Underwater

by Doe, Anna B.

  “Your legs.”

  “My… what?” I look at her stupefied.

  Did I hear her right? I have a feeling I heard her say legs, but that can’t be…

  “What do they want?”

  “To walk this Earth… They want to become human, Marissa.”

  “You needed to become part of the ocean to save yourself and your friend, so I gave you the tail. But everything comes with a price.”

  Mermaids don’t help. They bargain.

  They bargain…

  The only question is, what is on the line?

  I swallow audibly. “You want my legs? Why?”

  She shakes her head like she’s disappointed. “There can only be one ocean nymph, and until I find another one, I can’t have my legs back.”

  A shiver runs through my body. She wants me to take her place? She wants to take my legs? My life?

  “However, the transformation isn’t complete until the moon completes three rotations around the Earth. If, by that time, you get the boy who owns your heart to confess his love to you, the spell will be broken and you’ll be human again.”

  “Why are you telling me this?” I narrow my eyes at her, suspicious.

  If she wants to become human again so badly that she’d trick me into agreeing to accept her false help, wouldn’t she want to keep something like how to break the spell a secret?

  “You have to know the stakes of the bargain. If not, it won’t be valid and I won’t become human again. Also, you’re not allowed to tell anybody about this. Nobody can know what you are.”

  Like I would go around telling people. They would deem me nuts and lock me up in some mental health facility.

  “Is that it? Are there any other rules?”

  I have to know everything if I ever plan on being normal again.

  Being human again.

  Nymph leans her head to the side, thinking. “Hmm… I think that… oh, wait. Within those three months, I would stay away from the ocean during the daylight. Every time you touch the ocean, you’ll become a mermaid and every night of the full moon, from the moment the moon rises to the moment it falls, you’ll become a mermaid, land or ocean, while I get back my feet.” She taps her chin with a finger. “Yeah, I think that covers it.”

  I can’t help but roll my eyes. “Fabulous.”

  Not only did I almost get myself killed, but now I have to stay away from the ocean. Which won’t look strange at all, hiding my secret from my family and friends, and I have to find a way for Ty to notice me as more than just his pal.

  To confess his love for me.

  All in the next three months.

  What else can go wrong?

  Marissa

  That night, I can’t sleep. My mind keeps wandering, trying to find a way out of this. But no matter how hard the wheels in my head turn, I can’t find an answer. I toss and turn in my bed, watching the night sky fill with stars and the faint shadow of the moon turn into a dim morning light.

  Sometime around five, I give up on falling asleep. With a change of clothes, I walk into the bathroom and almost scream when I see my reflection in the mirror. Only, I’m too tired and yawning too loudly to do so.

  My sleek, golden brown hair is all messy. My usually tanned skin looks pale and has an unhealthy gray tone to it, and I have dark bags the size of Texas under my eyes. There is no way I’ll be able to hide my sleepless night with make-up, so I don’t even bother.

  Instead, I put on my striped red and white bikini with a beach dress over it. I descend the old wooden stairs slowly so I don’t wake my parents. Mom will have to be up soon to prepare for another day at the Azure Pearl, but in the meantime, she can have a few more minutes of sleep.

  I don’t bother to lock up behind me. Our town is small and quiet. Everybody knows everybody, so there is no actual need to do so.

  The street is empty and the town is still sleeping. It’s one of the reasons I decided to indulge in my need for the ocean. I couldn’t risk somebody seeing me become a mermaid, and every time I come too close to the ocean, I risk getting exposed.

  But the call of the ocean is too strong to ignore.

  My skin itches, dry and rough. I want to scratch it, but it feels tender and painful. I tried putting on lotion, but it was no help. My throat feels as if I haven’t been drinking for days, and no matter how much water I drink, it’s never enough.

  Because that’s not what I need.

  I need the ocean. Or at least my mermaid side does.

  Finding a hidden spot away from the usual tourist destinations, I leave my stuff secured on the beach before I run toward the water.

