Mermen on Accident (DNF Mermaid AU)

Something Smells

"How are you doing George? Anything out of the ordinary happen since I last saw you?"

George looks up from his bike lock after snapping it closed. He swings his backpack over his shoulder before answering.

"I slept great. That was out of the ordinary."

I laugh. "You normally sleep bad?"

He rolls his eyes and leads me through campus. "I have been recently because of..." he glances around and says quieter, "reasons."

I smirk. "Uh-huh."

George dramatically opens the doors to the school and tromps in. I follow close behind with a giggle. We weave through students in search of our lockers. George stomps up the stairs to the second floor.

We both reach our lockers and George shoves his books into his bag before slamming the locker door shut. He huffs and turns to look at me.

I'm staring at him with a smirk on my face. I hadn't even tried to open my locker yet.

"What're you staring at?" He questions roughly.

I turn away quickly and busy my hands.

"Nothing, nothing."

The bell buzzes through the speakers of the school as a 5 minute warning.

George sighs.

I quickly shove books in my locker and slam it shut. I look over at George.

"See you at lunch."

George looks at me. His eyes flash with fear, quick enough that I can't quite discern it before he nods his head and waves, turning his back on me.

I wander into my first class and take a seat. The girl at my desk wrinkles her nose in disgust as I pull my bag off my shoulders.

"What's that smell?" She whispers.

I look around before sticking my nose into my shoulder. I catch a whiff of my deodorant. It wasn't me. I turn my gaze back to the girl and shrug my shoulders. She pulls a pink and flowery bottle from her bag and sprays it at her neck.

My next class goes by the same, and I casually chug my entire water bottle, feeling extremely dehydrated. When I make it to lunch I find George standing in the lunchroom looking very lost.

I walk up to him and grab his shoulder. He flinches.

"Hey, you good?" I question.

He shrugs. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

I fail to mask my concern. "You've been acting a little... strange."

"Strange? No, no. I'm a completely normal person." He pushes my hand off his shoulder and takes a seat at the nearest lunch table.

I sit across from him. "You know you don't have to act like this. We're going through the same thing. You're acting like you have to hide something from me."

George rifles through his bag, ignoring my words. He pulls out his lunch and starts setting it neatly on the table.

"George."

He ignores me.

"George." I repeat, with more force.

He pulls a water bottle from his bag, unscrews the cap and takes a swig, avoiding my gaze.

"George." I reach across the table to grab his hand, but instead I knock his water bottle over. It tips and splashes across his lap. He gasps.

"Dream, what the heck?"