This has been the best day of my life. I just sent the entire afternoon with my dad, we went back upstairs, and I did get to show him the bio-structure of scales of an angel fish I was looking at before. Plus dad gave me the whole play-by-play of his current research of the bio-structure of adapted animals. If you have not figured it out by know, I am a HUGE nerd when it comes to marine bio. But hey when you rule the seas. Speaking of which the meeting I have to seek out for. Before I could seek out, dad had taken me shopping for some 'homey' things, as he called them. So we went to the store and got the norm pj's, extra clothes, tooth brush and paste, the normal human essentials. Now at back at the house it was 9:00 pm. We were on the second floor sitting on one of the leather couches watching JAWS, honesty the movie was so in-accurate it was funny, looking at the clock and back at my dad, I knew it was time to say
" I'm getting tried, I think I'm going to go to bed early".
His reaction was instant " Do you feel ok? You don't feels warm, does this hurt?" Dad said this while putting his hand to my forehead, and putting the other hand to my abdomen.
" No I'm just a little tried". I said trying to sound honest.
" Well it has been a hectic day.." Dad tipped his head to one side in a position that meant he was thinking.
" Ok sharky , if there is anything that you need come and get me". Ok that was unexpected, and WHAT DO I SAY?
" I will". Ok that is the lamest response ever, but what else can I say. Dad realizes that, this is all he is going to get out of me.
" Ok kid go get some rest".
Dad gives me one last sideways hug, and gently pushes me off the couch in the direction of my room. Of course I go through the motions of crawling into bed, turning off the lights, and waiting to see when he goes to bed. After about 45 minutes I heard the TV switch off, and the soft padding of steps, after about 15 minutes I saw the last flicker of light turn off. Dad was asleep, now was my chance. I quickly got out of bed, I never did change into PJ's so fully clothed in jeans, and a t-shirt, with no shoes, there was no need for them where I was going. I slipped through the second floor, to the first floor, quietly telling all of the sea creatures in the tanks to keep quiet, thankfully they listed. So I managed to go out through the front door, I honestly do not know why we drove home the other day, we could have walked. For where my dad's house was the beach was honestly just over the horizon, like a 5 minute walk. So I walked to the bay side completely disserted, perfect. I slip off the pendant necklace, and put in in my jeans pocket. I quickly looked around one last time to see if anyone is watching. Nope , no one was here. So I dove into the water, the feeling of being back with my Sharkboy self is amazing it feels right, awesome, like breathing, I need it to survive. So I start to swim as my gills, and talons grow back automatically. Within no time I'm at the meet place for the council. Lavagirl there, Max, and the other leadings of the natural world, and some form planet Drool. We first got through the normal business things, global warming, pollution, oil spills, which tick me off like nothing else. Now it was time to bring up my dad. I knew for him ever be accepted into our world, know would be the time to tell the council, so they don't get curious, and interfere. After giving them my explication of what has happened in the last 24 hours, every one already knows about my past, they agree to let him known about our existence, and see the sea Kingdome, if he can make an oath of solitude. The oath when done properly, is a promise one can never break, it magically alerts the beings you signed the oath with, and if they blab the council namely me would be magically responsible for their or dads punishment. It's a fair enough thing to ask, but how am I going to get my dad to agree too that? Not that the council cares. I meant to talk with lavagirl, and Max after the meeting about that, but I was going to be late, they knew I was on a tight schedule. So they just gave me small encouraging smiles, and I was on my way. The meeting had gone as long as I had estimated, and I was back in time before dad woke up. Yet when I came up on the beach as I had before, walked into the house which I had left unlocked, and started to quietly walk up the stairs, I could not help but feel that something was not right, like I missing something really obvious. I got my answer to that when I walked into my room, as soon as I open the door, I was started by a voice asking.
" WHERE WERE YOU?". Dad was sitting on my bed, arms crossed, looking pissed, with a phone at his side.
"TAYLO MATTEW CONNER I was worried sick, I was this close form calling the police thinking the worst, and you just walking right in here like nothing happened" .Ok I'm shark bait, what do I say, I can't tell him yet, no yet, I'm not ready. So I say the stupidest thing ever.
