UNDER THE PIER

CHAPTER 12

Going back to Zithan seemed now my only peace. After floating in the ocean for some time I still felt on edge.
Mr. Hendricks dared not reveal his face again to me the rest of the day. And for this, I was grateful.
He already knew I was associated with Zithan but he didn't know how much.
Officer Dean drove me home, worried that Mr. Hendricks would follow or come after me while walking alone. He refused to let me walk home.
I didn't ask him if he told Detective Kelly about my living situation. A part still felt annoyed but not as much as before.
I knew it was only his duty to report things as this and nothing more.
After getting home, I took a long hot shower and ate a TV dinner in my bedroom. I avoided all conversation and face to face interaction with my father. Upon arriving, I saw he had gotten more beer. And the pack was already half gone.
Detective Kelly's words hit me again.
Was my father really looking for a job or were we still living off of my uncle? Should I perhaps mention me getting a job to him again?
My first night flashed in my mind again and I shook the idea away. No, I would just be asking for a beating at that point.
Later that night, I couldn't wait to fall asleep and go into the dream state again. I knew with how excited I was, I indeed did like Zithan.
But I had no chance to dwell on the matter because when I finally opened my eyes, I back under the pier in the moonlight waters.
I looked down at myself and gasped.
Normally, my legs would be a black foggy void. It would move like a tail in a sort, up and down. Yet I would never be able to see it even feel my legs or feet.
But now, I had a tail.
A long pearl white tail replaced my normal black void. The curve of my fin was wide, arched and roamed down to almost a foot long.
I had no scales on my tail. Only a hard yet smooth skin, like a whale or sharks would be.
Touching it, I felt in awe of how smoot felt. I couldn't feel my leg bones but I stead other types of bones that were replaced.
The bones perhaps a normal siren would have instead of two long bones coming from their torso.
A new complete set of bones replaced my leg bones and now my half was one.
I felt the hard skin on my tail. I then realized this hard scale went almost up to my waist and up my sides slightly.
I held up my tank top to the middle of my chest to reveal the hard skin made a v shape upon my stomach. It split into a v shape at my belly button and reached up past it. It finally faded half way up my stomach.
I was struck in awe at myself that I almost didn't notice Little Buddy approaching.
He swam in a circle around me before looking up at me with his wide white eyes. I smiled and held out my hands for him to cuddle against.
I then noticed Zithan slowly approaching from the depths below him.
He raised his eyebrows in surprise and looked at me up and down.
"Why am I like this?" I asked, looking again down at myself.
I propelled myself slightly upwards with my tail and swam in a circle around a nearby pillar.
Swimming with a tail felt as natural as walking. I didn't think of it. I just did it. It seemed to be much easier than swimming with a black void of a tail as well.
It felt more effortlessly and easier than walking.
Zithan smiled slightly. "I don't know but... when sirens are born, we are born with white tails. The color of our tails come later on."
I looked at my tail once more. White and plain like a newborns... I wonder if the more I dream, perhaps the more color would be added to it?
Was I.... Becoming a siren?
Zithan swam to my side, distracting my thoughts. My heart skipped a beat slightly as he got closer. My feelings for him were reminded to me in my mind again and I looked away from him.
"Why don't we test it out?" Zithan said. Then he nodded towards to the open ocean ahead of us. "Let's swim."
"You mean... out there?" I said in a worried voice.
I had only ever stayed close to the pier and hadn't ever left sight of the pillars. While I knew I was in a dream state, I was still afraid of venturing out too far. I wasn't sure of the consequences of getting too far from my body.
Zithan held out his hand. "Well only go as far as I normally go," he said. "Don't worry, I'll be with you the whole time."
"What about my body?" I asked. "I do live close to shore and to the pier. I don't know what will happen if I get further away from it."
Zithan thought this over for a few moments. "Well, that's true. But I'll tell you what, if you start to feel weird or dizzy, I'll take you back closer to the pier and wake you up.' he said.
"Oh, please don't wake me up." I said almost whining.
Zithan smiled slightly. "Hard day on the surface world?"
"I'll explain later. Right now, I just want to enjoy myself. " I said, "I just want to be with you and not think of it for a while."
