Thanks to these awesome people for reviews:
CheddarFetta
Jniems
H2O4ever
I also owe a big thanks to H2O4ever for giving me tips about writing swimming scenes.
Ready for the new chapter? Let's start with it now, shall we?
Melissa's POV
As the bell rang to mark the end of class, the girls and I quickly packed our stuff and ran out to freedom. We wanted to wait for Dyson, but he called May to say he has to stay at school for a little longer, to help his teacher with something in the library.
I couldn't wait to throw my bag in the corner of my room and jump into the sparkling ocean. Swim is one of the things I needed the most that day. It was almost 40°C and normal people were at the beach or in their houses, enjoying the feeling of coldness in their own homes.
While walking home, I caught a glimpse of Destiny rolling her eyes while observing her surroundings - I could easily tell she was annoyed by the hotness of the day. While she walked, she kicked some rock with her foot just to stop thinking of how bored she was - I know because she always did that in moments like this. Her face expression continuously changed from annoyed to bored and her face looked like it held a secret of how not to look hot on a hot day. For a mermaid with heating powers, she sure didn't look hot.
I, on the other hand, looked like I spent a week floating near the Sun. I was sweating like crazy and my skin looked so red one would think I got thrown in the hot water. My short clothes - shortest I could find in the closet - was all wet and I probably smelled funny. I was looking forward to the swim and there was nothing to ruin that joy to me. So I thought.
As the girls and I reached the park, I was finally able to sigh in relief as the tall trees towered above us and protected us from the sunlight with its shadows. I heard some people laugh and I immediately recognized those voices - those laughters could never go unnoticed. Illene and Therese laughed at the top of their lungs and hugged some short guy, who laughed along. For some reason that guy looked awfully familiar - that gelled dirty blonde hair, dark eyes and tanned skin seemed so known to me.
As soon as she saw that guy, May's legs stopped moving and she stood still like some old statue. Her eyes were focused on that blondie; her frown as she eyed him soon turned into a look of inconvenience and disgust. I noticed her gulp and take a deep breath, after which she almost unnoticingly shook her head.
"What's wrong, May?" I asked in a concerned tone.
"Nothing", she replied. She blinked for a few times, before taking another deep breath and heading to the pier that stood just a few meters away from the park.
"But May-"
She cut me off. "I don't want to talk about it!" And with that, she jumped off the pier into the ocean, disappearing in its depths.
What's with her? I wondered as I turned to Destiny, whose look was also focused on that blondie. At the time I didn't get it - I mean, why would the two of them be so obsessed with that guy? Who was he anyway? - but soon enough I was introduced to the whole thing.
"Don't you know who that is?" Destiny asked; her voice serious.
I shook my head. "I have no idea. All I know is that something about him made May switch to her angry mode and that you're on your way to that mode too. What's going on?"
"I'm surprised you don't remember him." She paused for a moment. "It's Luke Olsen. Sounds familiar?"
My eyes widened. "The Luke Olsen?"
"Yup. How could you forget about him? After all, he was a dream of every girl at school, including you in fifth and May in the fourth grade."
I swallowed. Luke Olsen. The very sound of that name gave me chills. That guy was the first person I actually liked in Honolulu - when I moved here in fifth and noticed him in my class, I instantly fell in love. Big mistake. He used my feelings toward him in his advantage. He thought that just because I cared about him, I should take his insults and not fight back. Yes, he was a bully. He used to bully me, calling me a cow, stupid, bitch and many other nicknames I don't even wanna bring up. He was friends with Illene and Therese and that threesome were the most popular kids at school. They thought that the whole world was their belonging and that they could do whatever the hell they want to whoever they want. Unpopular kids were their victims. May - like me - was one of them too. Destiny wasn't because she knew how to stand up. I'm just sorry I wasn't as strong as her.
At least I was able to live with it. Listening to their - mostly his - insults every day kinda got me used to it so I didn't even bother anymore. But May did bother. She might seem tough and strong, but the truth is - she's easily hurt. She's very open-minded while with her friends, but at places like school - places with lots of people - she's quiet and tends not to mind any other business but her own. That attracted his attention - he thought that because she was nice and quiet he can do whatever he wants to her.
