A.N) Hi again! Here's the next chapter of my story! (Sooooooo sorry it took so long, I was on city camp!) There's also a song in this chapter ('Somebody to love' by Glee) sorry if the lyrics aren't that accurate, I might have changed a few words. Also, I noticed that no one's reviewed chapter 4. Is there something wrong with it? I would really appreciate it if someone could review! Enjoy!
Chapter 5
The next morning was quiet. Melanie swam cautiously into the room where the sharks were having breakfast. It was the same room where they had dinner but Don Lino had already finished breakfast and was not around. Neither was Fienberg. This time, Melanie had made the wiser decision of leaving Squash in her bedroom where he would be safe.
As she swam to her table, Melanie could feel the eyes of the sharks on her. Obviously her embarrassing performance last night had not left their memories.
She sat down, desperately wanting someone to end the awkward silence. Then, just as Melanie thought she should leave the room again, Luca spoke to her:
"Um…sorry about Don Fienberg last night" he said awkwardly. "He was just really drunk, that's all…"
"Oh, it's okay…" said Melanie wearily.
"Ya know, I don't like that Fienberg…very controlling and possessive he is…" muttered Lorenzo. "Yeah, he's only here to help the boss with runnin' the reef but he treats us as if we were grains of sand beneath his tailfin" said Luca.
"Why does Don Lino need help with running the reef?" asked Melanie curiously. "Well, he's still young, like you. He needs to get used to controlling of the whole mob" explained Luca.
"Feinberg is obviously taking advantage of the fact that he is young and inexperienced" mumbled Giuseppe.
"Is Fienberg really unkind to you?" asked Melanie, starting to feel sorry for the sharks around her. She had no idea that there would be problems like this, especially for a fierce mob of sharks.
"Oh he's mean all right" said Luca. "Ya know, he killed a shark once, when he got drunk…"
"Oh yeah… poor Benjamin… such a good shark, always did the right thing…" sighed Lorenzo, shaking his head sadly.
"That's awful!" said Melanie. What if this crazy shark killed her one day?
"That's not all" continued Luca. "He wants us to go hunting for fish every day now, in Southside Reef. Last month alone, twenty of our sharks were killed by motor boats. There's so many dangers between this hideout and the reef…"
"Why doesn't Don Lino kick him out then?" asked Melanie. "He would, but Fienberg threatens him so many times" said Luca.
"Yeah. Once I heard Fienberg say to Lino that if he ever challenges him, our whole mob will be slaughtered along with most of Southside Reef!" whispered Giuseppe in a worried tone.
Melanie gasped. "Somebody has to do something about this guy!" she said.
"Yeah!" said Lorenzo. "She has a point ya know. I mean, we can't go on like this forever…"
"Fienberg abuses and insults us whenever he gets the chance" said Giuseppe. "He tells us every day that we're stupid and worthless and that nobody likes us."
"Yeah, and thanks to him, nobody does like us" said Luca. "He's totally ruined the reputation of our mob. Three times this year I've tried to find myself a nice girl to settle down with and three times I've failed!"
"That's so sad…" sighed Melanie. "I'm sure there's somebody for you out there…you just need to find her…"
Then, a rather extraordinary thing happened. Luca and the sharks began to sing:
Lorenzo: Can…
Other sharks: Anybody… find me…somebody to…love
(Luca plays a rather sad tune on the piano)
Melanie: Ohhhh ohhh ohh
Each morning I get up I die a little
Can barely stand on my fins
Luca: Take a look in the mirror and cry "Lord what you're doing to me?"
Melanie: I spend all my years in believing you
But I just can't get no relief Lord
All: Somebody, ohh somebody
Can anybody find me…
Luca: Somebody to love
(The band of sharks with the instruments starts playing and joins in with Luca's piano)
Giuseppe: I work hard
Other sharks: (He works hard)
Giuseppe: Every day of my life
Melanie and Giuseppe: I work till I ache in my bones
Giuseppe: At the end
Other sharks: (At the end of the day)
Giuseppe: I take home my hard earned pay all on my own
Melanie: I get down on my knees
And I start to pray
Till the tears roll down my eyes
Lord…
All: Somebody
Ohh somebody
Can anybody find me…
Melanie: Somebody to love
Other sharks: (He works hard)
Giuseppe: ohh every day
Other sharks: (Every day)
Giuseppe: I try and I try and I try
Melanie: But everybody wants to pull me down
They say I'm goin' crazy
Luca: They say I've got a lot of water in my brain
Got no common sense
I've got nobody left to believe
Other sharks and Luca: (Yeah - yeah yeah yeah …)
The sharks and some killer whales start dancing around the room, while the band of sharks keep playing music and Luca keeps going on the piano.
