A Wish on a Full Moon
I do not own H2O: Just Add Water or any of the characters.
Chapter 53: Fish Out of Water (part 1)
After one wild and eventful night, everyone rose from their slumber and gathered in the buffet room to get some breakfast. Some were a bit restless. Bev and Neil still had unanswered questions, the former having never gotten an answer from the scientist. Terry, while still trusting Rikki's word, for now, worries about the upcoming events, ones that he was unaware of what they might be about. While others, like Lewis and the other guys, had a peaceful night and plenty of rest. And it seems like they weren't the only ones, Lewis noticed.
The girls act so energetic, all smiles and laughter, talking while they fixed their plates. However, what confused him the most was that they had somehow brought the new girl, Bella, into their little group. It was so strange, seeing them interact like they've known them forever. Kim seems to have noticed too. Then again, she did room with them all night, so it makes sense for her to realize as well.
Now, with plates full of eggs, toasts, pancakes, and so much more, everyone gathers back into the main room to get on with the rest of the viewing. As they sit down, Lewis took the opportunity to question them while the others take their seats.
"Did I miss something?" Lewis leans forward in his seat and motions to both them and Bella, who was back in her original seat.
The girls look at one another, a bit hesitant. Last night, when Kim was out of earshot, they agreed not to tell Lewis yet. It would be best to wait until Bella was a bit more comfortable with others knowing.
The trio shook their heads and shrugged. "No," they all say simultaneously, which only made Lewis even more confused. "We just really bonded last night," Cleo smiled, the other two muffling their giggles. "Don't fret about it, Lewis. They've been like this all night," Kim groaned in annoyance.
Lewis frowns, but before he could question it further, Don asks if everyone was ready. When multiple yes' were echoed through the room, Lewis sighs and leans back in his seat. He'll have to worry about it another time.
Don nods toward Harrison, who had the remote now, and pressed play.
[It was a scaretastic weekend for the two girls, Emma and Cleo, having just spent it watching a zombie horror film. After leaving the theater, the girls walk out into the main lobby and discuss the movie.]
Cleo: "That was so scary."
Emma: "They're just people in rubber masks."
"You guys watched a movie?" Will asked. "What else would we be doing at a movie theater?" Emma sarcastically asked. "I dunno. Play at the arcade?" Will suggested. "Please, we're sixteen, not six," Emma scoffed. "You're never too old for the arcade," Ash smiled.
"Oh, is that when the new Zombie Movie came out?" Lewis asked. "Yup," Cleo answered. "What was it called?" Kim asked. "That's literally what it's called. Zombie Movie," Emma chuckled. "So creative," Kim rolled her eyes.
"Why isn't Rikki with you? Did you not invite her?" Neil asked. "I was, uh, preoccupied at the time," Rikki grimaced, rubbing the back of her neck. "We did. But she was busy to say the least," Emma winced, both blondes knowing this wasn't going to go well.
Cleo: "Not that. The zombie in the laundromat that got electrocuted, she was wearing my pink top."
"That's what you were focused on?" Kim busted out in laughter then paused. "Wait a second, is that why you didn't wear that top for a while?" "Maybe," Cleo hesitantly admitted.
"You were more worried about a zombie wearing your outfit, than a zombie being electrocuted?" Ash raised a quizzical eyebrow.
"And this is why I question your sanity," Rikki joked. "You're one to talk," Cleo shot back, glancing over at Zane.
Emma: "That was sad."
Cleo: "And then the zombie on the bus that was dribbling slime, she was wearing my blue dress."
"So, your clothes are in style. Why's it matter?" Charlotte asked. "It matters because it's on an ugly zombie. I don't want to wear the same thing as a zombie," she remarked.
"If there ever is an actual zombie apocalypse, remind me to never let you near one. You'll get killed just by looking at their outfit," Rikki shook her head. "Just be glad you didn't have to hear it," Emma mumbled.
Emma: tilts her head. "Not your exact dress."
Cleo: "Well, it may as well have been. I've gotta do a clean-out. I cannot be seen wearing the same clothes as a zombie."
"And cleanout she did, and guess who she forced to help out," Lewis said holding both hands up.
"See what I mean?" Cleo told Charlotte. "You and your past self never change," Charlotte shakes her head and laughs.
"Just because the dress was the same color, but a different style does not mean it's the exact dress," Emma said.
[Before Cleo can continue, Emma spots something that leaves her bewildered. She grabs Cleo's arm to get her to stop and stand behind a pillar and peek around it.]
Cleo: "What? What's happening?" Notices Emma's look and follows her gaze toward a surprising image that shocks her as well: Rikki and Zane walk out of another theater, side by side.
Emma: "Is that, Rikki?"
"Yikes," Elliot hissed.
"Welp that secret didn't last long," Max chuckled. "They found out long before I did," Terry laughed along with him. "Yeah, it lasted a week I'd say," Rikki assumed.
"This is not going to end well, is it?" Sam winced. "You'd guess right," the trio said simultaneously, all three with a guilty look.
"This is worse than finding out a certain other secret, isn't it?" Bella smirked as she raised an eyebrow at them. "Just as bad," Rikki laughed as she noticed Lewis's confused expression. "Mrs. Chatham wasn't kidding when she said secrets can tear a friendship apart." "I'm never wrong," Mrs. Chatham smiled smugly. "Almost. Almost never wrong," Max pointed out.
"Man, what luck. Going to the same theater at the same time on the exact same day," Will laughed. "The perks of being a mermaid," Rikki breathed out.
Cleo: and Emma frowns. "What's she doing walking out of 'Thirty Days of Love?'" Looks back at Emma. "That's a romance movie."
"More importantly you should be asking what's she doing with Zane?" Lewis said.
"And once again you focus on the wrong thing," Ash shakes his head. "You don't have a very good attention span, do you?" Denman questioned. "Nope," her three best friends answer for her.
"I'd say that's a good question. I'd never want to be caught watching a romance movie," Rikki answered. "Then why'd you watch it?" Terry asked, surprised as anyone else that she watched it willingly. "Because I got to hang out with Zane," Rikki answered with a small smile. "If you wanted to watch something else, you could've just said so," Zane said, returning the smile.
Emma: has a slightly disgusted look on her face. "What's she doing walking out with Zane?" Shakes her head and leans forward. "She probably just bumped into him and she's being polite."