"Come with me and you won't have to." He said holding out his hand again.
I smiled and held his hand. I felt myself blushing slightly as he turned away.
Hand in hand, we began to swim to the darker parts of the ocean.
Zithan led me the bottom of the seafloor, going past the overturned rowboat and past the small patches of seagrass. My heart pounded the entire time as we went further away from the pier.
Upon leaving the sight of the pier pillars, we were met with several boat wrecks.
Two small motorboats and a large modern day sailboat. The motorboats had long grown sea algae and seaweed all over it. The sailboat had hardly much sea grass on but it was covered in a considerable amount of sand. It was as well revealed a large hole in its hull. The motorboats meanwhile had no noticeable holes in it.
Several types of fish swam all around these boat wrecks. Large rocks laid scattered along the bottom. I even noticed a small octopus hiding itself further in the hole of the sailboat.
I found myself intrigued even more as we got closer.
"How long have these been here?" I asked. I let go of Zithan's hand and swam up to them. I then swam upwards slightly and looked down at them from a view.
"Well, the smaller boats came about 8 to 10 years ago. One overturned and sank and the other one I think flipped over due to a wave. The large one was about... I'd say 15 years ago." he said, coming to my side. "I watched the large one go down. An explosion happened and the boat quickly sank. As for the other two, I don't really remember."
15 years ago?! How old exactly was Zithan?!
"Um..., Zithan? Can I... Ask a personal question?"
"Sure."
"Um... How old are you?" I embarrassingly asked. "I know you've been here since the 70s but how old are you exactly? To us humans, you don't look anything older than 20 years old."
Zithan looked confused at me and then looked away thinking.
"I'd say..... 60 years old."
"60?" I repeated a loud.
He nodded. "When were born, we grow normally as a human but after a certain point we begin to age as slow as sea turtles. Some of my old pod elders were at least 500 years old." He told me.
"Oh, wow." I said slowly grasping onto this information.
At least for 60, he looks great. I thought.
My theory had been correct for once. Sirens did indeed age incredibly slowly. To sirens point of view, Zithan was still a minor or a rebellious teenager like me.
"How do humans age?" He asked me.
The question caught me off guard as I was surprised he didn't know this considering he had been around the pier for so long.
But he has been spending most of it hiding.
"Most of us don't live past 80 or 90 years old. There are few that make it to 100 years old." I stated. "I'm 17 years old so I have a lot of time left for me."
Zithan shook his head. "Humans age so fast..."
I smiled and looked back down at the wreckage below us. I dared to swim up to the large hole of the sailboat.
The octopus that had hidden itself away swam away from me and further inside the sailboat. Seeing inside, I couldn't see much. Only darkness.
"Did anyone die in this boat?" I asked nervously. I really didn't want to have to go through that all over again.
Zithan shook his head. "No, I think all of them made it out safe." he said. "Go inside if you want."
He had read me my mind if not read through my question. I was curious about what the boat looked like on the inside but I had been worried in case another missing body was down in it.
Now, there was the worry about how dark it was. I could barely see with the moonlight as it was but going inside of this boat where all light was cut off would be complete darkness.
"I don't think I would be able to see." I said to him.
He smiled. "We have night vision, you know. Some of us anyhow." he said. "Since I was born in the darker waters of the ocean, I was born with it."
I looked at him surprised to learn that some sirens had such abilities.
"I'm a human though. Humans don't have that ability at all." I said.
"It doesn't seem like you are a human right now, though. Sirens that are born in night or dark waters are born with the ability to see at night. Sirens that born in regular waters or by the reef don't have this ability." he said, eyeing my pale white tale. "Go inside, and take a look around."
I looked worriedly back in the sailboat. I swallowed slightly and took the bravery leap. I slowly swam through the large hole.
I got through it easily. Swimming in, I could see nothing but darkness.
"You might not find anything in there though." he said. "Lots of humans came swimming down here to recover stuff from this boat."
I found myself unable to answer as my nerves clutched ahold of me.
It was more darkness than I was comfortable with. Yet suddenly, after a moment, I began to see shapes and forms before me.
I closed my eyes for a second and then reopened them.