  If I were my normal self, I would wait. Give my body time to adjust to the coolness of the ocean before jumping in, but I don’t need to do that now.

  Apart from the fact that I need to dive in as fast and as far as possible so I don’t get stranded on land with my tail out, the almost icy morning ocean feels like a glass of cold water in the hot afternoon sun. It’s refreshing on my feet, and my skin vibrates in need of more.

  The whole night my skin felt like it was on fire, but now, standing so close to the ocean, I can finally breathe again.

  I run, cutting through the low water, and then I jump.

  It’s like magic. I can feel it tingling all around my skin. The bubbles and ocean spume caress my skin like a lover traces the body with small kisses.

  As soon as the ocean hugs my whole body, my skin breathes in relief. My legs are gone, exchanged for a scale-covered tail, and I’m off.

  Have you ever noticed the speed with which sea creatures travel? It’s addicting. Cutting through waves underneath the water feels like driving in a convertible on the highway, and a big smile spreads on my lips.

  All the dark feelings that were driving me crazy the whole night are washed away, and I finally feel at peace.

  Happy.

  I swim around.

  Joyous.

  Free.

  I test the limits of my new body.

  How fast can I swim? How far can I reach? How deep?

  This feeling of being underwater… it’s exhilarating and I never want it to go away.

  When I come back to the surface, I can see the island in the distance. It looks small and barely visible. I know I’ll have to go back soon. It’s a school day, and I can’t miss any classes, but I’m not ready yet. I still have a few minutes left.

  Turning back to look at the never-ending blueness, I see a group of dolphins swimming close by.

  “Oh my…” I squeal happily.

  If you live your whole life on an island like me, you get to see dolphins and other sea creatures quite often, but never so close.

  As if they can hear me, they turn and move closer.

  I don’t know what happens next. Maybe they’re not scared of me, or maybe they recognize me as one of their own, but they gather around me, squealing in delight.

  There are four of them. One, the smallest, comes so close I can feel his warm skin touch mine.

  Soft and silky.

  His big, brown eyes look at me with so much love and trust as he leans his head to the side, searching for my touch. I comply, my hand brushing against his silky skin. He starts producing sounds contentedly that make me giggle with him.

  When his friends, more careful than the small dolphin, realize I’m not a threat, they also come closer searching for affection. In their need for kindness, their skin brushes against mine and I can’t help but giggle harder.

  “Please, stop,” I beg them, laughing happily. “No more.”

  After a little more teasing on their part, they seem to understand what I’m saying, so they give me a little space.

  One of the dolphins squeals, drawing my attention, and gestures in the direction farther from the land.

  Saddened, I shake my head no. “I have to go back home,” I say, signaling behind my shoulder.

  It may seem crazy―they can’t understand me―but it’s nice to talk to somebody out here, even i
f they don’t know what I’m saying. It’s nice to have company. Someone from whom you don’t need to keep secrets and pretend you’re something you’re not.

  The dolphin squeals again a few times, and they all start swimming toward land.

  I frown, confused.

  What are they doing?

  The smallest one is the first to realize I’m shell-shocked and still standing in my spot. He comes to me, circling around a few times, before he nudges me with his nose to start moving.

  “What are you doing?” He looks at me unblinkingly. And if I didn’t know better, I would say he’s smiling.

  The dolphin squeals again, and this time his friends hear him. They turn around and stop. Waiting.

  “Are you…” Confused, I look between them. “Are you going with me toward the land? Are you taking me home?”

  I’m telling you, they nod their little heads at me.

  “Are you sure? There are humans there.” He nudges me with his nose again so I can’t do anything else but start swimming back home.

  I dive under, and as if they were waiting for a cue, they start swimming with me. They dive under before they go back to the surface, jumping in the air.

  Playing, or maybe trying to impress me and show me all their tricks, it’s amazing.

  Wonderful and magical.