" Sorry"
" Sorry, you're sorry, not as sorry as you are going to be, no TV, no games, no nothing, just school-work, and boredom for you, oh and by the way I will be accompanying, you anywhere you go from now on, until I am sure this will never happen again".
" WHAT". I hollered, "What you cannot watch me everywhere I go, I'm not two". I had no idea what I was saying, I was in enough trouble was it is, now I'm just digging my grave.
" Your my kid, and this is the punishment I choose for you." Dad said with his altar scary papa-shark glare, ok I'm a wimp as soon as the glare hit me, I crumbled. I looked down in submission , and fear what he was mad at me, I mean he had enough reason to be.
" Look Sharkboy I'm just worried ok, I don't want to have to come into your room, and find it empty, just don't do it again, talk to me kid". He said getting up and, wrapping is arms around me in gentle hug, I return it just happy he was not mad at me.
" I can't tell you yet". I replied returning his hug, burring my face in his chest.
" Why not". He askes pulling away from me enough to look me in the eye.
" Because I don't know how to explain it". I admitted pitifully. Man, being human is turning me into a shrimp.
" Just come right out and tell me kid, whatever it is I want to know". He said earnestly, I knew he meant it, but I really was not ready for whatever reaction he had to my shark-ness.
" I will when I'm ready". I said with as much levelness as I could mange, he seemed to understand and gave a sad, but understanding look, one last squeeze, and said.
" All right Sharkboy get some rest".
I walked to me bed crawled in and laid down, to my extreme surprise he followed me and picked up the covers, wrapping them securely around my body, my dad was tucking me in. Wow I can't remember him doing that for years. This act brought on a stray of memories that seemed to be flooding my mind, and his mind. After sufficiently conning me with blankets his gave a quick kiss on the forehead, said one last " Good night". And left my room turning the lights off, leaving the door a crack open just how I liked it was a kid. I stayed awake for a couple more minutes just thinking about what had just happened. Not as bad as it could have been. But what was really bugging my was my punishment. What did he mean 'school-work', I don't go to school, honestly it was a place we rescued Max from, if the day-dreamer does not want to be there I sure don't. Does he really think he is going to send me to school? Ok we are going to a have a serious talk about that! Besides the whole accompany me everywhere, maybe I deserved that, but honestly I'm 14 I can take care of myself, I AM THE KING OF THE OCEAN! Great it's only been 24 hours since we saw each other, and we are already banging heads. I hope this all gets sorted out by tomorrow. I finally I went to sleep. Before I knew what was going on I heard birds, what birds, but I'm under water. It toke a few moments for me to remember the last occurrences of the last day, wow a lot had happened. While I remembered where I was, I smelt something wonderful, it smelt like raw fish, and sea weed. Talk about a shark's perfect breakfast. I hopped out of bed and like that half-shark I was, followed my nose to my prey. It lead me to the kitchen where it looked like dad was cooking. Well if you counted cooking as rolling up fish balls.
" Hey good morning kid". Dad said with a smile like last night never happened, ok was not expecting this, but going with it all the same. I sat down on one of the island seats in the kitchen just watching him, once he was down rolling up the fish balls, put about 10 on a plate, with filled a glass with water and placed them both before me.
" The perfect breakfast of sharks, sea water and sushi". Of way that's what Max had called the fish and sea weed balls, apparently it was from a place called Japan, I really did not know what Max was talking about all sharks eat fish, so how could it be from Japan? Whatever I just picked up one of the sushi with my fingers and slipped it into my mouth, I did not realize that dad was watching me until he chuckled at my table manners. Oh ya, Max had told me that humans usually eat with knifes, and forks I don't know why, it is no much easier to eat with your hands. Anyway I went around the table to the cut alary drawer, dad had showed during the grand tour and picked up a fork, went back around to be seat and starting eating again. Dad looked at me as if I had gone insane.
" What"? I asked curiously is this not what he meant by his laughing. All dad did was put the last 10 sushi on his plate, fill another glass with water , sat on the seat next to me, and started eating his food with his fingers. Ok I gave up on trying to understand him, I just did what I wanted to do, so I put my fork down and starting eating with my fingers as well. Breakfast was a quiet afar. When we were done eating we both put our plates in the sink, and walked to the leather couch we were sitting on last night. I knew now would be the time to talk about last night, but where do I start, luckily I did not have to.