"Denial," Kim sang.
"That's the worst excuse I've ever heard of," Ash said. "Ugh, again with the excuses?" Emma groaned. "Sounds more like a fantasy than an excuse," Annette said.
"Why would I go to a romance movie alone?" Rikki squinted.
Cleo: "Rikki's never polite."
"Ain't that the truth," Lewis laughed. "I can be polite," Rikki frowned. "Since when?" Lewis scoffed. "She's nice to me," Elliot said, defending his friend. "So, you can be nice to a kid but not nice to your friend?" Lewis raised an eyebrow. "That's because he's a lot more likable than you," Rikki smirked as Lewis acted offended.
[All smiles, Zane wraps an arm around Rikki, and she embraces him as they continue walking through the lobby. Cleo and Emma's eyes widen. They continue watching the two in shock as they leave the theater.]
"You guys truly are friends. Spying on them during their dates, just not under the usual circumstances," Lisa chuckled. "We could have found out in a better way. We didn't take it very well finding it out like that," Cleo winced, thinking of their reaction. "I was going to tell you, I just didn't think you would find out so soon," Rikki admitted. "So how bad does this get?" Terry asked, wanting to get a heads up. "Pretty bad," Rikki sighed.
[The next day at school, Emma, Cleo and Lewis walk down the hallways heading for their next class.]
Emma: "Lewis, have you seen Rikki this morning?"
"Zane again?" Terry theorized. "Yeah," Rikki bit back a blush. "For someone who was trying to keep a secret, you weren't so good at keeping it a secret," Ash chuckled. "Well, it's not easy being in two places at once," Rikki countered.
Lewis: "No. Why, what's going on?"
"Just a whole lot of drama," Bella muttered.
"Just because I'm not there doesn't mean I was wreaking havoc, Lewis," Rikki shook her head. "Not all the time," Lewis said.
Cleo: "We want you to tell us everything you know about Rikki and Zane."
"What would he know?" Zane scoffed. "A lot more than you think. I'm very observant," Lewis grinned.
Lewis: "Let me think. Uh, Rikki, yeah, she's smart and sassy. At first, I – I found her quite prickly. But no, there's certainly a soft side to her. As for Zane – Zane's just a spoiled, rich kid, who needs to buy himself a brain." The three of them begin to walk down the stairway, with Emma following behind.
"Wow, that describes Rikki pretty well, I say so myself," Terry admitted a bit impressed.
"Well, you got one part right, the other, however …," Rikki tilted her head. "No, no. I'm pretty sure I got Zane right there. He might not be as bad now but he was very stupid back then," Lewis mentioned. Zane shrugged. "He's not wrong."
Cleo: "Well, they're dating."
Lewis: pauses in his step for a moment before continuing and burst into laughter. "I'm afraid that's not possible. Rikki and Zane are sworn enemies."
"Well, you know the saying. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer," Annette laughed. "That is not what it means!" Emma, Cleo, Lewis, and unsurprisingly Terry shouted. "If that were the case, we'd have Denman on a leash," Lewis mumbled as he scowled at the biologist.
Emma: "We saw them at the movies. They were definitely together."
Lewis: "How together, like, like fancy meeting you here, together? Or –."
"Really? Do I look like the kind of person to say a 19th-century old phrase?" Rikki raised an eyebrow. "At the time, I couldn't even imagine you two being in the same room together without ripping each other's heads off. The thought of you two together was beyond impossible," Lewis shrugged.
Emma: "They had their arms around each other."
"The next birthday present I get for you two is going to be a pair of binoculars so that way you'll have an easier time spying on my next date," Rikki joked. "Tell us next time and we won't have to," Emma shot back. "No, you would," Kim interjected.
Lewis: "No, what you saw were probably just two people that resembled Zane and Rikki."
"You were in denial more than Em," Elliot laughed. "Like I said, the mere thought of them together was out of the question."
Cleo: they walk out into the schoolyard. "It was them, Lewis."
Lewis: looks perplexed. "Maybe – maybe Zane was performing the Heimlich maneuver on Rikki."
Emma: gives him a look. "Lewis."
Lewis: "Wrestling, perhaps?"
"In a movie theater?" Don frowned in confusion. "Kids these days," Lewis waved it off, causing the other teens to roll their eyes.
"Thank you, Lewis, for caring about my wellbeing," Rikki sarcastically implied.
Cleo: "We want you to follow them, watch them, and report back."
"You sent Lewis to spy on me?" Rikki scoffed, having not known about that. "We couldn't do it, you would've spotted us right off the bat," Emma explained. "You didn't have to spy on me at all. You saw it for yourself, what other explanation could it be? And besides, do you think I wouldn't have noticed Lewis?" Rikki asked. "Well, you didn't spot Emma and Cleo spying on you the first time, surely you wouldn't notice another person as well. And you didn't," Lewis grinned. "Wait, what?!" Rikki asked in shock, surprised that she hadn't spotted Lewis. Since when? Where?
Lewis: groans in annoyance. "No, no, no, why is it always me that has to do the following?" Turns to stand in front of them, stopping in the middle of the schoolyard. "What you don't think I've got anything better to do?"
"Because you're the one who doesn't transform from every drop of water," Cleo remarked. "And we don't ask you to follow someone all the time," Emma shook her head. "You're right. You order me to," Lewis corrected.
Cleo: scoffs. "Like what?" Lewis opens his mouth and then closes it, having nothing to say.
Light laughter fills the room. "Did you have anything better to do?" Charlotte asked curiously. "… no," Lewis mumbled.
Emma: "Lewis, you're better at blending in. You've got one of those everyman-type of faces."
"What does that even mean?" Lisa asked. "I have no clue. Just trying to get him to agree to it," Emma chuckled.
Cleo: begs. "Please."
Lewis: shakes his head, clearly not wanting to do it. "She's probably just waiting for an appropriate time to tell you guys. That's it."
"Oh, so now you're out of denial," Will laughed.
"Which I was by the way," Rikki added. "We know. We just should have listened to you," Cleo whispered back.
[Right then, Rikki pops up next to Cleo.]
Rikki: "Hi, guys." Cleo and Emma scrunch their faces up at her and then look away, trying to avoid her gaze. Rikki looks between the three of them then frowns. "Did someone die?"
