Ariel
Nothing could ruin this moment.
Ariel had her voice back. After weeks of silence, of feeling like a part of her had been stolen, she was finally whole again. Mrs. Bloodgood had reinstated her as the lead in the choir, and she had been rehearsing every day with Sebastian and Flounder for the talent show.
Everything was perfect.
Until it wasn't.
"Ariel, have you seen the news?" Sebastian's mother asked, her voice filled with concern.
Ariel frowned. "No, what happened?"
The television flickered as she entered the living room, casting a dull glow over the walls. Her father stood at a podium, speaking into a row of microphones. The official seal of the council was behind him.
Ariel's stomach twisted. What was this about?
Her father's voice rang out through the speakers.
"Today, I would like to announce our new council member. She has served on the council before and has demonstrated a desire to make amends for past mistakes. The council and I have agreed to allow her back into our ranks. Please welcome... Ursula."
Ariel felt the breath leave her lungs.
No.
No, no, no.
Gasps erupted from the room. Ariel's ears rang as she stared at the screen, frozen in disbelief.
Ursula? Back in power?
"It is so good to be back," Ursula's voice purred from the speakers. Her smile was smug, her eyes gleaming with barely concealed triumph. I apologize for my past mistakes and promise to dedicate myself to serving you all. As of today, I have turned over a new leaf. Thank you."
The screen cut back to her father, his expression unreadable.
Ariel's hands clenched into fists.
How could he let this happen?
Sebastian leaned closer, voice hushed. "This had to have been her plan all along. There's no way she got back in without something shady happening."
Ariel barely heard him. Her mind was racing.
Did Father do this? Was this his decision?
It didn't make sense. Ursula had tried to take over the council, and she had nearly destroyed everything. And yet… her father had just announced her return like it was nothing.
Ariel's heart pounded in her chest.
She needed answers.
Without another word, she turned and rushed out the door, ignoring Sebastian's calls after her.
She had to talk to her father.
Now.
Ariel didn't remember the walk home.
Her heart pounded so loudly in her ears that it drowned out the world around her. The cool night air did nothing to calm the fire of confusion and anger burning inside her.
By the time she reached the front door, she was practically shaking.
She shoved it open and stormed inside.
Her family was in the living room, gathered around the TV, their faces tense. Her father sat in his chair, staring at the blank screen, his hands clasped together. He looked… tired.
Ariel barely slowed down before blurting out, "Tell me that wasn't real."
Her voice came out sharp, demanding.
Her father looked up, startled. He opened his mouth, hesitated, then let out a slow sigh.
"Ariel," he said gently. "Sit down."
She didn't move.
Her fists clenched at her sides. "No. Just tell me why. Why would you let her back in? After everything she did?"
He rubbed his temples, exhaling. "It's not that simple."
"It seems pretty simple to me!" she shot back. "She tried to take over the council, she—" Ariel swallowed, her throat burning. "She took my voice. And you just let her walk back in?"
Her father flinched.
For a long moment, he didn't answer.
Then, finally, he said, "Ariel… I didn't have a choice."
A cold, sinking feeling spread through her chest.
Her voice was quiet now but no less sharp. "What do you mean?"
Her father stood up slowly, his shoulders heavy with something she couldn't quite place—guilt, regret, exhaustion.
"Ariel, the formula that gave you your voice back… it didn't just come out of nowhere." His voice was calm but strained. "It was Ursula's."
Ariel's breath hitched.
No.
No, that couldn't be true.
She took a step back. "You—you made a deal with her?"
His jaw tightened, but he nodded.
Ariel felt like the floor had just disappeared from beneath her.
No. No, no, no.
Her father had done this.
"You gave her back her power?" Her voice wavered, but she kept pushing. "You—what did you do?"
He closed his eyes briefly before looking at her again.
"She needed something from me," he admitted. "My endorsement."
Ariel blinked. "What?"
"There was an opening on the school board," he continued. "She wanted it. She knew I had the influence to help her get elected." He let out a bitter chuckle. "And she wasn't going to fix what she did to you unless I agreed."
Ariel couldn't breathe.
Her father had traded his influence for her voice.
"That's why you said all that on TV?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. "That's why you let her back in?"
"Yes," he said, and something in his voice cracked. "I didn't want to, Ariel. But I couldn't—I couldn't just stand by and let you suffer."
Ariel shook her head, taking another step back.
"At what cost?" she whispered. "She's back in power now, and you—you're not even on the high council anymore, are you?"
Silence.
Her father's expression confirmed what she already knew.
Ariel wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling very, very small.
"And now what?" she asked, barely holding back tears. "She gets exactly what she wants? And we have to just… accept it?"
Her father's face was unreadable. "We'll be leaving after the talent show," he said. "I found a job in Alaska."
Ariel's breath hitched.
"No," she said immediately.
