Teenage Mermaid (9 page)

W
averly caught sight of me and stumbled over to us. “Lilly, it's time to come home!” she demanded.

She was frustrated and angry. I imagined her going to the spooky Underworld by herself, handing over her savings to Madame Pearl, waking up terrified on the beach, nearly trampled by throngs of Earthees. Finless, friendless, lost without her family or Tide. Crawling and stumbling her way amongst lower life forms in pursuit of a rebellious teenager.

“Look at the sky, Wave!” I exclaimed. “Fireworks!”

“Is this a friend of yours?” Spencer asked, puzzled.

“Wave, you shouldn't have come.”

“Let's go!” she demanded, taking my hand.

“I'll go back after the fireworks,” I said, gazing up at the electric sky.

Waverly crouched in front of me, blocking my gaze with her own. “Swear on Bubbles' life?”

I stared into her furious eyes, but then turned back to the sky.

“I thought so! You're not coming back—”

“No,” I whispered. “I'm not coming back.”

I surprised myself with my decision.

“Lilly, what's going on?” Spencer demanded.

“You mean he doesn't know?” Waverly realized, shocked, suddenly rising to her feet.

“Know what?”

“Where her real home is—”

I jumped up and covered Waverly's mouth with my hand, but she pushed me away.

“I'd like to know, too,” Chain interrupted.

Suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my side. “I need to go.”

“You're going to leave me?” Wave asked, exasperated.

I gazed at the electric colors reaching through the sky like the legs of an octopus. “But I don't want to go.”

“Have you thought about your parents? Bubbles? The ocean?” she continued, grabbing my free hand.

“Bubbles?” Chainsaw wondered. “Is she cute?”

“She's a dolphin!” Wave replied.

“Waverly!”

“A dolphin?” Chainsaw asked curiously.

Waverly grabbed my arm and began dragging me toward the water. “Think now, act later! You haven't changed,” Wave said, out of breath. “Boy, are these legs awkward.”

I looked back at a confused Spencer, who was standing with his friends.

“What do you mean I haven't changed?” I asked, impressed by her sudden energy and passion. I didn't resist her desperate grip but hoped to reason with her.

“Think now, act later,” she repeated. “You haven't grown up.”

“I feel something I've never felt before, something that was missing in my life.”

“You're still a little girl, Waterlilly! Impulsive, irresponsible, immature!”

Her words stung me like a man-of-war. I thought my decision to stay on earth meant that I was growing up. Was it instead a sign that I hadn't?

I felt another sharp pain and doubled over. Purple particles rose over the pier and flickered throughout the sky. I turned around and found Spencer standing behind me. His eyes looked lost. “I have to go,” I said reluctantly.

“But you just got here. Here, I'll take you home.” He
took me by the hand. “But you have to tell me where that is! You've left me twice. A third time might mean…I'm afraid if I let you go, I'll never see you again.”

I caressed his hand as my eyes welled with tears. But Waverly's grasp was stronger and she pulled me away, leading me underneath the pier, away from the crowd toward the end of the rocks.

The next moment seemed to last a lifetime, and yet there wasn't even time to say good-bye. I wanted to hold Spencer, to kiss him, to see the fireworks forever reflected in his eyes. I wanted to explain everything, to give him the answers he deserved, to tell him that I loved him. But Waverly's words echoed in my mind. How long had I known him? Even though my heart answered “forever,” my head answered “only two days.” I'd breathed water all my life but only air for such a short time. It was like a dream. Hadn't I always acted immaturely, selfishly, spontaneously? It was irrational to think I could leave my world for his.

The shooting pain in my side wasn't as sharp as the pain exploding in my heart.

S
uddenly Waverly and Lilly dove into the water as if they were dolphins. I rushed to the edge of the rocks like a crazed animal in search of prey. Why were they swimming? Didn't they know how dangerous it was to swim at night?

“Lilly!” I shouted. “Lilly! Where are you?” I cried against the blasting music but it was futile.

I stared out to sea with a sinking feeling. “Lilly!” I called again. “Lilly!”

Suddenly Waverly's head popped above the surface, and then, a moment later, much to my relief, so did Lilly's.

In an instant she was treading water below me, next to the jutting rock beneath my feet. She swam so
quickly! What were they swimming away from, or to? Why were they risking their lives? But none of the questions that raced through my mind in those desperate moments could have prepared me for the answer, when five huge white sonic boom fireworks hit simultaneously, lighting up the sky, the boardwalk, the beach and—Lilly. From head to toe, or should I say fin?

The reality hit me harder than my surfboard had the other day. She was beautiful, yes, even more beautiful in the water, but instead of legs she had the tail of a sparkling green fish. What I thought had been a hallucination the first time I saw her turned out to be fact.

This couldn't be. I was in love with a…mermaid?

Suddenly the images flashed—one after another. A beautiful girl appearing from nowhere under the ocean, not out of breath, swimming like a fish, a strange aquamarine Spandex covering her all the way to her nouveau riche flipper gear. A kiss of life, of love. Mysteriously showing up at school. Noticing the two-finned mermaid at Starbucks. Commenting on the Ferris wheel, “I've never been higher than the rocks.”