"Why is that your first thought?" Terry asked. "Well, they looked at me like death was upon them," Rikki shrugged. "It wasn't easy looking at you knowing that you were seeing Zane. Sorry," Emma admitted sheepishly.
Emma: idea pops up and looks back at her. "We were just talking about movies."
"No, you weren't," Elliot said. "Well, I couldn't tell her that," Emma replied.
Rikki: slowly nods before she notices Lewis giving her a suspicious look. "What are you looking at?"
Lewis: "You haven't been choking recently, have you?"
Rikki: squints in confusion. "What?"
The room erupts in laughter as Lewis looks on with embarrassment. "Never mind, the denial is back," Will shook his head during laughter.
"At least now I know why you asked me that," Rikki laughed. "That explains so much."
Cleo: "Lewis!"
Lewis: "Sorry."
Cleo: "We were just wondering if 'Thirty Days of Love' was worth seeing." Glances back at Emma.
Emma: narrows her eyes at Rikki. "I hear it's a romance movie."
"You didn't think that at all being suspicious?" Zane asked. "To be fair I didn't realize we got caught. I didn't even know they went to the movies," Rikki explained. "You would have if you would've answered our calls," Emma said, giving her a look. "I was busy," Rikki muttered, blushing once more.
Rikki: hides a wince and looks around them. "Well we better get moving if we don't want to be late." Rikki walks ahead and the others follow, each one giving her a suspicious and knowing look.
"Avoiding the question, even more suspicious," Ash remarked. "What else was I supposed to say?" Rikki rolled her eyes. "You could've said that you hated romance movies and that you don't watch them," Kim mentioned. "One, they would've called me out on that since they saw me leaving from it. And two, you're not helping!" Rikki said, holding up two fingers as she spoke.
[The girls plus Lewis walk on the upper level of the school when they round the corner and Lewis and Zane, who was talking to one of his buddies and holding a folder, accidentally bump into each other. The girls are right behind them. Rikki walks around the two.]
Zane: to Lewis. "Hey, watch it. I don't want to catch anything off you."
"Really, Zane?" Harrison sighed in annoyance. "I was serious. He messes with way too many chemicals for my liking and who knows what else he uses for science," Zane argued. "He has a point," Cleo shrugged. "Still, you couldn't just apologize to each other?" Sam asked. Zane and Lewis look at one another for a moment then turn back and shake their heads. "Nah."
Lewis: turns back to him as they slowly start to pass each other. "Uh, like intelligence?"
Zane: "Oh, nice come back, Lewis. I'm crushed, totally crushed." Walks off and the others return to heading for their class.
"It was good," Will chuckled as Zane rolled his eyes.
"It wouldn't hurt for some of it to rub off," Rikki teased, Zane faked a hurt look before shaking his head and laughing it off.
Cleo: "What a loser."
Emma: "A waste of space."
"Really girls. You weren't involved. It was just between him and Lewis. No need for the insults," Bev said. "But he started it by insulting our friend," Cleo defended and tried not to roll her eyes. "While it is nice for you girls to stand up for Lewis, it's still no need to insult him back. It only sinks you lower to his level," Lisa included, making Emma feel slightly guilty. Slightly.
[Rikki, who was walking next to them, suddenly begins to walk ahead of them, and never once spoke about or insulted Zane. Emma, Lewis, and Cleo give each other a look then follow her to their next class.]
"I know, I know. It was suspicious. But I couldn't insult someone I liked that I was dating," Rikki held up a finger and cut off Ash before he could say anything.
"Yeah, you keeping quiet definitely set off some alarms. You used to love making fun of him," Lewis nodded. "Ah, those were the good ole days," Emma joked. "Hah hah," Zane sarcastically said.
[After school, the three teenage detectives sat at a table inside the Juicenet Café, juices in front of them, going over their pile of evidence they had so far.]
Emma: "Ok, so what have got?"
Cleo: "Well, I sat next to Zane and Rikki in science and math." Shrugs. "Nothing, not even eye contact."
Emma: "I didn't see anything in P.E., either."
"So let me get this straight," Ash squinted as he gestures between the two lovebirds. "You two can avoid each other at all costs in class, even leaving your friends stumped, yet you can't insult one another to keep up the act?" "It's not easy to insult someone your dating," Zane grumbled. "Even when it's fake? Just to keep off suspicions, which by the way, clearly isn't working!" Ash informed. "You get put in a situation like that and then tell me how it goes!" Rikki spat, getting annoyed by their mistake. "We didn't know that they saw us." "Cut them some slack. We know it's not easy to act. Especially such as an emotion as anger," Annette said. "Unless it's for fear and there are sharks around, right, Zane?" Lewis chuckled before seeing the death-threatening glare coming from the mentioned boy.
"You guys seriously investigated this?" Bella raised an eyebrow. "This was near as impossible as mermaids existing. As in, it shouldn't exist but somehow it does," Cleo mentioned.
Cleo: "Must be pretty serious. Why would they be keeping it a secret, otherwise?"
"It was," Zane whispered. And it still is. Even though it's still kept under wraps, there were no more secrets between them, and Zane couldn't be happier. He was serious with her, and he wouldn't want it any other way. Unfortunately, he never noticed the guilty look that came over Rikki's face for a split second, as she knew there was one secret Zane doesn't know yet. Her home. A big part of who she really is. Would she have to tell him about it soon?
Lewis: "Well, I followed Zane around all day today … unfortunately."
"You did what?!" both Bennett's hollered. "They told me to," Lewis quickly pointed toward the girls. "Hey leave me out of this, I wasn't involved," Rikki held her hands up, but couldn't help but smirk. "Trust me, it was very uncomfortable to me too. And one heck of a waste of time," Lewis mentioned to them. "If you're going to follow them, why not do it when they're both together?" Belle suggested. "Don't give them any ideas," Zane shook his head and sighed. How did he not see him?
Cleo: "And?"
Lewis: "Well, for someone who's in love, he's still very obnoxious. Although, he didn't kick any small, defenseless animals today. That could be a sign that he's feeling all warm and fuzzy."
Soft laughter fills the room. "Hooray for Zane," Kim laughed.
"Gee, thanks, Lewis. Maybe you should follow me more often to prove even more that I can be nice," Zane sarcastically said with a grin. "I'd rather swim to Mako," Lewis said in a slightly disgusted tone. "That can be arranged," Rikki smirked, wanting a bit of payback for all the spying.
