Chapter 4: Raping, murder and long-forgotten enemies...

Lewis' POV:
I woke up early in the morning. Cleo was still sleeping and I stared at her face. I smiled to myself. She was so beautiful. I reached and pulled something out of my jeans. I held it in my hand and all of a sudden I felt so nervous. Tonight was the big night. Tonight I was going to propose go the girl of my dreams. And although I new her answer would be positive, deep down in my heart I felt a bit frightened of the thought of another possible answer. I put the small box in the drawer of my nightstand, just in time. Seconds after that Cleo woke up. She opened her big, brown eyes, looking right into mine. God, I love her so much...!
- Good morning, sleepy head. - I smiled.
- Good morning. - she smiled to me too.
- I was going to make us some breakfast. What do you want to eat? - I asked her.
- I don't know, whatever.
- Ok. - I kissed her forehead and went into the kitchen.

Cleo's POV:
I yawned and stretched my hands, rolling on one side and smiling. I had the perfect boyfriend. I love Lewis so much, I don't know what I'd be doing without him. Besides he's always been a great help with my secret through all these ears. I closed my eyes and started falling asleep again, but woke up when I heard Lewis' voice next to me:
- The breakfast's ready, m'lady.
I giggled and slid out of the covers, giving him a kiss. We both walked in the kitchen and had a lovely breakfast. After that I had to go, because I had lectures in the morning, but Lewis was going to come to the university in the afternoon. I gave him a kiss and left our building, heading to the university. Once there I saw there were a lot of people again. I walked to the entrance, and when I opened the door I bumped into someone. I looked up to see who it was and froze. It was Ben. He travelled all over my body with his eyes and seeing the look in them I shivered. Fortunately he didn't notice. He only smirked and said:
- You must be the new chick. You should really watch where you're going...hottie.
When I heard the last world I shivered again. I started to walk away when he shouted after me:
- You won't be able to always run away from me. I always get what I want in the end! - and he walked away too.
I ran inside and to the room where I had my first lecture. I looked over the room and spotted a free seat not far away from the door. When I walked to sit there, I realized the girl next to me was Emily.
- Hi! - she cheered me.
- Hi. - I tried to smile at her.
- Are you ok? - she asked seeing the grimace on my face.
- Yes. I just bumped to that Ben guy at the door. He's creepy.
Suddenly Emily's face darkened and a hidden trace of fear ran through her eyes.
- Emily...are you ok? You look very pale.
- I...I just...I'm fine. - and before she could say anything else the professor entered the room.
When our first lecture was finally over, I turned to ask Emily if she could show me where we should be having lunch, but I saw she was no longer next to me. I turned around and spotted her running away of the room. I ran after her. She went to the bathroom and ran into one of the booths locking the door. After that I heard sniffs.
- Emily? - I carefully knocked on the door of her booth. - Emily are you ok?
- Go away! - she tried to shout at me, but her voice was shaking.
- Please let me in. - I said quietly.
To my utter surprise she did. When she opened the door I saw tears running down her face. I closed the door behind us.
- What is it? Please, talk to me. - I said.
I barely knew this girl, but I felt a connection with her. She reminded me of me three years go. I really wanted to help her and be her friend. She looked at me and said:
- Can you keep I secret?
I smiled and thought to myself that if I couldn't keep a secret I wouldn't be here.
- Of course, I can. - I answered her.
She took a deep breath.
- I haven't told anyone about this, but I'll tell you, because I don't want him to do the same to you.
I looked at Emily confused.
- Who are you talking about?
- Ben. - she whispered, this time the feat visible in his eyes.
- Ben? What about him? - I asked. I had a bad feeling about where this was going.
- He...he raped me. - Emily said.
I covered my mouth with my hands.
- Oh my god. - I whispered.
I gently hugged her and I felt she was hugging me back. When we released I asked her:
- Why didn't you tell anyone?
