Cora's Decision

by Janet Gurtler

  I closed my eyes and refused to count how many spots were left. Instead, I started making promises inside my head. If I made the team, I would never complain about my sisters again. I would always eat my krill and never make fun of snails racing again.

  “And now,” Regina dramatically shouted, “the final Spirit Squad member.” Every merkid in the entire gymnasium seemed to be holding their breaths. “Last, but certainly not least, the final member of the Neptunia Spirit Squad is …” Regina cleared her throat and paused.

  “Cora Bass.”

  My entire body whooshed with relief. A grin took over my face. But then I looked beside me and my grin disappeared.

  Rachel.

  Rachel hadn’t made the team.

  Chapter Five

  It didn’t make sense. The judges hadn’t chosen Rachel? But she was one of the best singers, not only in Neptunia, but in the entire Mermaid Kingdom. I couldn’t believe she hadn’t made the team!

  “Don’t be sad for me,” Rachel said. “Go on up there and celebrate. You deserve this!”

  She pushed me forward, cheering the entire time. When I got to the front, Shyanna tackled me with a giant hug. We did a somersault together and stopped at exactly the same time. When we looked out into the crowd at Rachel, she smiled brightly and gave us a big thumbs-up.

  “I can’t believe she didn’t make it,” I said to Shyanna.

  “I know!” she answered. “It does not make sense. Something feels off about this entire process, and I bet Regina has something to do with it.”

  “I totally agree,” Shyanna said, looking frustrated. “We need to get to the bottom of this, no matter what. Rachel does not deserve to be excluded.”

  The committee made some announcements, and then it was done. We swam back to Rachel.

  “Don’t feel bad for me,” she told us as soon as we reached her. “I’m okay. I’m more than happy to help coach you two. I’m pretty good at coaching from watching my dad teach.”

  “Rachel, I have no idea why you aren’t on the team,” I said.

  “But don’t worry,” Shyanna said. “We will figure it out.”

  We pulled her in for a group hug. When we let go, she blinked fast and smiled, but I saw a lone tear escape from her eye.

  * * *

  “That was a really great practice,” Cassie said to me and Shyanna. It was fun spending more time with Cassie again. She was just as smart, funny, and kind as I remembered.

  “Well, except when Regina said she had to leave early,” Shyanna said, “and you offered to take over the practice. I thought she was going to have a temper tantrum, but you still insisted. I couldn’t believe you did that.”

  I grinned. Shyanna didn’t like conflict. As a big sister, I had lots of experience with it. “Nah. She was fine.”

  Cassie laughed. “Only because you didn’t really give her a choice.”

  I shrugged. Regina could be mean sometimes, but I didn’t let her get to me. She was just another mermaid. I didn’t have time to worry about her.

  “You did a really great job leading our group,” Shy said.

  “I guess being bossy comes naturally to me,” I said.

  Shyanna shook her head. “No. It’s not being bossy. It’s being a good leader. After Regina left and you took over, we were a completely different squad. We worked together so much better, which is what we need to do to win this thing.”

  “You’re good at motivating, which is a big role for the team leader,” Cassie chimed in.

  “Thanks,” I said, blushing. “Regina is a really good dancer and singer, though.”

  “But she isn’t a very good leader,” Shyanna replied, making a good point.

  “She tries,” I said. I didn’t want to talk about it anymore, even though I kind of agreed with her that Regina wasn’t always the best at leading the group.

  I didn’t want to admit it to anyone, even Shy, but I’d lost some of my excitement about being on the Spirit Squad.

  The fact that Rachel hadn’t been selected still bothered me. Not just because she was a great friend — fair was fair — but because she was a great performer. I suspected that Regina maybe did have something against Rachel, and I needed to get to the bottom of it.

  “Hey,” I said. “My mom isn’t expecting me to be home to babysit for another hour. Let’s go to Rachel’s and see how she’s doing. We’ve been so busy with Spirit Squad lately that we haven’t seen much of her.”

  “That’s a great idea,” Shyanna said.

  “This is my cue to head home,” Cassie said.

  “Are you sure?” I asked. “You are more than welcome to come with us.”

  “I don’t think Rachel would like that very much. I get it, though,” she said. “Being the new girl is tough.”

  “Some other time,” Shyanna agreed.

  We each gave Cassie a hug and swam fast to see Rachel, swirling with excitement as we made our way over to Rachel’s cave in the new part of Neptunia.

  We swam up to the front door and rang the bell, but no one answered. We looked at each other.

  “She’s not home,” I said.

  “I wonder where she went,” Shyanna said.

  “She’s probably helping her dad. Let’s wait. I bet they’ll be home soon,” I said, hoping I was right.

  We played with some sea turtles and chased after some cute baby crabs who were playing hide-and-seek. Finally, Rachel swam into view.

  “There you are! Finally!” Shyanna said. “Where’s your dad?”

  “My dad?” she said.

  “Weren’t you helping him?” Shy asked.

  Rachel smiled. “No. He’s with the Queen. She’s working on a new performance and needed his help.”

  Shyanna and I exchanged a quick glance as we followed Rachel into her cave.