I remember one time were at math and all the tables were set in the circle. He sat right across May, Des and me. He said something funny and we laughed. Can you imagine what he did after that? He mocked May's smile in a funny way, making the whole class laugh. I could see she was at the edge of tears, but she reluctantly laughed along. That very same night May's mom called and said May's being very violent to her - not in a physical way, but a psychical one - and asked if I maybe knew if something happened at school. I declined everything - not because I didn't want to tell, but because May asked me not to. I guess that was her way of dealing with anger - yelling at her parents. And a few days later he said - also when she smiled - that his dog smiles like that.
I don't even have to mention how many times he called her fat and me anorexic. Just because she's a bit chubby and I'm skinny doesn't make us fat or anorexic. I don't know about her, but I was at the edge of the suicide because he called me that every damn day. She seemed depressed too. I can't believe I felt something other than disgust for him and that almost all the girls at school dreamed about him. How stupid I was.
"Let's go, Melissa." Destiny's voice shook me out of my thoughts, as she grabbed my hand and continued her way. I followed.
"Why's he here?" I asked.
Destiny shrugged. "I don't know. All I know is that in sixth grade he moved at the opposite part of the city because his mother got a job there. Maybe he returned to visit his old friends, Illene and Therese. They always seemed awfully close."
May's POV
While I sped up in crystal sea depths, I couldn't keep the image of Luke Olsen out of my head. His appearance didn't change much since I last saw him two - almost three - years ago. He was still that blonde-haired, tanned jerk. He only got a bit taller, but was still shorter than me. Even in the distance, I noticed his happy eyes radiating with evilness - they always had a dark vibe and I was always the first person to feel it. What he did to me I'll never forget. The fear of coming to school will never get out of my head. I used to like school and him in fourth grade - which was before he became a moron. In fifth grade everything changed - from mostly nice guy, he turned into an all-time bully.
I was the first on his list of victims; Melissa coming second. When he called me fat for about a month I started to have suicidal thoughts. To get rid of those thoughts I told the teacher and when she asked him why he did that, can you guess what he replied? He was bored. Therese accompanied him too in those insults and her answer at the question why was that if he could do it, why couldn't she too.
I passed a colorful, weird-looking fish and swam into a school of small, blue fishes that peacefully swam around me - it looked like they danced in my environment. In not so far distance, I noticed a dolphin swimming and decided to join him. After all, we were kind of a same kind and maybe he could make me feel a bit better. As I approached him, he allowed me to put my hand on his back fin and together we swam in the distance. I was right - the dolphin really did make me feel better. I just wish he had the power to erase memories that deserved to be erased.
-H2O-
Later that day, Dyson and I went for a walk in the park. He knew what was going on since Mel and Des texted him and kept asking me if I was alright, even though I told him for about hundred times that I was. He knew I was bullied by Luke since he was in our class too and funny thing is he'd done nothing to stop it because Luke bullied him as well. He did stand up to him for a few times, but it ended up bad - he came home with a black eye once. That's actually when he told Luke to back off when he called me stupid for dropping a paper out of my hands. Dyson isn't a type of person who likes to fight - hell, I've never even seen him get angry - but that day he finally managed to find some courage to tell the Olsen boy back and Luke - with his ego hurt - hit him, giving him a bruise around his eye. Of course he didn't tell anyone about it - at home he said that he got hit with a soccer ball and at school that he and his sister had one of their 'fights'.
Being around Dyson, I managed to get Luke out of my head, but the image of him came back as Dyson and I somehow found ourselves in his surroundings. He sat on the bench under a tree, with Illene sitting on his left and Therese on his right. All three of them were laughing at something stupid he said and as soon as they noticed us, their smiles widened - especially Luke's.
"Look who we have here", he said as he got up and eyes me. "Ms. Goody two-shoes and Mr. Nerd."
"What do you want, Luke?" Dyson asked. I instantly squeezed his hand without any intention to let go.
Luke went to approach us and Dyson took a step further to protect me. "So it's true then. You two really are going out."
"What's that got to do with you?" I noticed a piece of rage in Dyson's voice. He really seemed angry at him and worried about me.
Luke cynically smiled. "Oh, nothing. I just... Never pictured you two together. I mean, look at her. Who'd wanna be with someone who looks like her? No cool hairstyle, no makeup. She looks like a lesbo."
"Don't call her that!" Dyson hissed.
"Relax, Dyson. It's okay. I'm perfectly aware that some people can't face the truth. You're just listening to your... Heart. Why don't you listen to your brain and dump her? She ain't worth your time."
"And who are you to judge that?"
"A ladies-man. I know all about woman and I can tell you, this one that's holding your hand isn't worth being with you. Not that I like you or something, this is just a friendly advice." He turned to me. "And I see you're still mute after all these years. Must feel good to have someone to speak for you."
