𝐈'𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐃 || 𝐙𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐭

Chapter 12 - Secret Savior

"Leona!" Rikki shouted, finally gaining my attention.

Her voice snapped me from my thoughts, my eyes meeting hers as our tails swished beneath the water. She frowned, her wet blonde hair sticking to her scalp as she watched me.

"Are you alright?" she asked me suddenly, light blue eyes narrowing as she spoke, "You've been really distracted lately,"

I shrugged, dark hair fanning out around me below the surface, "I'm fine."

She arched an eyebrow as if she didn't believe me and I rolled my eyes, leaning my elbows up onto the rock ledge of the moon pool. Obviously, I couldn't tell her the truth of what lurked in my brain. Because in all honesty...it wasn't thoughts I should be having. Thoughts of a certain brown-eyed rich boy that I couldn't get rid of. Ever since that day at the juice bar, my brain had been on overdrive - desperately trying to conjure up the memories of that night. The whole thing left me confused and dazed in all honesty.

Rikki didn't push me on it though, thank goodness. And after a few more minutes, she bid me goodbye before heading backing home. With a sigh, I decided I'd better do the same. It was getting late, after all and I had class in the morning. Dipping back below the water's surface, the cool liquid rushing around me as I sped out of the tiny cave and back into the open water.

Seconds later, my head broke the surface and and I breathed in the fresh air. The stillness did not last however before a voice broke the silence.

"Help! Save me! Ah, please, somebody help me!" a familiar voice's shouts drifted through the air to me.

I whipped my head around in confusion before I saw him. My stomach dropped at the sight - this was not good. In fact, it was very bad indeed. Floating alone in the water by an overturned windsurfer was none other than Zane Bennett himself. But that wasn't the worst of it - circling around him in a predatory manner were at least a dozen sharks. Eyes widening, I knew what I had to do.

I had to go to him, save him. If I didn't...who knows what might happen to him. I chewed the inside of my cheek, eyes nervously darting from his struggling figure in the water to my orange tail below. I'd just stay at a safe distance - just enough so that he wouldn't be able to see me. Or more importantly - my tail. Sucking in a deep breath, I slipped below the surface and surveyed the oncoming predators.

Think, Leona! What will keep them away?! I thought frantically. And then it hit me. Of course!

Flicking up a hand, I moved my fingers until the water molecules around the sharks began to bend and shape to my will. The water began to take on the shape of jelly on all sides of them, temporarily suspending their movements. I grinned, proud of myself as they hung there in the water, immobile. They didn't look too pleased about it but at least Zane was safe.

Safe? Is that what you'd wanted all along? Just for him to be safe? my mind asked me and I shook the pesky thoughts away. I did it because it was the right thing to do. Not for any other reason. I did wait though, even after the jelly had turned back into liquid and the sharks had swam away. Just to make sure he wasn't out here by himself or worse, back in danger. I stayed until I could hear the sound of Lewis' boat on the water above me. Their voices and actions were muffled but I could still hear the faint sound of Zane climbing into Lewis' boat, talking about the sharks.

As the boat sped away, I popped my head up above the surface, watching them go. Zane was shaken up by the ordeal but he was safe. I sighed, relief washing over me for some indescribable reason.

He was safe.