Sure enough, Zithan was right! I did have night vision! It was coming slowly as if a newborn was being to see.
The longer I stayed put, the less fuzzy things became to be. More things began to make sense and take shape all around me.
Below me, was the other side of the hull. It was covered in a good amount of sand and small skeletons of dead fish. Loose wooden bits laid scattered around the bottom poking through the sand. The octopus I had seen was cuddled up in a corner of the hull, trying to keep away from me.
Whatever room or storage space this had been, had been cleared away completely. Lots of the wooden walls that made this place to separated rooms had been eroded and washed away. The foundations of these walls remained however covered in aglea.
Looking ahead, I saw a small doorframe and steps that would have led up to the deck of the sailboat. Multiple small minnows swam in and out of the doorframe, more quickly now than ever due to my presence.
I swam up to this doorframe, peering out to the dock.
My angle of the dock was completely sideways as the boat was lying on its side. The steering wheel on the deck had long fallen off. The base still holding strong onto the ruined salty wood. Peering down to the ocean floor, I saw the wheel hanging off the edges of the iron railings of the sailboat. I then noticed one of the sailboats long cast was broken off and draped over part of the railing. The rest of it was along the seafloor. Most of it now covered by the endless, undisturbed sand.
The deck itself was now missing several wooden panels which seemingly stretched out to three feet long. It appeared several fish and oysters had made their homes within these small holes.
I now realized with my night vision now activated, I could see more clearly and further out into the dark waters.
"How was it?"
I looked above me and saw Zithan floating above me.
I smiled up at him. "I have night vision!" I said excitedly.
He smiled back at me. "I had a theory that you might." he said. "You have been with me during the nights and your tail had appeared during it as well."
"But I thought you said sirens get nightvison to those who were born in the deeper darker waters." I said to him, then swimming up to him.
"Yes, true.... But under the pier is a dark place as well. I also figured this might be a special case. I mean, I've never heard of a human in a dream state produce a fin before." he said.
"Have.... Others gone to the dream state with other sirens? Like me with you?" I asked him.
Zithan shrugged. "My elders spoke of there was days were humans that would drown themselves in their sleep to be with us. Of course, we had to use magic to do that to them."
I looked at him shocked. "Have you...?" I asked slowly.
Zithan shook his head. "I'm honestly not sure if that magic is allowed anymore. The Great Siren Lord allows that kind of magic but I think few sirens now a days know it. At least... When I was still around sirens, this was the way." He then looked at me. He reached out to him, grabbing my hands.
I felt once again my heart skip a beat and then begin to race as he spoke to me.
"I have never used that kind of magic on you. I've only ever used healing magic on you. I swear to it." He said.
I smiled and nodded, believing him. I didn't have much doubt that he had ever done that to me.
But today, I was really learning more and more about sirens than ever before.
I pulled away and looked down again at my tail. I knew the elders of his pod had to have personally experienced this kind of thing before if they knew so much.
"Should we keep going then?" he asked.
I nodded and smiled. Zithan held out his hand. I took it more willingly this time and we swam away from the wreckage.
It was further from the wreckage that we were greeted by a field of small rows of kelp.
Kelp that seemed to grow taller and taller until finally we were greeted with multiple long lines of it. A whole field of kelp with long thick blades of seagrass inches below our stomachs.
Small schools of fish swam above us, moving constantly at a fast pace. Fish even swam around us in the seagrass. From tiny little minnows to tiny crabs that buried themselves into the grass and sand on our approach.
I felt myself in awe at the scene all around me. With my night vision, I felt far less afraid than I ever did of the dark ocean.
We finally stopped swimming once in the middle of this field. Zithan gave me the time to look around and observe all around me
After several minutes, I finally turned to him.
"I... need to talk to you about something." I said to him.
Zithan gave me a worried look. I finally told him everything about the skeleton, my questions with Detective Kelly and the confrontation with Mr. Hendricks. "I was worried about the investigation with the skeleton and am still afraid they might come into the water to search more. I'm afraid they might find you "
He smiled at me. "Well you don't have to be afraid. I've been avoiding swimming humans for many years now. You have nothing to worry about." he said.
