Thanks for the nice reviews, CheddarFetta, H2OGirl101, CocoButters and It'llmake justin thinandaman. They really mean a lot! Here we go with the story:
Dyson's POV
Parking my motorboat on the middle of the ocean between Ooha'oma and Honolulu, I put my dark blue flippers, a swimming mask and a snorkel on and jumped into the sparkling, turquoise ocean. I took a deep breath and dove to the bottom that was deep under and smiled at the sight of colorful reefs and shells, along with many tropical fish and other aquatic animals.
Scuba diving was one of my favorite hobbies since I was seven. I've always used to run home from school so I could go diving, especially if the days were too hot to handle out of the water. May used to come with me too, but now that she's a mermaid I abandoned my hobby a bit to help her with her secret. Of course, sometimes we would still swim together, but it was not the same now.
Going through the reefs and underwater rocks, I noticed a small, pinkish-white shell with an unusual feature - it was shaped into a perfect and beautiful heart. Smiling, I took it into my hands with the intention of giving it to May. I knew she would like it since she liked cute things and she likes everything I give to her anyway.
I thought about leaving it in my boat, but decided to dive for a bit more and maybe find some more shells like that one to give to my girlfriend. I saw a little starfish and went to grab it to observe it for a bit, when I felt something pulling my flipper.
I froze.
What if it was a shark? I could end up as his lunch or dinner or breakfast or whatever sharks call their meal. It could be something else too - some giant hungry fish or something. But when I turned to look who it was, I brought smile back to my face.
May waved at me, smiling and pointing with her finger to the surface. I nodded and together we surfaced and I finally took that deep breath I wanted for a few seconds already. I've learned to hold my breath for a bit longer than people normally can, but I still couldn't hold it for a lot of time.
"I can hold my breath for four minutes", I said proudly; putting my snorkel down to hand around my neck.
May laughed. "I can forever."
"You're a mermaid." We both burst into laughter.
"Wanna go for a swim with me to Ooha'oma?" May asked.
I nodded and pointed my look to the uninhabited island that towered above the ocean a few miles further. I put the heart-shaped shell into my boat so May won't see it - it was meant to be a surprise for her - and glanced back at her. "I'm ready."
Watching her diving under, I took another deep breath, put a mask and snorkel on and dove after her. She took my hand and led me to the bottom, where we swam for four minutes and enjoyed the privacy we had - for once not disturbed by Melissa or Destiny. After four minutes have passed, we surfaced again for me to breathe some air and take another deep breath.
Going underwater for the second time, we decided to head for Ooha'oma. May took my hand in hers and squeezed it, then used her super-speed swimming to get us to the island in just a few minutes. Once there, we swam to the underwater entrance that led to the moon pool.
Just a few meters from the moon pool cave opening, I've lost all oxygen I breathed and suggested May with my hand that she takes me out above the surface as fast as she can. She approached me - smiling - and I thought she'll actually do what I've told her to, but instead she put my snorkel away and pulled me into a passionate kiss. With a kiss she also breathed some air into me, giving me enough oxygen to stay underwater for at least half a minute.
I couldn't help but grinning. Have I ever mentioned how good underwater kisses taste? You should definitely try it out.
Holding hands again, May and I swam into the moon pool and surfaced. I leaned onto its edge and began breathing heavily - even though May gave me enough air, swimming was really an exhausting thing to do.
I felt May's arms around me; her soft fingers gently touching my skin. "Are you okay?" her voice sounded worried when she asked that.
"Yes. I'm just a bit tired, that's all." I turned to her and tried to fake a smile. The truth is I was not feeling okay. I was exhausted - that speed-swimming killed me. I guess I was just not used to that.
May nodded. She smiled for a moment, but after couple of seconds her smile was replaced by a blank stare - it was that look May had when she forgot something. "Dyson, what time it is?"
"I dunno. Around noon. Why?"
May let out a slight sigh. "My cousins are coming today. They're staying at my place for a week. They're probably already here."
"Are they one of those cousins you wish you never had?" I asked; grinning. I knew she had two cousins - twins - that lived in Honolulu as well. They were a total pain in the ass - May's words, not mine. Those two were only obsessed with hot girls and parties and their mom was not a saint either.