- Because I was scared. Besides... I don't think someone can stop him. His father's one of the sponsors of the university. He'll deny it and everyone will think I'm a slut...
I thought over her words. Then I remembered something Rikki told me a year ago: "You have some serious kick-butt superpowers!". Maybe I was the only one who could stop him. I was scared, but I knew I had to do it. For my friend. I smiled to Emily:
- Don't worry. I'll make sure he'll never hurt another girl again!
Her eyes went wide open:
- What? How?
- I have my ways. - and I put my hand on her shoulder. - Everything will be ok. - and I gave her a hug again. - Your secret's safe with me.
When we released from the hug, I helped her fix her ruined make up and we walked out of the bathrooms she looked a lot happier. I was glad she told me about Ben. Now I wouldn't let him get out with this...
The rest of day went fine. It even turned out Emily was my and Lewis' neighbor. On our way home we gave each other's phone numbers. It was a begging of a new friendship for me. An ordinary friendship that did not include a mermaid secret.

Bella's POV:
- Bella, are you ready? - I heard Ambrosia shouting from downstairs.
- Yes, coming! - I shouted back, grabbed my purse and walked out of the room.
When I walked downstairs and Ambia looked at me, she gave me a smile.
- You look lovely! - she said.
I was wearing a short orange dress and my hair was up in a ponytail. I gave her a smile back and we walked out of her flat.
- You seem an awful quite ever since you arrived here? Is something wrong? - Ambia asked me concerned while walking down the street.
- No, it's just I...I miss my friends. That's all.
- I know how you feel. I had two best friends, they were like my soul-sisters..I was devastated when I found out I had yo leave them and come to live here. It hurt so much...
- How did you cope?
She shrugged.
- I don't know exactly. I suppose with the time the pain was disappearing and one day only my love for them remained. - she turned to look at me and saw the tears in my eyes. She gave me a warming hug and added: - You don't have to come with me on my meeting if you don't want to.
- No, it's ok. I need something to take my mind off things with.
- Ok. But just know you can leave anytime you want if you feel like it.
- Thank you. - I nodded.
I was really thankful to her for her understanding. We walked a couple of minutes more and went into a beautiful cafe with a big yard. We walked towards one of the tables where a blond woman was drinking coffee alone. When we were there Ambia hugged her and the two smiled to each other. When Ambia introduced me to her friend her face didn't ring a bell. But when I heard her name I knew I was in big trouble.
- Bella, this is my best friend from childhood - Linda Denman. Linda, this is my younger cousin Bella.
I tried to smile, but in my mind was panicking. What should I do? This was the woman Rikki and Cleo told me that wanted to make them her guinea pigs and expose them to the world. How was I supposed to stay calm and pretend everything's fine?!
- So, Bella, Ambia told me you love the sea? - I heard Denman's voice.
I froze and turned to look at her trying to give her a fake smile.
- Well...yes, I love it.
- Well, we have a lot in common then. I'm a marine biologist. My job is to observe the life in the ocean.
- Oh? - I tried to sound surprised. - Isn't that boring sometimes?
- Well, actually it can be quite interesting sometimes.
Just then my phone started ringing. I took it out of my pocket. It was Cleo.
- Excuse me, I've got to answer this. - and I walked as far away of the table as possible. When I was at a safe distance I picked up. - Hello, Cleo?
- Bella, how are you? Sorry for not calling earlier, I had so much going on... - but I interrupted her.
- Cleo, I'm in big trouble. My cousin wanted to cheer me and brought me on her meeting with her best friend, but her best friend turned out to be the scientist you and Rikki told me about - Linda Denman! - I whispered.
- What? Bella you have to get out of there now!
- I can't. It'll look suspicious.
- Well, you'll think of something, but you have to be off her radar, or else she'll find out about your secret!
- Ok, I'll see what I can do! I'll call Rikki and let her know about Denman.
- No, I call her, you get out of there! - Cleo said.
