Open Space [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 1

"Sophia Jones! Pack your bag we're leaving in a few minutes!" my dad screams.
"Packing!" I yell back.

Today we're leaving to our family-friend's place. They're about a half hour drive away. We visit them at least once a week because my step-mum, Susan, is really close to them and my father seems to like them too. Plus they have child around my age, and my little sister's age.

Their names are George, Rebecca, Mason, Isabella and Kayla. George is the father, Rebecca the mother, and Mason, Isabella and Kayla are their three children. Mason is 16, Isabella is 16 and Kayla is 10. I'm 15 and my little sister, Lilly, is 11.

I zip my suitcase and go out towards the car.

"Susan, I don't want to go! Kayla always makes me play with her toy ponies!" Lilly whines.
"We're only staying there two nights." Susan reassures.

Dad starts the car and we start our car ride to the Wright's place.

***

"Robert! Nice to see you again!" George says, shaking hands with my father.
"Lilly! Sophia!" Kayla squeals hugging me.
"Hey Mason and Isabella!" I say.

Us kids have been friends since we were 6, when we were first introduced to Susan.

"Okay what game should we play first?"
"Lets play at the school, we'll play hide and seek like we always do." Mason suggests. Our school is right beside their house, plus their father George is the principal so he lets us.

"Okay let's go to the school." Kayla says.
"No Kay, you have to stay here with the parents." Isabella says gently. She huffs.
"Okay lets go." Lilly says.

We jump over the fence and into the small school. "I volunteer to be in." Isabella says as we approach the main office, "I'm counting to 60... 59, 58..."

We all run in different directions and I notice Mason and I headed towards the theatre. I run inside and slam the door on Mason's face, sticking out my tongue playfully. He opens the door and points outside to where Isabella is.

We hide behind the curtains and hear Isabella creep inside.

"Shh!" I whisper as he shuffles around some boxes.
"Found you!" Isabella yells and points to Mason.

I put my finger to my lip as gesture to be quiet as Mason comes out from behind the boxes. "Found you too!" Isabella says and she spots me behind the curtains. I come out and join the Wright twins.

"This game is getting boring." Isabella says, "but first we have to find Lilly."

I use my powers to get the water off the floor secretly, outside it's raining and Bella dripped it inside. I don't want to transform in front of them.

I think now might be an important time to mention my life story, I'm a mermaid. And it's basically a huge family curse passed down from grandma to granddaughter, to the oldest child. And I happen to be the oldest child, so I get the curse of being a mermaid. Being a mermaid is passed down from my fathers side. No one knows except my grandmother who happens to be a mermaid.

"I'm going to stay inside..." I say.
"Why?" Mason asks.
"It's raining." I say pointing outside.
"I'll chill here with you, go find Lilly and tell her that we're going to play an inside game." Mason says, his green eyes filled with excitement.
"Okay, but I might be a while... Lilly has some pretty good hiding places." Isabella says.

We nod and she leaves, the door slam echoes through the empty theatre. We just have small talk and prance around on the stage. Lilly and Isabella return about 5 minutes later. Wet.

"So what are we gonna play?" Isabella asks.
"I don't know. I'm going to the parents you guys are boring." Lilly states sassily. I secretly dry the floor from Isabella and Lilly dripping onto it.
"Lets play... I don't know." Mason says and Bella comes to me.

I inch further away from her as her hair drips into the stage. I was seated between Mason and Isabella so Mason must have thought I was making a move because I sat closer to him.

"Ohh Soph, should I leave." she teases, placing her wet hand on my shoulder.
"I'll be right back." I say, rushing to the changing rooms.

I run into the changing room stall and transform just in time, landing hard on the floor. My gold and orange tail is in clear display to anyone that opens the door.

"Soph I'm sorry if I embarrassed you." Isabella says from outside the stall door.
"It's okay Bels, just go think of what to play I'll be out in a bit." I demand.
"Sophia are you okay?" Mason asks with worry from outside the door. I dry off completely and open the stall.
"I'm fine." I beam, dusting myself off.

I walk confidently into the theatre and look outside, it isn't raining anymore but it's fairly dark.

"Guys we should head back now it's getting late." I suggest.
"Yah, c'mon Bella..." we look around. "Bella?"
"She must of went back." I say.
"Actually, I know where she'd be. She's always going late night swimming on the beach. Come with me, it's only a five minute walk." Mason suggests. He grabs my hand and we start running.

I secretly move the rain water of the grass to form a 'pathway' of dry grass. Once we get onto the warm sand I sit down and watch Isabella surf, Mason goes out to take turns in surfing as well. As Isabella is in a barrel she's hidden for a few seconds, until she comes out the other side.

"Whooo!" I cry out in excitement. She comes running back up to shore.
"Come, I'll teach you!" Isabella says.
"No thanks, it's umm too cold. Maybe another day."
"Your loss."

We watch Mason surf in and out of huge waves.

***

"Where were you three?" their mum asks worried.
"We're fine Rebecca. They were just showing me their surfing skills." I reply calmly.
"Maybe tomorrow we can all go surfing." George beams.
"No! I hate surfing Dad!" Kayla screams being the brat she is.
"Well we still have 2 more days after tomorrow so we'll figure something out." George says.
"Seems it's dark you have to go to bed Lilly, you too Sophia." dad says and I grunt.
"Good night." I say.