My Weird Secret Life

Chapter 44: Sorries and Advice

I floated over Aaron tears blurring everything together. My hands shook violently and hovered over his trembling body. My mouth hung open unable to let any words out. My head swung left and right observing everything he did. I tried to speak many times but all that came out was a series of shortened breaths. Then Aaron let out a scream of pain and I broke. "Aaron, please forgive me. I'm so sorry," I whispered. "All of it is my fault. None of this should've happened to you." My fingers brushed his cheek and his eyes peeped open. "I shouldn't have let this happen. I should've stayed in the van." I wept, Atlantic and Rylie were crying too but not nearly as hard as me. The worst part was my crying was ugly. "Zayana, give him some space." Island rested his hand on my shoulder and I shoved it off, staring at him with red tear-rimmed eyes. "No!" I yelled, everyone took a swish back stunned at my outburst. "Don't you see? This is my fault! I'm staying by his side because it was my fault! But I'll fix it, I promise I will." Aaron wouldn't stop trembling and he started crying in pain. When he managed to open his eyes again they blazed black then he closed them again. I rolled him over a tad bit and almost started bawling all over again when I saw the scar. It looked horrible, like concrete scorched black with purple veins coursing through it. The purple veins looked like they were spreading.
      Island shook his head,"We have to postpone going to the surface, Aaron needs medical care and I bet the surface doesn't have that kind of stuff and they'll also be wondering how it happened. Aaron has to stay down here." I looked at Kai," But what about him? Your nurses don't have the supplies for him, the surface would be the best decision. Both of them could die why not just take them both to the surface?" Atlantic sat beside me," Aaron can not go to the surface and Kai cannot stay down here. You have to choose, where do we go?" I looked at Aaron and even though it pained me to leave him, I needed to go with Kai, the surface was closer." We need to split up. Vlad, Rylie, and me will take Kai to the surface as quick as possible. Island and you can take Aaron to a hospital." I looked at Aaron and prayed for his health and his forgiveness. Without giving it a thought I ever so gently kissed his cheek. Soft enough where he wouldn't complain but firm enough to let him know I was giving a kind gesture. His eyes fluttered open and he spotted me, the corners of his lips twitching. I nodded." You guys should head there so you can make it in time. Text me when you get the 411 on things." " What is 411? Is it code for something?" Atlantic asked." I . . . um . . . just text me when you get any information." Island nodded and Atlantic said," Il ira bien, tu n'as pas à t'inquieter." I stared confused. At my expression Atlantic said," He will be alright, you don't have to worry." I just had to trust that Aaron would be ok. After adjusting Aaron on Island's back they swam off not as fast as I would've wanted them to with Aaron injured but fast enough where they would be to a hospital in time. I looked at the remaining of my crew. Vlad, Rylie, and my two captives. This was going to be a long ride.
      I sat in the drivers seat and looked at all of the gears and buttons and the compass looking things. Even though I'm a very observant person I've never observed how Auntie A drove the car. I learned from experience. I didn't even observe what Island was doing when he drove the van. I looked at everything and guessed maybe the purple button started the engine which Island stopped when we all got out to fight the Night Terrors. A moment after I pressed it, we started thrashing around like a little kid had grabbed us and started shaking us in a fit. We all screamed while we were thrown around the van trying to grab anything to hold on to. I was thrown to the front and smashed into a yellow button. Then everything stopped shaking, I panted and asked,"Is everyone ok?" Vlad laughed,"I has no fun like that in long time." He smacked his lips in satisfaction,"Can I have a do over?" He asked. Rylie looked about ready to throw something at him then screamed with me,"NO!" Agua and Kylie mumbled something super loud too, I'm guessing they said the same thing or something like it. "Why would they even have a button for that?" I whispered to myself. I brushed my hand through my hair to smoothen it out. It was kind of like the most intense, loopiest, most extreme rollercoaster ever that I wasn't prepared for. I almost threw up. I grabbed my stomach then stuffed everything that wanted to come up, down.
I sat back down in the drivers seat and sighed then I quickly monitored all of the little gadgets. I put my hand to my chin and stroked it. "Do you need help? I think I could help you figure this out, see I saw Island drive and-" I put my hand up stopping Rylie from finishing. I hovered my hand over everything then pulled a lever. I heard an engine roar and smiled satisfied.