May shook her head. "No, those better stay where they are. Those who are coming are my favorites - the Australians. Taylor - the older one - was already here for a few times, but Frankie - her younger brother - is here for the first time. I used to go to Sydney for every summer vacations ever since I was born, but this year I couldn't for obvious reasons. So they decided to come here instead."
I nodded. I wish I had cousins in Australia - I heard things are cheap there so they might buy some lab equipment for me there. My whole family is - unfortunately - at Hawaii. Only aunt Greta is in San Francisco, along with my sister who's there on college. If only I was fortunate to have a family all over the world... Ahh, how wonderful would that be. I could already imagine it - me in my own lab, wearing a white lab coat, the finest lab equipment and money surrounding me.
"I really need to go, Dyson. Want me to take you back to your boat, or you'll swim?" May's voice interrupted my thoughts.
"I'll go with you."
May's POV
Taking slow and quiet steps, I approached the kitchen door and froze. Inside I heard my parents' voices, along with the voices of two pretty familiar people. That proved they're here. I wanted to open the door and get all the kissing and hugging and squeezing over with, but there was something inside of me stopping me. I was always like that when around people I don't always hang out with - whether those are my family or some strangers, my body always reacted the same way.
Taking a deep breath, I gained some courage to open the door, only to see a short and thin, tanned woman hugging my mother - my cousin Taylor. Her long, curly, dark brown - blonde highlighted - hair was tied into a pony tail - a few curls were loosen up and framed her gorgeous, small face. Her small, dark eyes radiated with joy and excitement - I knew she was happy to be here. A short, red dress fit perfectly on her small body and white, high heeled sandals replaced the height she lacked. I gotta admit, I was a bit jealous at Taylor - she used to be a bit chubby, like me, and successfully lost weight. Me, on the other hand... Let's just say I have some trouble with it, but I believe one day I'll make it.
Next to her stood a tall and chubby fourteen-year old - also tanned and dark brown haired. That would be Taylor's younger brother, Frankie. Ever since I knew him, he was chubby and was damn proud of it. As he was getting older, he was getting taller and the chubbiness was almost invisible. On his torso was a blue T-shirt with a big soccer ball on the front. Red shorts were from around his waist almost to his knees and on his feet were dark blue Nike snickers.
Hearing the door open, Taylor turned to me and ran to me; pulling me into a tight hug I was barely able to breathe. "May! I haven't seen you for so long! Is everything fine?"
I sighed. "It is... I guess. How about you, Taylor?"
Taylor smiled. "Everything's okay. And I see you've lost some weight. Have you been exercising?"
I narrowed my eyes at her comment. I haven't been exercising at all - in fact, I was eating and being lazy more than ever. Maybe it was the swimming - I did that pretty often. "Nope. I... I swim a lot these days."
Taylor nodded as she let go of me, and turned to Frankie. "Why don't you say hello to May, Frankie?"
Frankie curved him small lips into a weak smile and waved at me. "Hey, May."
He and I were always a bit embarrassed when it came to greeting each other - and when it came to greeting in general. When we were kids, we always used to beat each other up, but now that we're almost adults, we learned that we can be quite good friends.
"Hey", I waved back.
Taylor and my dad took the luggage and headed towards the stairs with the intention to unpack in Taylor and Frankie's rooms as soon as possible. Following them, Frankie looked back at my mom and me.
"Aunt Marie, is it okay if I go swimming? I saw a beach just a few meters down from here", he said.
My mom nodded and smiled. "Sure it's okay. May will come with you too. She always goes to swim there with her friends. Isn't it right, May?"
I gulped. "R-right." Oh, noes! Trouble, trouble, trouble! I knew in an instant I couldn't make them make me go into the water. Frankie couldn't find out my secret.
-H2O-
I watched in awe as Frankie - wearing red swimming boxers - stormed out of the house with a blue towel and a plastic bag in his hands. The bag contained a mask, a snorkel and black flipper - Frankie's diving equipment. He adored swimming and diving and when I used to visit Australia, the two of us would spend hours and hours in the ocean. But this time on the situation was different and from now I had to be careful.
After a couple of unsuccessful tries to make him wait for me, I finally managed to catch up with him on the beach. Stepping onto the hot sand made me gasp - being so close to the ocean with a person who liked being wet was definitely one of the things not to do when you want to hide a secret that involves water.
