

I gave her my best death glare and she started laughing again.

"Oh, come on. Admit it! It's less work for you to do!" Alaine exclaimed.

True, she had a point there.

"Besides the point, we were supposed to be doing this together," I stated.

"Well, that's more fun for us!" Alaine exclaimed happily, clapping her hands together. I put my head in my hands and sighed.

I swear, it's like dealing with a 6-year-old when it comes to her.

"So, anyway, what time does the kayaking start?" Alaine asked me before going into the tent. Meanwhile, I got my art supplies out and sat on a log before finding a clean page to sketch on and began drawing.

"He said it would start in about 15 minutes. Oh, and I told him that if he wanted you with him to 'keep an eye out on the eldest minor', he had to keep his hands above the equator if he didn't want the police on his case," I said casually.

I heard a shriek and smirked.

"You're EVIL!" she exclaimed from inside the tent.

"But you love me, so get over it!" I called back.

However, during this exchange, my eyes were on the beach, started with the background of the waves, and hoping to work my way off to the skyline before going on land.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps and looked up to see Alaine come out in two-piece swimwear. It was a sky-blue, off-the-shoulder bikini with a wide ruffle with matching briefs. This left her mid-section and her legs showing, leaving nothing to the imagination.

I was so burning that when we get home.

"Really?!" I asked, incredulous at that outfit. It was like she was determined to prove me wrong!

"What? You don't think I look cute?" she asked innocently.

"I think you look like a skank," I stated honestly.

She gave me a fake pout. "Well, I'm going to get my swimming time on while you get your art-thingy on."

"I thought you felt strange swimming at the beach?" I asked curiously. I remembered that group outing where the girl practically told me that she got strange vibes whenever she took a step in saltwater.

But Alaine just shrugged her shoulders. "I feel them, true, but they vary from time to time. Just like now."

And with that, I watched my dear friend rushed into the waves and dive in.

Shaking my head, I smiled and continued drawing out the landscape.

Oh, what would I give right now to prove her wrong and dive in after her? HA! I bet if she saw how fast I can swim, she'd think TWICE about boasting about her swimming abilities!

I took a deep breath and inhaled the salty sea. I looked up and witnessed Alaine swimming like a pro out in the water. And dare I say it, she looked like she belonged out there. As if...

As if she was at peace.

You know, I already learned the hard way that there's a whole lot more to being a mermaid than just having powers and a tail. And I learned to accept it as is.

But what sucks is when you're all alone for it. Suddenly, the sea is just too big for one mermaid to handle and you want someone to stand beside you to see it through, to explore all the mysteries the ocean has to offer.

But I had my chance and screwed it.

Perhaps if I didn't find myself interested in Lewis, then I wouldn't have set myself up to find out about Gracie and the rest of that ugly mess.

Huh. And the funny thing is: It all started when I wanted to cheer him up that day.

Flashback...

In Queensland...

I was walking along the beach, taking in the new sights around me.

With my mom owning a restaurant and being a chef, more often than so, she and I were moving a lot around Australia, wherever the opportunity took us. So when she decided to move us to Queensland, I wasn't so surprised.

It was a major city and a lot of customers would bring in a lot of service for her. And I was proud of my mom for that.

But the only thing I disliked was moving from school to school. At my old school, Rosewood Secondary College, I was started to get a few friends before I got pulled away. Of course, my mom would ask me about my school life before moving.

The last thing she wanted to do was separate me from a good school-life.

But I made my peace with it. Besides, it's rather refreshing to not have to wear uniforms all the time.

Eventually, I found myself walking along the beach when I saw a familiar head of blonde hair in front of me. Trying not to attract attention to myself yet startle him, I crept up close behind him and realized that it was Lewis.

Um, what was it? Lewis Martin? Lewis McDonald?... On Yeah! Lewis McCartney! I remembered him from school and when he saw my painting on the beach the other day. He usually seemed so happy with that crooked smile of his.

But now...

Now he looked so sad. His eyes were cast down and he just looked up ahead into the ocean. As if he lost something.

Or someone.

I remembered the first girl I met? Cleo, is it? Yes, Cleo was her name. The two seemed to be close. I wondered what had happened.

Seeing the depressed look on his face wasn't doing either of us any better. And then a light bulb went off inside me!

And just like the sprinklers had hit me on my first day of school, I had an idea.

Keeping my distance away from him yet keeping a good visual of his face, I quietly brought out my pencil and sketch paper and started drawing. The hair and facial features weren't that hard to do.

However, his eyes were a different story.

More than once, I had erased his eyes and started all over and started all over again, trying to convey all that aching sadness onto a sheet of paper.

The life of an artist is never easy. Especially to those unknowingly receiving self-portraits.

Finally, I was able to get his eyes right and rushed away as fast as I could.

I can't wait to give this to him!

Flashback ends...

Bring myself out of my musings, I looked up to see Alaine had disappeared. Startled, I looked around to see the kayaks were already in the water and recognized her two-piece amongst them.

And I smirked. Randy the Ranger was heeding my warning like a good, little boy. Shaking my head at the little joke I made, I looked down at my drawing...

And my eyes widened.

Did I draw this?