Rylie swam away and I investigated the gadgets again. I put my hand on a lever but then changed my mind and headed for the blue button. As soon as I did we dove down,"AAAHHH!" Everyone was thrown to the back of the van as we screamed for our lives. Through my tears, I squinted and saw a big rock speeding towards us. Or so we were speeding towards it. I positioned my tail and pushed off. I went nowhere but still reached out for the seat. My fingers brushed it and I looked up at the front. The rock was way closer than before. "I'm not . . . leaving this earth . . . yet." I pushed even harder until I got a few inches from the back. "Zayana, we're about to hit a rock!" I grabbed the first seat then the next. "I noticed!" I yelled.
As fast as I could I gripped one seat after another. Finally I reached the front and looked up again. The rock was right in my face. I slipped and grabbed the lever so I wouldn't fly to the back. I screamed and braced myself for the worst. Instead everyone got launched forward and I ended up with a sore jaw. "Get off," I groaned. "Everyone get off. I'm gonna have to write this stuff down."
I rubbed my jaw then sat back in the driver's seat. "Zayana, I can help you," I shook my head," I've got this, Rylie." I said the tiniest bit annoyed. I could learn to do this myself. "Are you sure because I know how to work the van." I spun around,"Like I've said before, I've got this." And for emphasis I, with no hesitation, pressed an orange button. I waited for something horrible to happen but all that happened was we started to surface. I smiled at Rylie, like I got this. Really, I was rejoicing I hadn't killed everyone.
We were just below the surface. I looked at a green button and pressed it. We started forward and I grinned. "I'm getting kind of good at this," I whispered mostly to myself. When I looked out the window I realized we were going pretty slow. "Where's the hyper speed button, we don't have time to go this slow." I looked at another lever. "You would think there'd be a manual of some kind." I pulled it and we moved three times faster.
      Inspecting everything, I spotted something like the radios on land. "Let's play some music." I twisted a dial and a man's voice gradually rose. " And we're here today with intriguing news that the prince is missing! Looks like Prince Agua's a little nervous for his coronation. The queen has even announced that everything is being canceled and she said, and I quote,'Such an act as this is one to be ashamed for.' Well, we'll back with more news after a few of our personal favorites." Pop music echoed in the silence as everyone shifted uncomfortably in their seats and glancing back toward Agua. I lifted my eyes to the mirror and my spirits immediately lowered. Disappointed and miserable, was Agua. Kylie rolled her eyes at him. I knew that Agua had caused me a lot of trouble and it was totally his fault I was even down there but I couldn't help but feel bad for him. His family ashamed? That's a lot to take in. "Rylie, can you come here please?" Rylie swam forward,"Watcha need?" "Just pilot, please." She nodded,"Of course."
      I swam to the back of the van and sat down by Agua. He looked up glared and looked down again. "I'm sorry. And I know we haven't been the best of friends, but maybe after this we could make up and become friends?" Agua looked up with angry eyes . . . then I thought I saw his eyes soften just a little bit. He shook his head. I took off the gag and Kylie started squirming around then nudged her mouth toward me, I glared. "You get nothing," I said strictly, she narrowed her eyes at me. "I know you were just doing this for family or money, or maybe even just for attention. Been there, done that. Even though as an only child, my aunt's on trips for her lawyer job thing all of the time. I know what it's like to want attention." His eyes softened a tad more and he looked up at me. "But this isn't the way to do it. I'm sure if you just apologized then maybe you could get-" " Even if I did want to turn over a new shell, I won't be forgiven by anyone." Before I could interrupt he said,"And even you will never fully trust me again, if you ever did. If I wanted to turn over a new shell I'd have to move to a whole new place, change my name and everything. I'm not doing that." I rested my hand on his shoulder but he shook it off. His eyes red with . . . tears? "I don't want or need your affection," he said harshly in his rough voice, raspy from lack of hydration. Sympathy spread through me because I had felt the same way once. "I know how you feel, I also used to feel I didn't need anyone's affection or love, because I could do everything myself. I didn't need caring . . . but everyone does. And if you don't stop pushing people, er, merpeople away and you don't realize that right now, then you'll wish you did when you're all alone." I had surprised myself with what I said. I didn't know I was so poetic. I could become the next Robert Frost. Agua looked away and I got up to swim back to the front when I heard Agua say,"Zayana," I turned around,"Thanks." I nodded and grinned,"Anytime."