A mermaid? But it had to be a joke. Yet somehow it all made sense, unreal as it seemed.

“Chainsaw!” I yelled. “Come quick!”

“No, don't, Spencer,” she begged, grabbing my foot.
“It's forbidden to be seen.”

“But this is unreal—You are unreal! Man, I think I'm going crazy!”

I wanted to show Lilly to the world and hide her at the same time. I needed proof that what I was seeing wasn't a dream, and yet I didn't want anyone to harpoon her and stick her in a freak show. My mind was racing. I was disappointed, yet intrigued. Skeptical, yet excited. My brain was in overdrive.

“I can't be seen!” Lilly pleaded.

I saw the horror on her face. “Stay here! Please!” I begged, squatting down to grab her hand.

She could bolt off, and then I'd really lose her forever.

I turned around. “It's nothing!” I shouted to my friends, trying to ward them off. “I overreacted.”

I turned around and Lilly was gone. A moment later she appeared yards away from me.

“Damn, she's fast,” Chainsaw said, shocked. “Was that a trick?”

“You won't believe me if I told you—trust me!” I said. “She's a—”

“A party girl,” Chainsaw said, nudging me. “She must want you to go deep sea diving.”

Lilly must have seen us talking, for suddenly she appeared in front of us, at the edge of the rocks. The supersonic fireworks lit up the sky, the world and her
glistening tail raised prominently in the air.

“What was that?” Chainsaw shouted, pointing to her tail.

“She's been attacked by a fish!” said Robin.

“No…”

“It's a costume!” Chainsaw said, hitting me in the arm.

“No…” I confessed.

“A real fish tail? How did she attach it?” he asked incredulously. “And why?”

“It's real!” I said.

“This is twisted! Dude, did you spike my soda?”

We stood at the water's edge. The waves crashed in rhythm to the explosions in the darkened sky.

“Then what is it?” Robin asked.

Suddenly Lilly appeared before us, treading water. “I'm a mermaid!” she declared, with pride, with reluctance, with relief.

Robin and Chain stood in disbelief.

“This is lame! You're spoiling the fireworks 'cause you want to prank me back for something?” Chainsaw argued.

“You said it yourself when I told you how she saved my life. Remember? You said, ‘She swims in the ocean better than you, saves your life, and disappears.' Well, she's not a swimming instructor or a lifeguard. You have your answer now—she's a mermaid!
But you'd never understand! So, go away!” I shouted to them as Lilly swam to the rocks.

“Let them stay,” she called, resting her arms and head on the edge of a rock.

“I thought you can't be seen!” I said, concerned, kneeling in front of her.

“I'm a mermaid—not a ghost.” She winked.

“If she's a mermaid, I'm an alien!” Robin chided.

Lilly pulled herself onto a rock next to us. Her tail wasn't slimy like I would have imagined a mermaid's would be, like a snake or fish, but rather sleek, sexy even, almost glowing. We knelt, entranced, touching her fin, like we were touching the horn on a unicorn.

But Lilly pulled at her side. “I've got to go,” she said and quickly dove into the water like a dolphin. In an instant she was back.

“We have to tell someone!” Robin demanded.

“Or make a video! We could make millions!” Chainsaw said, excited.

“We don't tell a soul,” I said sternly. “No one must know—swear on your life!”

Lilly stared up at us, her eyes pleading for secrecy.

“No one tells a soul!” I said through gritted teeth.

Chain looked at me with reservation, then at Lilly. “Spencer, you sure do get into predicaments. Okay…I swear.”

We all gazed at Robin.

“Well…who could I tell? You two guys are my only friends, and you already know. I swear, too.”

We crouched by Lilly. It was as if Chainsaw, Robin, and I were entranced, mesmerized by her mermaid spell as she lapped her tail gently against the water.

“Have you always been like that?” Chainsaw asked incredulously.

“Have you always been like
that
?” she asked.

We all laughed.

“I've always wanted to be a mermaid,” Robin said dreamily. “Ever since I was a little girl.”

“I want to be a scuba diver!” Chain said with a wink.

I knew I only had minutes left with her. “I need to talk to Lilly alone. Make sure no one comes around,” I said. “The fireworks are almost over. People won't be distracted anymore.”

Lilly was magical on earth, but as a mermaid, she was even more magical, even more seductive. Everyone was staring up at some stupid colored lights, when a miracle was floating right before my eyes.

“I was afraid you wouldn't believe me,” she said, sliding up on the rock when we were alone.

“Yeah—” I began, holding her wet body in my arms, her lovely tail draped around my jeans.

“I wanted to be with you forever,” she confessed.

“Me, too,” I said, pulling the necklace from my pocket and fastening it around her neck.

“But—” she said, fingering the locket.

“Lilly!” Waverly's voice called from the distance.

“I don't want you to leave,” I said, grasping her wet hand.

“I don't either, but—”

“I'll never see you again?” I asked, my heart breaking.

She nodded.

“We could meet at specific times,” I pleaded. “I could surf out to your home.”

