The Mermaid Man and Me, His Mermaid Mate

The Mermaid Man and Me, His Mermaid Mate - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The sound of 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton blasted in my ears, scaring the living daylights out of me. I moaned a protest of waking up and pressed the alarm clock off, rolling back over to bury my face in my pillow. The nagging feeling in my legs forced me to remember why I set my alarm at 4:00AM.

I rolled out of bed with a groan and rubbed my tired eyes, trudged over to my wardrobe and pulled on my leggings, t-shirt, tennis shoes and my hoodie. I pulled my hair up into a messy ponytail, tidied my room and grabbed a towel before climbing out of my window.

The early morning sky was a glow of purples and reds and navy blue, and the streetlamps glowed on the pavement as trash whipped in the cool early morning breeze.

I landed on top of the flat garage roof quietly so that I didn't wake Lisa, Joe and Jake up; if they found out I sneaking out at this time, I could kiss good-bye to the outside world.

I grabbed on to the ivy vines and climbed down until my foot rested on the garden wall. I jumped off the wall and silently made my way to the beach.

After finding a hiding place for my clothes, I stripped and jumped into the cold water. After a minute my legs came together and my body turned from human to mermaid.

The nagging feeling inside me dissapeared as my body opened up to the ocean. I loved how my skin drunk in the sea water and loved how there was no nagging Lisa here with me.

Four weeks... Four weeks and I'd be eighteen and free to do as I pleased.

I swam and played and laughed and rolled around in the sea, free as I could be. I leapt out of the water, so happy I couldn't contain it.

"Four weeks!" I cried with a laugh and fell back under the water.

I swam some more, laughed some more, and played some more before having to leave the sea, get ready and rush to work.

I worked at a small shop that was half pet shop, half fish supply shop. I loved working there. Though many people didn't like to talk to me, what with my wierd eyes and all. I got sick of telling people they were my real eyes and went along with the "contact lenses" option.

On the plus side, my boss Alan didn't mind me and always had a good laugh with me. He handled the fishing side while I handled the pet shop side. He was a kind-hearted man whom always saw the best in people. I felt sorry for him as his wife passed away two years ago during child birth. The baby didn't survive.

He was in his mid-thirties with short black hair, warm green eyes, a stubborn jaw and a cheeky personality. He was the kind of guy everyone got along with. He was the kind of guy that would help anyone out if they needed his help. He was the kind of guy who knew everything about everyone. And, he was the kind of guy I wished was my father.

I heard the small bell ring just above the wooden door ring, announcing another customer as I fed the shop's cat, Molly.

"Molly, I swear you're getting bigger every day." I muttered as I put her cat food down. "Has Alan been slipping you the fishermen's catches?"

She purred and rubbed my leg as I held her food. She was a black cat with amber-glowing eyes, a white tipped tail that looked like she'd dipped it in paint and wore a pink collar that had a jingling bell on the end.

"Here you go," I murmured, stroking down her back as I put the food down on the floor. I smiled at the way her back lifted as if it tickled her.

"She really likes you, huh?" A voice said, causing me to jump.

I looked up to see Jamie Armstrong from my school, most of my classes, as well. He never once spoke to me and why would he?

He was the good-looking football captain while I was the number one freak show.