- Ok, thanks, Cleo, bye!
- Bye and good luck, Bella! You're going to need it!
And we hung up. I went back to our table.
- I'm sorry about that.
- No problem, dear. - Ambrosia told me and turned to Denman. - She really misses her friends from Australia...
I'd do anything to make Ambia shut her mouth. The minute she said "Australia" Denman's eyes were pointed at me.
- You're from Australia? - she asked.
- No. - I shook my head, trying to calm myself down. - I'm from Ireland.
- Then how come you had friends from Australia? - she asked.
- It's a long story.
- I have time. - she answered.
- I...have to go. - I said standing up and leaving my cup if coffee. - We can talk some other time.
And I left the cafe. Once out I sighed. That was...close. That woman is so persistent. When she wanted something she didn't give up. I could definitely understand why Cleo and Rikki hated her so much...

Will's POV:
I was walking along the beach and thinking about yesterday and my little competition with Tim. What surprised him was that Tim had beaten him. But I didn't really care about that. There were bigger issues on my mind. Like for example what was I going to do with my whole life. When I was still at the Gold Coast I had friends and a girlfriend and I thought that was enough. But now being so far away and having the chance to think through everything I realized I might have feelings for someone else than my girlfriend. Someone I didn't expected. All I wanted now was more of life, I wanted freedom, I wanted to do what I love, I wanted to be able to fly like only the birds can. And being around that someone I have feelings for, always made me feel that way. Free. Careless. Flying into the sky. Before I wasn't sure if it was exactly the free diving what I wanted to do. I hated the competitions Sophie was making me take part into. But that one girl didn't say anything. She didn't try to talk me into quitting like Bella, she just let the things be and came to my last competition to show her support. I can't stop thinking about her, about her blue eyes, about her curly mess of hair, her soft skin, her fine body, her cherry lips... If I missed anyone from the Gold Coast it was her... Her smile, her laughter, her little sarcastic comments... Maybe that was the reason I got angry when Tim made that comment about her yesterday... Maybe I was just...a little bit jealous... Deep in my thoughts and staring beyond the waves while walking, I suddenly bumped into someone. I looked at the person and it turned our it was Tim. I did the impossible to keep myself from groaning. Right now I didn't want to talk to anybody, especially him. Thinking about her I had only one desire and it was starting to really drive me crazy... I remembered how once I told that one girl that I believed that when a leaf waves around you it means someone's thinking about you. I remember her smile about that and getting deep in her thoughts. I wanted to be able to just hold her in my hands and never let her go. But she was engaged and I had a girlfriend. We would never be and I had to forget her. But could I?...
- You should really watch where you're going. - I told Tim.
- Me? You're the one who's not watching at his feet. - he shot back.
- Look I'm sorry for yesterday. You were only asking questions and I shouldn't have been so angry.
- It's ok. Apology accepted. Hey I'm going to the pool. Up for another race?
- No, thanks, but no.
- The offer was there. I'll be there for an hour if you change your mind.
- Ok.
And we carried on our separate ways. I carried on thinking about Rikki and trying to gorget her... "Mission Impossible" would people say, and they'd be right...

Rikki's POV:
The first day in the dance academy went fine. I was really impressed of the teachers, almost as much as they were of me. The girls were very nice and I noticed some of the boys were staring at me. In the end of day I felt tired but at the same time strangely happy. I went out of the academy and on my way home I had a chance to admire the town. It was a really beautiful city. I was walking by some shops, my wandering around them, when I bumped into someone.
- You should watch where you're going! - I said bitterly.
I was shocked when I heard a familiar voice say:
- Rikki?
I looked at the girl in front of me.
- EMMA?
- I can't believe it!
We both hugged each other.
- What are you doing here?
- What are you doing here?
We asked each other simultaneously.
- I've been accepted to the dance academy here. - I said. - You?
- Still traveling with my parents. - she answered. - I can't believe it's really you! I missed you and Cleo so much!