Putting his towel down, Frankie sat on it and put on his mask. He took the snorkel and flippers into his hands and sat in the shoal, where he put on the flippers as well.
"Let's go together, May", he said, "Just like the good old times."
I shook my head. "I can't go, sorry. It's those days in the month." I neatly folded my towel and sat on it. Wow, I actually folded it neatly. I never do something neatly.
"Okay, then. See ya later." Setting the snorkel right, he instantly dived into the ocean in a similar way I do it. He dived out after a couple of seconds to set the mask - he probably set it wrong the first time and the water got in.
"Don't go too far, there are sharks around here", I warned him. Although he was pretty far away, I could see him nod before diving under again.
This thing about sharks was not a lie - there were plenty of species around there and those were pretty dangerous. Even I - a mermaid - had to be careful, especially around those that live on the back side of Ooha'oma - those are the most dangerous.
-H2O-
I laid on the couch in the living room; watching Charmed. It was the rerun of that episode when Leo became an elder and had to leave Piper. It was a pretty sad moment and I felt tears forming in my eyes; ready to run down my face. Frankie ran into the room and stood beside me, almost blocking my view on the TV. A smirk and a death glare ruined his normally happy face - something was up and he was not too happy about it. In his hands was a big glass of Coca Cola.
"What do you want?" I asked, uninterested. I didn't keep my eyes off the television, carefully observing Piper's teary face and the sadness her eyes radiated with. Oh, how much I wanted to cry, but I held my tears back because of Frankie - it would be embarrassing to cry in front of your cousin because of a TV show.
"Why did you lie to me, May?" Frankie asked. "Aunt Marie asked me if we had fun and I told you about you and those days in the month and guess what - it's a lie. You have no those days at the moment. I don't get it - you used to love swimming and scuba diving with me. What's really going on?"
I let out a sigh. Mom always got me in trouble. Always! "I can't tell you."
"Why? What's so big that you can't even tell me? I know, we had troubles in the past, but we're okay now. You can tell me everything."
"I don't think I can. You wouldn't understand."
"I would. What is it? Tell me." Frankie moved the Cola glass to his mouth, ready to drink it. He leaned it to make a contact with his lips, but he leaned it a bit too much and half of it spilled out; landing on my stomach.
My eyes goggled widely as I gulped and jumped off the bed; running upstairs in the direction of my room. Luckily for me, the room of mine was right across the stairs, which allowed me to quickly open the door and jump inside. I haven't even managed to close the door entirely before a bronze tail replaced my legs, making me collapse and slap my body against the hard floor. I groaned in pain as I hit my bare arms pretty hard -luckily all those scales protected the tail from hurting as much as the hands did.
At that exact moment, my mom got out the bathroom which was on the left of my room - meaning if she approached my room, she could see my tail since the door wasn't completely closed. I panicked - is she sees me, my life's over. I could never use my powers against her again without her knowing it was me.
"What was that sound, May?" she asked. I saw the door opening and instantly knew it was her trying to come in. I had to stop her from entering and seeing me.
I took a deep breath and leaned onto my hands, raising my tail to hit the door with my fin. The door slammed shut and I heard my mother jumping back for a step. "Leave me alone!"
"Fine", I heard her yelling and heading downstairs.
Rolling my eyes, a crawled to the closet and took one of my old T-shirts to dry myself off. I heard a knock on my door and speeded up my drying for a bit. "Whoever it is, do not come in!"
"It's me, May", I heard Frankie saying. "Look, I'm sorry I spilled Cola on you, but it was an accident. Really."
"It's okay. I'm not angry, just a little... Nervous about the whole thing. It's really hot outside and I'm usually nervous when it's too hot." Yeah, a really good lie. Just to inform you, I'm usually a much better liar.
"Okay. Since you don't want to swim, how about you sit on the beach and take care of the shells I dive out?"
I smiled. This could actually work out. "Sure. Do you mind if I ask some friends to come?"
"Not at all. Can they swim?"
"Nope."
I heard him snicker. "Okay, then they can be the shells' keepers as well."
-H2O-
I smiled at the sight of Dyson and Melissa approaching me. Both were dressed into their swimsuits - Melissa in her bikini and Dyson in his shorts - and they both had towels in their hands.