At this comment I couldn't just shut up. I was sick and tired of him talking bad about me and it wasn't Dyson's job to speak for me - he was my boyfriend, but still it didn't feel right that he gets in trouble for me.
"Sorry, I'm not John Edwards; I don't speak to the dead", I said in a serious tone.
Luke's laughter turned into a look of anger - I guess his ego shrinked with my comment. "Tough now, are we?"
"You don't want to mess with me."
"Or?"
I raised my hand for a bit. "You could get in serious trouble."
He - along with Illene and Therese - burst into laughter at my words. Dyson noticed I raised my hand and tried to talk me into putting it back down, but I refused. If Luke wanted a fight, he'd get it.
"You're just letting this, Dyson? You're letting her speak to me like that?" Luke eyed Dyson, who rolled his eyes at him. "Fine, if that's what you want. But I'm telling you, this ain't end up good."
He started walking towards us and Dyson made me take a step back. Luke was going at Dyson - I could see it in his eyes. He wanted to hurt him for not defending him from me. I looked around in panic, trying to find something with water in it to use it. I caught a glance of a red hydrant that stood right at the edge of the canal and eyed it with darkness in my eyes. I began twisting my hand, making its valve shake. As my hand-twisting hurried up, the valve shook so hard it eventually flew off as the water from the hydrant exploded out. A strong drift of water hit Luke, throwing him into the canal. I could hear him crying out in shock as his body hit the ocean surface and sank under.
Illene and Therese ran to the edge to see if Luke was alright, while Dyson hugged me and held me tight. I put my arms around him as well and as I leaned my head onto his chest, I felt my lips curving into a smile - a smirk, actually. Luke finally got what he asked for all these years, but still... To me it didn't felt right. It was still not enough; I needed more of this revenge and I was gonna get it.
-H2O-
I didn't go to school the next day. I faked sickness to be allowed to stay home because after seeing Luke I didn't really feel like going to school. What if I see him on my way there or maybe even there? What if he moved back here and started going to my school?
It was two o'clock that day and I laid on the couch in the living room, watching my Heroes DVD. That TV show featured people with superpowers - some saving the world, some destroying it, some taking over it. I could relate to many of the characters. My definitely fav one was the bad guy - Sylar. Yes, he was the one I could relate to the most. Just watching him cutting and slicing open his victims' heads made me smile and wonder how great it would be if I was able to do that. I watched as the blood dripped down one person he just killed and narrowed my eyes. Wait, blood? It was basically water, right? So I would be able to control it.
That just gave me an idea. I turned off the TV and headed outside; smiling as I had a new idea in my mind. I've finally found a way to get my revenge on Luke and I couldn't wait to make it true. I wanted to find him and proudly announce him that now it's my time to shine and there was nothing someone could do to stop me.
But as soon as I reached for the door handle, the door suddenly opened and two female figures burst into the house - Melissa and Destiny. They both had concerned looks on their faces and I could see the sadness in their eyes as they eyed me.
"Are you alright?" Melissa asked as she took my hand.
I pulled it back. I didn't want to be touched. "I'm fine", I replied coldly.
"Dyson told us everything. We were so worried", Destiny said.
"He did, didn't he?" I rolled my eyes - did he have to tell them everything?
"Did you really have to use your power? What if he finds out our secret?" Melissa pointed out.
I rolled my eyes once again. "It's my problem what I do with my power!"
"This is our secret too! We too have powers", Destiny said.
"If you had any intelligence, you'd use them sometimes", I backfired.
"You can't just wander around with your power like it's something normal and ordinary", Melissa said.
"Well to me it is normal!"
"Not to people who aren't mermaids!" Melissa yelled.
Ignoring her comment, I was about to get out of the house, but Destiny blocked my way. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Trying to finally bring some justice to this world!"
"Oh, no, you're not!" Melissa stood next to Destiny.
"And who's gonna stop me? You?" I darted her with a cold look.
"If I have to", Melissa replied.
With one more eyes' roll, I said: "Just stay out of my way" and with that I broke in between them and ran to the beach, where I dove under the ocean's blueness. Now it was my time to shine.
Melissa's POV
I couldn't believe May acted that way to Destiny and me. We we're her friends and only wanted best for her and how did she repay us? By being a meanie and a psycho.
