Chapter Nineteen

Lolly's POV

"Dad?! What are you doing here?!" I exclaim.

"I could ask you the same thing," my dad, Zane, replies grimly.

I simply sit there in shock, unable to answer. I haven't seen Dad for about four or five years now, and the last time I did see him was only for a short visit. Suddenly, my phone beeps, breaking whatever intense staring contest I seemed to be having with my father. I reach into my pocket and take out my phone, to see a text from Dan:

Where are you?

I tap out a quick reply, Mako, but about to leave. I'll see you at home in a few minutes.

"Sorry, Dad, I have to go," I say, hurrying towards the land entrance.

"Wait! Lola!" Dad's voice echoes through the cave as he tries to catch up with me, but I've already climbed up the vine ladder and am back in the open. By the time Dad makes his own way out of the cave, I'm under the surface of the water, ready to swim back home.

"Do you think we should tell Mum?" Dan asks once I've finished telling him about my brief encounter with Dad back on Mako Island.

"No way," I answer. "Dad's broken her heart way too many times for us to expect us to trust him. But what I want to know is what he was doing at Mako in the first place."

Dan shrugs. "He knew Mum was a mermaid, right? So maybe he was looking for her."

"But why would he look there? He knew we moved house, but he didn't know where to."

"Maybe he just presumed we would be here because it's where they used to live. I have no idea, but you're letting this get to your head too much. Chill."

"I guess you're right... Do you think he got suspicious though? When I just disappeared? And about the fact that I was at Mako in the first place?"

"Honestly, he probably did. But don't worry about it. If you see him again, here's what happened: you were too anxious to know what to do so you hid behind a tree, and you were at Mako because you know that Mum liked to go there; nothing to do with being a mermaid."

"Fine. I'm going back out now to the café, to catch up with the girls. So, see you 'round."

I stand up and grab my jacket from the coat rack beside me, then leave the house without uttering another word.

Becca's POV

"Hey," I greet Lolly as she sits down in the seat opposite me at the café, right where she was before she left.

"Where are the others?" she asks warily.

"Buying more drinks." I nod towards the counter. "What's up with you."

She shakes her head. "Nothing you need to worry about."

"Okay..."

Just then, Mel and Emily come back to the table with two juices.

"Oh, hi again Lolly," Mel says as she slides onto the seat next to her, while Emily squeezes in next to me.

"Swim calmed you down?" Emily asks.

Lolly shrugs.

I smirk. "Cat got your tongue?"

"No, just... thinking..." she replies. "Look, I have to go."

"But you only just got here!" I protest.

"Sorry," Lolly mutters as she stands up and walks away.

"That was weird..." Emily says once Lolly's gone.

"Tell me about it. What do you think is going on with her?" I ask.

"It's probably nothing," Mel says.

"I guess so," I agree, but I'm not really convinced. "I might leave now too," I decide. "See you later."

"Bye," Mel says, and Emily waves.

Once I've exited the café, I look around for Lolly, but I can't see her anywhere. I frown. Maybe she ran off somewhere...

"Becca!" a voice suddenly calls out, disturbing my thoughts. I whirl around to see Lolly's brother.

"Hey Dan," I say.

"Is Lolly in there?" He points to the café.

"She just left, a few moments ago. Despite the fact that she'd only just gotten there..."

"Oh, okay, never mind," Dan says, and is about to leave before I grab his arm to stop him.

"Wait. Do you know what's going on with her? She's acting strange."

"Just family stuff. It's hard to explain."

"Fair enough. Bye then."

With that, Dan walks away, presumably to find Lolly, leaving me more confused than before - if possible.

Lolly's POV

"Dan!" I exclaim as my twin jumps out in front of me from nowhere.

"There you are," he says. "I've been looking for you for ages!"

"Hmm, you're either over exaggerating, or you're really bad at looking," I tell him, seeing as how I was only, like, a hundred feet away from the café, where I'd told him I was going. "From personal experience, probably the latter."

"Whatever," Dan mutters. "Anyway, I went out just after you did, and I saw Dad. I don't think he saw me though..."

"Great," I sigh. "You can leave now."

"Sure thing. By the way, Becca was wondering about you."

As Dan leaves, I sink down to the ground, and lean against the tree behind me. I close my eyes and try to tune out all the noise surrounding me, and to only acknowledge the glorious heat of the sun. It doesn't work.

A/N: Not very interesting but it was rushed and at least it's something. Plus I updated quickly! ;) Review though, seriously :P

-Katttttttttttttttttttttt