Forest of Imagination

Seahorseback-Riding

McKenzie's POV

"Did I mention how happy I am you got Katie to agree?" I asked Melody happily. She laughed a laugh I was sure Ryan appreciated. Just ten minutes ago he'd admitted he LIKED Melody but he didn't mean anything by it. I mean, it's so obvious! They kissed! Melody just said so herself!

The real question is, what happens now?

I mean, Everett's now my adviser, and with his help I'm sure Hawker Estuary will never come tumbling down. But Melody's not in line for a throne or anything, and she's like, a year and a half younger than me!

(A/N: Yes, McKenzie is 14)

So is Ryan, but that's beside the point. It's sad they're still on the brink of breaking up, being so young and all - I mean, were they even together in the first place at all? Figuring out other people's love lives is so much harder than figuring out my own, and Everett and I are SO confusing.

"Yes, many times," Melody smiled. "But I'm super glad I came so I could tell you EVERYTHING...!"

"I'm glad you told me EVERYTHING too," I mimicked. I added Melody's exaggerated hand gestures too.

"You have so many mixed personalities," Melody shook her head. Even though I loved being with her again, I still yet have to figure out what she means. I didn't think I had mixed personalities.

"Yeah, look who's talking," I fired back, which wasn't a good comeback since it wasn't exactly true. I mean, Melody is as easy to predict as, um, _____ (insert simile): she's the planner, the one that makes sure everything is running orderly and perfectly and yet still managing not to seem bossy.

Not many can accomplish that feat!

"Come ON, you know it's not true, Mack," Melody teased playfully. "Everyone knows my general personality."

She had me there.

"Well, tell me my traits," I challenged her, accidentally popping her air bubble. "Omigosh, I'm so sorry, here's another one!"

"You're mysterious," Melody started once I'd made a new bubble for her, "you're photogenic - well, that's not really a trait, but whatever - you're bubbly, you're energetic, you're tired, you're emotional, you're -"

"OK, yeah, I get it," I interrupted. I really didn't want Melody to go on with my personality. It was just too personal. In fact, it felt like Melody had plunged into my mind and knew my entire life!

Melody's POV

"Let's go seahorseback-riding," McKenzie suggested.

"Um, what?" I asked, confused. See, I go to another hidden world at only twelve years old, and suddenly everyone expects me to know their weird stuff, like seahorseback-riding.

"It's like the landers' horseback-riding, except we don't have horses, so we go seahorseback-riding," McKenzie explained. That made more sense, but it made me wonder why someone would keep seahorses in stables.

"We don't," McKenzie said, which startled me. "Sorry, it was obviously showing on your face."

"Oh, yeah, that's okay," I replied, blushing.

"So anyway, seahorses are kept in corrals," McKenzie continued. That made sense. Underwater, there are coral reefs. Why can't there be corrals for seahorseback-riding as well? I think Hawker Estuary has very good puns.

"It wasn't a pun," McKenzie said. "You should stop being so obvious. We literally use corrals."

"Interesting," was all I could muster.