"Ariel—"
"No!" She shook her head furiously, tears burning in her eyes. "You—You let her take everything from us, and now we're the ones who have to leave?"
Her voice broke.
"I just got my voice back," she choked out. "I have my friends. The talent show. And you're telling me it's all over?"
Her father looked at her helplessly. "I'm sorry," he said. I did what I had to do."
Ariel let out a shaky breath.
Her hands trembled at her sides. "No," she whispered. "I won't go."
"Ariel—"
"I won't," she said again, her voice thick with emotion. "I'm sixteen, Dad. You don't get to just take everything away from me."
Her father reached for her, but she took another step back.
Tears blurred her vision as she turned on her heel and ran up the stairs.
She barely registered the sound of her father calling her name before she slammed the door to her room and locked it behind her.
Then she collapsed onto her bed, burying her face in her pillow.
And sobbed.
Because everything—her friends, her dreams, her home—was slipping through her fingers.
And there was nothing she could do to stop it.
The theater room was empty.
Ariel stood alone on the dimly lit stage, the soft glow of the emergency exit sign barely reaching the wings. The grand piano sat untouched, its polished surface catching the faintest glimmer of light. Dust motes drifted lazily in the air, illuminated only when they crossed the faint beams spilling through the high windows.
She closed her eyes and took a slow, steady breath.
Then she sang.
Her voice floated through the space, filling the vast emptiness with something raw, something aching. The words carried the weight of her emotions—her fear, sadness, and desperation to hold on to what was slipping away.
This theater had always been a place of dreams, where music was safe and meant something.
Tonight, it was a place of loneliness.
As she reached the final note, her voice lingered in the air before dissolving into silence.
Then—
A slow clap echoed through the room.
Ariel stiffened.
She turned slightly, her heart hammering as she peered into the darkness beyond the stage lights. The auditorium was primarily shadowed, the seats hidden in the gloom. She hadn't realized anyone was there.
"You're really good at singing," a voice said. Smooth. Familiar.
Ariel swallowed, suddenly uneasy.
"I'm so happy to see you, Vanessa."
Her breath hitched. Vanessa?
The voice came closer, footsteps tapping against the theater floor. The way the lighting played tricks on the space made it hard to see who it was. But recognition struck her as he stepped into one of the dimly lit aisles.
Eric.
Ariel's lips parted, words catching in her throat.
"I—I don't know who you are, and I'm n—" she started, but before she could finish, he cut her off with a lighthearted chuckle.
"It's okay, Vanessa," he said, his tone warm. "I mean, we're going out. You don't have to be shy."
Ariel felt her stomach drop. He really thinks I'm her.
He took another step forward, closer now. "Come on, I'll walk you home, okay?"
Panic flared in her chest. She needed to get out of here.
Straightening her posture, she forced her voice to remain calm. "I can walk home on my own, thank you. Goodbye."
Without waiting for a response, she turned sharply and hurried toward the backstage exit.
She could feel his confused gaze as she left but didn't dare look back.
Not until she was safely outside, breathing in the cold night air.
Eric
Football practice had run late again.
Eric sighed as he slung his bag over his shoulder, descending the dimly lit streets toward home. He had hoped to finish early tonight and see Vanessa.
She was always busy. Always just out of reach.
Sometimes, he'd catch glimpses of her talking to other guys in the hallways, laughing, smiling. He tried not to let it bother him. They were dating, after all… right?
Still, something about her always felt distant.
He shook the thought away. She's probably just busy.
Tonight, he just wanted to hear her sing. He'd heard whispers that she was performing in the talent show, though she never told him what song. It didn't matter. He loved her voice—soft, enchanting, full of something he couldn't quite describe.
As he passed the old theater building, something stopped him.
A voice.
Not just any voice—her voice.
It drifted through the open door, filling the empty space with something raw and beautiful. He turned his head toward the sound, feeling drawn in.
Vanessa.
A small smile tugged at his lips. She must have been practicing for the show.
Quietly, he stepped inside.
The theater room was dark, the only light spilling in from the high windows and the glow of the exit sign. A lone figure stood in the shadows on the stage, her silhouette framed against the faint beams.
She looked stunning.
Eric stayed where he was, hidden in the aisle, listening as she sang. He didn't want to interrupt—he just wanted to listen.
By the time the final note faded into silence, his heart was racing.
He stepped forward. "You're really good at singing," he said, his voice warm with admiration. "I'm so happy to see you, Vanessa."
The figure turned sharply.
Eric froze.
Why did she look startled?
She hesitated, standing just outside the reach of the light. He still couldn't quite see her face.
"I—I don't know who you are, and I'm n—" she started, but he barely heard her.
He chuckled, brushing off her nervousness. "It's okay, Vanessa. I mean, we're going out. You don't have to be shy." He took another step closer, holding out a hand. "Come on, I'll walk you home."