  No matter how many times I’ve been at the ocean, this is the first time I’ve gotten to experience something like this. Be a part of it.

  A real, living, breathing part of the ocean.

  Too soon, we can see the shore.

  “I should go the rest of the way alone.” They look worried and sad, but I smile, patting their soft heads once again. “It’s okay. I don’t want to draw attention to you guys. Thank you for playing with me. I had fun.”

  They all start squealing in agreement, and I can’t help but laugh.

  I start swimming backward to the beach. “I’ll see you soon!” I wave, but that persistent little devil swims behind me.

  “You should stay with your friends,” I tell him, chuckling. He shakes his head stubbornly and continues with me. “Okay, but you have to go back to your friends once we reach the beach.”

  When we get closer to the cove where I left my things, I look around for potential threats.

  It’s still early enough, but I see one lone figure in the water. He’s lying on his surfboard, patiently waiting.

  I stop, my eyes scanning the horizon with him.

  We wait, looking at him from a distance. I can’t see clearly who it is, but I also can’t avert my eyes.

  A wave comes out slowly, rising in the air. The guy sees it almost as soon as I do and starts paddling toward it fearlessly. He catches it, rising in the air without difficulty. I look at him with awe.

  Taming the wave.

  Controlling it.

  Owning it.

  It’s breathtaking.

  I never mustered that level of grace when it comes to surfing. There is so much more to it than just figuring out how to stand on the surfboard. The guys and girls who love it and hope to surf one day professionally invest a lot of time in exercise on and off the waves. They spend hours in the gym, working out and lifting weights, everything to strengthen their muscles, get better control and balance. Everything that later, when you actually ride the waves, makes surfing look effortless.

  “He’s beautiful,” I whisper to the dolphin next to me.

  He squeals in what I guess is agreement.

  The guy on the board lowers down as the wave closes in a pipeline. This beach is known for beautiful, dangerous pipelines.

  He conquers it like a champ, surfing with the kind of grace I haven’t seen in a long time.

  Not even with Ty.

  I breathe in relief when I see him come out of it, unharmed. I’ve seen a lot of surfers fall underwater, drowned by the waves and with my recent close call…

  The guy sits on his board, shaking his head. He looks vaguely familiar, but I can’t place him.

  Out of nowhere, like he can feel me looking at him, he turns around, his eyes set on me. We look at each other, and he raises his hand to shield his eyes from the bright morning sun.

  “Marissa?” he calls my name, and I finally recognize him.

  Caleb.

  I don’t know how I didn’t connect it before. The other day, he was also on the beach early, jogging. I know he surfs. He and Ty are good friends, maybe even best, but I’ve never paid much attention to him. It’s always been Ty. When he was around, my eyes didn’t notice anybody else.

  The blood in my veins turns to ice, panic spreading to my body.

  He saw me.

  He recognized me.

  “We have to go,” I murmur softly and dive underwater.

  The whole trip toward the shore, I look over my shoulder. Thankfully, Caleb doesn’t follow. I can only hope he doesn’t think too much about it. Hope he thinks it was only an illusion.

  I say goodbye to my new friend and get out on the beach. It’s difficult to get out with the tail, but I have to dry before the tail switches back to legs, and for that I have to get completely out of the water.

  Whoever thought this curse was fun was a fucking moron, because there’s nothing fun in dragging a tail the size of a small whale out of the water to let it air dry so you can have your legs back.

  Thankfully, with the sun high in the sky now and with the help of my towel, I am dry in no time. The tail is gone, leaving me completely bare, so I slip on my sundress quickly.

  I don’t know where my swimsuits disappear to when this happens. It’s not like I Hulk or beast out, but soon I’ll be without any to wear.

  Grabbing my towel, I hurry home. I don’t want to meet Caleb on the beach, and I have to take a shower before I go to school.

  It’s time to get serious and come up with a plan.

  A good plan.

  Marissa

  “I need some serious help, Noel,” I say, sliding in a seat opposite my best friend.

