All the kids at school don't like her.
She's too smart.
She's too stuck up.
She's too bossy.
And now she's too good at soccer.
When she moves to a different city it's the same thing, but this time she wears her attitude like armor and refuses to let anyone make her feel small just because she's too much.
One of her classmates is reckless, impulsive, amazing, and Kendall hates him.
She hates that he doesn't follow the rules and is always getting hurt and that everyone likes him just for being himself. If anyone is too much, she thinks its him, but instead of being scorned for it, he's celebrated.
When they get partnered for a project she immediately takes charge because she's worked hard for perfect marks and she won't let him ruin it. And yes, she knows she's being unfair because it's not his fault that he's good at making friends while she isn't, but she doesn't like him- so there!
To her surprise, he argues back and stands his ground. Kendall can respect that, maybe even admire it.
Not like she'll tell him that.
Kick catches her playing soccer with her sister by accident. And by that she means he was doing something insane and crash landed into the field, ruining their only soccer ball in the process.
Linnie's the one who loses her temper and makes him get a new one, because she knows how soccer is Kendall's only escape and biggest secret. Well, second biggest according to her sister, but that's not true because she doesn't have feelings for someone else and she has a boyfriend. One that she cares about a lot thank you very much.
They tell Kick that Kendall was doing the bare minimum to help Linnie practice but when they catch him trying to spy on them over and over again… well, Kendall gives in and lets him watch on the condition that he not tell anyone, or she'll embarrass him.
Something changes after that.
Nothing drastic (they don't become friends or anything…) but there's some kind of understanding between them and their interactions are pleasant more often than not.
Still, when he asks she refuses to let him come to her games.
When Kaia wakes she feels nostalgic and melancholy. But her magic rises and dips like the tide caressing the beach, bringing her comfort and keeping her grounded.
She almost laughs at that.
A mermaid feeling grounded? Perhaps she's closer to being human that she thought. Perhaps she should become human once more.