The Merworld Water Wars - Finned Part 14

"With a Normal," I supplied.

"Sorry."

"It's fine. I know my place," I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"It's getting close to dinner time for you. Want a ride home?" he asked hopefully.

"Well, um, how-did-you-get-here-exactly?"

"Do you think I'd throw you on my back and take you for a swim?" he asked, laughing. "I drove, silly."

Blus.h.i.+ng, I agreed to leave with him. He helped me through the cave, obsessively watching my feet. "I won't touch the water. I'm a water-skirting sand crab," I teased.

"Yeah, but I'm the king crab," he said, lifting me onto his shoulder as though I weighed no more than a sand dollar.

"Is this necessary?" I asked "It's the only way I know you won't touch the water."

"Control freak," I whispered in his ear.

"Takes one to know one," he said, carrying me all the way to his truck. Setting me down in the pa.s.senger seat, he asked, "Want to drive through town? I think you might want to see it."

"Sure."

After a few minutes, we reached the main street, which has been renamed Love Lane-the name change should have prepared me because, Dear Mother of G.o.d, I have entered h.e.l.l. It looked like some freaking fat cupid ate one too many cream puffs and barfed pink, red, and white hearts, bows, arrows, doves, and all sorts of lovey-dovey c.r.a.p all over the town.

"Nice, huh?" he said.

"Mmm." No, it wasn't nice. It was cruel and inhumane to those of us who were perpetually without a boyfriend. It's a c.r.a.p day, in a c.r.a.p month, designed to feed c.r.a.p to stupid girls. "Surprised they get started so early."

"Valentine's Day is even bigger than Christmas here," he said, proudly pointing out various decorative feats.

Fabulous. So, we'll just add Valentine-loving town to the growing list of things Saxet Sh.o.r.es was doing to make my life suck.

"Are there any holidays you don't celebrate?"

"A few, like Independence Day. And we don't acknowledge birthdays or anniversaries. It's probably why we overcompensate during the bigger holidays."

"Seriously?! No Fourth of July fireworks fun or birthday cakes and presents? And I can't imagine the married mermaids are very happy getting zero, zilch, nada for their anniversary," I said.

"Every year, someone from a nearby town fires off some pretty big fireworks on Independence Day, but other than that, we don't partake. It's not really something we can relate to, I guess. As for birthdays and anniversaries, they've never been a part of our culture."

"Reckon it's not such a bad thing. You never have to worry about ticking off your significant other by forgetting their birthday or anniversary. Little b.u.mmed about the lack of red, white, and blue patriotic pride, though."

"Why's that? Are you a Yankee Doodle sweetheart?"

I laughed. "Well, it's kind of my birthright. I was born on Independence Day."

"That's right! You're a July Fourth baby! It really explains so much."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, nudging him.

"If you don't know by now, then I'm sure as h.e.l.l not sticking my foot in it," he said, chuckling.

I playfully punched him in the arm. "Ooh, you are such a giant b.u.t.thead."

"Stick around."

We teased each other the rest of the way through a downtown that was clearly in the process of overdosing on paper hearts.

After far too long in cupid's belly, we finally pulled up to my house. "So, are you doing anything tomorrow?" I asked.

"I have a...meeting," he said slowly.

"Ah, you mean under the sea." Must stop the urge to sing.

He nodded. "You really want to channel a little red Jamaican crab, don't you?"

"Huh? What? Huh? Yeah, I should get inside."

"Can read you like a book, Rubylocks. Hey, Marina?" He took my hand, keeping me in the truck. "Thank you for listening to me. It's nice to have somebody to talk to-somebody on the outside with everyone else in town, but on the inside to me."

"You don't need to thank me, Troy. It's not like you tell me very much."

"I've let you in further than anyone I've ever known," he said.

"Well, then, you're welcome," I breathed. "Good luck with your meeting."

"Night," he said, releasing my hand.

For my own sanity-and safety-I knew I had to make my very first New Year's resolution: I resolve not to kiss Troy Tombolo. A kiss always leads to deeper feelings-deeper feelings lead to complications-complications lead to love-and love leads to heartache. So, start with no kissing and all should be well. I think.

Sat.u.r.day night. My mom has. .h.i.t an all-time high on the stupid meter. At this very moment, Mom was eagerly beautifying herself for a private dinner date...with Mr. Anderson.

"It's just dinner, Marina. Grow up!"

"Grow up! Me? Why don't you take the blinders off?"

"Don't back talk, young lady! I'm going to his house strictly as a colleague, not that it's any of your business," she said, adding more blush to her already dolled-up cheeks.

"What about Mr. Gibbs? You were so happy whenever you went out with him. Your face would light up every time he called. You're the Bennet to his Bingley."

"He's all right. But, Mr. Anderson is better connected with town aristocrats," she said, sticking her nose high in the air.

"Are you possessed? I don't even know you anymore!" I shouted, trying to fight away the tears.

"Well, maybe if you weren't so blind, you would see I have always been like this." She brushed her hand through my hair. "Too bad you're not as pretty as I am."

"What have they done to you? This is me, your daughter, Marina! Look at me!"

She turned to face me, but I saw no one behind her eyes.

"I have to get out of here." I grabbed my coat and headed for the door, but Mom swept in front of me, blocking my path. "Please, just let me go! You go on your date with Mr. Anderson! Really live it up! I don't care!"

"You're not going anywhere." She yanked my arm and spun me around.

"Let me go! You're hurting me!"

She tossed me in my room, slammed the door, and locked it from the outside.

"If you had just been happy for me, you could have had dinner and watched a movie. Now, you leave me no choice." Her voice sounded nothing like the woman who sang me to sleep as a child.

