He was going out tonight.
This in itself wasn't uncommon, Zane went out quite a lot. Too frequently, his father would tell him. But spending the evening at charity function in the company of his father's friends and business partners wasn't his idea of a good time.
"Bring your girlfriend with you," his father said, right before downing a glass of whiskey. "She will look good for you."
She certainly looks good, Zane mused.
Ally's father was friends with his, and the two of them getting together wasn't exactly coincidental. She certainly looked great, as most models did. And she played her part well. But she was just...missing something. He just wasn't able to figure out what by the time they officially got together.
He threw on his best suit and tie, and went to pick up his girlfriend outside of her house.
She does look good.
Her dress clung to her in all the right places, her hair, naturally straight, fell in waves down her back. She kissed him on the cheek and told him how much fun they were going to have tonight.
This certainly isn't my idea of fun.
It wasn't hers, either. But if Allison believed that Zane wanted to go to this event, then she would pretend to enjoy it in the hopes that it would make him happy.
Ally wasn't quite as mean natured as Miriam, but it was her unending desire to please him that Zane was beginning to tire of. He liked...a challenge, for lack of a better word.
They arrived early, Ally hooked on his arm as Zane talked monetary policy with his father's associates. It was strange almost, talking like an actual adult to people who had known him since before he could walk. The older he got, the easier it was.
He thought back to his misspent high school years, where the only thing he could think about was partying and girls. And rebelling against his dad. He had graduated and tried his hand in the business world - opening up a new cafe wasn't an easy task for one so young, and its subsequent failure had led him once again into his father's clutches. Now several years later, he was in the process of taking over one of his old man's companies and working his way up Australia's elite class.
He eyed the beautiful girl glued to his side and took a sip of champagne.
Yes. Life was good.
With cocktail hour finished, the two made their way to the table they were assigned. Zane wasn't the first one there. Steven Baker, a very wealthy friend of his father was seated, looking rather impatient for dinner to be served. Zane didn't remember a time when Steven wasn't rotund, he doubted the man was particularly interested in anything else tonight other than the quality of the dishes being served to them.
Zane shook hands politely with him, making small talk as the table began to fill up with other guests, some he recognized, some he didn't. He put his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders, sensing her discomfort at the things they were talking about. She never did particularly well in school, and he doubted if she understood anything that was going on.
"I think that's the other member of our table coming up."
Zane looked up, suddenly feeling rather ill.
Oh no.
The last time he had talked to Rikki Chadwick was nearly four years ago, at a graduation party in his struggling cafe.
The cafe he had named after her.
She looked beautiful, the cerulean blue dress she wore bringing out the colour in her eyes. The other members of the table didn't seem quite as impressed.
"And who might you be, young lady?" Steven questioned.
Oh yeah, she'll love that.
To his surprise, she responded politely. Or as polite as it was possible for her to be. He couldn't help but smile at a remark about her being a secretary. Zane could never imagine Rikki ever being satisfied working for someone else, especially if it involves office work. She was too free-spirited and rebellious to be tied to a cubicle. She was...exactly how he remembered her.
He felt a pang of guilt looking back at Ally sitting next to him. She was his girlfriend now, and it didn't feel right to be thinking so fondly of someone else. Even someone he loved. Zane didn't use the word lightly, but he couldn't think of another word to use for his feelings towards Rikki.
He loved her.
If Zane had any regrets in life, it would be that he never got to tell her that before she broke it off with him.
He sighed, leaning back in his chair. This wasn't how he expected this night to go. The waitstaff brought out soup and he couldn't help but smirk at his ex-girlfriend's attempt at figuring out which spoon to use. He tried to help her out, and effort that she didn't look pleased with. The topic of the table soon turned to Mako Island. Steven and some older man who's name alluded him at the moment were talking about developing the area, the conversation sounding eerily similar to the one Zane's father was trying to pitch several years back.
He snuck a glance at Rikki, who seemed to be heating up by the second.
This isn't good.
"Did you hear about Apple's stock?" He interrupted weakly. "It's skyrocketing with the new iPhone release."
Clearly that didn't work, as a couple seconds later Steven ended up with hot soup all over his face and neck.