As they sat next to me, Dyson kissed me in the cheek and grinned. "So... Where's your cousin?" he asked in a mischievous voice.
I grinned. "He's gone scuba diving. I'm just the shells' keeper", I pointed to a small white bowl that stood next to me and contained a few shells, "Why?"
"Because then we can have some fun together. You know, you and me, on the beach." He put his arms around me and I leaned to him - getting a passionate kiss as a reward. He slowly laid down on the sand, with me laying on top of him. We were still kissing, but this time our hands were around each others' neck.
"Get a room", I heard Melissa groan and we instantly pulled back from each other.
Dyson smiled and put his hand into his pocket. "I have to give you something." Pulling his hand out, he revealed a small heart-shaped shell that hung on a brown string. "I found it in the sea yesterday and thought you might like it."
I smiled. "Have I already told you how much I adore you?" With that said, I kissed his lips.
He carefully put the shell around my neck. "You have, but I don't mind you repeating."
"Wanna go somewhere alone?"
"Sure."
We got up and took out towels, heading in the direction of the city, but Melissa stopped us with a question: "And what am I supposed to do?"
"Take care of Frankie's shells", I replied.
Melissa looked disappointed. "Alone?"
"Maybe he'll get out of the ocean to get some rest so you won't be alone."
She rolled her eyes. "How rude."
Dyson and I smiled at her statement as we left. This was gonna be a long day.
Melissa's POV
How dare May and Dyson leave me to go somewhere alone? After all we've been through, this is how they repay me. What was I supposed to do if something happens? Frankie doesn't even know me so he'll probably question me things.
Oh and that sly cat Destiny! Of all days, she just had to pick today to clean up the house. And why of all the people in the world, I ended up hanging out with idiots?
"You're Melissa, right?" someone's voice shook me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see a tall, chubby teenage boy smiling at me. It's probably Frankie.
"How did you know?" I asked.
His smile widened. "May showed me your picture. I'm Frankie, by the way." He stretched his hand for me to shake it; I wanted to, but seeing the water droplets on its surface, I backed away. Well, at least he sounded polite.
Frankie put some shells into the bowl and headed back to the ocean. He asked me to come with him, but I refused with an excuse that I suck at swimming - so he left alone. I wish I could go, but I kinda promised May I'll babysit Frankie's shells - actually, she kinda promised herself for me. Man, how I hated this.
-H2O-
After Frankie had left, I decided to use the chance of solitude to get some afternoon nap. So I laid there on my stomach, on my towel, with my eyes closed, trying to sleep - but the real reason I was doing it was because I was desperate to tan. I was really close to falling asleep, when I heard a distant noise - it sounded like a cry for help.
I instantly got up and looked around and what I saw frightened me - Frankie in the offing, yelling in fear and a grey fin circling around him. I gulped. A shark was swimming around Frankie and I had to do something about it!
Many weird and illogical thoughts crossed my mind and there was only one thing left to do. I looked around to make sure no one was there to see me and ran into the crystal blue ocean. Diving under, I watched as my tail appeared and used my super speed swimming ability to get to Frankie as soon as possible. Doubt was eating me inside, telling me I shouldn't do what I was intending to, but I just ignored its voice - there was a person in danger and I, as someone who can actually do something about it, was supposed to help. All those myths about mermaids being evil were wrong and I was a living proof of that.
Soon I found myself near Frankie and saw a giant grey shark surrounding him. I straightened my hand in front of me, cooling down the water temperature and the shark's blood. As soon as it felt the coldness, the shark had left in the direction of the greater oceans' deeps, leaving Frankie and me safe and sound. Frankie's legs stopped thrashing the water and I could tell he noticed the shark won't bug him again.
I swam behind Frankie and surfaced, careful enough not to expose my tail. I gently put my left hand around his stomach and sighed.
"Are you okay?" I asked in a concerned tone. Man, he really got me worried!
Instead of replying, he arched me with a puzzled glare. "Melissa? What are you doing here? I thought you can't swim."
"Close your eyes and shut up!" I ordered. I was not really in the mood to answer questions since the whole situation scared me and angered me both at the same time.
"Why?" So many questions. Gee, those men can really be a pain in the ass with having to know everything.
"Just do it!"