  “So where were you?” I asked, even though I could guess.

  “I went to visit Owen.” She swam over and stretched out on a hammock, looking very pleased with herself.

  Owen was Rachel’s best friend, a human she’d met on land. He’d recently been granted magical merman powers to visit us in Mermaid Kingdom for two hours at a time, but it was easier for Rachel to visit him on land.

  Shyanna and I looked at each other again, and her worried expression echoed how I felt. Not so long ago, Rachel had been thinking about leaving Mermaid Kingdom to become human. What if she still wanted to?

  “Why don’t you bring him here?” I asked Rachel.

  “I would rather go on land,” she said and got up from the hammock. “Legs are restricting in the water, but they’re kind of fun on land. I’m learning how to run faster. It’s pretty amazing.”

  “You’re sure you’re okay?” I asked again. “You’re not thinking about becoming human again, are you?”

  Rachel shook her head. “Don’t look so worried, you two. I’m fine. Really.”

  “We’re your best friends,” I said. “You can tell us anything.”

  “Well,” she finally said, “maybe I feel a little left out because you two are so busy after school with practice. But it’s okay. I don’t want you to feel bad. I want you to do great at the Spirit Games.”

  We swam over and hugged her tight.

  When we let go, she sniffled. “Maybe I’m a little scared you two are going to forget about me and things will be like they were in Caspian. I was so lonely there, and people made fun of me for being half-human. It was terrible.”

  “That’s when you started hanging out with Owen, right?” Shy asked.

  “Yes,” Rachel said. “I don’t know what I would have done without him.”

  “I hate that the Spirit Squad is making you feel so bad,” I said. “It’s supposed to make everyone happy, and I don’t want to be a part of something that makes you miserable.”

  “I agree,” Shyanna said.
“We don’t need to be a part of the Spirit Squad.”

  Rachel shook her head hard. “No. No way. I know how important this is to you two — especially you, Cora. I’m not letting you quit because of me. I’m fine.”

  “It was important to me, but our friendship is way more important,” I said. “Besides, we don’t have practice tomorrow, so we definitely need to hang out.”

  My phone rang then. It was my mom, telling me to come home. “We’ll see you after school tomorrow, okay?” I told Rachel.

  She smiled and nodded, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. That didn’t make me feel any better.

  I had to fix it. I just wasn’t sure how.

  Chapter Six

  Before school the next day, Regina called a special meeting for the Spirit Squad. “The first competition will take place in ten days,” she announced. “The contest will be at Caspian Castle, during the senior swim competition. Spirit Squads will perform between races. We need to win this and get off to a good start.”

  Everyone cheered and clapped.

  “In preparation, we’re going to have a special rehearsal after school today,” Regina said.

  My mouth dropped open. We’d promised Rachel we would be free to see her, but we really couldn’t skip practice. Shy and I swam to find her and tell her the bad news.

  “It’s okay,” Rachel said, smiling. “Don’t look so guilty. It’s exciting. I can’t wait for the competition!”

  The school day zipped past, and then the Spirit Squad gathered in the gym for our rehearsal. We lined up and started the routine.

  My flips had really improved, and everything was going great, until the last part of the mermaid song. I opened my mouth to sing, but instead of a clear note, a horrible screech came out. It was so off key that everyone turned and looked at me. The music stopped playing. My face burned, and I covered my mouth with my hand. Regina put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes.

  “Cora, what is wrong with you?” she said.

  Everyone stared. My cheeks burned with humiliation, and my eyes filled with tears.

  Shyanna swam close and patted my shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. Just practice that note at home,” she whispered. “You’ll get it right.”

  We started again from the top. I fumbled through the song, singing really softly in case my voice cracked again. Regina did not look happy.

  Shyanna and I swam home together, but after she left me to swim to her own cave, Regina swam up beside me. She must have been following us.

  “Cora, you’re the weakest link on our team,” she told me. “We don’t want to lose because of you. If you don’t think you can hit that note properly, it would be better for everyone if you dropped out now.”

  I didn’t want to let everyone down with my voice, but I wanted to be on the Spirit Squad more than anything. I shook my head.

  “I won’t mess up,” I told her.

  She glared at me and then nodded. “Please don’t. We’re having a full dress rehearsal tomorrow. You had better prove that you can do it.”

  With a flick of her tail, she swam away. I went inside my cave and immediately got swarmed by my sisters, who were arguing over a necklace of woven seaweed. I tried to shake off my gloom, but the tears came hard and fast.

  Mom came into the room and swam to me. “Cora? Is everything okay?” She touched my forehead to see if I was warm. I wanted to tell her why I was upset, but she had enough to deal with all of my little sisters. I also didn’t want her to know that the Spirit Squad wasn’t perfect.

  Just then, the doorbell rang.

  “I’m fine, Mom. I’m just tired,” I said. I fake smiled and went to answer the door. It was Rachel!

  “You hang out with your friend,” Mom said to me. “I’ve got the girls.”

  Rachel and I swam to my room. “Are you okay?” she asked. “I was coming home from visiting Owen and I saw you and Regina talking. It didn’t look like a pleasant conversation.”

  I told her what Regina had said.