"What about Mr. Hendricks? He wants to kill you and I know you two have crossed paths before." I mentioned. "Why do you stay here if he wants to kill you?"
"It's... Well..... I'm just in a difficult spot.... It's a bit hard to explain." Zithan said.
I sighed. I looked back up at the tall kelp lines and watched the fish once more. I then finally saw a bigger, darker fish amongst the others. It swam slower than the others and it's large tail moved back and forth slowly. It swam high above us, not caring for what laid beneath it. The school of fish that swam nearby it, seeming to scatter in its presence.
My heart raced seeing the dark figurine above us, fearing what exactly it could be.
"What is that?" I asked.
"What?" Zithan asked.
I pointed up. Zithan came closer to my side and looked up where I was pointing to.
"Is that a shark?" I asked.
Zithan bared his teeth and hissed slightly. It confirmed my biggest fear.
Before I could say anything, he turned to me. His yellow eyes glowing brighter than ever.
"Lie down in the sea grass and stay put til I come back." he said.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"To get the shark out of here. I'll be right back." he said, then he turned and swam upwards quickly.
"Be careful!" I called out to him. I turned and swam lower into the seafloor. I laid down on top of the sand and kept low in the tall seagrass.
I looked all around me nervously. Without Zithan, I felt more vulnerable and alone than ever. Yet I remained as still as I could and trusted he would be back quickly. I looked over my shoulder and back at my tail.
I then understood why Zithan wanted me to lay low in the sea grass. With my white tail, I stuck out like a sore thumb. My tail practically was almost glowing in the moonlight. I was extremely easy to spot and even more so in the dark.
The gentle waves of the sea grass covered a large majority of my tail making me mostly invisible to other nearby predators.
I lowered my head down on the seagrass, trying to keep myself hidden as well as I could. It was hard due to my copper hair slowly waving back and forth in the water. I ran my head through my hair and held it all to the side.
Looking around at the seagrass, I saw multiple shells of all kinds sticking out in the sand and between the blades of the grass. I carefully picked one up and admired it for a moment.
Many of the shells were broken and if they were not shells then they were bits of bone from fish that had died or been eaten.
Picking up the shells near me, I saw one white shell that had a single red circular streak that went across it. It was a bold red with no fade from any spot. On long the tips of the shells was almost like a red trim.
There were many beautiful shells that surrounded me but I felt as though this was the most beautiful to me. I had never seen such perfection before.
Breaking my concentration from the shell, I decided to look up at the kelp. After a minute or so, I saw the shark swim quickly away into the direction from where it came.
A few moments later, I saw a pair of blowing yellow eyes coming towards me. I smiled knowing it was Zithan. I emerged from my spot in the sea grass and let my hair flow freely again.
My heart wants again fluttered as I saw him coming towards me. I placed a hand against my chest. Wondering what all these feelings really meant as I had never felt that with anyone before.
Zithan was a siren, much different than a human. Yet after tonight, I could deny the feelings I had for him. I indeed liked him. A lot. Or as kids would say, "like like" him. Many I was falling in love with him?
What if.... He doesn't feel the same way about me? If so that's fine... I mean, I am a human after all. Something like that couldn't work anyways.
I shut the thoughts of that stuff out of my mind as Zithan swam closer. He reached out his hands towards me and I grabbed on to them eagerly. He pulled me out and away from the sea grass quite easily to my surprise and hoisted me up to his level.
"I saw it swim l away." I said. "Are you hurt?"
Zithan smiled and shook his head. "No, I'm not hurt. I only scared it away."
"I thought you said all the sharks here were eaten." I said looking over my shoulder looking back from where the shark came.
"It was a young junivile shark. It probably found a hole through the net."
"The net?" I asked a loud.
Zithan sighed and then grabbed my hand.
"I want us to go a little further." He said. "I.... Want to show you why I can't leave the pier territory."
"The net?" I repeated but asking this time of it was where we were going.
He nodded. "I guess... Seeing it will explain why I can't leave." He said.
I felt confused but swam with him. We continued to swim slowly across the large kelp field until finally the field erupted ended. The seashell and rock covered seafloor took over once again and led to the Pacific Ocean.