Zane glimpsed over at his ex-girlfriend again, eyes narrowed.
Why is she using her powers here?
This wasn't the place or the time to be losing her cool. He couldn't help but notice that she was on her third glass of champagne.
This wasn't going to end well.
Dinner was finally over, Zane only half listening to the conversations happening at the table. Rikki went off immediately towards the bar. He didn't blame her for not wanted to talk with him, she made that very clear on the night of graduation and had cut off contact with him since.
Still, it hurt him a little. He tried to ignore the longing he felt when he saw her again. All of the memories, the emotions that resurfaced and threatened to break loose.
He was shook out of his reverie by Allison, who motioned towards the dance floor.
"Do you want to dance?"
No.
"Sure," he responded with a halfhearted smile.
They slow danced for what seemed like an entirety.
"Are you okay, Zane?" Allison asked.
"Fine. Why do you ask?"
"You look...out of it."
"Just tired, that's all."
She raised her eyebrow.
"You weren't tired when we left."
He shrugged.
"Well I am now."
It wasn't like her to pry into his personal life. Something must be bothering her as well.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
She remained silent for a moment as they swayed to the music.
"Who was she?"
"Who was who?" he said, feigning ignorance.
"Who was the girl at the table? Rachel, I think."
"Rikki," he said automatically.
Allison frowned.
"Yes her. Who is she? You clearly know her."
"Clearly?"
"You were staring at her all throughout dinner."
"I liked her dress."
She stopped dancing, crossing her arms.
"I'm being serious!"
Zane sighed.
"I know. I'm sorry, Al. Rikki's...well she's my ex. I was surprised to see her here. That's all."
Allison's eyes softened, if only slightly.
"Are you sure that's all?"
"Yes."
No.
She didn't look entirely convinced, but it looked like she took his word for it.
"I'm going to get something to drink. Do you want anything?"
"No thanks."
He bent down and brushed his lips against hers before she left through a sea of people.
Zane left the dance floor as well, feeling rather warm. Very warm, actually.
Am I sweating?
"Did they turn the temperature up in here?" he heard someone say, followed by a clash of fallen plates on the floor.
Oh no.
Rikki was there, soaking wet from the water that must have spilled on her as the tray went down.
Why isn't she moving?
Zane realized, probably too late, that the alcohol most likely dulled her senses to the point where she wasn't making the connection between the water on her arm and the 'transformation' that the water will soon cause.
He moved almost automatically, grabbing ahold of her wrist and shoving past the plethora of people that had accumulated around the dance floor.
10 seconds, right?
Luckily Zane had been to this venue before and knew where the bathrooms were, but he had to hope that there was nobody in them. Just as his hand reached the door handle, he could feel the beginnings of her transformation. He shoved her inside and followed suit, slamming the door behind him and locking it.
Thankfully there was no one else in the bathroom.
Rikki fell unceremoniously onto the tiled floor, propping herself up with her elbows.
"What was that for?" she hissed.
Seriously?
"What was what for? Saving your tail?" he retorted angrily.
"I could have handled it."
He couldn't help but laugh.
"Ah yes, the old hope and pray method. Unless this was your coming out moment, I don't think standing there was going to cut it."
She groaned, rubbing her temple.
"I guess you're right. Maybe the alcohol wasn't such a great idea."
He sighed, grabbing some paper towels and bending down to hand them to her. It was probably safer to dry the old-fashioned way then using her powers right now. Rikki seemed to have recognized this too.
"Thanks," she mumbled, avoiding eye contact.
"Why are you here anyways?" he asked.
"I told you at the table."
"I know that. But I'm asking you."
She shrugged.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time. But rich people and unidentifiable vegetable dishes aren't really my style."
He chuckled.
"More of a Chinese takeout person?"
She looked up at him.
"You remember that?"
"I could never forget," he whispered, his eyes never leaving hers.
He could see her stiffen, breaking eye contract to focus on drying herself.
Idiot. She's over you.
"Thank you," she said, still looking down.
"For what?"
"Rescuing me...for lack of a better word."
He couldn't help but smile.
"It's what I do."