When he finally closed his eyes, I used my right hand to start swimming - with my left one holding him. Waving my tail, I speeded up to the shoal, where I left Frankie and quickly disappeared in the ocean, on my way to Ooha'oma. May was so going to get in trouble for this!
-H2O-
When I finally dried off in the moon pool's cave, I took the cell phone I left there a day before and went for a walk on the beach - let me tell you how much I was searching for that cell phone for the whole damn night before I remembered where I left it.
I called May and as soon as she picked up, I began my talk - oh, I had so many things to say to her. "Listen, May. This is the last damn time I'm doing you a favor. Next time you'll have to pay me or find someone else to babysit your cousins' shells!"
"What the hell happened?" May asked.
I rolled my eyes. "Nothing. He was only surrounded by a shark and I had to go save him. Not to mention he was pretty deep so I had to swim to him and make the shark go away with my power. And before you ask, no, I was being careful so I don't think he saw my tail and no, he did not see me using my power."
"So why are you calling me then?" May could be so stupid at times.
"Oh, I don't know, maybe to let you know I helped your cousin and that you try to cover it up in case he actually saw something."
I heard her cough. "Okay. Need anything else?"
I took a deep breath and tried to restrain myself from scolding her over the phone. Instead I hung up and sighed, balling my fists in anger. If I had Destiny's power, the whole ocean would probably be hot now.
-H2O-
That night Destiny and I decided to visit May. As soon as we entered the house, we heard Frankie talking about what happened with the shark and bragging me.
"It was incredible! She swam like a dolphin! She dove out behind me and somehow swam in some kind of super speed or something to the shoal. I still don't get it how she did it since she said she sucks at swimming, but that swimming... It was amazing! And did I say she swam like a dolphin? Screw that, she was even faster."
I shook my head in disbelief as Destiny eyed me. Yes, I did tell her about the whole thing on our way here, but she was still kinda shocked by everything - none of us expected Frankie to talk about it like that.
"Oh, really?" May asked in a sly voice.
Frankie nodded and exclaimed: "Melissa is the best swimmer ever! Even better than May and me, but since I learned to swim first, May comes second."
May eyed him. "What? I was four when I learned to swim, while you had those plastic duckies around your waist and arms until you were five!"
"That is so not true! I learned to swim at the age of three!"
"Oh, yeah? I learned it at the age of two!"
"I at one!"
"I when I wasn't even born yet!"
And there they started their little argument about who was the first to learn how to swim. Destiny, Mrs. and Mr. Seward, Taylor and I couldn't help but laugh, while Frankie and May didn't seem to give a damn about it.
"I can swim way better than you! You have to lie that you've got your period so you don't have to admit I'm better!"
"Oh, yeah? If you knew me any better, you'd know I'm one of the best swimmers on the planet!"
"Don't make me laugh!"
"Only jealous ones laugh at those who are better than them!"
"You are the one who started it!"
"Me? You said you learned to swim first, which is so not true!"
"It so is! I was first!"
"No, I was!"
"No, I!"
"I!"
"I!"
"I!"
"I!"
"I!"
"I!"
"WOULD YOU TWO SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY?" Taylor's shriek interrupted their argument. The arguing twosome looked at their cousin - and sister - as she pointed a death glare at them. "What's wrong with you two? Seriously, I thought you grew out of those 'who learned to swim first' fights. Can't you just drop it?"
"No, because Frankie won't admit the truth", May hissed under her breath; her eyes pointed towards Frankie, who eyed her back.
"May should learn that lying is not a good thing" he hissed at her as well.
"Enough!" Taylor cried as if she heard their mutters.
May's POV
The next morning I got up pretty early because Melissa, Destiny and I agreed to go for a morning swim. Last night's argument with Frankie really tired me and made me go to bed earlier than usual. How I hated him for being such a brat - yes, he was exactly six months younger than me, but that doesn't mean he has the right to act like a moron. The truth is that I learned to swim a year before he did - my mom can verify that since she was at the beach with me when that happened. Frankie's pride just doesn't allow him to accept the fact that his dorky cousin learned to swim at his place - in Australia - before he did.
After I brushed my teeth and got dressed, I headed outside with the intention of quickly running into the ocean before anyone can see me - especially Frankie. Who would expect him to be a person who stopped me just when I was about to open the front door.