She stiffened.
For the first time, something felt… off.
"I can walk home on my own, thank you. Goodbye."
She turned abruptly and strode toward the backstage exit.
Eric frowned. Why was she acting so weird?
He considered following her for a second, but exhaustion from practice weighed him down. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. Maybe she just had a bad day.
He'd call her when he got home.
Eric tossed his bag onto his desk and collapsed onto his bed, exhaling deeply. His muscles ached from practice, but his mind was elsewhere.
Vanessa.
That moment in the choir lingered in his mind. Her voice had been beautiful, even more than usual. Enchanting. But something about the way she reacted to him didn't sit right.
She had looked startled. Like she hadn't expected to see him at all.
And then she ran.
Eric pulled out his phone and scrolled to her contact, pressing call.
The line rang.
Then her voicemail clicked on.
"Hello, this is Vanessa. I'm not available right now. Please leave a message, and if you're important, I'll call back."
Beep.
"Hey, Vanessa, it's me, Eric. I just wanted to check in… You seemed a little unsettled earlier, so I just wanted to ensure everything's okay. I'll see you at school tomorrow. Goodnight."
He ended the call and stared at the phone for a moment.
Maybe she was busy.
Maybe she just hadn't expected to see him.
Still… something felt off.
Sighing, he tossed his phone onto his nightstand and leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
A month until the talent show.
Maybe then, she'd let him in.
Eric strolled into the school hallways the next morning, scanning the crowd for Vanessa. He had expected to see her at her locker or chatting with her cheerleading friends.
But she was nowhere in sight.
He frowned and pulled out his phone, checking for any messages. Nothing.
"Hey, man," one of his teammates called as they passed. "Looking for Vanessa?"
Eric nodded. "Yeah. Have you seen her?"
The guy laughed. "She's gone, dude. Cheerleading championship. She left this morning—she'll be gone for like two weeks."
Eric blinked. Cheer camp?
She hadn't even mentioned it to him.
"Right… Thanks."
His teammate shrugged and walked off, leaving Eric feeling a little ridiculous.
She had just left. Without telling him. Without answering his message.
He shoved his phone back into his pocket and exhaled sharply.
Whatever.
Shaking off his frustration, he turned toward his first class—only to walk straight into someone rounding the corner.
The impact sent papers flying to the floor.
"Oh—I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention," Eric said, stepping back.
The girl knelt down quickly to gather her things, shaking her head. "It's fine. I was in a hurry, too."
Eric's gaze landed on her face, and something clicked in his memory.
She was familiar.
She had long red hair, deep blue eyes, and a soft, almost hesitant smile.
He knew her.
"I think I remember you…" he started, narrowing his eyes slightly as he searched for a name. "Mildred?"
The girl's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "No."
"Uh—Dina? Rachelle?"
She huffed a quiet laugh. "My name is Ariel."
Ariel.
And suddenly, it hit him.
She was the girl who was supposed to sing at the football game. The one who lost her voice.
"I know you, Eric," she added, tucking her books under her arm. "But I need to go now."
Before he could say anything else, she turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Eric stood there for a moment, watching her go.
Ariel.
He barely had time to process the interaction before the bell rang, pulling him toward his next class.
Eric slumped into his seat, already dreading the lecture. He had never been the kind of guy who cared much about schoolwork—his focus was football, and that was enough.
That was until the teacher spoke.
"Alright, class, listen up," the teacher announced, clapping her hands together. "You're going to be working on a project in groups of two. I've already assigned your partners, so no complaining."
Eric groaned.
"Alright, let's go down the list…"
The teacher began reading off names, pairing students together.
Then—
"Eric and Ariel."
His head snapped up.
Ariel?
He glanced across the room and spotted her. She seemed just as surprised as he was, blinking as she looked at him.
"Well," Eric muttered, running a hand through his hair. "That's unexpected."
The teacher continued, "For this project, each of you will pick a favorite movie and research it. You will then compare the two films, analyzing their similarities. This will be a two-week assignment and will count for a significant portion of your grade. So, make sure you work together."
The class erupted into quiet chatter as students started pairing up.
Eric got up and walked over to Ariel's desk.
"Looks like we're partners," he said, leaning against the desk. "So, what's your favorite movie?"
Ariel tilted her head slightly. "The Little Mermaid."
Eric raised an eyebrow, grinning. "Seriously?"
She nodded. "What about you?"
"Hmmm…" He thought for a moment. "I'd say something with action. Maybe… The Transporter."
Ariel laughed. "I was expecting you to pick a football movie."
Eric smirked. "Not everything is about football, you know."
She crossed her arms, still smiling. "Could've fooled me."
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, well, looks like we've got our movies. Guess we should get started."
Pulling out his notebook, he found himself glancing at Ariel again.
Something about her was different.
And for the first time, he was curious.
