Unknown Depths.

Chapter 37

Soon the two of them were sitting on the beach, their shoes placed next to them and their feet in the warm sand, watching as the sun started setting. 

"So..." Delia started, still staring out onto the ocean, "What's it like?" 

Gabriel turned his head towards her, a smile spreading across his face, "What's what like?" 

"What's it like, living underwater? Actually being a merman?" 

Gabriel chuckled, "Ah... Well... how would you go about describing what it's like being a human?" 

Delia turned her head towards him, looking him in those bright green eyes, "I don't understand?" 

"Well..." Gabriel started with a sigh, "Being a merman is just as natural to me as being a human is to you. It's just the way I am and the way I've always been and I've always lived. So when you ask me, what is it like, well it's normal to me, nothing out of the ordinary. I could tell you what an average day is like to me, I could tell you things about our culture, I could even tell you my opinion on humans and human life and what I find strange about that."

"Ah, I see..." Delia said looking back at the ocean, "Then tell me what you find weird about humans." 

Gabriel chuckled once more, "So many things... Here in the US it always baffles me when people say: Hi how are ya? and then expect to just hear, Good how are you? I mean if you ask me how I am I'll reply with how I feel in that moment, but that's not what they want to hear... Just weird." 

"There you two are!" A voice yelled out from behind them, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Damian said as he dropped a bucket with drinks down in between Gabriel and Delia. 

"Yes, you were please leave." Delia jokingly said, a playfully smill on her face. 

Damian laughed as he plopped down between them, right behind the drinks, "Well I guess the two of you need a chapperone. I should stay, your brother would kill me otherwise." 

She laughed, and playfully hit him, "Oh shut it, nothing would've happened and you know it." 

"Well that's a shame." Gabriel said grabbing a drink from the bucket. Immediately both Delia's and Damian's eyes were on him, "What?" He said with a wink. 

The three of them continued talking and enjoying their time on the beach. They stayed there for quite a while and when they left, the sun had already completely set. Initially Damian had offered Gabriel a ride home, which he refused. 'He most likely just swims home.' Delia thought as they all said goodbye to each other. 

As Delia was about to walk away thought Gabriel grabbed her hand, "I'll text you, " He said before letting go of her hand and walking back over to the cliff. Delia only nodded before getting in her car and driving home. 

When Delia entered her apartment she saw Olivia sitting on the couch watching tv, when the door opened however, the latter turned around, "Hey!" She said pausing the show she was watching, "How was the boating trip?" 

Delia sighed as she put down her purse on the table, "I'd say it was eventful." 

"Oh... Tell me!" Olivia said a smile appearing on her face. 

"For starters, Gabriel was there." Delia said, making Olivia squeel, "And it rained." 

The excitement on Olivia's face turned to fear, "Oh god, what happened?"

"Gabriel pushed me into the cabin on time, but the real crazy part happened after that..." Delia said, but paused, trying to determine if she should tell Olivia about the whole Gabriel is a merman part... I mean on the one hand humans aren't supposed to know about merfolk, on the other hand Olivia already knew about her... 'You know what, I need a friend in this, fuck it.' Delia thought before continuing, "Gabriel is a merman." 

"WHAT!?" Olivia exclaimed, her eyes turning to the size of saucers as she jumped up from the couch, "HOLD THE FUCKING PHONE, WHAT THE FUCK?! DON'T JUST STAND THERE EXPLAIN!" 

And with that Delia started telling the entire story from start to finish and once Oliva was all caught up they were quiet for a moment, until Olivia broke the silence, "So merpeople or merfolk exist? And what about this "friend" of his? And will my memory be wiped?" 

Delia sighed, "I guess so,  I don't know and again I don't know..." 

"This is a lot..." Olivia said standing up, "Do you want some tea? I'm gonna make some tea." 

"Yes please," Was all Delia said as she stared off into the distance. 

"You've got to meet up with Gabriel again." Olivia said from the kitchen, "You need to get to the bottom of this, to learn more." 

"Such as?"

"I don't know, perhaps learn about merfolk culture, ask if you can see the city, village or whatever, I mean you're one of them now." Olivia replied. 

"Not if he turns me back." Delia retorted. 

Olivia walked back over to her, "But do you want to be turned back? To be a mere human again? I mean come on..."