Lie to Me: A Mermaid Tail

Chapter 8- Lovely Voice You Have There

"Well that was weird," Paisley commented once we were in the music room. People were slowly trickling in the doors. Music was a touchy subject for me; I couldn't play an instrument to save my soul, so I had to take chorus. Now, we all know how sirens used to use their singing voices to lure sailors to their deaths? Mermaids are sirens, but nicer. Damn, we can sing. It's...alluring. So I keep quiet during music class. At least I don't sound like Paisley, who claims she "sounds like a dying walrus".

"Yeah, the phone call was weird," I admitted. "Not a normal phone call."

"Tell me more now, I want details because it sounds suspicious."

"Okay, so he was in the hall. The first thing he said was that he found it. Whatever it is," I said, sighing and letting my gaze travel to the ceiling. "I have a sinking suspicion that it's me. Next, he said the thing he found had 'taken a liking to him' or whatever. And his boss, whoever she was, told him to stay near it." Paisley nodded, showing how focused she was. I think she's taking notes in her sometimes-empty head.

"Go on," she pressed, sounding like a smart psychologist instead of my preppy, air-headed teenage best friend.

"Then his boss said something about re-doing his schedule, but I don't see how that has to do with anything." My words were starting to leave my mouth faster and faster like a gushing river I'd normally swim in. "Then the boss went back to the thing. She said to 'keep it in your sight'. Then her voice dropped and I couldn't hear the rest of what she said, but after that Aidan said it shouldn't be hard because he's gorgeous or whatever."

"Did you just call him gorgeous?" Paisley accused.

I reviewed what I said back in my head. 'Because he's gorgeous' I said. I guess I kind of did... "No, I did not!" I cried. "He and the boss agreed he's gorgeous!"

"You agree too!" Paisley singsonged. I groaned.

"Maybe," I murmured. She smiled with satisfaction. "Okay, back to the phone call." Paisley nodded and smoothed her hair back down onto the top of her head. "Then after they both said he was, you know, hot, she reminded him that she was his boss. But, this whole thing sounds official, not like the normal teenager-working-for-minimum-wage-at-McDonalds-or-Hollister job; like some spy agency. The woman said she was going to hack into the schools data base. Is he part of some spy agency or something?" I asked. Paisley shrugged.

"Maybe," she said. The door clicked open. I half expected Aidan to walk in but instead, it was my music teacher, Mr. Pope. He never liked me, mostly because I never sang. He had a determined look on his face today, and it confused me.

"Alright class, we're starting with some of your generations' favorites!" he cheered. Oh no, oh no. His idea of our generations' favorites is old songs from the 50s and from Broadway. Now, I love a good song from Grease or Hairspray, but he takes it too far.

"UNDER THE BOOOOOARDWALK, DOWN BY THE SEEA!" Mr. Pope sang at the top of his lungs. Then, he dropped his voice to a deep gravely tone, as low as he could go. "Under the boardwalk, bo-oardwalk," he sang. I tuned it out until the song was over. It was painful.

"Okay...Cassie! You pick today's activity!" Mr. Pope called, pointing to a perky brunette in the front chair. Mr. Pope is nice to most people but overly enthusiastic. It's creepy, with his big baby blue eyes that bug out of his slightly reddish pink head.

"Ummmm..." Cassie drawled. "I pick...sing-offs!" She smiled triumphantly. Most of the class cheered. I didn't.

"Great! First up is...Cassie and Paisley! Get on up here, girls," Mr. P called. Paisley hopped right up and sauntered to the front, to stand next to Paisley. I covered my face with my hands while they sang, Paisley sounding more like a cross between a broken lawn mower and an injured cat. Finally, their interpretation of "Hot and Cold" by Katy Perry was over.

This was supposed to be one of Mr. Pope's fun, abstract, hip classes. It was failing miserably.

"Good job, though in my deepest regrets to Paisley, I must say Cassandra won that one." Paisley fake sniffled and then smiled, coming back to take her seat.

"Well that wasn't too bad," she whispered to me once she had sat down. I nodded, showing my agreement.

And then it went from "wasn't too bad" to "terribly worse".

********

"Alright, give a hand to Samantha and Toby!" Mr. Pope announced, clapping for Sam and Toby, the last duo. "Alright alright, next up...ooh, only one more person left!" Oh my god. I haven't gone yet. I can't sing, alone, in front of all these people! "Ashlyn Montgomery?" Mr. Pope said, frowning. He didn't like me very much at all, now did he? I wonder what crawled up his ass and died.

"No thanks," I objected, frantically waving my hands in front of me. "I'm good. Don't need to sing."

"You can't be that bad. I mean, even Paisley got up here to sing," he said, looking sideways at Paisley. "No offense."

"None taken," she said, looking a little hurt.

"Alright, now, Ashlyn, come on up." I swallowed my pride and stood up. This was awful. Everyone will...well, I don't know what they'll do. I've never sang in front of anyone before. Slowly, I made my way down to the bottom row of chairs, taking the broken microphone from the teacher.

I felt like I was about to faint. Not only was I afraid to sing my siren song, but I had slight stage fright. I felt my knees tense up and my hands get cold and clammy. I glanced wildly around the room at all the curious faces glaring up at me.

"Sing," Mr. Pope demanded. "This is a class participation grade."

"You don't know what song," I pointed out, praying for an excuse.

"I'll look up the karaoke on youtube." He had won. I walked over to his Mac and typed in the karaoke version on Youtube. The music began to play and I began to sing, eyes closed, praying the world would just disappear.

 I sang and sang.

"We could have had it all, rolling in the deep, you had my heart inside your hand, and you played it to the beat." I looked around the room as I belted the high notes.

Cassandra Santiago had her mouth open and her eyes wide, and so did Dylan, Carly, Danny, and Toby. Paisley looked confused. Bailey Anderson, Samantha Connors, Selena Madison and Kyle, Stacy, and Riley looked dreamy and peaceful. Not asleep, but awed. And Diana? She looked pissed, but there was definitely a part of her amazed by me. Confused, dazzled even. Mr. Pope looked outraged that I hadn't shared my gift with him. He could have it, I wanted nothing to do with this curse. As a mermaid, I was an alien, a monster, something that shouldn't exist.

I finished my song, and a very large round of applause greeted me. I came to; I realized I had just sung to everyone. I was incredibly frightened of the fact that I'd just sang in front of everyone. I blushed and ran back to my seat. I saw Aidan grinning from the window.

"On second thought, I need water," I said.

"Take your time," Mr. Pope said breezily. I nodded and flung myself out of the room. Frantically, I looked around for Aidan. It was then that I felt an arm snake around my waist and pull me back next to the door.

"Lovely voice you have there," Aidan whispered into my neck. I let out a deep breath but I couldn't relax.

"Thanks," I choked out. He released me.

"Go get your water," he told me. I nodded, almost expecting him to add a "fish" after that. But he didn't. His stature was intimidating, and I felt like a little girl being scolded.I turned and left, but headed =into a small corner. Waiting until he thought I was gone, I snuck out to eavesdrop.

"I'm positive," Aidan said into his square device. "Yes, siren's song and all."