Sea Foam | ✓

v.

Second sister went next year.

She did not visit the shore, but instead lingered around a fishing trawler, listening to the sounds of the sea and watching the light dance like diamonds on the surface, and then, as evening came, the sunset blooming red and pink and peach blossoms in the sky. She did not see any humans.

Then it was my turn.

I was terrified. 

There is a saying in the mermaid kingdom, that the shell that makes the most noise, is often the one that is empty. Despite my having shown excess of bravado in front of suitors and subjects alike, I was terrified of the surface.

I had a hollowed, fearful expression on my face as Grandmother gave me all the procedures I had to follow.

Our sisters tried to calm me down as I waited for the sun to emerge on that breathless summer morning.

"You'll be alright." said First sister. "You can return whenever you desire."

"Don't worry, nothing will happen." Second sister assured me. "Nothing happened to either of us, did it?"

Fourth sister just patted my back soothingly.

"Well, I hope you see a human for me, sister!" You said cheerily. You looked truly the most beautiful of us all, in your simple naive joy.  "If you don't see a human, you'll just have wasted your first visit!"

Silence.

I was... hurt.

You clearly did not think that you said anything wrong. You smiled happily, excited, perhaps that I may bring an account of a human back to you. But the rest of us fell silent.

Mermaids cannot cry. But I knew, if I could, tears would have filled my eyes.

"How could you say that?" Grandmother broke the silence, in a pained voice. " Can you not see how afraid your sister is? I have never seen a more selfish child than you."

"B-but, I didn't mean anything by it!" You said, looking at me for defense. Your blue eyes shone like a pearl. "Third sister had promised--"

 Our sisters and Grandmother scolded you severely for your obsession with humans.

I did not defend you.

Because...

Perhaps that was the first time that I realized you loved your dreams more than my fears.