  Rachel looked really mad. “Don’t worry, Cora,” she said. “I’ve got something that will help you.”

  Rachel asked my mom if I could go home with her. Mom let me go without even thinking about it. She knew something was wrong.

  At her cave, Rachel dragged me inside her dad’s room, which seemed really weird.

  “Are we supposed to be in here?” I asked.

  “It’s okay. My dad keeps something of mine in his closet, but I’m allowed to take it out or use it anytime I want,” Rachel said confidently.

  She swam to the closet, but I floated by the doorway. Rachel took something out and turned, hiding it behind her back. She smiled. “You’re not allowed to say no.”

  Then she pulled out the most beautiful mermaid top I’d ever seen. It sparkled with every color under the ocean with a shimmery, magical quality. It literally took my breath away.

  “I want you to wear this. It was my mom’s. The Queen gave it to her as a special gift when she married my dad. It’s magical.”

  “Really?” I said, not fully believing her. “I think I need more than magic to help me be a better singer.”

  “Well, it helped my mom sing as charmingly and skillfully as a full-fledged mermaid,” Rachel said. “Don’t you think some magic had to be involved? She was a human!”

  I stared at the shell top, completely amazed by how beautiful it was. Maybe it was magic!

  “Oh, Rachel,” I said, almost in shock. “I can’t wear that. I’d be scared I’d ruin it or something. It's too much.”

  Rachel shook her head. “You are one of the most kind and responsible mermaids I’ve ever known. And you and Shyanna have made my life in Neptunia incredibly wonderful. I insist that you borrow it. I have complete trust in you. The magic will give you courage to perform as well as I know you can. You only have to believe in yourself, as much as you believe in everyone else around you.”

  I didn’t even know what to say. Rachel was amazing! She was willing to help me and our team even though Regina hadn’t picked her.

  Rachel held out the top and slipped out of the room so I could try it on. When I swam out wearing it, Rachel clapped and whistled.

  “Wow!” Rachel said with a huge smile on her face. “It’s perfect on you. I mean it! It was meant to be worn by you. My dad will be so proud to see you perform with it on.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked. I loved the top. Just the thought of wearing it made me believe I could sing better. “I feel so bad, Rachel. You’re a gifted singer. You should be on the Spirit Squad. Not me.”

  Rachel shook her head. “No, really. Your voice is great, Cora. You only have to believe in it. Besides, you have much more than a voice. Your incredible spirit shines from you all the time. It makes you the wonderful mermaid you are. It sounds cheesy, but I look up to you.”

  Tears slipped down my cheeks, but they were tears of happiness. I changed out of the top and held it out to Rachel. “Take it with you,” she said.

  “On no,” I told her. “I can’t keep it at my cave. I’m afraid with all the chaos and my sisters around, it might accidentally get wrecked. I need all the help and magic I can get!”

  She laughed, but took it back and hung it in her dad’s closet. “I’ll bring it to school tomorrow so you can wear it for your dress rehearsal.”

  I hugged her on my way out of her cave. “You are such a good friend,” I told her.

  “So are you,” she said. “See you tomorrow!”

  I swam home with an extra flick in my tail and a huge smile on my face. With that extra bit of magic, I had all the confidence in the world!

  Chapter Seven

  The next day at school, I put on the top before rehearsal. Rachel swam to the door of the gymnasium and peeked inside to watch the others’ reaction. The other merkids were thrilled. They immediately surrounded me
and raved about the shimmery, magical top. Even Regina swam over and nodded her approval, but she swam away quickly.

  After the fussing was over, we ran through the singing number and my voice held the notes perfectly. The top really was magical!

  When the rehearsal finished, I changed into my regular top. Then I told Shyanna I had to take the special one straight to Rachel. Shy said she’d come with me.

  Rachel’s dad greeted us at the door and smiled when I gushed about the magical top. “You would make my wife proud,” he said, smiling. “Rachel’s in her room.”

  I wanted to surprise Rachel, so I lifted my finger to my lips to tell Shy to be quiet. We quietly swam around the corner to her room and spotted Rachel on her bed. She was lying down with her head on her pillow, and she was weeping as if her heart was breaking into two.

  Shyanna and I stopped. Rachel must have sensed us because she looked up. She immediately sat up straight, sniffled, and wiped her tears away.

  “Hi, guys,” she said, trying to sound cheerful. “What are you doing here? I think there’s something in my eye.”

  “What’s wrong, Rachel?” Shyanna asked.

  We both swam to Rachel’s bed and floated gently down beside her.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “It’s nothing. Nothing. How did they like the shell top?” she asked.

  I crossed my arms. “You know they loved it. But we are not going to pretend that nothing is wrong. You’re upset. And I think I know why.”

  Rachel’s chin dropped, and she wouldn’t look at Shyanna or me.

  “It’s Regina, isn’t it?” I asked. “What did she do?”

  “I don’t want to ruin your happiness,” Rachel said and her bottom lip quivered.

  “We’re best friends,” I said. “If something is making you unhappy, we have to do something about it. After all, I certainly don’t want to hear more talk of you going off to live as a human again. That was just crazy talk.”