Emma: throws her hands up and slightly shakes her head. "I know we're not imagining this. They just seem so normal." Emma lowers her head and glances away when her eyes widen slightly as another realization hits her and looks at Cleo. "Except, Rikki's not here. And there's no sign of Zane."
"Busted," Elliot laughed.
"Not every couple is going to act all lovey-dovey you know?" Lisa mentioned. "Do we look like the romantic type?" Rikki gestured to both her and Zane. "You two went to a romance movie, and walked out together wrapped around each other's finger," Cleo countered. "Touché. But we're not that romantic," Rikki said.
"I think it's excusable with neither one of them being there. It doesn't mean anything. They can't hang out at the café all the time or at the same time," Ash said.
"We have lives you know, we can't hang out at the café 24/7. I could've been anywhere, same goes for Zane," Rikki pointed out. "Just because we're not at the café doesn't mean we're hanging out," Zane agreed. "Were you?" Emma raised her eyebrow. "… yes," Zane said in a defeated tone and leaned back.
[Emma's suspicions were correct. Rikki and Zane walk down the streets in town, full of shops on each side of them.]
Zane: "Maybe, mermaids are obliged to save people, the same as doctors."
"Knew it," Emma laughed.
Everyone in the theater turned to the idiotic boy who had grimaced at each of their looks. Especially the three (four since he didn't notice Bella's) mermaids looks. "Really? You thought we were bound by magical laws to save people?" Emma asked in a dull tone. "Although they do have the powers to save them, it doesn't mean they have to. They chose to, which is what makes them even more human," Mrs. Chatham told everyone.
"We wouldn't have to if someone didn't keep putting themselves in danger," Rikki said in an obvious tone. "Alright, alright. I get it," Zane rolled his eyes in annoyance but still laughed.
Rikki: "Zane."
Zane: "Sorry. Won't mention it again." Gets a little antsy and looks at Rikki while moving his bag around. "But we should go out sometime and look for her."
"I beg your pardon?" Neil glared at him. "Were you asking her on a mermaid hunting date?" Don asked, his voice low. "Bad idea, I know. But I couldn't stop thinking about it," Zane sighed.
"I thought she said not to talk about mermaids ever again?" Will asked. "I warned him, several times," Rikki sighed.
Rikki: looks at him, about to say something, when she spots something in her peripherals. On the other side of a shop window, they were by, stood a mannequin wearing the most beautiful red dress there ever was. "Hey, look at that dress." Rikki and Zane walk closer to the window to look at it. "That is gorgeous. Don't you think?"
"Were you using that as an excuse to change the subject or did you actually like it?" Terry asked, completely surprised that Rikki liked a dress. "I was going to tell him again to stop, but that caught my eyes. It was beautiful," Rikki said with a smile, thinking about her dress.
"You like a dress? Since when?" Emma asked, gawking at the dress. It was amazing! If only she had one in a blue… "Just because you don't see me wearing a dress often doesn't mean I don't like them. It's my favorite color, of course I'm going to love it," Rikki grinned before it faded. I just could never afford one.
"Wow. It's beautiful," Charlotte breathed out, along with a few other compliments from the other girls.
"Is that the dress you were talking about?" Cleo whispered to Lewis, staring wide-eyed at the screen. "Yup," Lewis whispered back.
Zane: looks at her as if he's seeing a totally different person. "I didn't think you wore dresses like that."
"Neither did I," Terry muttered, shocked by this new information about his daughter. "I don't think anyone did," Lewis chuckled, the rest of the audience nodding in agreement.
Rikki: nods along and grins at him, still staring at the dress. "Don't start thinking you know everything about me. I like to dress up sometimes, when I'm in the mood."
"Really? When's that?" Kim scoffed. "Apparently when she's in love," Emma mocked, having seen the dress in person when Rikki was with Zane. "Oh, shut up," Rikki blushed.
Zane: smiles at her and nods toward the dress. "So, try it on."
Rikki: phone starts ringing, and she goes to grab it out of her bag. "No way. By the time I could afford a dress like that, I'd be too big to fit into it." Rikki walks off to the side to answer the phone while Zane continues to look at the dress.
"The hardest part about being broke? Never being able to afford something like that," Bella chuckled, saying it in a joking matter but never realized Rikki meant in a more serious way; Rikki looks down, feeling a bit upset but straightens back up and chose to forget about it. She has the dress now thanks to Zane, which now that she thinks about it, owes him something. Perhaps another date in their future.
Rikki: in the phone. "Hello. Hey, Em. Sure, I'll see you soon." While she's on the phone, Zane continues looking at the dress as an idea forms in his head.
"I know that look. What are you planning?" Terry asked, looking over at Zane. "It's a surprise," Zane grinned widely, not wanting to spoil it.
"I got a bad feeling about that phone call," Charlotte said. "You'd be correct," Emma and Cleo shifted uncomfortably, feeling bad for cornering Rikki like that and for ruining her date.
[Rikki swims through the clear blue ocean with a smile, happy about her new life. It was a peaceful swim through the reefs, glancing around at the many colorful schools of fish and other ocean life before she speeds off into the deep for her next destination: Mako.]
"No matter how many times we see it, the view of the ocean always looks so spectacular," Sam sighed in admiration. "I agree," Bella said with a small smile.
Probably the last peaceful swim I had for those next couple of days, Rikki thought a little grim.
[Rikki swims through the underwater entrance of the moonpool and pops her head up before paddling over to the edge. Above her, in the sand, stood Emma and Cleo with their arms crossed looking down at her with a stern look. Cleo stays behind a few steps.]
"Uh-oh," Elliot mumbled, not liking the look of things so far, and this scene had only just begun. He knew his sister, and her posture was definitely one to be concerned about.
Rikki: props herself up onto the ledge and looks up at her two supposed to be best friends. "So what is it?"
Emma: nods her head along as she narrows her eyes at her. "We know about you and Zane. We saw you at the movies."
"Sure, just bring it up so sudden, that won't make things worse," Lewis sarcastically said.
"At least talk it out first and in a nicer tone," Lisa frowned. "Sorry. That might've been more towards Zane than towards Rikki," Emma grimaced, thinking about her anger. "After the whole mermaid incident, I refused to let my guard down and her dating him kind of set it off." "I don't blame you, after everything I've done," Zane whispered, but just loud enough for Neil to hear, as he glared at him, with a hint of wonder of what else he did to them.
