H2O: A Mermaid Tail

16

    We walk together to Will's house. He stands in front of me with crossed arms, while I stand by the door ready to leave. He leans against a beam behind him, looking at me with a saddened expression.

    "I just don't get you Lethia. One minute you're there, the next you're gone."

    "Will, I-"

    "Whatever this thing is, it has something to do with you and water. What are you hiding Lethia?"

    "Will, I-"
    "I'm tired of all the lies, now what is this secret you've been keeping from
me?"

    "Will, I can't see you anymore!" I burst out. He stands there in shock, then asks,

    "Why?"

    "You- because, we're too close. I don't want to get hurt, and I don't want to hurt you." The lie slips easily off my tongue, because it's  true. It's just not the answer to his question. He steps closer, close enough to touch.

    "Lethia, I would never hurt you." He grabs my hand. I look down at them. He's holding them firmly, like he'd never let go. "And whatever this thing is, you can tell me. I won't judge you." I looked up and into his eyes. He stares into mine, tearing at my heart. He came closer.
I thought for a wonderful moment that he was going to kiss me, but suddenly he reached over and poured a glass of water over my hand. I look quickly at my drenched hand and back at him. He's staring at me, waiting for something to happen.

    "I trusted you." I hissed, then ran out the door and dove into the water. I heard a second splash behind me. Oh no. He's in the water. I swim to the bottom, hoping for the cover of darkness, but there was no way to get away. I turned to see Will staring at me, eyes open wide underwater.

I shrug my shoulders and swim back up. Going to the other end of his dock, I hoist myself up. Will doesn't lose sight of me for a second. He climbs up and just stares at my tail. I dry off and turn back to normal.

    "Let's have that talk now." I say calmly,  going back into his house. I sit in his couch, hands pressed between my legs.

"I wasn't even born yet. My mother says she was exploring an island at night when she found a beautiful cave, shimmering in the moonlight. She went in, and woke up in the morning on the bottom of the pool, breathing in water, with a tail. I was born with it. All those days I couldn't see you, all those times I ran, it was this. I hope you get why I couldn't tell you." He looks at me, at my legs.

    "And- and them. Cleo, Rikki, and Bella. Are they like that too?" I shake my head.

    "No. No, I'm the only one. They don't even know. You're the only one." I pause for a minute and look at Will with hopeful eyes. "Will you keep my secret?" He looked away, distraught.

    "I'll...I'll have to think about it." I almost died. I got up and left, closing the door gently. Oh, this is such a mess. I don't want to move again, but if Will doesn't keep this secret, my whole 'new life' thing will go down the drain. Not to mention he will probably avoid me for the rest of all time.

Later, at Rikki's, another gig.

I stood by Rikki.

"I can't sing, not like this. I feel horrible." Rikki points her finger at my chest.

"I forgave you for blowing our secret. If you blow this gig, I will not be so forgiving." I let out a small giggle and Cleo smiles next to Rikki.

"That's it, now just act as normal as possible." I nod and walk up to the mike. Nate gives me a concerned look, and I nod to him to start.

The music begins to play, but I miss the first few words because I saw Will come in. I caught up and started to sing. I looked at the girls and Will with worried eyes. What is he telling Sophie? Is he spilling my secret? Cleo, Rikki, and Bella keep looking at him, and I could see Luke trying to sneak up and listen in. Sophie nods and goes away, and Will starts to leave.

"Will, wait!" I call, stopping the song abruptly. I run over to him and he grabs my shoulders.

"I didn't tell her your secret, it's fine." I breathed out a huge sigh of relief and he dropped his hands. Nate starts playing some random music with the rest of the band in the background.

"Does that mean you're going to keep my secret?" He nods and I throw my arms around his neck, hugging him with all my might. I let go and give him a look. In his hands are the sooty remains of the shell. I let out a little laugh.

"I can get you another one of those." I say. He smiles and shakes his head.

"I liked the fact that it was one of a kind." He smiles and walks out, leaving me standing there happily. I spin around and run back to the stage.

"Let's do a fun one, Nate." I say. He nods.

"Secrets, Mary Lambert?" I cock an eyebrow at him.

    "You know it?" He nods and starts the song. I grab the mike and jump off the stage to sing and and dance around.

They tell us from the time we're young
To hide the things that we don't like about ourselves
Inside ourselves
I know I'm not the only one who spent so long attempting to be someone else
Well I'm over it

I don't care if the world knows what my secrets are, secrets are
I don't care if the world knows what my secrets are, secrets are
So-o-o-o-o what
So-o-o-o-o what
So-o-o-o-o what
So-o-o-o-o what

I end the song standing back on the stage, and the cafe goes crazy. I high-five the band and sing the whole rest of the night.