After she went into the ocean, Destiny wanted us to go after her, but I refused since I knew it was hopeless. May probably thought of that and swam in the direction other than Ooha'oma's or any other familiar ones. After a couple of minutes of thinking what we could do, I finally thought up an idea.
"Let's visit my grandma", I suggested.
Destiny gave me a skeptic look. "What does your grandma have to do with anything?"
"Well she and her friends used to be mermaids and I'm not really sure they were angels."
"I see what you're getting at and I think you're right. Let's give it a shot."
-H2O-
"So she was bullied and now wants revenge?" grandma questioned just as Destiny and I explained the whole situation to her.
Destiny nodded. "We have no idea what to do. She might seriously hurt someone; maybe even kill. I mean, he's only staying here for a week due to his suspension from school and he'll go away by the time his suspension expires. She doesn't have to kill him."
Grandma just nodded in understanding, while I eyed her sadly. "Is there a way to stop her?"
"Yes and no."
"What do you mean?" At my question grandma smiled. I the history-lessons part was coming up.
Rose's POV
As soon as I heard these girls' problem, I instantly remembered some situations from my youth. In my mermaid days, I used to do stupid things - not just me, Kate and Jessica too - and some of those things were so stupid one would maybe thing I was some wacko. But one situation was curved in my memory and will never be erased - it was something that happened just a month before Kate and I lost our powers.
"Let me tell you a story, girls", I said and began replaying that moment I lost my friend forever.
Smiling and laughing, Kate and I headed to Jessica's to ask our friend to go for a swim together. Jessica lived into a small house near the marina, that looked like it will fall apart every second. She was in a bad money situation - she was very poor to be exact - and with her mother not employed and father being dead before she was even born, Jessica had a very hard time growing up. But she managed to find happiness with us - her friends - and the mermaid thing only made us bind closer.
I was just about to knock onto the door, when I heard two voices screaming at each other at the top of their lungs. Worried, Kate and I went over to the window and looked inside, where we saw Jessica and her mother facing each other and arguing. Jessica's mother was a bit crazy - literally - and it was well know to the almost whole city that she needed psychiatrical help. She was one of the reasons Jessica hated to be home - in fact, she even slept in the moon pool's cave sometimes. Jessica's mother also had trouble with alcohol. She was an alcoholic and in her drunken state she would become very violent - much more than usual - and would sometimes even hit Jessica.
I gulped as Jessica's mother slapped Jessica so hard she almost fell to the ground. But knowing Jessica, it wouldn't end at that. She got up and hit her mom back, only few times harder and making her fall onto the floor.
"You think you're better than me? Well, you're not! I'm so embarrassed to have someone like you as a mother! What have I ever done to deserve a parent like you?" she shrieked.
Her mom just laughed. "And what have I done to have a child like you? Look at you! You have those amazing powers and yet refuse to go public so we can actually earn some money for the living!"
I froze. Her mother knew about the powers? Did she know about the mermaid thing too? Kate gave me a confused glare and I retaliated. I had no idea what was going on there, all I knew is that it was one of their usual fights.
"I ain't exposing myself for the money! Do you have any idea what government would do to me? They'd lock me up, saying I was a threat - a terrorist! Do you really want that? Do you want your daughter to be locked up like an animal?" Jessica yelled.
"If that means getting money, then yes!" Her mom replied, "In that case I want my daughter to be locked up like an animal. At least I'd be able to survive."
I noticed Jessica forming a look of disappointment and her eyes widening in shock. I can swear I saw tears running down her cheeks - she was usually good with hiding those, but she probably didn't even bother anymore. She hissed: "Fine, if that's what you want" and raised her hand. Her mother smiled, but as soon as Jessica's hand twisted, she put a hand over her heart and widened her eyes in pain.
Knowing what she was up to, Kate and I ran into the house and begged her to stop, but she just wouldn't listen. She said that her mother needed to pay for what she's said and there was nothing Kate and I could do to stop our friend from hurting her mother.
In just a few seconds, Jessica's mother collapsed onto the ground. Kate went over to her to check her pulse and as soon as I saw Kate's skin turning pale, I knew what was going on. That woman - Jessica's mother - was dead. Not alive. Non-existent. Just dead. A piece of old, lifeless flesh that lied on the wooden floor. Jessica just stared coldly at her mother's body; her tears dried off and she didn't even bother to show at least a tiny bit of emotion.
"Finally", Jessica muttered.
"Your mom's dead, Jessica. You killed her!" Kate yelled. "At least show some respect!"