" Look Shark-boy I meant what I said last night, punishment stays". Ok that's not what I really wanted to hear.
" I just wanted to ask what did you mean by school-work? I asked him, he looked at me with absolute august.
" I meant school, as in homework and extra studying".
" I got that, I just meant you are planning to send me to school".
" Of course I am, it is important that you get a good education, and have the experiences of school, friends, crushes, that kind of thing, have you never been to school sharky"? Dad asked my nervously, I just shake my head.
" I was home schooled". That's all I said, he knew that if I went any farther that, would reveal what I was not ready to tell him. He just nodded.
" Ok well I'm enrolling you in the local high-school for the upcoming 9th grade class". NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! This is what I was trying to avoid, Sharkboy in high school, I can barely stand Max, how would I tolerate hundreds of stupid, nosy, smelling children, and not kill them? Oh what I CAN'T.
" Ah dad, maybe it's for the best that I stay home schooled".
" Why". He asked now really nervously.
" I don't do well with people". I tried to explain without giving away too much information.
" Oh is that what your worried about, you'll make friends as soon as you walk in the front door". Ok not what I meant, so I tried a different approach.
" Dad look, I'm not worried about making friends, I don't like people, people my age are annoying, ignorant, and arrogant. And yes I know I sound like a hypocrite, but I stand to be near them without going into a SHARK-FRENZY".
Finally he started to convey what I was saying. He tipped his head to the side in his signature thinking position, and finally said.
" Just try it, go for a few weeks, if you really hate it, ill pull you out and home school you".
Realizing this was the best offer I was going to get I nodded, all I had to do was hate high-school and I'm out, that won't be so hard. Now it was time to ask the question I really did not want answered.
" Dad what did you mean accompanying me every-where I go"? I tried to this as calmly as possible, but with the whole shark thing, having someone tailing me the whole time especially dad would not be a good thing.
" I mean, you are until further notice are going to be within seeing distance from me". He said in a hard ' I'm not joking' tone. Crap I am really am not getting out of this, what am I going to do? Well I have two options. One stay around him until I fulfill my punishment, and gain the courage to tell him about what my being a true Sharkboy. Or I could get him to send me to school ASAP ,and be away from him for 8 hours a day, until I figure out how to tell him the truth.
" Hey dad when will I start school".
" School starts in three days, but if you want I can put you in a week late, so you can get accustom to the place."
" No ill start school on time".
I like option two better, less pressure. Dad toke this with stride, probably guessing my motives, but also probably relived to stop the fight against school. Honestly I don't hate the learning aspect, just people! For the next three days it was pretty clam but tense, I could feel the need to talk, about that happened post the separation, but I still had no idea how I was going to get the words out. So dad and I pretty much just hung around the lab, bought all my school supplies, hung out at the beach, all in all a good three days. But those were coming to an end, I was now getting into my dad's car on my way to Fresh-Water High. Even the name of the place gives me a bad feeling, I mean I'm a shark, as in SALT water. Before I left home dad had for some reason gone insane. He pretty much asked me the same questions at least four times " Did you remember you bag? Do you have enough pencils? Did you remember your phone". Dad had bought me one, when we went school supplies shopping, he wanted to keep in-touch with me at all times. After the whole not seeing each other for years, and seeking out thing I don't really blame him. Now pulling up to the light blue, brick building, I could already here the sound of nasal voices talking about their summer vacations. I think I'm going to hit something, so clutched on to my bag to avoid that. Dad saw my tension.
" Take a breather Sharkboy, try to tune them out, even give them a chance, try and talk to the people how you don't want to rip apart."
" And what if that's all of them". I asked in a harsher tone than I meant to use. I looked at me with understanding and said.
" If that's true tune them all out, just focus on your studies, but out of all the kids here I think you will find one you don't hate. I'll call you at lunch to see how you are. You will do find".
He said with a easy encouraging smile, as well pulled up to the front steps, giving me a last minute hug, and kiss on the head. I reluctantly got out of the car and walked up to my own personal hell.