Aqua Waters | ✔

Thirty-Eight

I swam for what felt like hours, days, maybe even years. The ocean never seemed to get smaller, the shore never feeling closer. Gage had been asleep for what felt like centuries. I flick softly at his ear, trying to gauge how deeply he was sleeping. He never stirs. I needed to get to the shore before he froze to death. There was no way he wasn't soaked in his leather jacket and his jeans. The weight of his clothes heavy as I press further. I flipped in his grip the best I could. I was now staring right at his face, his head still leaning on me. Reaching up I gently grab his face turning it towards me. Looking over his features I couldn't help but smile. The butterflies attacking the inside of my rib cage like wild dogs.

I place my lips on his, moving with his breath as I sink under the surface of the waves. If I was careful enough he would never even notice. I did my best to hold his rhythm of breathing, to not alter his state of sleeping. Once we were deep enough underwater I tried to search for landmarks around his head. My lips still pressed against his. Gage stirs slightly, and I freeze, prepared to shoot for the top of the water once again, but before waking himself up he settles back into my kiss.

I kick my fin as hard as it will possibly go, the blue-green scales blending with the water. Gage and I rush through the water, tiny bubble trailing behind us in our jet stream. I was able to turn my head just enough while kissing Gage to see the ocean floor. We were getting closer to shore, a lot closer than I had anticipated. Tiny creatures scurry around the sand, searching for their next meal. Crabs, lobsters, tiny fish all intermingling on the bottom of the sea. They had their own world, communities, maybe even loved ones.

When we near the shore enough that I knew I would be able to find the way I swim back up to the surface, only pulling my lips away from Gage's once I knew he was out of the water and still calmly breathing. I shook my head, the electricity driving my body wild. Something about his touch even in the middle of something so horrible was enough to bring me to my knees. If I had knees.

When the water finally parted and the sand was too close to swimming any further in I pulled Gage off my back. If he were to stand now the water would only be knee deep. I place him in the water, his body limp as he continued to sleep.

"Gage, you are the deepest sleeper I have ever met," I tease to no one in general. He tumbles over slightly, his face hitting the water. Jumping from his seat in the sand he trips in the water falling to the ground. Flopping around like a fish on land for a few moments before he finally relocated his balance. He searched the sand, then the water, and finally my face.

"What the hell happened?" Gage was panicked, his voice a few levels higher than when he normally spoke. I shook my head chuckling to myself lightly, mostly still at his graceful entrance back to the human world.

"Swimming you know?" I shrugged not really sure how to respond to what he said.

"You took me swimming with you?" His eyes were shooting daggers in my direction. I jump back in the water, adding some space between the two of us.

"What do you mean I took you swimming with me? I saved your life," The confusion took over my whole body, and I was so focused on the boy in front of me that I didn't even notice Sammy running down the beach towards us.

"Guys!" She shouted as she ran, her hand held high in the air waving a shirt like a white flag. I searched the treeline, Gage's house was only a few hundred yards up the beach. I mentally pat myself on the back for being able to figure out where I was going under the waves.

"Saved my life?" Gage was noticeably angry now, his arms folded over his chest, water droplets dancing off the edge of his sleeves.

"Are you being serious right now?" Sammy chimes in, her eyes searching for Gage's expression. "Asada kidnapped you, and I don't even know who that is, but she is apparently evil." Sammy rambled, her hands tugging at the shirt as she holds it open for me to see the image on the front of it. Turning to look at me she begins to speak again. "When you get out of the water and dry off, I found this shirt for you in some of Gage's clothes," She paused for a moment before throwing a side-eye in Gage's direction, "I cleaned your house by the way,"

"Why would you do something like that?" Gage was nearly shouting now, the whole world around him seemed confusing. I pulled myself further up on the sand, sticking my hand out for Sammy to help me out of the water. She quickly grabs it dragging me far enough up the beach that the water won't kiss my fin anymore.

The transformation was shorter now, and getting shorter each time I changed. My body dried quickly, and my fin was soon legs once more. I grabbed the shirt from Sammy, thanking her before pulling it over my head and covering my nude body with it.

"Gage, I think we need to head back to your house and have a little talk. You've just gone through a traumatic experience and even I don't understand what just happened." I took a few steps forward, nearly placing my hand on his shoulder before realizing his jacket was soaked. I pulled it away holding it close to my chest.

"Are you ready to head back to your house?" Sammy questions, searching both of our expressions.

"Fine," Gage hung his head low, before trudging through the sand as it stuck to every part of his body. 'Where's my change of clothes," He turned shooting Sammy a look.

"Didn't know if you would make it back alive," She shrugged, her bubbly voice making the whole situation feel better... and worse, all at the same time.