The drawing looked like it was a picture taken out of a camera. The Sun was radiating brightly due to the delicate coloring of yellow, white, orange, and red. The cerulean waves were extremely life-like, giving the seafoam a white, shiny complexion as if you could splash right into it. And the sand was warm and tan, making me feel as if I had walked off of one beach and on to another. And the main thing that caught my eye was Alaine. Her face was filled with joy and happiness that I couldn't help but smile for her as well. Surprisingly, her swimwear was different. Her top was looked a lot similar to my top when I'm in my other form. And as for the bottom...!

My eyes widened as I took a closer into the bottom-half Alaine's body in the picture.

No way! No...that couldn't be possible!

It just couldn't be!

Was...was that...?

Was that a tail?

By the time Alaine returned from her kayaking trip, I had returned from my nature hike with various pictures and drawings, not to mention trying to forget what I drew this afternoon.

It was starting to get late and sunset was forming.

Not that its everlasting beauty would ever get this afternoon's image out my head.

Seriously?! Out of all things to draw, I had to draw Alaine being a mermaid! Seriously!? What have I ever done to deserve that? What has she done? After what happened during that last over-night trip, putting Alaine in my position is more of a curse than it is a blessing at any time! Alaine would never become a mermaid! Not then! Not now! NOT EVER!

I barely made it with her the first time Marana nearly lured her into that moon pool. I'll be damned if that ever happened again!

"Hey, Busy Body," Alaine called, "see you're out of La La Land!"

I snorted. "Funny you say that, seeing as you left without telling me goodbye."

"Oh please! You were too wrapped into your little drawing to even hear me!" Alaine exclaimed, "besides, how was your little nature hike?"

"It was good. Between drawing the flora and taking pictures of the Fauna, I'd say I had enough to make a scrapbook when we get home," I stated.

And I wasn't wrong either.

Because I had a large amount of free time to myself- which I have never had since all the mess that became my life- I got loads of artistic details down and practiced my photography skills.

"So, how was your kayaking trip?" I asked teasingly. I didn't have to ask when I received a glare from my best friend.

"What the hell did say to him? I was just starting to get him interested and now he'll barely look at me!" she exclaimed.

I smiled triumphantly. "And that's the point! I promised my mom that no guys would try to attack us and I kept my word. He should know better than to be eyeing a minor. And I'm sorry, but all he was screaming was 'Jail-Bait'."

Seeing the logic behind my reasoning, Alaine gave out a small pout before going into the tent and changing into her nightclothes.

Meanwhile, I pulled out the cooler Mom packed for us and we began eating.

"So, will you show me some of your drawings?" Alaine asked.

I nodded. "Sure, but I'm warning you: I'm not as Picasso or Di Vinci either."

"That's okay. I'm more of a Pop Art fan anyways," she said.

"Really?"

Suddenly, a smirk fell on her face and I knew I had said something wrong.

"Draw me like one of your French girls, Jack," Alaine stated dramatically while trying to place herself in a sexy pose. Or what she thought was sexy.

...

After a moment of silence between us, we both didn't know how to respond to that.

But when I did...

... I ended up bursting with laughter, tears streaming down my face.

"D-d-did y-you j-j-just q-quote Titanic?!" I cracked up as she joined me and we laughed like there was no tomorrow. And considering that we had a long day, perhaps that was what we needed.

A good laugh.

3rd POV

Charlotte woke up that evening and looked at her phone.

12:15 a.m.

Smiling, she looked towards Alaine, who was sleeping safe and sound in her sleeping bag, before getting out of hers and sneaking out of the tent.

Looking around, she took off her clothes and neatly placed them on a log along with a towel. She didn't need Alaine to wake up and come back to see a search party looking at her.

Dressed in her underclothes, she looked up at the night sky and was amazed at the starry night she was having. She almost wished Alaine could join her.

Almost.

Taking a deep breath, Charlotte rushed into the sea, jumping into the waves before diving in.

Once she felt her tail her form, she zoomed off into the deep, twisting and twirling, spinning, performing various loop de loop and cycles, things she picked up while training with the Coves.

She was so glad she could finally burn off this desire to jump in the ocean like she's always felt while on land. True, she could have done it while Alaine was away, but she wasn't sure she was ready to risk exposure in broad daylight.

This wasn't Queensland where diving into the ocean was common and people would turn a blind eye to it.

No.

This was an island, a Nature Preserve in fact, where everyone had an eye watching them from somewhere.

But Charlotte was content with swimming until morning. How did that Peter Pan line go?

"Second star to the right and straight on 'til morning."

Oh yes, Charlotte would do just that until she had to swim back to shore!

If anything, she's willing to admit that this trip has had some unexpected yet bright outcomes since agreeing to come to Santa Rosa.

For starters: She's faced her fear of dolphins!

After years of fear, and her sad mistake back with Ronnie the Dolphin, she could now finally move on to being a real mermaid!

Name one mermaid that was scared of dolphins? Well, there are officially none now! Charlotte was free from that dreadful curse and nothing was holding her back!

Perhaps she has Alaine to thank for this. After all, it was her idea to come here in the first place. She deserved the credit!

And her secondary outcome was getting close to said girl and receiving a break they both heavily needed. Just time away from the real world.

Just time not to think about their problems.

Right then and there, they just needed each other.

With that happy thought in her head, Charlotte swam at speeds she'd never attempted before, going so far out only she knew how to return home.

But for now, she was at peace.

For now, she was happy.

Thank You, Alaine.