"What are you hiding?" he asked me in a suspicious tone.
I frowned. "Nothing. Why?"
"You acted strange yesterday when I talked about Melissa swimming with me. And I think you know exactly how she managed to swim so fast."
"How the hell am I supposed to know that? She almost drowned when we were at the city pools during a school field trip two years ago so I kinda thought she can't swim."
"You're lying. I can feel it in your voice."
I turned on my heel to face him. "What makes you think that?"
"Just a hunch. It's okay to tell me, you know? I won't tell anyone whatever the hell you are hiding, but I would like to know about it."
"Not gonna happen."
"So you are hiding something?"
"Maybe. And maybe not."
"I don't like to play games, May."
"Then stay out of this!" And with that, I left the house and as fast as I could, I ran to the beach and dove under the ocean. Oh, how I needed that swim.
-H2O-
After a long swim, the girls and I decided to get out and have a lunch at noon at my place. Entering the house, we were greeted by Frankie, who lead us to the kitchen, saying I have to explain some things.
In the kitchen Taylor, mom and dad were eating their lunch and asking us to join, The girls and I did, while Frankie refused to eat - he said he had to say something instead.
"I saw you this morning, May", he said in a threatening tone as he eyed me. "You went into the ocean in your clothes and disappeared. I waited on the beach for you and went swimming to search for you, but I haven't found you. I thought you drowned and now you come here, all dry, like nothing had happened. What's going on?"
"Nothing!" I yelled as I took a bite of a fried sardine. Yummy, my favorite! Only Frankie was ruining it with his constant stubbornness.
"Liar. I saw you disappear. How do you explain that?"
"I went to another beach and got out." This sounded more like a question than a reply.
He smirked in disbelief. "And now you're dry."
"Well, I went to Melissa's and dried there."
"No, you did not. You have some sort of secret you keep."
"No, I don't."
"Yes, you do. And after some thinking, I figured out what it is. I know your secret."
I gasped. My eyes - along with Melissa and Destiny's - went wide opened as the three of us glanced at one another in shock. "You-you do?"
Frankie proudly nodded. "Yes. You could have told me earlier, you know. I wouldn't mind."
"I don't think so, Frankie. And you really don't have to say it in front of everyone."
"It's okay, it's nothing to be ashamed of. I personally think it's great that you have the powers to breathe underwater."
I looked up at him. "I have what?"
"The power to breathe underwater. I watch Heroes, you know. You have the same power Alex does."
"No, I don't. I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have any powers - especially not those from Heroes - even though they would come in handy at times. But I do think Alex's power is cool."
"You won't fool me with that. I know you're lying."
"I am not. Try holding my head under the water and you'll see I'll drown. I simply swam to another beach today for exercise purposes."
"In your clothes?"
"Yes, because when you wear clothes in water, your body feels heavier and you try harder to swim. I'm trying to lose weight so I need to try harder."
-H2O-
A week had passed quickly and Frankie and Taylor had to return to Sydney. We said goodbyes to each other - those with Taylor included long-lasted hugging and kissing cheeks. As their plane went off, I went to meet up with girls at the moon pool, where surprisingly they were having an argument whose power is better.
I rolled my eyes. This argument reminded me of the ones about swimming Frankie and I had. Oh, Frankie, I wonder when I'll see you again. I just hope it won't be too soon and that you'll forget all about the events you saw these days or else the girls and my lives are over. This week was pretty stressful for all - Melissa, Destiny and I - and I hope to find something fun to do and forget all about it. After all, mermaids are happy creatures and they have to have fun.
So, that was it. I don't really like this chapter, but this is all I've got. I would like to ask my readers to review again - for the next chapter I want there to be at least 33 reviews instead of 31 or there'll be no upload. But that doesn't mean you don't have to review. I would also like to hear what you like and didn't like, but please, no flames and/or harsh words. Just say 'I liked this, but didn't this' and stuff like that. Thanks!
Alyssa95, you probably noticed the episodes are a bit different than when I talked to you about them. I had to change them to make them a bit better, so don't think you're imagining things or something if you see something different.
The next chapter is mainly focused around Melissa. What will happen to her? Will she manage to handle things on her own? Find out in the next chapter.