Rikki: cocks her head and raises an eyebrow, stunned. "That's what you dragged me all the way out here for? Just to tell me that?"
"Yeah, that was a little ridiculous to go all the way to Mako. Couldn't you just have that conversation at one of your houses?" Will asked. "And risk someone overhearing it? I don't think so," Emma shook her head. "How is it any different than the other thousands of mermaid talks you had at your home?" Denman raised an eyebrow.
"Your response was a lot calmer than I thought it would be," Max commented. "Eh, they would've figured it out eventually, and I already had it thought out about if they found out before I could tell them. This was not one of those scenarios," she nods toward the screen.
Emma: shakes her head. "It's no use trying to deny it."
"She wasn't," Terry frowned, not liking the girl accusing her straight away. "She might've been dodging the question a little, but she wasn't denying anything," Kim answered.
Rikki: "I'm not denying it. I was going to tell you, once I thought you were mature enough to handle it." Emma pouts and scowls at her.
"And their taking it very well, aren't they?" Ash sarcastically said with a chuckle. "I said when I was going to tell them. I didn't," Rikki pointed it out.
Cleo: speaks up from behind Emma. "Friends don't keep secrets like that from one another."
"Says the one who kept a tail hidden from her family for months," Kim scoffed. "How many times do I have to say sorry for that?" Cleo rolled her eyes. "Until it gets old," Kim smirked. "That'll be a while," Bev chuckled.
"You don't have to know every little secret of hers. She's allowed to have some privacy," Terry frowned.
Rikki: "Well, this friend does. I don't see what all the fuss is about."
Cleo: "He's practically hunting us, Rikki."
"In all honesty, I don't think it's a bad idea for her to date him," Neil admitted. "Whether she liked him or not, keeping him close also kept you guys out of his reach in a way. He never would've suspected you guys." "Actually, I never suspected anybody on land besides Mrs. Chatham. I didn't know they could come out on land," Zane said with a hint of embarrassment. "Nobody would've. Because nobody believed in mermaids until then," Max smiled.
Emma: "Actually, it's me he's hunting. I'm the idiot who saved him." Rikki shakes her head slightly as she looks at her 'friends' in disbelief.
"And that's the scary part," Neil whispered to himself. That Zane was hunting her. His daughter. And for how long and to what lengths, will he ever know?
"You're not the only one, Rikki's saved him before too," Elliot mentioned. "The only one who hasn't saved him yet is Cleo," Lewis grinned before turning to her. "When's your turn?" "Let's not let there be another turn," Zane answered for her before she could even open her mouth. "Don't do anymore stupid things and we won't have to worry about that," Harrison said.
Lisa frowned. The way Emma said it, it almost sounded like she regretted saving him. "Em, honey, did you regret saving him?" Lisa asked her. "In a way," Emma sighed. "I mean, if it kept me from being caught and us from being hunted and making sure my friends are safe … then yes."
"But then you would lose a friend in the process," Lisa finished for her. She scootched closer to her before wrapping her arms around her shoulders. "Em, dear. When I saved Harrison, I never got the recognition, no thanks, no apologies or anything. He still remained the same, sometimes occasional jerk he was back then. Do you think I regretted it?" Emma hesitated, thinking about it before shaking her head no.
"That's right. Because no matter how upset I got afterward, the fact remained that someone got to live that day. I had a choice whether to save them or not, and because of that choice, he got to have a second chance, a future, and a family. If I hadn't, none of that would exist to this day." Emma looks down at this, deep in thought about what this could mean for Zane's future. "Don't ever second guess your choice, never regret it. Because you wouldn't be able to live with yourself if you chose not to save his life. I know I wouldn't." With one final hug, Lisa separates from her and sits back next to Neil, leans in close to him, then looks back at the screen.
[Meanwhile, Zane gets his own scolding about his whereabouts. The teenage boy walks into his home with his schoolbag to find his father sitting on the couch with his laptop doing his work, as usual.]
Harrison: sees Zane walk in behind him. "I've been trying to call you."
Zane: continues walking past him and into the kitchen. "I had the phone switched off."
"I kept it off for our date, so I could focus more on her than my mates trying to call me, or dad in this instance," Zane explained. "So, what was the point then if Rikki kept hers on?" Kim pointed out. "If a mermaid emergency came up, then I needed to know in case they needed me," Rikki answered. "Which didn't matter anyway since you ignored our messages," Emma said with a knowing smile. Rikki matched it with a sheepish look.
"Well at least he was being nice by paying more attention to her," Terry thought to himself.
Harrison: "The whole purpose of me paying for your mobile phone is so I can call you."
"And I still stand by that statement," Harrison nodded. "He's not wrong," Neil muttered before looking at his daughter. "Same goes for you, Emma." "You too, sweetheart," Don nodded as Cleo sighed. "Yes, dad," the two girls said simultaneously.
Zane: sets his bag down on the counter. "A leash would be cheaper."
"I also stand by that statement," Zane grinned as several snorts of laughter erupted in the room.
"Nice comeback," Ash snickered.
Harrison: looks at Zane go to the fridge before standing up from his laptop and walks over to him. Changes the subject and gets straight to the point. "Well, I'm hosting a luncheon on Saturday. I'd like you to be here."
Zane: grabs a pitcher of orange juice and a cup and begins to pour him a drink. "I've got other plans."
"Another date? That's like the third one that week!" Ash exclaimed. "So? We're dating. We should be allowed to spend time with one another," Zane mentioned. "Yes, but you also need to prioritize your personal time. Make sure it doesn't cut into your life with family and such," Annette nodded along in agreement with Ash. "As long as it doesn't stress out either one of you," Terry said aloud. Mainly Rikki.
"If it's another date with Rikki, then why not ask her to join you? It'd be a perfect time for her and your dad to get to know one another better," Sam suggested. "Yeah, that worked out real well," Emma muttered to herself. "They got to know each other way better," Denman muttered too since he discovered Rikki's secret.
Harrison: leans against the back of the couch. "Let me put it this way. It's an opportunity for you to earn some of your allowance money." Zane looks up at him. "Why don't you bring Miriam?"
