My Weird Secret Life

Chapter 9: New Friends

      The guard was holding my arms so tight that my arms were turning purple, so I asked, " Do you mind? Can't you see my arm is purple right now!?" He looked at me wide-eyed like he had in the cell." Watch your tone little lady! Or you could end up in the Shell Cage." I looked up, " What do you mean? What's Shell Cage?" The guard looked down at me again," The Shell Cage is well, an inescapable cage deep, deep down in the ocean in a huge cave in the deepest zone of the ocean, but I don't know what it's called because I never paid attention in school. And anyone that goes in never, and I mean, never comes back out, even the queen can't get them back out. Even though the queen or heir to the throne is the only one that can put them in."
      I looked down first of all because the guards breath smelled like old rotten tuna and second I wanted to think about my game plan for what I was going to do. I whispered," If only I could tell someone about me everything would be so much easier." The guard looked down," What did you say?" I looked up and smiled," Oh, nothing you know just thinking."
    I looked back down and pondered. If I was just a little braver at certain moments then maybe I wouldn't be where I was. Then again, if Auntie A had explained to me the truth from the beginning we wouldn't be in this predicament. A familiar rage churned in my chest and my hands tightened into fists. Little waves of white water rippled around my fingers. Though I could've easily burst into flames and gone into rage mode becoming a hurricane of emotions set free, I decided to breath deeply and settle myself.
      We arrived to a bathroom with lots of girls swimming around, tails all shades of the rainbow. The guard let me go and smiled," Have a good time. First you have to wash your tail and . . ." he stopped and waved his index finger around the scales on my chest and I glared, smacking his hand away. "Your shells and brush your teeth and then get to work, if you're done before the maiden comes then play with some girls or something." The guard waved and swam away. I felt like I might have a friend, of course one who had taken me as prisoner and was watching me because I was a "bad kid" but it still counted as a friend. Kind of. I smiled and waved back, then turned around to my new . . . school?
      The bathroom was huge circle with large floor-to-ceiling windows all around the back. One hundred showers in line side-by-side, and there was a whole bunch of sinks side-by-side and across from each other. Girls were at the sink brushing their teeth in mirrors in front of all the sinks. The sun drenched the room with its fabulous rays through the windows from up top where I used to live. All of the girls were all either brushing their teeth, talking, laughing, screaming, yelling, or doing all five.
It looked like so much fun I wanted to join but I was scared I might be too different from the rest of them and I might blab my mouth about how I was a human and I don't think they would handle it as well as me, Una, and Luna did when we found out I was a mermaid. I had never been new before, not to my recollection.
I waded over to a sink and picked up a brush inside a cup made of coral, I think, beside the sink I recognized toothpaste. I observed it, and cautiously slid it across my toothbrush and stuffed it in my mouth. In silence. The toothpaste tasted like salty seaweed, I steadily brushed back and forth. Then I scrubbed my tail with a sponge and combed my hair.
After a while of surveying all of the other girls I didn't feel as intimidated to talk anymore. I had so much courage, I swam up to a girl and started a conversation. "Hi, I'm Zayana." I did a small wave. The girl had skin the color of mine, light brown eyes, and shoulder length purple and pink hair. There was a girl beside her who looked the exact same save she had blue and pink hair. Twins, I guess. They answered at the same time," I'm Rylie," the one with purple and pink hair said." I'm Kiley," said the one with blue and pink hair. They both looked at each other and I smiled, " Do you want to talk or something? It's my first time here." They both beamed huge and Rylie answered," We would love to! We've been here for a whole month and barely anyone speaks to us." I smiled as wide and big as them.
" So why are you in here?" Rylie asked," Assumed stealing. What about you guys?" I responded. Rylie and Kylie backed up the tiniest bit, I got worried. I couldn't lose potential friends that quick," I didn't actually do anything I was just wandering by the castle and this guard thought I was stealing but I wasn't, I swear!" Kylie still seemed unsure, but Rylie seemed ready to rest her life in my hands," Same reason! I mean you go out looking for the perfect coral to make a soup and you're suddenly assumed for stealing." I smiled," I know right! And what does he mean by assumed anyway if someone's swimming by a clam are you going to assume they just stole the pearl from it?" Kylie finally cracked a smile. After a moment of silence I asked," Is there like a schedule or something?" Kylie answered first," Well, usually Ms. Misty comes and takes us to whatever we're supposed to be doing. And then we come back for lunch and then we go back to work and then dinner then sleep."
I nodded," So how will I be able to tell you guys apart?" I joked," I'm not actually sure but Kylie's always so serious and frowning. Until recently when she went out for an outing-" that sentence earned Rylie a nudge in the ribs from Kylie. What was that about? Rylie rubbed her arm then continued," and me well I'm always smiling." She showed an example," Kylie says I even have smile wrinkles and I should stop." I nodded then said," You know you remind me so much of my friend Luna." Kylie snickered like she understood. Just like how Una and me used to joke." What does that mean?" Rylie asked," Oh nothing." Kylie and me said at the same time. We looked at each other and smiled warmly. Definitely not alone.