- Oh my god. Cleo. She'll be so happy when she finds out we've met! - I said smiling.
- I was planning of going back to the Gold Coast next week to surprise you, you know.
- Really?! So sad you didn't do it a week ago, when we were all still there. It would've been perfect.
- Still there? What do you mean?
- Well, Lewis was accepted in a prestige american college and both him and Cleo are in America. Bella is in Japan, Will is in Hawaii and Zane's still managing Rikki's.
- Wow. Slow down. Bella? Will? Rikki's?
- Right. Sorry, I forgot how much I have to tell you. Let's go somewhere to drink something and I'll tell you everything?
- Sure, I'd love to. I've missed you so much!
- I've missed you too.
And we went to a small charming cafe down the street. We were drinking cappuccino, talking and laughing. I told Emma about everything she missed. I told her about Rikki's, about Will and Bella, about Sophie and Zane and the reason I broke up with him, then how he proposed me and I accepted... I've missed talking to her like that so much... When it was almost 22:30h I told Emma:
- Look, I'm sorry I have to go.
- Oh, but we're having such a good time.
- I know but my father told me to stay out 'till 23h and I want to find out what is he up to.
- I see. Well can I walk with you then?
- Sure, I'd love to!
We walked out of the cafe and towards my house. When we were there I heard some strange noise.
- Is everything ok inside. - Emma asked and I shrugged.
- I hope so.
That's when we heard it. A noise of gun echoed. Me and Emma both jumped and before Emma could stop me I ran inside. I opened the door of the house and ran in the direction of the noise. I entered the kitchen and saw my dad falling down, his chest covered in blood.
- Dad, no! - I shouted and ran to catch him, but he was too heavy and pulled me down with him. His eyes found mine and I saw tears were sparkling in his.
- I'm sorry Rikki! - he managed through the pain.
My eyes widened in terror and a tear rolled down my cheek as I watched his eyes close and one final breath escape from his mouth before his arm, that was on my shoulder, thudded to the floor, pulling down my necklace with it and his head leaned helplessly to one side. Pain spread all over my body and most of all in my heart, piercing it like a knife. My dad was dead. Murdered vigorously. I didn't know what to do, I didn't know what to feel. All I knew was that I wanted to avenge him. I wanted to punish the people who killed him. I wanted them to die. I wanted to kill them. I took my necklace and put it in my pocket. Then I gently kissed his cold forehead and said:
- I swear that I'll do anything to find those people and avenge you!
With that I stood and left the house without turning back. I left to run to life full of risks and danger. Life whose only goal was avenge. When I walked outside Emma was still there. She saw the blood on my shirt and my hands and her eyes widened.
- Rikki are you ok, what happened?
I looked at her, but I didn't cry. I wasn't weak.
- He's dead. - I told her.
Emma looked me, trying to make sense.
- He who?
- My dad.
She gasped covering her mouth with her hands.
- Oh, Rikki... - she pulled me in for a hug.
- Can I stay in your place for tonight?
- Of course!
- Let's go then. I want to get out of here. I'll come back for my things tomorrow.
She nodded and we went to her place. On the way there I was silent, but Emma felt my anger filling me all over. When we arrived she told me I had to sleep on the couch and I nodded. I put my phone on the table and crashed on it. I knew I couldn't sleep all night.

Emma's POV:
I was in the my room calling Zane. I loved Rikki and seeing her so angry scared me. After a few minutes of ringing, Zane finally picked up.
- Hello, Zane?
- Emma?
- Zane I have to tell you something important. It's about Rikki!
- What about her.
- Her father was killed.
- What? How is she?
- She's staying at my place.
- Wait, you're in Vienna?
- Yes. Look, I'm worried about her. She didn't cry or show any emotion at all, but filled herself with anger. I'm scared, Zane.
- I'm buying a ticket and I'm flying to Austria.
And before I could say another word he hung up.