The First Merman.

{VII} Twilight.

 Vanessa was walking on the boardwalk when she saw someone near the beach in the corner of her eyes. She turned and walked over to the ledge to see James finishing putting wax on a surfboard and he picked up the surfboard. He walked towards water before he ran the rest and got on the board, surfacing. It was pretty early, about ten o'clock only other surfers around with a few tourist.

It was clear what happened to him didn't effect anything about being scared of the water. He was skilled on a surfboard, something like from a show. She leaned against the wooden rail and watched for a moment. A little wind blew her long hair around and she brushed her finger back to brush the hair out of her eyes.

And James turned his head to look at her. Her eyes widen slightly as he lost his balance on his board and he fell into the water. She took a small sharp breath and turned, walking away. She put her hands in her shorts and hurried down the boardwalk to a gift shop Raphael had applied for.

She found him at Sirenas Adventure where they sell t-shirts, surfboards, and everything you would find in a shop for the beach like towels and flip flops and other stuff.

Raphael shook the owner hand, ''You won't regret it Tony, I'll be here Monday.''

Tony smiled, ''Happy to have you, Raphael.''

Raphael turned and gave her that dimple half smile as he came over to her. He took her hand in his and they went down the boardwalk, ''So not only have I gotten a tail, but a job.''

She went in front of him and continued walking backwards, ''Your life has never been so completed.'' she said sarcastically and he grinned. She paused, making him pause to, and she leaned up to kiss him on the mouth for a moment before pulling away, “Why do I feel like we’re so much closer?”

“Because we are.” he said. “Not too many couples get to go on adventure like ours.”

“What now though?” she asked and his eyebrows furrowed together. “It seems to . . . peaceful. Like something in my stomach is telling me this isn’t over.”

Raphael chuckled, “It sounds sort of like you want something to happen. You little drama starter.” he said as he tapped his finger under her chin. “Look, our lives may have changed, but it’s back to normal."

“We’re not normal though, remember we stopped aging.” she said. “My birthday is in a month, but I’ll still be seventeen while you’ll forever be nineteen.”

He sighed heavily and walked passed her, “Nessie, stop with all that negativity. Why are you trying to bring this amazing fate down? Why can’t you be happy?”

“I am happy, but also being realistic.” she said as she walked next to him. “One day though—we’ll have to leave. People will start to question.”

He stuffed his hands in his pockets, “Then . . . we leave.” He turned his head to look at Vanessa, “And we’ll be together, it’s all we will need. I choose to become a merman because I wanted to be with you, Nessie.”

Vanessa stopped and put her arms around Raphael. She rested her cheek against his chest and sighed heavily, “Just want I needed to hear.” she said.

*

Vanessa looked up from her chocolate milkshake when heard the bell of the diner ring and James walked in. He looked down the diner and saw her. She forced a smile on her face as she raised her hand in a gesture welcoming. He walked over towards her and sat in the booth across from her. A waitress came over, “Anything dear?”

“Uh—bacon cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato, cheese fries, and a coke.” he said automatically and the waitress wrote it down as she walked away.