She dried herself off successfully, her tail changing back into legs and her dress and accessories reappearing.
It was as if the atmosphere in the room changed. Her eyes became slightly glazed, cheeks reddened. He realized turning into a mermaid must have had a sobering effect on her; transforming back into a human meant transforming back into an intoxicated body.
He helped her up, stumbling slightly as she leaned heavily on him. She turned to look at him, centimeters away from his face.
The two remained silent for a moment, unmoving.
"Do you want me, Zane?" she finally whispered, almost seductively.
He froze.
There was once a time when he would drop anything and everyone for this woman standing next to him. Even now, his heart rate skyrocketed when looking at her. How…beautiful she was. How much he missed touching her. Talking with her. Being hers.
The answer to her question was yes. Yes, he wanted her. He wanted her badly. But Zane wasn't the same person he was four years ago. The reason Rikki broke up with him in the first place was because he had cheated on her with Sophie. Well, that and many other things, but nonetheless he considered himself a more mature and emotionally stable person now. A person that had a girlfriend. A girlfriend that he had no intention of breaking it off with in the same fashion that him and Rikki did.
She apparently mistook his silence as acceptance and gently pressed her lips against his.
God, I want this.
He had dreamed of this moment for years. But not like this. She was drunk and he was taken.
He pulled way, grasping her shoulders.
"Rikki, we can't."
He tried to ignore the hurt in her eyes. Hurt that slowly morphed to confusion, and then from confusion to anger.
"Am I not good enough for you, anymore?" she said venomously.
"It's not that. It's...I have a girlfriend, Rik."
"She's an idiot."
That's besides the point...
"That doesn't make it right."
"Since when do you care about doing the right thing?" she responded, her voice raised.
Ok, I probably deserved that.
"Because I'm not the same person I was four years ago. And neither are you. You know this isn't right."
"I don't care what's right anymore!" she hissed, fists clenched.
The lights in the bathroom flickered.
He could see the tears forming in her eyes. Whatever she was upset about, it was something that she'd clearly been keeping to herself for far too long.
"You do care," he insisted. "I know you do."
He grasped her hand, which was now uncomfortably hot.
The lights flickered again.
"What's this really about, Rik?"
She wrenched her hand away from him, taking a step back.
"You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
The tears where running freely now. The lights flickered for the third time. Zane knew that they weren't going to last that much longer, not with Rikki in the state that she was in.
He took a step towards her, wiping away a tear rolling down her cheek.
"Try me."
He knew she was prone to depressive episodes in her youth. She had been open about it with him. Spending most of your childhood in the belief that solitude was the only defense against…well…life left you with a rather bleak outlook on your future. But she had changed when she was with him. When she was with her friends. He had changed as well. Even though he wasn't with her anymore, it broke his heart to see her in this state.
"I...I want to be independent. I want to be my own person, to...to make my way in the world. I don't want to depend on other people."
"There's nothing wrong with that."
"There isn't," she said bitterly. "It's just..."
She paused, as if it were a struggle to get these words out.
"I'm...so lonely."
"Hey," he hooked a finger under her chin, forcing her to look up at him.
"I know the feeling. Better than most, actually."
She buried her face in his vest, trying hard to control the sobs wracking her body.
He just...held her. It's what she needed right now. Just the knowledge that someone was there for her.
The moment didn't last long, however. The lights flickered for a final time before going out completely, the entire building plunging into darkness. Zane could hear the screams of panic outside the bathroom door.
"We need to go," he told Rikki, who was still hanging on to him.
Perhaps too tired to argue, she nodded, letting him lead. It was more of a struggle than he anticipated, trying to weave his way through the stampede in near total darkness, not to mention the drunk women who was leaning heavily on him for support. Zane managed to get outside the building and lead her to his car.
I forgot my wallet.
He groaned, feeling a headache coming on.
He knew exactly where it was, lying on the dinner table. Without dragging Rikki along he should be able to slip in and out with relative ease. Zane got her situated in the passenger seat, making sure to mention not to leave the car.
He turned around, about to head back into the chaos when he was stopped on his tracks.
"Where the hell have you been?"
It was Allison.