The moonlight rays shined down half to us, unable to reach the seafloor. Here, my use of my night vision came in handy.
But what I saw displeased me in a sense that made me angry.
A long net separated us and the ocean. Thin, wide and made of a white fishing line. Several holes were made in the small gaps of the net, allowing fish and even a small shark to swim through.
However it wasn't big enough for Zithan to fit through.
The net trailed down as far as the eye could see. Bones and decaying carcasses laid at the bottom of the net. Some of these bones were rather large and I assumed some of these were sharks. I wondered if they had either tried to get out but couldn't or if they had suffered from Zithan.
Looking at the bottom of the net, I gasped in surprise when I saw a small camera sitting on a tripod aimed at us.
"Zithan!" I said pointing.
Zithan nodded calmly. "They're his spies." He said. Then he looked at the net. "This net.... Was planted by Hendricks. It was many years ago.
He planted this and placed his spies in the sand to watch me.
It comes down everyday during the daylight hours. I could swim out to the ocean then but.... There are little places to hide from the humans between the pier and here. The kelp cant camouflage my body and eel tail well at all and I can't hide forever in those shipwrecks. I am forced to stay under the shadows of the pier where I can hide completely in sight.
However during the night before the sun sets, the net raises up again and I'm unable to get past it. So are other large massive creatures that swim into the pier territory.
I've triedany times to cut this net. But.... This net is made of something not even my claws and teeth had slice through. The material it's made of slices my skin and I've seen fish get sliced in half by this net. Those who have made those holes.... Does from their injuries.
Many times I have tried and I nearly died twice because of it. Even my healing powers were pushed to the limits that day."
He turned to me and showed me his arms. I gasped as he revealed long deep scars that ran along and across his arms. He then showed me the sides of his tail. I now saw the faint white scars that where there. There were few of them on his tail than his arms.
"Zithan....I don't know what to say."
"It's alright." Zithan said looking back at the net.
"Hendricks is a evil human who will do anything to get to me. Even if it means trapping me in this pier territory. But I know there will come a day when the human dies and the net will go down for the last time and it will never come back up."
I turned to the net as well.
I felt more than angry at Mr. Hendricks. He wanted to capture Zithan. But for this, he needed proof. Those cameras at the bottom of the net proved such proof. Next he needed to keep Zithan in a close area.
I looked up at the surface. I noticed we were underneath a buoy. The net had been tied at the top underneath the buoy.
Seeing this, I knew we were at the very edge of the pier territory. It almost made it perfect hiding spot for this net. No one would want or think to swim out this far.
I swam to the underside the bouey and got closer to the fishing net.
After a closer inspection, I realized even the tie off to the bouey was made of this fishing line.
Untying this would cause the net to collapse a bunch under the water. Zithan would be able to swim over it and finally be free.
I turned away knowing there was nothing I could do right now.
Swimming back to Zithan, I flashed a smile to him. I now feel I understood everything now.
"Let's head back." He said.
We swam side by side holding hands the entire way. Once we reached the shipwrecks, we saw Little Buddy snacking on a fish he caught by one of the sunken motorboats.
"I was wondering where you went to." Zithan said as Little Buddy stopped snacking. The tiny eel quickly swam up to us. He rubbed his long nose against my arm and a long the length of my arm.
"Hi, Little Buddy." I greeted. "Have you two been friends a while?"
"I wouldn't go as far to call him my friend but... no, not for long." Zithan said.
"Do other eels not get along?" I asked, gently rubbing the side of Little Buddy.
"We do but... I'd say this one is more like a pest than a eel." he said. "The only reason I haven't eaten him is because he is my kind and you like him."
I smiled at Zithan and then looked back at the eel.
I felt grateful that I had saved the eel that day. If I had left him to die or never gone under the pier that day, who knew what might have happened.
"I wonder if I'm going to get a tail everytime I come here now." I wondered out loud.
Zithan looked back at my tail. "It is a different sight that's for sure." he said.
"I wonder what it means..." I said to him.
"If my pod elders were here, they would probably know. They seemed to know everything." he said. "Regardless of what it means, I'm glad I don't have to swim alone anymore."
"Zithan." I dared to call out to him. I stopped swimming and floated. "Do you... Do you like me?"
