Unable to Love

Chapter 19

Max and I stood in complete and utter silence. The awkward state in which we both were in was extremely uncomfortable. We spoke not one word, often exchanging awkward glances between him and I, and the occasional lip biting that we both did, trying to think of something to say, and get out if this blasted silence.

We both stared at the ground, the walls, the paintings, and decorations that were displayed all around my room. We didn't dare face each other, the awkwardness was suffocating. It was intense. I suppose it was my fault for just kissing him out of no-where.

It wasn't that I felt weird, I was actually very comfortable around him and Phoebe, but this created a feeling in which I didn't understand. My cheeks felt warm, my palms got sweaty, my heart was beating like if I being chased by that shark again. What is going on?!

"So.... Are we going to talk about what just happened like two minutes ago?" Max asked, eyes focused on the ground.

"Ummm.... No...." I said running my fingers through my hair.

"I want to talk about it. Why did you kiss me? Do you like, like me or something?" Max asked turning his attention from the floor to me.

"Ummm... I don't know. Actually, I just thought I should..." I said trailing off from my last words which were going to be,'before I go back to Australia or some exotic island we used to live in.'

"Thought you should? What does that even mean? Why did you tell Phoebe to bring me here?" Max asked, badgering me with questions.

"Because I'm going back Australia. I thought I should do what I did, as like a way for you to you know, remember me or something?" I tried to explain, fiddling with my fingers.

"Remember you? Australia? You mean, you're going back? Micah, I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean to tell my parents. I was just so mad because-" Max said starting to ramble on about.

"Phoebe wouldn't tell you what I told Jonathan. Max, sweetheart. Jonathan is just a mate. He seems like he fancies me and I just wanted to give him a chance. No one gives him the time of day, I just though that since I'm living amongst humans, I should make a change in ones life. I want to help Jonathan." I explained to him.

"So why kiss ME?" Max asked curiously.

"Because I guess I sort of, I don't know, fancy you?" I said to him.

"You mean you like me?" Max said raising a brow.

"Yes. I suppose that is the correct term. I like you. I don't want to ruin this friendship that you and I have going on with something as silly as relationships." I said trying to make sense.

"You think relationships are silly?" Max asked.

"I don't know. I'm not from here, you know. I-I just... I don't really know okay?!!" I said placing my pointer fingers on my temple.

"I don't want to leave. For once in my life, Max, I feel like I actually belong. I constantly felt trapped, and out of place, but then I met you, and Phoebe a-and I actually feel like I belong. Then all of a sudden its being ripped away from me because a certain little human boy got jealous." I expressed my way of feeling to Max.

I kind of do blame my future departure on Max's stupidity, but I also blamed myself. I blamed myself because seriously, who was I kidding? I could never, NEVER, live amongst humans and not have my secret be spread around as wide as school of fish. That's the reason why I was always alone, I was better off alone. I am not the best at making friends. I don't really connect with human folk.

Max sighed deeply before speaking up, "I'm sorry. I really am. Micah, I know you think that this is going to either sound crazy or weird, but I really really like you. I know you might hate me after I say this, but in the beginning, I set out to ruin you. To completely and utterely ruin your being by finding out exactly who or what you were. But when I actually got to know you, and learned all these things from you, it was impossible for me to even try to hurt you. I've never been affected by things like this before, but Micah you're different." Max said.

He tried to ruin me? What is his problem? I mean, okay I admit, I didn't like him at first. He was a bit off, no more than Phoebe, but I thought it was because he was human. It never once occured to me why he seemed off. Now come to think of it, it all makes sense. Why he wanted me over; why he kept inviting me places; why he was acting weirder than normal. I just stared at him with my brows knitted together in confusion, and my mouth slightly opened in disbelief.

"Micah, it's been five months since we first met, and at first I hated you. Now seeing you like this, in a whole new perspective I just, I don't know. You're this amazing girl. You act like nothing bothers you, but I know it does. I like everything about you. Like how you scrunch up your nose when you don't like the taste or smell of a particular object or food; when you furrow your eye-brows together when something doesn't make sense; how great you look in dresses; how you dress for school; when you lick your lips with your tongue before you speak; how you blink multiple times every time you try to look at something from a distance; when you smile, you get that small little dimple on your cheek; how you roll your eyes whenever Phoebe or I do something's stupid; how you look around the room whenever you're nervous; how you bite your bottom lip when you're scared or afraid of something; how you fiddle with your fingers when you feel awkward; I like your laugh; I like your smile; I like the fact that whenever you try to explain something it comes out more confusing than you intend it to be. All these little things are the things I like about you. Everything. I notice it, and I know it's weird, but Micah-Lynn, I really do like you." Max confessed.

I couldn't believe it. Does he really notice all that? I mean, really? I never thought people really paid attention to that. I do bite my lip when I'm afraid, and fiddle with my fingers. I guess he pays more attention than I thought. Max is really sweet, sometimes. Though, I still cannot be involved. I am leaving for Milan soon, and a mermaid cannot be with a human. It's impossible.

"There is one thing I need to tell you. Since I know about you being a mermaid, I think it's fair that you know about us. Our family. We're not who you think we are." Max said looking straight at me.

"What do you mean?" I said furrowing my brows at him.

"We're not human. We're, well my family more than I, superheroes. I'm a villain. Which is why at the beginning I set out to ruin you." Max said looking at me. His eyes searched mine for a response.

"I thought-"

"That we're human? No. We're not. We have our secrets. Just like how you have yours. I am sorry about how I learned about your secret. I am sorry about me blurting out your secret to my parents." Max said apologising.

"It's okay. So you lot are superhuman? Yet you haven't told me this because....?" I said trailing off of my sentence so he could fill me in.

"Yeah, we have powers too. Not just your family. Also because, well we came here to live a normal life. Well my parents did. I was just dragged along." Max said.

"Aha, well I'm glad you told me." I said laughing.