"You know what you are, Mom? You're just like those cruel, needle-happy b.i.t.c.hes at the inst.i.tution!" It killed me to say it, but it came out before I could think.

For a minute, she didn't say anything. "Marina? Darling, why are you crying?"

"Like you don't know! I'm out of here," I shouted, jumping out the window. I could faintly hear her crying after me, but I didn't care. I had to get to my cave.

Once I reached the cave's entrance, my body, riddled with sadness, quivered so badly, I didn't know if I would make it safely inside without falling into the water. After several narrow escapes, I finally made it to my little spot amongst the souls of the sea. The sky looked black as ink, and the sea seemed unusually angry. Thunder and lightning signaled the start of a storm moving in.

For what felt like an eternity, I just sat there, watching the sea churn and the lightning strike. My heart ached for my mom-I had lost her to them. There was no one here for me, not a single soul. The tears pouring from my heart finally broke through my eyes. My body weakened with each sob.

Just when I thought I would stop breathing, I heard a strange splas.h.i.+ng noise. I looked up in time to see a merperson leap out of the water and land in human form on the rocks in front of me.

"Who's there?" I croaked.

With a flash of lightning illuminating his strong silhouette, I saw the only person I wanted to see, needed to see: Troy Tombolo.

Strings of words I couldn't understand left his mouth like the delicate notes of a harp. As he spoke, the glowing sh.e.l.ls sent colorful beams of light around the cave. There, in their incandescent rays, he gazed at me, looking both severe and gentle.

"Did you follow me?" I asked.

"I think I've been following your soul since before you arrived here," he said, slowly moving closer.

"I don't know what that means," I said, wiping tears from my eyes.

"Me either. That's what makes this so intriguing. You're nothing like I expected you to be. You're cynical and stubborn, curious to a fault. Your mouth refuses to listen to your mind before speaking, and you don't believe in love!" He laughed and put his hands through his unkempt hair. "You are everything I have long stood against, yet everything I never knew I wanted. You have melted me to my core.

"I shouldn't be saying any of this. They warned me. I mean, you're a Normal and completely wrong for me. It's not like I could show you any affection in public. But, Poseidon help me, my heart stops when I'm near you and bleeds when I'm away from you."

I could feel the heat of his body as he neared. Without saying a word, he moved inside my personal s.p.a.ce.

"I haven't invited you in," I said wearily.

"Then, I beg you...invite me in."

His mouth crashed upon mine, pa.s.sionately, uncontrollably. His hands worked the curves of my face before easing around my neck, traveling through my hair, and sliding down my back. My hands crawled up his chest, gently scratched his neck, and played with his silky hair. Kissing him defined bliss.

Wait. Marina, what are you doing? How can you feel bliss with someone who just finished telling you how wrong you are for him? By day, I'm a lowly Normal, but by night, I'm a girlfriend to Prince Tombolo? That's not a confession of his feelings-it's a way for him to avoid going public, all while satisfying his desires.

"Stop!" I shouted, pus.h.i.+ng him away from me.

"I'm sorry. I took it too far."

"It's not that," I said, touching my lips. "You're pretty good, aren't ya? Trying to have your cake and eat it too? Well, pal, you're not eating me! Uh...I mean...I'm not your cake. I'm not even your cupcake." Where's a strip of tape when you need it?

"What could I have done to offend you this time? I don't understand."

"Clearly."

"You keep sending me mixed signals, Marina. How am I supposed to read them?" he said, folding his arms across his chest.

"Don't you dare turn this on me! I wonder...why did you choose to tell me your feelings only after reciting a Christmas catalog of reasons why I'm no good for you?"

His face fell. "I wasn't thinking."

"Oh, of course not, because that would require thinking about someone else. You just expected me to fall into your arms," I said, waving my arm about, narrowly missing a pua sh.e.l.l.

"Well, you did, didn't you?" he said.

"Don't get cute with me and flash that s.e.xy little smirk. I did, at first, because I wanted to believe you. I wanted to believe this time was different, that it's about us, not just you. What exactly did you think would happen tomorrow or the next day?"

"I hadn't thought that far. My father would certainly object, and there would be ramifications, I'm sure. The best solution would be to keep it quiet. We could meet here."

"At night," I supplied.

"No one would be the wiser," he said, almost as if he believed I was on board.

"You have a lot to learn about the human heart, Troy Tombolo." I had to leave.

"Where are you going?" he asked, grabbing my arm.

"Away," I said, jerking out of his grasp.

"Why can't we be together like I said? Would it be so bad? We could be together at night...that's the best time of day anyway."

Oh, he really shouldn't have said that. "Look, I'm sure Katrina is about as innocent as an eel, but for you to ask me to be your nightly girlfriend is insulting. Human girls like to have their hand held in the hallway. They like to know he is as proud to be with her as she is to be with him. You have insulted me in every possible way. I would rather die by a thousand squid stings than agree to be your secret girlfriend."

"I could never think of you like that, Marina," he said, sounding desperate to make me believe him. "Look, I'm being an idiot, I know that. All of this is so new. I wish I could explain, but...I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I can take care of myself," I said, throwing my hands in the air.

"We can't leave things like this," he said, reaching for me.

In my attempt to keep Troy from grabbing me, I fell. Only the tips of my fingers touched the water...and that's all it took. From the belly of the ocean, small, fleshy creatures clawed over the rocks towards me. They looked harmless enough, cute even.

"Hey there, fella," I said, reaching for one. Maybe I could be the first Normal to befriend a sea monster. Or not. All of their heads flipped back in unison, revealing no less than six rows of piranha-sharp teeth. Clicking their tongues and wagging their fingers, they moved in.

"Marina!" shouted Troy, running for me.