"What?" Zithan asked, turning around and stopping as well.
I had never felt more embarrassed about anything in my life. I knew this was usually a guys thing to do but Zithan was different.
"I... like you. I like you a lot... I... I think about you all the time. I want to swim like this with you and forget about today. I constantly worry about you and think of you when I'm awake and on the surface. I don't know how to say this or what I'm exactly doing but... I like you Zithan. I just... want you to know my feelings." I said.
The words felt slow, stammered and awkward. They felt like I had drained on too long and at this point, I felt someone would have snapped at me to hurry up with what I was saying. My father certainly would have.
Once spoken, I looked up at Zithan. I had been looking down in embarrassment as I revealed my whole heart to him. Yet my feelings were true.
I held my breath as a human underwater as I looked up at Zithan, waiting for an answer.
Seeing him before me, I felt more relieved that I did reveal my feelings. Zithan was handsome, attractive and strong. He was also perhaps the kindest soul I had ever met. And he wasn't even human.
For all of these things, I was grateful.
But yet, I knew however none of it would matter to him if he denied my feelings or worse rub them in my face.
He floated before me, looking surprised with his yellow eyes. He seemed speechless, unknowing what to say.
I bit my lip and waved my hands up.
"Oh nevermind, just forget I said anything. Please! I'm sorry! I don't know what I was thinking!" I said quickly. I now wanted to wake up and hide forever.
"What? No!" he said, getting closer to me. "It's just.... I'm not sure what the term like you alot really means."
I looked at him puzzled. I guess that too was a human phrase. I felt myself blushing with embarrassment again and I ran my hand through the ends of my hair.
"Oh, um.... Well, I mean.... Well I really enjoy our time together. I really like being around you and I guess I'm getting to like you.... More than a friend. If that makes sense."
Zithan looked puzzled at me for a moment and then a moment of realization hit his face. It quickly disappeared and then he smiled at me.
"I think I understand now." He said. With this being said, he slightly blushed with embarrassment as well. Then he smiled. A smile looked good on him.
I smiled at him. I lunged forward in his arms and hugged him. I felt the coolness of his skin meet the warmness of mine, bringing a slight shocked to it. I wrapped my arms around his neck and squeezed into him tightly.
I felt Zithan move in surprise but he didn't yank away from me. After a moment, I felt his arms and hands wrap around my waist. His chin rested on my left shoulder.
I closed my eyes and smiled.
"I like you a lot too Cadence." He whispered to me.
A true sense of peace at this moment was I felt. I had not known it in forever nor ever felt it. I had only ever read of it in books and heard the sensation of it in movies. However, I had never expected it myself.
Before arriving to the shore, I believed it as only something to be imagined. Make-believe if you must.
But now I knew. This feeling of calmness, achievement, and lovingness was what had to be true peace.
Being held in Zithan's arms, I didn't worry about sharks. I didn't worry about Mr. Hendricks. I didn't worry about the investigation. I didn't worry about my father.
I didn't worry or think of anything.
A wonderful bliss had swallowed me that I never wanted to remember any of it again.
I came back to a sense of reality when Little Buddy began swimming between me and Zithan.
Zithan shooed him away with a wave of his hand.
"Little pest." he said annoyed.
I giggled slightly. "Let's keep going back to the pier." I said.
The three of us swam together slowly towards the pier. Once we got back in sight of the last pillars of the pier, I felt as though a lifetime had been spent without seeing it.
Yet, it was saddening sight at the same time. I knew soon I would wake up and I would be back in the apartment with my father.
I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to wake up. Not yet.
Upon reaching the small flipped over rowboat, I took a pause.
"Mind if I rest a moment?' I asked.
"Go for it." he said. "I guess I forgot swimming with a tail is still new for you. I should have made us take breaks." Zithan said.
I shook my head. "I was fine. I'm just now getting a little tired." I said.
I looked up at the pier pillars and the sighed.
"What's wrong?" Zithan said.
"I just wish I didn't have to go back yet." I said to Zithan. "I'm having a wonderful time right now and everything on the surface is so... stressful right now."
Before Zithan could answer, there was a noise above us. A humming noise. Almost muffled due to the water.
