Glass Prison

Chapter 6

I stepped into the blinding light of the globe from the shadow of the storage room.

No one was here.

Did I come too early? I looked down at my watch.

It's 8:30 a.m. on the dot.

Hmm, it's not that early. I frowned as I searched around for any evidence that he was here. Nothing. My eyes fell on the still water. I swallowed and dragged my foot in front of the other, nearing the opening to the aquarium.

I stilled

Memories assaulted me.

Water filling my lungs as I open my mouth to scream for help.

I shook my head. I'm here and I'm ok. I breathed deeply to reassure myself as I sat within a good distance from the water. I set my backpack aside - which contained my sketchpad to show him drawings.

I tugged the ticket receipt for the aquarium out of my backpack. I had used the pearl and a hefty amount of cash in return at a pawnshop. The guy at the pawn shop couldn't even believe they were real pearls when I sold it to him. I definitely wouldn't have believed my lie saying that I had found the pearls when I was out diving with my boat either, but that was the story I told the guy at the pawn shop and he took it.

I can't imagine how I could have explain to my parents of how I came up with this amount of money since they know I would never go near an ocean...

The money...

I could have used it to help my parents, to pay off their debts and such. But they would ask where the money was from and they wouldn't believe me if I say it was from my savings. They wouldn't take it even if they had believed it was my saving, they would want me to continue saving up for college. I wouldn't dare to tell them the truth of where I really got the pearls. I snorted, they probably wouldn't have believed me.

I sighed. Plus, it didn't feel like it was my money to spend it how I want it. It's Tristen's, or Tristen's gift for me to see him. It wouldn't be right if I used his gift otherwise.

I looked around the room as I waited for Tristen who was probably running late.

Or swimming late. I chortled to myself.

I heard a splash.

My head swiveled to the source.

Tristen?

I crawled closer to the opening. There was no one there. I squinted my eyes to see in the water.

A little blond head bopped up in front of my face.

"ASDFJKL!" I yelled as I tumbled back.

A pair of big blue eyes stared back at me.

My heart raced as I righted myself up.

A little girl with blond hair smiled shyly at me.

My instinct led me to ask. "Nixie?" She was that merchild with the pink tail that was performing tricks awhile back. The girl with sadness in her eyes, but there was no sadness in her eyes now.

Only mischief.

She grinned. "You know my name." She swam closer, staring at me in awe. "Your hair is super curly!" The mergirl hoisted herself up till she sat up on the ledge and leaned towards me. "Can I touch it?"

I laughed nervously and searched around to make sure nobody heard her spoke. My worries eased and I smiled, "Sure." I kneeled and scooted closer.

She reached with her finned fingers and touched my hair, her eyes filled with wonder. "Pretty." She smiled, dimples on each cheek. "You're pretty, like a human princess."