The Mako Chronicles Book 1: H20 Just Add Secrets

Episode/Chapter 3 Does He Love Me

                                Episode 3 Does He Love Me

After Lewis tells Cleo he needs to talk to her, Rikki and Bella say together. "See you later Cleo." Then they both swim off. Cleo, still in the water, looks up at Lewis. "What is it Lewis?" Lewis paces back and forth. Then he kneels down to Cleo. "I hate to do this to you already." He takes a deep breath and continues. "But I need to go back to the states in a few days." Cleo starts to say something, but she can't find anything to say besides, "What?!" Cleos expression goes from angry to disappointment. "Lewis, I thought you said you had to go back after summer break, not a few weeks into it." Lewis puts his hand on top of hers and looks into her eyes. "I did say that, but they asked me to  come back early to start my assistant training. That's why we need to make these last few days count Cleo." Cleo begins to cry. "But I just got you back Lewis." Cleo pauses and sheds a few tears. "And I don't think I can deal with losing you again." She then pulls her hand out from under Lewis'. "It's....it's just too hard!" Then she swims off and Lewis jumps up and yells. "CLEO! Wait!" Knowing he can't catch her, he pulls out his phone and dials a number. "Uh hey Rikki. I just told Cleo I have to go back to the states soon and she swam off." Rikki interrupts him. "Lewis, you have a bad habit of doing this. But I'm on my way to her house now. Bye." "Bye." Lewis says. 

Rikki gets to Cleo's house and knocks on the door and Sam answers. "Oh hey Rikki." Sam looks at Rikki questionably. "Cleo came home about 10 minutes ago crying and demanding no one talk to her. We didn't listen" As Sam points at Kim on the couch. "So we went to her room and asked if she was okay and she told us to go away. Do you have any idea what's wrong with her?" Rikki walks inside and closes the door behind her and says. "Yeah. It's Lewis. He is going back to the states in a few days and just told Cleo today." Rikki then walks toward the end of the staircase and asks. "So she's still in her room?" Sam still looks shocked and says sympathetically. "Yes she is." Then Rikki walks up to Cleo's room and knocks on Cleo's closed door. Cleo responds from the other side of the door. "Go away Kim." And wipes her nose. Rikki answers. "It's me. Rikki." Rikki tries to open the door. "Please unlock the door Cleo." Cleo gets up and unlocks and opens the door, then she lets Rikki in. Rikki walks in and she shuts the door behind her. Rikki and Cleo sit on Cleo's bed. Rikki says. "So, Lewis called me and told me what was going on. He told me to come and check on you." Cleo looks up at Rikki. "I don't know if I can let him go again Rikki." Rikki says. "It's supposed to be only three months right?" Cleo answers. "Yes." Then Rikki continues. "Well you guys can last that long. You just have to make sure you two stay in contact with each other. That's all. And when he's done with his training, then he can come back here and work somewhere close to you." Cleo shivers to what Rikki said. Then she says. "That's what I'm afraid of Rikki." Cleo pauses and looks at the picture of her and Lewis that's on her desk. Then she continues. "I'm afraid he won't come back. I'm afraid he'll like it so much in the states and he won't.....come back." Cleo starts to cry even more. And Rikki pats Cleo's back and says. "You don't have to worry about that Cleo, he WILL come back. He loves you."

Bella and Will are together at his place. He looks at Bella and says. "So just a few minutes ago before you got distracted by my new shell I got yesterday, you said you had something important to tell me." Bella lightly puts the shell down and looks up at Will. "Oh. Yeah. Well when I was out near Mako swimming and searching for shells for you." Bella takes a deep breath. "Well, I came across another mermaid." Will looks amazed and shocked. "Wow.  And that was today?" Bella shakes her head and Will proceeds. "That's interesting. So do you know who she is?" Bella answers Will's question. "No I don't because I was too shocked and scared, so I swam away." Will says. "It could have been Emma. You know Cleo and Rikki's friend who should be coming back soon. I'm sure it was just her." Bella responds. "I don't think it was. I've seen a picture of her and the mermaid I seen today didn't look like her." Will then says. "Maybe she dyed her hair or something." Bella opens her mouth to say something, but is interrupted by a knock on Wills door. Will walks toward the door and opens it to find Ryan standing there looking stunned. Ryan looks at Will and realizes Bella is with him, so he and stops what he was going to say. Then Will waves his hand in front of Ryan's face. "Helllloooooo. Ryan, what do you want." Ryan returns to his normal state and answers. "Hey. I'm sorry to bother you guys, but your sister told me to come over and tell you something." As he points at Will still stunned. Will says. "Okay. What is it?" Ryan looks from Bella to Will. "Ummm, Sophie said she seen Bella near Mako while she was taking pictures." Will and Bella told him to go on. Ryan shakes his head still confused of the news Sophie gave him and continues. "And Sophie was swimming...and" He pauses and looks confused. Then he continues. "so was Bella." Bella and Will both drop their jaws. Bella whispers. "Oh no." Ryan looks at Bella. "Yeah, we know you are..." Ryan is still baffled and scratches his head confused still. "...a mermaid. She took a picture when she seen you while she was behind a rock." "Oh no." Will says. "Why did she have YOU come and tell us?" Ryan answers Will's question. "Because she had to go to the Cafe for work." Bella looks at Ryan concerned. "Can you please keep my secret? I'm willing to trust you. Please." Before Ryan could say anything, Cleo, Rikki, Zane and Lewis barge into Will's place. And Cleo says, without realizing Ryan is there. "Sophie knows we're mermaids!" The "mermaid club" all look at Ryan worried, while Ryan looks from Bella, then to Rikki and Cleo. "What?! It's not just Bella." He points and looks at Bella then says. "It's you two also?!"  And  he looks at Rikki and Cleo. Then Ryan passes out.