A Merman's Tail

Chapter 8

Darcy was a girl taking four of the same classes as I was.  She was interested in becoming a vet with a specialty in large animals.  She was a petite brunette,  and for some reason she reminded me of Mitch.  She was totally cute, had the sweetest smile and made me feel inexplicably uncomfortable.  Like I was creeping around on someone.  But that was stupid because Mitch was a guy, not to mention he was a merboy, maid, man... something.  He was somewhere out there in the ocean, doing whatever it was mermaids did.  He probably wasn't even thinking about me or the fact that when he gave me the ability to breathe underwater he had to press his lips to mine...

I began thinking about that a lot as I got older.  When I had my first morning glory experience, I realized I was thinking about Mitch's tail while I was in that dreamy half asleep and half awake moment before full awareness.  I wanted one.  But not like I wanted to be a mermaid, just that I wanted to experience what it was like to have a tail instead of legs.  Besides, Mitch's tail was beautiful.  All the different colours and the jewel like scales which overlapped in ever darkening colours until the tips flaring out wide in a graceful arc.  I found myself thinking about him in biology, in moments between classes when I was supposed to be studying, or concentrating on other things. 

My counsellor pulled me into his office at one point and asked what was distracting me.  I hadn't realized it was affecting me so much until that moment.  I knew I had to put him out of my head or I'd never achieve my goals.  So I thought about getting my degree and put Mitch, mermaids and tails out of my head.  Occasionally I'd catch myself yearning for the ocean and a decent wave, but then school and Darcy pulled me back.

Darcy and I began seeing each other unofficially at first.  She was my study buddy and we used to hang out together at frat parties.  I didn't want to join in with the heavy drinkers really, but sometimes I let myself go a bit too far.  Slight though she was, Darcy helped me back to my dorm room the first time I had too much to drink and from then on we looked out for each other.  I made sure she got home when she was a few sheets to the wind and she made certain I never got plastered to the point I needed assistance to walk again.  The first morning I woke up next to her, in her bed was weird.  She was being the big spoon and I felt something stir inside my chest at the feeling of being held like that.  It felt good. 

After that Darcy and I were official. 

We concentrated on school and became that cute couple you see laughing and walking around campus together with everyone watching in various states of envy.  Some girls wanted to be Darcy, some boys wanted to be me and also there were the students that just wanted to have someone to share everything with.  We ate together, studied together, held hands in class when we were there together, and I missed her when she had classes I didn't.  I guess her feelings became more than just friendly because one night when we were in her dorm room and her room-mate wasn't there, she leaned in and kissed me.

It took me by surprise to be honest.  I mean, I knew we were probably 'official' in everyone's eyes but it never occurred to me to kiss her before that moment.  Was that weird?  I thought about her and wanted to spend time with her.  She was my best friend and I loved her sense of humour and that I could make her laugh so easily.  I was comfortable and myself around her.  But I hadn't really thought about kissing her before.  When her soft lips met mine it felt... nice?  She looked extremely pleased with herself when she pulled back from me and I guess I must have looked startled because she giggled.

"Your face right now!" She exclaimed.

"Wh... what?" I asked.

"That's not the reaction I was expecting Hoying." She said with a slight smirk.  "Did I take you by surprise?"

"Um, I guess so." I said hesitantly.

"I've been waiting for you to make the first move for so long.  But you never did anything.  So I thought I might as well take the pressure off and do it myself." I blinked.

"So, you're not giving me much to go on here Scotty.  Did you like it?  Do you want to do it again?" She asked.

Did I?