Saturday, Atlantean Royal Palace

"Alright, girls! Draw a lot. Blue means swimming, and red means riding the airbus and sightseeing Atlantis from the air," the producer said. We were drawing lots according to alphabet.

Alexander went ahead and picked a blue one. Amelia drew a blue one. She turned around to flash her one million watt smile at the camera. Before she turn away, she gave me a little smirk. I know what it means. It means that she's gonna wear a bikini and try to seduce Cal. Not that I cared. I mean, of course I don't want her to be a queen. Who'd want Amelia? Unless you're a guy, of course. But I'm not jealous of her. Oh no. Not me.

"Aurelia. Aurelia!" Someone shouted my name. Ariana gave me a prod. I took a deep breath and drew a lot. Blue! Yippee! Oops. I'm not enthusiastic. I'm just glad I got my wish of swimming instead of the boring airbus. Not that I wanted to watch over Amelia.

After five minutes the ritual was finished. The red-lot girls went to get ready for touring. The blue lot girls were given the hour free. Amelia went out of the palace to get a manicure, pedicure, and God-knows-what. And maybe buy a bikini.

"Hey, Aurelia! Do you want to help me choose a bikini? I'll choose yours, too," Ariana said.

"I'll help you. But I've got no bikinis. Swimsuit'll do fine," I said.

"Hmm." Ariana looked me over. "Then you're in luck! Alexandra's promised to give you a full make-over. You'll have fun, I promise!"

I sighed. How's having waterproof make-up going to help me in swimming?

After an hour of applying waterproof mascara, lip balm, lip gloss, eyeliner, sunscreen, and God-knows-what else (Why do I need to style my hair, it'll get wet when I'm swimming! What? You mean we don't go to the beach to swim? We go there to suntan and play beachball? Great! I'm great with balls!) I'm ready for the trip to Atlantean's golden shores. It's even better than the pictures of the Mediterranean shores Cal showed me.

There is a limousine service, five people per car. I was with Cal, Amelia, Alexandra, and Ariana. Alexandra was chatting nonstop with Ariana about the rock industry, Amelia was preening herself, having last minute touches of lip gloss and blusher, Cal was reading a biography of Abraham Lincoln, and I'm typing this thing in my laptop.

"We're here, your highness and ladies." Pollo opened the door for us. We followed Cal out onto the sandy beach. A huge blanket was spread on the sand, with picnic baskets. Cal inhaled deeply and smiled.

I winked at him and mouthed, "Great food!"

Amelia immediately catwalked over to a beach chair, take out a pair of sunglasses from her tote bag, and lay under the sun in full glory. She's almost as tanned as me, the way she sunbathes. Alexandra began to sample the wine (she's an adult now), and Ariana decided to play ball.

"See ya later!" she waved. I waved back and settled down next to Cal. He was fully absorbed in his book.

"You want to go surfing?" I asked.

"No. I do not have a nice physique. I haven't even got a swimsuit." Cal mumbled.

"No swimsuit? But we're on the beach!" I cried.

"Hey, handsome," Amelia lilted. "You're a great man! Just wear your shorts."

At this, Cal blushed deeper than my red highlights.

"Lets' swim then. You can buy a swimsuit." I dragged Cal over to a tourist shop that's just opened, selected a royal blue suit, pushed him inside the Gents, and waited. Finally he came out, scrawny elbows and knees knocking together in the cool breeze.

I dragged him to borrow a surfboard. "I'll teach you how to surf, Cal. How to harness the wind, and ride the waves. I'll make a man out of you yet!" I quoted in Mulan's army crew's voice. Cal groaned.

"I haven't finished that book yet!" he said.

"Finish it later. We're gonna hit the waves. I jumped onto a surfboard and motioned for him to copy my moves. "Come on! It's easy. Just like skate-boarding, roller-blading, or ice-skating," I shouted.

"But I don't know how to do those! I don't even know how to ride a bike!" Cal protested.

"Just GO!" I said. Cal stood up wobbily on the surfboard as the waves tossed it back and forth.

"Hey! This is cool, man!" he cried, excited. I smiled. Then suddenly a giant wave came up and knocked him over. I expertly maneuvered around the wave.

"You OK, Cal?" I asked as I pulled him up onto his surfboard. He coughed as he used the board as a float.

"Been better," he said. I laughed at the sight of him sulking. Then suddenly the laugh caught in my throat. There was a fin sticking out of the waves, and it's heading for us!