Tails of A Half Blood: Birthmark

Zac's Pool Party

It was just another regular Friday for me. I burst through the doors in absolute euphoria.

"Let the weekend begin!" I exclaimed to the ceiling. "The week is over because it's Friday!" I sang in an F sharp. I've always loved to sing, but when I actually use my siren voice while singing, I somehow manage to turn into a boy magnet. One time, when I was 9, I tried to do that in a Talent Show because I thought it would make my voice better. I had just gotten out of a cold and I needed to improvise fast. It did get me in, just not the way I wanted. Let's just say even 8th grade boys surrounded me for 2 weeks. You would have no idea how much privacy I lost for 2 weeks. Especially in my own room. And that is exactly why Zac doesn't let me anywhere near a boy alone unless it's for school purposes. Ever. It's actually pretty much how Zac went from a big brother being cool with having a foster sister from the USA, to a majorly overprotective big brother whenever I left the house.

Suddenly I heard my phone go "buzz buzz." I picked it up and the caller ID was Evie.

"Hello?" I spoke into the phone.

"Hey Blair." Evie said. "Listen I need you to do me a favor."

"Sure." I said.

"Have you ever seen how Zac's been acting weird?" She asked.

Come to think of it, Zac had been acting weird lately. He's quit the swim team, he's never around...water. I had assumed that he's having a nervous breakdown, but maybe I was wrong, maybe there was something else going on. "Yeah so?" I asked, trying to keep my cool.

"So I'm throwing a pool party, and you're invited." Evie simply answered.

"Are you sure? A pool party?" I asked with uncertainty.

"It's ok." Evie said. "You and your friends are cool."

"Thanks but I'll think about it." I said.

"Well it's tomorrow at 2 pm, in case you consider it." She hung up.

Why didn't I think of it before? It seems like the only explanation. I thought. I needed to have a conference with the girls. So I got on Skype on my computer and called all of them.

"So why'd you call us here?" Rose asked through the screen.

"Guys." I said to them. "Have you ever seen how Zac has been acting weird lately?"

"Yeah." They all said in unison.

"Do you know why?"I asked.

"Because he's going through a stage that only affects swimmer boys?" Kimi theorized.

"Or maybe Zac's finally cracked and chickened out?" Helen asked.

"Maybe." I continued. "But maybe we were wrong. Maybe there's another explanation. Maybe there's a simple reason that's been under all of our noses including Kimi's the entire time."

"What are you saying exactly?" Helen asked. Here goes.

"There is a possibility that my brother is a merman." I said, causing them to look at me like I had grown 2 heads. "Think about it. He avoids water, he drinks liquids with a straw, and whenever he gets water on his skin, he runs off like he's hiding something, just like me."

"Yeah, wouldn't you say that Zac just has a skin thing?" Rose asked skeptically.

"Rose." I responded. "That's it? A skin thing? He's loved the water his whole life and now he looks like he's afraid of it."

"It sounds like a brilliant theory." Kimi chimed in. "What do you say we go to this party to test it?"

"Good idea." I responded. "I'll be careful. I promise."