Other sharks: (ooh oh Lord)
Luca: Somebody
Luca and Melanie: Ohh somebody
All: Can anybody find me
Melanie: Somebody to love
Other sharks: (ooh…Everybody…find me…someone to love…)
Lorenzo: Got no feel, I got no rhythm
I just keep losing my beat
Other sharks: (You just keep losing your beat)
Melanie: I'm okay, I'm alright
Other sharks: (She's alright, she's alright)
Melanie: Ain't gonna face no defeat
All: I just gotta get outta this prison cell
Some day I'm gonna be free Lord!
Other sharks+ Killer whales: (Find me somebody to love)
(Find me somebody to love)
(Find me somebody to love)
(Find me somebody to love)
(Find me somebody to love)
(Find me somebody to love)
(Find me somebody to love)
(Find me somebody to love)
(Love love love )
(Find me somebody to love)
(Find me somebody to love)
Killer whales: Somebody
Sharks: Somebody
Killer whales: Somebody
Sharks: Somebody
Killer whales: Somebody
Sharks: Somebody
Killer whales and sharks: Somebody
Find me somebody to love
All: Can anybody find me…
(Giuseppe and Lorenzo help Melanie to get up onto a table so she is above all the other sharks.)
Melanie: Somebody to…
Love…
The other sharks start dancing around the table singing:
(Find me, somebody to love…)
(Find me, somebody to love…)
Melanie: somebody find me…
Giuseppe: Find me…
Other sharks: (Somebody to love)
Melanie: Find me…
Other sharks: (Find me…)
Melanie: Somebody to…
Other sharks: (Somebody to…)
All: Love
…
At the end of the song, all the sharks looked at Melanie in admiration and applauded loudly.
"Wow, I had no idea you could sing so well!" said Luca. "How'd ya learn to sing like that?"
"I actually don't know" replied Melanie. "I guess it's because I used to write songs and sing whenever I got bored in the aquarium"
Just then, the door at the back of the room opened and Don Lino came in. The sharks suddenly became silent and went back to eating and mumbling amongst themselves.
"Hey boss" said Luca.
"Could I please talk to Melanie in private?" asked the Don.
"Sure, go on Melanie" said Luca, gently pushing Melanie forward.
"We'll talk in my office" said Don Lino, motioning for Melanie to follow him. Melanie suddenly felt terrified. Were the sharks not allowed to sing around here? Would she be in trouble for singing with them?
"Have I done something wrong?" she asked timidly.
"Of course not" replied Lino. "There's just a few things I wanna ask you"
They finally reached Lino's office and sat down.
"Okay." he said. "I was goin' past the dining room this morning and I overheard some of the things you were discussing with the other sharks."
Melanie looked at him nervously. "Y-yes…" she stammered.
He continued talking; "I noticed how well you seem to get along with them and I've decided to make you an offer."
"Yes sir?" said Melanie, curious to know what the offer might be.
"How would you like to join the main group of sharks with Luca, Giuseppe and Lorenzo?"
Melanie was astounded. "You mean you want me to work with the highest group of sharks in the whole cruise ship?" she asked. "I'm not sure if I'm really up to it. After all, I'm still new here"
"What do you mean?" asked Lino, "They seem to like you a lot more than most newcomers; I've never heard them sing like that."
"Besides", he added "You seem more intelligent than most new sharks. I've had to kick out most of the new sharks that come here because they've tried to kill one of our members."
"Well, if you really want me to, okay!" said Melanie hesitantly. After all, this new position might mean that she would be safer from mean sharks like Fienberg.
"Umm… that's all I wanted to say to you" said Don Lino rather awkwardly. "Thank you so much sir" said Melanie gratefully, as she swam out the door.
Lino watched her swim happily towards the corridors, accidentally bumping into a swordfish on her way there and knocking over a bowl of live shrimps which the swordfish was carrying. He couldn't help smiling as he watched her apologizing repeatedly to the swordfish, picking up the shrimps which were starting to escape. Melanie was crazy. She had stood up for a fish, something that no sane shark would ever do. But there was something about her…she was…different from other female sharks that he had met. She was also much more attractive… and beautiful…
Just then, Luca the octopus came in through the office door and swam up to Don Lino, interrupting his thoughts. "Oooh…" he said, playfully nudging the mob boss "Looks like you've finally found someone to settle with…"
Lino nudged Luca back. "Don't be stupid. I need more sharks in our team" he said, embarrassed and slightly annoyed at Luca seeing him like this.
But Luca knew that tone too well. It was quite obvious that the boss was trying to cover up his feelings for Melanie. So he just said: "Okay boss, whatever you say…" and swam out of the room, thrilled that this day has finally come.
A.N) I'll update as soon as I can! Again, sorry I took so long before!