"Because if I'm going to go, I'm going to at least bring someone that brings me joy, not someone that annoys me," Zane scoffed.
Zane: sets down the pitcher. "I've got nothing to say to Miriam."
Rikki couldn't help but smile at that. It was times like this that he proved more and more how much he loved her. Shutting Miriam out like that proves just how serious he is. Even Emma was surprised. She always thought Miriam was a rebound, something to bounce Zane's jerky spirit back up. From the sounds of it, however, it's like Zane wanted nothing to do with her in the first place.
Harrison: nods and hums. "Hm, I agree she's no Oxford graduate. But she looks good."
"As much as I hate saying it, he has a point. She's as dumb as a pelican but she is pretty," Lewis admitted, never noticing Cleo's glint of jealousy. "Pelicans aren't dumb!" Kim protested. "No but she does squawk like one," Rikki sighed, crossing her arms.
Zane: "If I have to come, I want to invite someone else. A friend, Rikki." Takes a sip from his juice.
"A friend, huh? Wouldn't even tell your old man?" Harrison joked while laughing. "She wanted to keep it quiet. I needed to respect that," Zane shrugged, unknowingly increasing Terry's approval. "Even though you two sucked at it," Bella commented.
Harrison: sighs. "This is an important lunch for me, Zane. I want to impress some perspective investors, to present a strong family image. Rikki is the opposite of the kind of girl I want you to bring."
"And what's wrong with Rikki?" Terry glared at the other gentleman. Rikki sends a glare of her own. "Oh, nothing's wrong with Rikki. I didn't mean it in a bad way, really. I might not show it, but Rikki actually impressed me when she stood up to me that last time. She's impressed me a lot more since then. She's a great girl, brave, strong, smart, and definitely knows how to stand her ground. But unfortunately, that's the exact opposite I wanted that day for the luncheon. I was afraid she would mess things up by opposing her view on the other guests and thus ruin my plans," Harrison sighed after apologizing to Rikki, the guilty look never leaving his face.
"Rikki might be all of that, but she wouldn't ruin something important for someone she cares about," Terry said, his glare softening a bit. "Not intentionally, at least," Rikki mumbled to herself and rubbed her neck. "I wouldn't say that so soon. Not that I cared about it anyway," Zane chuckled to himself.
[The scene reverts back to the girls, their little chat deteriorating by the minute, as things begin to get worse for Rikki.]
Rikki: still on the ledge. "You're underestimating Zane. The obnoxious stuff is an act, most of the time. He tries to keep people away."
"Thanks for ruining my rep, Rikki," Zane chuckled to himself. "Who said you ever had one?" Lewis shot back with a grin.
"Sounds like someone I know," Terry mumbled as he glanced over at Rikki. Since her mom left when she was a kid, she always tried to keep others away. It was a tactic she used to prevent herself from ever getting hurt again by the people close to her. The only ones she's ever allowed was him, and her two best friends. Now it sounds like Zane will be included in that fold as well.
"Now we know she was telling the truth," Cleo sighed. "Sorry, Zane." "It's fine. I don't blame you. It would be hard for me to believe too after everything I did," he responded.
Emma: "Zane's going to keep looking for his mermaid. You going out with him is going to bring him closer to us."
"Isn't that a good thing? I mean, the closer he is to you guys, the less likely he will suspect any of you," Annette asked. "He wouldn't suspect his girlfriend or anybody he's close to. The only clue he has close to anybody is an Ariel impersonator. Someone with red hair, like Charlotte," Lewis thought, gesturing to the girl. "And you can count me out since I hadn't moved into the area just yet. Plus, my hair is not that deep shade of a red," she said as she brushed a hand through her hair.
"I doubt he would suspect anybody with legs anyway since he's looking for one with a tail," Max answered. "He doesn't, or didn't, know that mermaids could walk on land and the only other person he suspected was a crazy elderly lady who he had no proof on other than knowing she knew about the creature." Max looks over to his friend and nods. "No offense." Mrs. Chatham shrugged. "None taken."
Rikki: looks offended. "Thanks. So not only am I stupid, I'm just as bad as Zane."
"I didn't say that," Emma said. "You implied it," Rikki countered, and Emma sighed. "But I didn't mean it like that. I was just trying to say that we should be more careful." "… I know. I guess, I just didn't want to listen, and my anger took over," Rikki said in a quieter tone. "We all did. We didn't listen to either side of the story and refused to work things out. Only letting our anger in the way," Cleo mentioned. "You're right," Rikki sighed as she looked over at her two friends with a small smile. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys about Zane. I should've told you from the very beginning and talked to you about the whole mermaid thing in the first place."
Emma laughed lightly before looking back up at her. "We've both apologized a dozen times to each other already. But, in that case, I'm sorry we didn't listen to you. We should've heard what you had to say before we made a stupid mistake. I was just so focused on thinking that you might be turning your backs on us, that I was too blind to realize in reality, that you were doing it for both you and us. You really do like Zane, and you tried to get him to stop with the mermaid business. You really were looking out for us," Emma finished with a smile and hugged Rikki. Cleo joins in the group hug and hugs them both.
"Aww, they made up," Kim said in a teasing tone but was ultimately happy for them. "For like the fiftieth time," Lewis sighed in annoyance.
Emma: rolls her eyes. "Please, Rikki. We've all got to make sacrifices." Rikki frowns at them.
"What are you saying? That she should give up love for the secret?" Bella frowned. She knew that the secret was important, having to make hard choices for it herself. But it doesn't mean she should give up her happiness in order to live a safe life. Sometimes it's worth the risk to have a good time. Even if it means entrusting your secret to someone else, someone you hope will keep it to themselves. "I was saying that she had to choose. Either us, or Zane," Emma said in a guilty voice, looking down.
"What?! That's ridiculous! Why should she have to give something up that made her happy?! What sacrifices did you make then?" Kim said in an accusing matter as the crowd gasped. "We all had to give up something in one way or another. This secret brought danger around every corner. We had to do something in order for us to stay safe. And I gave up the swim team, I can't be on a swim team with a tail! I gave up my family's trust and had to lie to everyone, just so I could keep us safe, and them from getting involved in our troubles. I lost a lot of friends from the swim team because they couldn't understand why I left, and I could never give them a straight answer. So don't ask what I sacrificed, because it's a lot more than you can think of," Emma snapped, tears prickling at the edge of her eyelids.