Lilly stared up at me with watery eyes and shook her head. “It could jeopardize our existence. And yours…”

A cop leaning on the boardwalk fence suddenly shined his flashlight down on the rocks. “Hey, you on the rocks! Away from the water!”

Suddenly I was blinded by the light and deafened by the sound of splashing water. Lilly was gone!

I hadn't cried the day my mom left the house. But I should have. I just buried my head underneath a pillow until seventh grade when a freckled Chainsaw picked me, the kid with the sunken head, first to be on his kickball team.

Here I was with the sunken head again, and there he was again, my faithful friend, standing guard
against the shoreline.

“Out of all the girls in the world, I fall in love with a mermaid!” I laughed, but it didn't stop the tears from tumbling down my face as I stared out into the empty waves.

I never got to say good-bye to my mother. And now I'd lost the chance to say good-bye to Lilly.

“I didn't get to say good-bye!” I said, taking off my shoes.

“Are you crazy? You'll drown,” Chainsaw said.

“Then I'll drown!”

“Spencer—” I heard Chainsaw yell over the music and fireworks as I dove into the cold night water.

T
he water felt like ice as I fell down into the sea. I drifted like a dream, but it was more like a nightmare. Changing, swirling, gasping. My fin was wiggling, but not propelling me toward anything. I paddled my arms, but something was wrong. I was sinking. I couldn't swim. I couldn't breathe. I was drowning!

“Help!” I could hear Waverly scream as I came up for air. She waved her arms in the distance. “Lilly's drowning!”

Drowning? How could Lilly drown? She's a mermaid!

But I didn't see Lilly anywhere. Suddenly Waverly disappeared, too. The sea was totally dark, brightened for an instant, when a firework was shot into the air and exploded. I waited, not knowing which way to swim. My heart stopped beating, time stood still. Why weren't they firing off the supercolossal fireworks that lit the sky like a universal spotlight?

“Lilly,” I called. “Lilly!”

I treaded endlessly, waiting forever for Lilly, for
Waverly, for any sign of their location. The next burst of fireworks just lit up desolate waves.

And then I saw Lilly's pale hand, only yards away from mine, reach up for the moon, and then slowly sink beneath the surface.

I quickly swam in her direction and reached for anything I could grab.

“Lilly! Lilly! Where are you?” I called, breathless, scared, tormented.

I was lost myself. The waves crashed against me, bobbing me up and down like a discarded pop bottle.

“Lilly!” I called, getting a mouthful of saltwater.

“Here,” Waverly finally shouted, behind me. They were floating back toward the pier. I felt as if I were swimming in thick pea soup, trying desperately to get closer as the waves pushed against me. Gasping for air myself, I finally reached Waverly, who was holding Lilly's limp head.

“I thought she was a mermaid.”

“She is!” Waverly shouted.

“But she's drowning!”

Lilly's sparkling blue eyes were shut, her glowing skin sallow, her spirit withering away.

“She's drowning of a broken heart! Only you can save her,” Waverly cried.

“CPR? Help me take her back to shore.”

“No! With the kiss of love!” she said hurriedly.
That's what Madame Pearl said—the kiss of love.”

“Who's Madame Pearl?”

“It's in the kiss—that's what she said! Please! Help her!” she pleaded.

“That's easy,” I said, smiling, but almost out of breath. Waverly handed me Lilly's listless body. I leaned in to kiss her, but Waverly put her hand between us. “Wait. There's something you must know.”

I impatiently glanced up at Waverly for the answer.

“If you kiss her now, you'll be a merman,” Waverly conceded.

“You're joking!”

Waverly shook her head. “It's your decision,” she said, with sad eyes.

I looked back to the rocks where a crowd was gathering on the highest point. Chainsaw and Robin had called over a policeman and were pointing at us while several onlookers stood around them. One man was taking off his shoes. Two orange-clad lifeguards were running along the pier. I didn't have another minute.

The booming fireworks' finale crashed overhead, drowning out the music. Reds, purples, greens, oranges, coppers, crimson shot across the sky like passionate electricity.

Lilly opened her eyes for a brief moment.

“Spencer,” she whispered breathlessly and closed
her eyes, fainting away. Eyes which had once sparkled ocean blue and stared through me to my soul. Her golden yellow hair that had so energetically flowed in the water that morning, now draped limply over my arm. Her wonderful pink lips were turning blue. A sparkling heart glistening around her lovely neck as it did the day I met her. Thoughts of my swimming angel flashed through my mind and overcame my being. Hearing the wonderful sound of her sweet laughter at the peak of the Ferris wheel, seeing a thousand enchanting Lillys in the Hall of Mirrors. Dancing around under the flagpole, her gentle arms around me. Saying she had come back for me, telling me she was home.

The greatest gift I'd ever been given, I held in my arms. She had saved me, and now it was time for me to save her.

I took a deep breath, and I kissed her lips. Lips once full of life, once full of love. Her eyes opened.

I didn't have to say good-bye, after all. In fact, I was just beginning to say hello.

That night, I saved a mermaid.

And, that night—I saved myself.