H2O: A Mermaid Tail

15

    I go the cafe early in the morning, just a few days before Will is coming over for the diving thing. I don't know why I'm so hyped about this, it's not like it's a date. Is it? No, it can't be. Nate and I get ready with the set piece.
    "What song, Lethia?" I shrug my shoulders in a no-care fashion.
    "Jar of Hearts, Christina Perry?" He nods and calls out the count. I begin to sing.

You know I can't take one more step towards you
Cause all this waiting is regret
And don't you know I'm not your ghost anymore
You lost the love I loved the most

And who do you think you are
Running round leaving scars
Collecting your jar of hearts
And tearing love apart

I looked at Will. He stared right into my eyes.

You're gonna catch a cold
From the ice inside your soul
Don't come back for me
Don't come back at all

Who do you think,
You are

I ended the song on a breathy note. Cleo, Rikki, Zane,Will, and Bella all clapped for me. I hopped off my stool and went over to them. Nate followed and wrapped his arms around my waist.
"That was amazing." He rested his head on top of mine and I squirmed out of his unwanted hug. Will left after Nate touched me, and I ran after him.
"Will!" He was already outside. He stopped and waited. I caught up and we walked together. "So, whatcha think?"
"About what?" He said, slightly miffed at something. What got his boxers in a twist?
"The song, what else?" I reply. He nodded his head.
"Yeah, yeah, it was good, really from the heart." I grinned. His words made me so happy.
"Here, I uh, found this when I was swimming, thought you might like it." I held it out to him. It's a shell, as big as my hand, and spirals out.
"Whoa. Where did you get this?" He exclaims, studying the shell in my hand.
"The octopuses garden." I said seriously. He looked up at me. "Joke." He laughs and looks back at the shell. I grab his hand and put it in it.
"I can't take this." Will said, looking up at me. I roll my eyes and give him a pointed look.
"What would I do with an old shell? At least add it to that collection Bella told me about." He nods and puts it carefully in his bag. I start to walk away when he calls out my name.
"Lethia!" I turn to face him.
"Yeah?"
"Do you want to see it? My collection? We can talk about music too, if you'd like." He smiles when I nod.
"Yeah, I'd like that. You live in the boathouse, right?" He nods. "How's 5 PM work?"
"Perfectly. See you then!" He begins to walk home.
"It's a date!" I call back. I turn and immediately start walking towards the jeep. Stupid stupid stupid! A date? Ughh. I mentally face palm myself. I get in the passenger seat of the jeep, Luke is already in the drivers seat, because he didn't want to go into the cafe. Apparently, Rikki scares him. Can't say I blame him.
"Home? He asks. I nod, and he starts the car and drives home.

Later that day, walking to Will's

I run my thumb over and over the surface of my necklace, a nervous habit of mine. I walk to Will's and knock on the door, then walk in. Sophie is there, and when I walk in she looks at me like I have a secret map to buried treasure. That look, it's almost...hungry. A shiver runs down my spine.

"Hi Lethia! Awesome shell, where'd you get it?" She asks coolly.

"Oh, around." I reply, just as cool. She walks out, just brushing my shoulder as she passed me.

"Hey Leeth! So, I've been doing some research on this shell. It's a couple thousand years old, and scientists say that it's only found in the deepest parts of the ocean. Where'd you get it?"

"I told you, the octopuses garden." He raises an eyebrow. "Fine, I found it on the beach, after I got out of the water." He looked at me, still skeptical.

"Where were you swimming? Mako?" I stay silent, and he takes my silence as a yes. "I knew it! Everything weird is somehow connected to that place!"

    "I don't know what you're talking about."

    "I think you do." He pauses for s moment them looks straight into my eyes. "You're hiding something from me." I scoff, trying to mask my uncomfortable feelings.

    "I thought we were going to talk about music." He tilts his head a bit.

    "Well, in a way I am. You're always so secretive, but when you sing it's like I'm seeing the real you. An honest you." I stare at him, dumbfounded.

    "Is this why you wanted me to come here?" I say angrily. He comes closer and I back away.

    "Yeah. I want to know the real you, the real Lethia." I glare at him.

    "Then stop questioning every little thing! Why don't you just cool down and enjoy life, ever think of that?!"
I storm out, closing the door angrily behind me.

At the beach, taking a walk

I sink my feet into the sand with ever step I take, drinking in the burning heat. I had a talk with the girls, Rikki said to stay away from him. I think I might agree. We're getting too close, too close to the secret.

    "Hey Lethia!" I turn and see Will running up to me. I quickly turn and stare at my walking feet. "Fancy a walk on the beach?" He asks me.

    "I think I'll have to pass." I reply, in a cold tone. I can't look at him. I knew that if I did, I would start feeling bad and that would put us all in danger again.

    "Come on, it'll be fun! I can do fun. I won't even mention Mako, scouts honor. Not that I ever was a scout, but if I was I would do the weird hand thing to show that I mean it." I giggle a bit and look up at him. His eyes were so hopeful, and he had this smile on his face.

    "Sure." I hear myself say. No! I'm supposed to be staying away! But my body and heart began to work against my brain, and I found myself talking to Will, joking around, chasing each other, walking with each other. It was actually fun, and Will acted like his normal not-obsessed self. Then he ran into the water. He turned around, gesturing fit me to join. I shook my head and waved him on. (Hehe 'waved. They're at a beach. Alright, I'll see myself out.) He dove in with a sad look in his face. I went over and sat on some rocks. A couple minutes later he ran out of the water and over to me, dripping wet. He sat down beside me.

    "Are you sure I can't tempt you into a swim?" He asks gently. I shake my head and look at him. Woah. When did his face get so close to mine? Was I leaning towards him? He glanced down at my lips for a split second and then right back into my wide eyes. Yup, he's gonna kiss me. He reached his hand to my face, brushing my cheek with his fingers. Oh crap. He's wet. I wipe the water across my cheek and look away.

    "What's wrong?" He's asks, concerned.

    "I- I have to go." I run out and dive into the water, my feet changing into a golden tail. I swim behind some rocks and go deeper. I lay at the bottom of the ocean, crying, my tears melting into the water as if I wasn't even crying at all. I composed myself and swam to a deserted beach, dried off, and walked to Rikki's cafe. Plopping down at a table, I set my head in my arms. I heard Rikki come over and sit down.

"Listen Lethia. Will's getting too close. We've been keeping this secret safe for a long time, but I'm not covering for you anymore. I destroyed the shell. Not even deep sea scuba divers can retrieve those, so how could you? It's either us or him. Choose today or it's neither." She gets up and walks away. I sit up, bringing my head out of my arms, rubbing my eyes. This has only gotten worse and worse. What more could happen? And then more walked through the door.

"Lethia, where did you go?" Will stood over my seat. "Where could you have gone that was faster swimming than walking?" I look up at him with bleary eyes.

"We need to talk."

Which do you like better, double spacing between paragraphs or one space?

This
Is
One
Space

And

This

Is

Two

So which one? I'm an indecisive little llama and cannot decide. Help me?