The theater room grew silent at the mermaid's outburst. Never in their life, have they heard Emma so outspoken. Her parents weren't even sure what to say. This was the most they heard about her losses since the beginning of it all. She must've been building this up for a while now. Even while their lives are being played out right in front of them, it's still not easy to let go of everything you have, including your emotions.
Finally, Cleo speaks up. "Like I've said before, we have good times with our new lives, but there are also some bad times too. Things we can never go back to," Cleo admitted in a soft tone, patting Emma on the back.
[Back at the Bennett's, Harrison continues to pester Zane.]
Harrison: "So what do you know about this Rikki girl?"
"A lot more than I know back then," Zane said, glancing over at her. And there'll be more to know about her still. But that's okay. It takes time to get to know one another, and he wasn't going to pressure her into telling him something she wasn't ready to say yet.
Zane: "Enough to know that I like her."
"Hmm. Good answer," Terry grumbled, he would've been in a better mood if it weren't for the fight going on between the girls onscreen.
Harrison: leans forward on the counter close to Zane. "Have you met her family?"
Zane: "No."
"I have now, and I have to say her father seems like a nice guy," Zane nodded with a smile, hoping to brighten the mood. "Kissing up won't get you nowhere," Terry said aloud. "Dad!" Rikki scolded. Terry sighed. "Thanks, Zane. You seem alright yourself. Don't screw it up, kid," Terry said in a warning tone.
Harrison: "Know anything about her background?"
Zane: "No."
"What is this, an interrogation?" Kim scoffed. "Kim," Bev warned.
"The two parallels between your argument with Rikki and his with Zane, kind of lines up. You three are literally arguing about the other, while the two of them are arguing over one another. The timing is perfect. You guys are just alike," Lewis commented. Emma and Cleo shuttered at being compared to the older Bennett. "Never say that again." "Yeah I prefer not to be compared to a teenage mermaid," Harrison frowned. "That's just creepy," Charlotte agreed.
Harrison: "So you're stuck on a girl you don't know anything about. Why?"
"Because she's a mystery. That's what he likes," Mrs. Chatham whispered with a smile. He might have reminded her of Karl, but they are so different in many ways.
Zane: doesn't know what to say and looks back up at him a little befuddled. "Look, I'll be at your stupid lunch thing, ok." Grabs his bag off the counter and scowls at his dad. "Happy?" Zane marches off, and Harrison watches him go.
"But what about Rikki?" Elliot asked. "What about her?" Zane asked. "Are you going to be okay without her there?" Zane grinned as he looked back at the screen. "I never said she wasn't coming."
"Not if you're not happy," Harrison whispered to himself.
[Back at the moonpool, the splash fight continues.]
Emma: "It's too dangerous for you to keep seeing Zane."
"You didn't hear her telling you the same thing when you were seeing Byron," Kim said. "They gave me a little trouble," Emma argued. "All they did was say you were a hypocrite, and you are right now!" Kim countered, gesturing to the screen.
"I still think it'll keep her safe," Ash said holding his hand up. "We heard you the first time," Cleo rolled her eyes.
Rikki: "I didn't interfere in your life, so stay out of mine." Shrugs. "Maybe you could try showing a little trust."
"We do trust you. We were just worried about you," Cleo told her. "It sure didn't sound like it."
"You interfered with my crush with Byron, and you interfered with my little brother," Emma pointed out. "I'm your best friend, I'm allowed to do that, just not as intense as you were to me. And I didn't interfere with Elliot's life, he did that to himself," Rikki nodded her head towards the boy. "At least your whole family didn't interfere with yours," Cleo said while sending a quick glare toward the other Sertori's.
Emma: "It's Zane we don't trust."
"Not from the sounds of it," Terry grumbled. He looked over to his daughter and couldn't help but wonder, is she okay having to see this again? From the uncomfortable looks on their faces, all three of them didn't like having to repeat this.
"Unbelievable, your mermaids and yet you're arguing over boys. Typical teenagers," Kim shook her head in annoyance. Hey, she's a preteen, she's allowed to complain about it.
Emma: narrows her eyes at the mermaid. "It's up to you to make a decision."
Rikki: "Between you two and Zane?" Emma doesn't answer, only letting Rikki figure it out for herself.
"Are you kidding me?!" Kim shouted. "You don't make someone choose between one person or the other! That's just wrong," Sam frowned.
"Emma?" Elliot muttered, a little confused as to why Emma would say that. He knew she was mad, but would she really be that mad to destroy a friendship?
"Emma! You shouldn't force that onto her," Lisa scolded.
"You wanted my daughter to choose between you or her boyfriend?" Terry asked in a cold voice. It reminded him too much of when she was younger, from the last time they ever saw her mother. She made her choose back then. Whether to go with her or to stay, in her exact words, 'in this dump.' If it weren't for Rikki being more like her father than ever her mom, he probably wouldn't have ever seen his little girl again.
"Wait a minute, you didn't tell me this part," Lewis squinted in confusion. "We weren't exactly proud of it," Cleo mumbled, hugging herself as she tried to avoid all the glares that were being sent her way.
"And you guys call yourself her friends," Denman shook her head in disappointment. "Hey! Back off, alright? They know what they did was wrong, just like I know what I did to them first was wrong. We've done been over this, we've both apologized. So enough with the comments and leave them alone about this, okay?" Rikki snapped at them, having had enough of the criticism.
Terry looks at Rikki surprised that she would stick up for them after having to go through all of that, but if they done went through this once, they clearly already made up if she's defending them. And the rest of the theater seemed to agree as their grumbling died down and they all turned back to the screen. Emma and Cleo flash Rikki a grateful smile which she happily returns it.
Cleo: steps forward. "We can't let Zane get to us, Rikki."
"At this point, it's not just about Zane anymore, not when you're risking your friendship," Max said. This fight reminded him too much about what happened between Julia and the other girls about Karl. He wasn't there that day, but Louise and Gracie told him all about it afterward. But Louise was through it all, she saw everything. Which is why she refused to look back up and clung to Max's hand for support, the memory too painful to remember.
Rikki: shakes her head, and looks at them in disbelief. "Don't make me do this."