The calmness of the water around us was disturbed. A feeling and a small ripple within the water hit us.
We looked up and saw the bottom of a boat slowly move over us. it's propeller spinning fast in the water.
"Who is that?!"
"Probably Hendricks." Zithan said almost snarling. We watched the boat slowly go to the pier and then stop by one of the propellers. Zithan then turned back to me.
I then remembered the cameras he had by the fishing net. I felt a wide set panick as I realized Mr. Hendricks probably had footage of me.
"The cameras! What if I'm in those photos or recordings?" I asked worried.
Zithan looked at me confused. He looked back up at the boat watching it get further away and head down towards from where we came. He finally turned to me again.
"I need you to wake up " he said.
I looked at him confused. "What, why?" I asked.
"It might be dangerous. it might be Hendricks. He can't find you here." he said.
"Those cameras probably alerted him. He probably already knows about me and you. What about you?" I asked.
"I'll be fine. I've dealt with Hendricks before." he said smiling. "Old fish can't learn new tricks."
"But Zithan, please, go into the ocean. Hide in the seagrass. Just--
Before I could say more, Zithan grabbed my face. He leaned in quickly and I felt his lips press against mine.
I froze in shock and then leaned into the kiss. I held onto his hands that remained on the side of my face.
This was my very first kiss.
And yet somehow, it was perfect to me.
My heart began to beat so fast I thought it was going to burst from my chest. I felt myself blushing more than ever before now.
Another wave of bliss and pure peace swept over me again and I didn't feel fear anymore. I wanted more than ever to remain here longer with Zithan.
But I knew I couldn't.
Zithan finally pulled away from me and smiled at me. He into my eyes.
"I'll be fine. Go home." He said. "Wake up."
His final words boomed around me and made everything around me explode into hundreds of bubbles. Bubbles that covered everything around me. I was unable to see Zithan or the ocean around me anymore until finally those too began to disappear.

*****

I felt myself waking to the sound of my phone alarm. I slowly opened my eyes and stared at my ceiling. My fan with it's one missing blade.
I then looked over at my phone, rolling on my side. I switched the alarm off quickly.
I then remembered Zithan and buried my face immediately in my pillow.
I blushed again and shook my head in my pillow.
Oh my God, I confessed my feelings and he kissed me!!!
I felt as a lightweight and happier than I had ever been. I knew I had to hide or contain these emotions before I left this bedroom. Otherwise, my father would make me shut them down completely in a horrible way.
My mind recalled my white pale tail and fin. I then looked down at my normal bare human legs.
I couldn't believe I had a tail last night. Something that seemed so crazy as Zithan kissing me.
I then remembered Zithan as well confessing he liked me too. I felt flustered with flirty emotions again and buried my face in my pillow. I squealed into my pillow, muffling the sounds of excitement I had.
I had my first kiss.
And I didn't even care if it came from a siren.
I never felt so more alive, full of love and being cared for.
I heard a knock on my door.
I quickly moved the pillow off my head and sat up.
I quickly erased and moved the emotions off my face. I trapped whatever emotion I had in a bottle, daring not to reveal anything to my father.
"Come in." I said.
My father slowly entered.
"Oh hey. I thought I heard your phone alarm. I was making some food for myself. Want some eggs and toast this morning?"
"Sure. That would be nice." I said trying to talk in a normal non excited voice.
"Alright, I'll see you down in a minute." he said. He then disappeared from my room and he went back in the kitchen.
I then decided to start getting dressed and ready myself for the day.
As I did, I then remembered the boat we saw right before I work up.
Who could have it been? I wondered. I just hope Zithan is okay.
Though I had made plans to not go into the pier today, I decided I would go anyhow. Perhaps, there were clues as to who was on the boat last night. On top of this, I wanted to learn some things about the pier.
My mind immediately thought to Mr. Hendrinks.He was most capable of driving a boat and hurting people at the same time.
Yet my suspicion of the Old fisherman didn't dampen my main feelings.
Even after I had dressed and eaten breakfast, my mind couldn't shake my jiddy feeling.
Zithan had kissed me.
I felt myself blushing once again as I headed out.