  The school cafeteria is packed since it’s pizza day, and the chatter level is high, so I’m not worried somebody will listen in on us.

  “Risa!” Noel lifts her head from the book she’s reading. “Where were you this morning? I was waiting for you!”

  Since we live so close, we usually carpool to school, but I’ve ditched her two times in two days. I don’t know if something like that happened two times in the last two years. To say this is unusual behavior is an understatement. I’ve been acting weird since the night of the storm. It’s not strange my best friend has noticed. I would be surprised if she didn’t.

  I wave my hand, ignoring her question. “It doesn’t matter. Focus.”

  Noel frowns. “You’re acting strange, but okay. I’m focused. What’s up?”

  “Sorry, I know I was all weird yesterday at the beach…”

  “That’s your new normal, as we just established, so…” Noel mutters. Although she’s acting all sassy, I can hear the hurt in her voice, but I need her to concentrate. When I give her a hard stare, she shrugs. “What? Go on.”

  “But you’re right. I can’t act like this anymore. I can’t keep doing nothing when it comes to my feelings for…” I look around to see if anybody is listening. I don’t see anyone, but still I lean closer before whispering, “Taylor.”

  “Risa…” Noel sighs, her features softening. “I didn’t mean…”

  “No,” I interrupt her decisively. “You are right. I can’t keep doing this to myself. I have had a crush on him for years. It’s time to do something. Go big or go home, you know?”

  Noel gives me a skeptical look but nods her head regardless. “Okay, so what did you have in mind?”

  “I have to up my game…”

  “Make him notice you.” Noel nods her head in understanding.

  “Exactly! Make him notice I’m more than just a friend. Everybody can see it, so why can’t he?”

  “Boys are just dumb, Risa.”

  I sigh loudly. That’s an
understatement if I ever heard one.

  I’m probably the world’s biggest cliché. The girl who fell in love with her friend, who―imagine that―probably doesn’t even know I’m a girl at all.

  Ty is always so focused on his buddies, school and surfing. I haven’t seen him look at a girl twice. He’s nice to them, like he is to everybody, but I haven’t actually seen him notice any of them.

  “So what’s the plan?”

  I lift my eyes from my tray just in time to see Ty sitting down at the table a few rows in front of us. He’s with his usual group of friends, most of them, like Ty, surfers.

  “Now I go big,” I mutter, getting to my feet. “Because going home isn’t an option.”

  Noel yells after me, but I tune her out, determined to do this although I can feel nerves rising. My palms are sweaty, and I feel my heart speed up in my chest.

  With even, determined strides, I go to Taylor’s table. I swallow hard, because if I don’t, I’m scared I won’t be able to utter a word and I’ll just make a mockery of myself.

  Ty sees me coming. His lips spread into a light, wide, friendly smile, but I don’t let it stop me.

  “Hey, Marissa! What’s up?”

  “Hi.” I cringe as soon as the word comes out. My voice sounds squeaky even to my own ears.

  Uncomfortably, I switch the weight from one leg to the other, and heads turn to look at us. His friends pretend to eat, but I can feel their curious side glances thrown my way.

  “Nothing much.” I force my lips to spread into a smile. I’m not quite sure I did it correctly, but oh well. Drying my sweaty hands on my shorts, I urge my stomach to relax. “I… I j-just wanted to s-see if you want to go to movies? The new Avengers movie is out.”

  My voice stutters a couple of times, but I manage to say the whole sentence.

  I wait for him to reject me, but the rejection never comes. Instead, his smile widens even more, happiness reaching his blue eyes.

  “Hell, yeah. I wanted to go and see it, but couldn’t find time.”

  “Really? I mean, great. That’s great.” I smile, this time for real. “Tonight?”

  “Works for me.”

  I nod my head, but don’t walk away. My eyes stay glued to his for a beat longer, warmth spreading through my chest. I did it. I actually did it, and he said yes!