"You shouldn't," Zane whispered in shock. Rikki never told him about the fight, probably due to the secret and it must've slipped her mind after he found out. They fought often, never this bad, but they always made up. To have to choose between friendship or a relationship? The fight must've been pretty serious, and from the looks of it, it was.
"I didn't want to. I just, out of all the outcomes I came up with in this scenario, I never expected it to come down to this," Rikki admitted, unknowingly answering Zane's comment.
Emma: "We're your friends. And you need to make a choice."
"No, no you don't. Friends don't make you choose one over the other. Friends are friends, no matter what happens," Kim said in a slightly hurt tone. She couldn't help but imagine if she lost Elliot. If one of her friends made her choose between them or him. She didn't want to lose either. It was already hard enough losing one person she loved, as she glanced over at her mom; she wasn't sure how she would handle it if she lost anyone else.
Rikki: glares at them. "Friends don't give each other ultimatums." Pushes away from the edge and ducks her head underwater to leave without a second thought. Emma looks over at Cleo to see if they made the right decision then looks back at the moonpool where Rikki was last seen and sighs.
"That's right. Friends don't make the other decide. If you did, were you really friends to begin with?" Neil asked suddenly, not realizing it hurt Emma a little to hear that. She never thought she would hear those words from her own father. Then again, she never thought he would find out about her secret life either and be watching it in front of a screen with everyone else, but still.
On the bright side, at least they didn't have their weather powers at the time. Things would've turned from bad to ugly if so, Lewis thought.
[On Saturday, the day of the luncheon, Candy decorates the backyard tables with flowers. The entire backyard and poolside were full of white tableclothed tables filled with fancy foods and decorated flowers and candles. On the other side of the yard stood a white tent covering the lunch table where the guests were to sit. Around the tent were potted vines that wrapped around the legs of the tent. Candy, after having finished one of the many decorative poolside tables, walks around the pool to meet her … whatever he is to her.]
Harrison: comes out to the backyard in his suit and meets Candy. "Zane's late. If he misses this, he can finish his education at boarding school."
Zane snorted. "Oh, is that why I had to go?" "No, I sent you so you could finish your education early. And besides, it was the same school I went to. I'm sure you learned a thing or two," Harrison smiled in reminiscence. "The only thing I learned was how boaring it was. I'd have rather been homeschooled. At least now I know where you got your personality from," he joked.
"Hang on. Is it Saturday already? How long did you guys go without talking to each other?" Bella asked in shock. She didn't think they would argue this bad. They were mermaid sisters for life! They've been through thick and thin, would they really allow one mistake to mess that up? "It was a couple of days. We were in school during the fight," Rikki answered. "How did you avoid each other then?" Will asked. "Easy, we sat in different seats in class, avoided each other in the hallways, at the Juicenet, and anywhere else we would've seen each other. If we ran into each other at the moonpool one of us would leave," Emma mentioned, though it was tough to say.
Candy: "I'm sure he'll be here any minute."
Harrison: sighs. "That's comforting. Why don't you stick to the catering, sweetheart?" Harrison gets distracted by the sight of his guests coming down the stairs and walks toward them. Behind his back, Candy scowls.
"So, I wasn't the only one who had to deal with his insufferable annoyance," Zane mumbled. He might have gotten better, but he could still complain about it, especially when there were moments, he wasn't aware of. Like this.
"You sure know how to talk to your girlfriend," Don glanced over at him, and not in a good way. "I swear I'm better," Harrison held his hands up in defense from all the glares sent his way.
"Huh, so that's where Zane gets it from," Lewis hummed.
Harrison: spots the Gilbert family coming down the stairs led by one of the waiters. "Neil, Lisa, and the gorgeous Emma. I'm thrilled you could come."
"Wow, your personality turned a complete one-eighty. That's impressive. You pulled a Miriam," Rikki tilted her head. "I guess so," Harrison chuckled. "Wish I could've seen that side more often," Zane grinned.
Neil: "We're thrilled to be here, Harrison."
Harrison: shakes his hand when he gets to the bottom of the stairs. "Neil, how did you manage to get two stunners like this in your life?" Lisa laughs.
Neil: "Oh, just put it down to luck, I guess."
"When you got a gorgeous wife, you get a gorgeous family," Neil smiled at his wife and kissed her on the cheek.
"Hey, where's Elliot?" Cleo asked, noticing he wasn't there. "Oh, we had him go and stay at a friend's house. We didn't think he would like hanging around without anything to do," Lisa answered. "And boy are you right. Emma said it was boring," Elliot chimed in, making Emma slap his shoulder and tell him to shush.
Harrison: pats him on the back. "Well, you're about to get a whole lot luckier."
"Why's that?" Ash asked. Neil and Harrison glance at one another in concern, the former having known about the plans. "Well, um, you see, I had an investment plan that I was working on for quite a while back then, which now that I think of it was incredibly stupid," Harrison rubbed the back of his neck, looking a little pale. "What was it about?" Annette asked suspiciously. "Well, uh – erm, you'll find out soon," Harrison stuttered and gestured to the screen. He looked down as he did so, not wanting to see the girl's disappointing looks. Though there was a tiny ounce of sadness mixed in with it since they knew he did regret everything according to Zane. Denman noticed his look and gulped down her nerves, having an idea of what it might be about.
[The three of them walk off over to the tent. Lisa was about to join them when she notices Emma hanging back a bit and looking down.]
Lisa: grabs her gently by the arm and looks at her. Emma looks back up at her. "Everything alright?"
Emma: leans in and whispers. "When you said we were going to lunch, I didn't realize it was going to be at the Bennett's." Looks around the place.
"Why did I have to go?" Emma asked curiously. "It was to support your father and I thought it would've been nice for Zane to have a friend to at least talk to," Lisa told her. "Too bad we didn't get the memo of the fight," Neil chuckled. "Three?" Terry frowned. But, Emma's the only one there.
Lisa: "Is that a problem?"
"Yes," the entire theater said, Emma and Rikki's in a deadpanned tone.
Lisa: lets out a breath of laughter and smiles. "Come on. It's not like you won't know anyone. Zane will be here. Come on." Lisa wraps her arm around Emma's and drags her over to the tent. On the way, Emma has a disgruntled look on her face.
"I'm pretty sure that's the last person she wanted to see," Charlotte winced. "That would be correct. And then that list doubled later on," Emma mumbled the last part.
"That sure cheered her up," Elliot laughed.