"Maybe it's better this way", Jessica replied coolly
She ran past me - outside - and headed to the dock. Kate and I followed her. I was in tears and Kate was angry. How could Jessica act like that? It was her mother that she killed just a few minutes ago. Her own mother!
"Jessica, stop! Where're you going?" Kate asked.
"To the freedom", she said.
"What do you mean, to the freedom?" Kate rolled her eyes as Jessica didn't respond. "Jessica, what're you doing?"
"Something you're not" was her simple reply.
"We just want to help you", I spoke through my sobs and tears.
"Then leave me alone." She glanced at us one last time, before she jumped into the ocean.
I was about to go after her, but Kate grabbed my hand. "Maybe she should be alone for a few hours. Just to clear her thoughts."
"But we've never seen her again", I finished my story. I felt a few tears running down my cheeks and quickly wiped them away. I didn't want to upset those girls more than they already were.
"So what's you're saying is to leave May alone and not to disturb her?" Destiny was obviously confused by my story.
I shook my head. "You should go stop her, but don't ever let her be alone for a few hours or else she will never come back. She's your friend, have understanding for her. Don't judge her. Help her. Be there for her. If she wants to use her powers for revenge, then fine. But don't let her actually kill someone."
Nodding in understanding, Melissa and Destiny left my apartment. I glanced at the picture of three young girls that stood on my cupboard and took it into my hands, holding it close to my heart. You will always be in my heart, Jessica. Both you and Kate. I will never forget you two. Every night I pray that you're alright.
May's POV
Walking through the park I faced Luke as he headed to my direction. As always, he wore a cynical smile on his face. He laughed at me for no apparent reason, while I just narrowed my eyes and looked at him with a look full of coldness.
"What brings you here, Ms. Goody two-shoes?" he asked. His question must've been hysterical to him since he almost fell down to the ground laughing.
"There's just... Something I need to do", I replied.
"And what would that be?"
"Something that involves you."
"Oh, really? You finally came to your senses and decided to accept that I'm more superior than you'll ever be."
"It's quite the opposite, actually."
"And how's that?"
"You have no right to treat me like I worth less than you. Who do you think you are, anyway? The king of the world? You're giving yourself much more credit than you deserve."
Luke laughed. "And you're better than me?"
"Who are you to judge me?" I asked sharply.
"Listen, missy, I have smarter stuff to do than listen to your cheesy speech so just disappear", he ordered. "I don't want you in front of my eyes."
"You're the one who'll disappear", I spoke harshly and reached out my hand. I began twisting it, with the intention of controlling Luke's blood. And I managed to get the control over it. I smirked as I felt his blood move along my hand twists; it felt so good to have control over someone who thought he had control over me. Not it's me who has the power to fight, to stand up to someone like him.
Luke brought his hands to where his heart was and glanced at me - for the very first time in my whole life I saw fear in his eyes. Fear of me. I heard female voices calling me from behind, but I just didn't care. All I cared for was to get what I wanted - revenge - and there was nothing and no one that could stop me. Not even my best friends.
"It's enough, May", Melissa said. "I think he's got it."
"He learned his lesson", Destiny agreed.
I just ignored their comments and twisted my hand until Luke's eyes peacefully closed and his body collapsed to the hard ground's face. Still smirking, I put my hand down and headed towards Melissa and Destiny. Passing over them, I coldly said: "Call an ambulance for him" and with that, I jumped into the canal and became one with the ocean.
Now that I've got what I wanted, there was no more fear coming from me. The bulling years were gone forever and I've sworn to myself to never let someone think they're better than me. Luke did and he didn't end up well. I myself don't think that violence is the answer, but if that's the only way to get rid of fears - why not?
This chapter is dedicated to all bulling victims. Remember, there's still hope of living a happy life! Learn to stand up.
This bully - Luke Olsen - is based on a real-life bully that used to bully my friend and me. He was from our class and we were... Just his fragile girls he thought he could do whatever the hell he wanted to. He thought it was funny bulling us and some of these insults were our real-life ones. Especially the one with mocking the smile, I'll never forget that one. I felt like crap when he told me that. But my mom didn't call anyone, even though I was a bit of a bitch towards her that day. And yes, he used to call me fat, even though I'm not. And he did say he was bored when the teacher asked him why he did that and the other girl said that if they can do it, so can she (there was one more person involved in all of it, one more guy).
Next time: Destiny's family's in a big mess and it's up to her to get the things right.
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