The Mermaid and The Boy

Chapter Eight

How many of you ever had a birthday where you were told that you were supposed to marry a supernatural being? Your Parents sit you down and be like dear you won't be able to ever choose your bride because we made a deal with the wolves or monkeys. You are supposed to marry their daughter and save the bananas from going extinct in the jungle.

As I said before, I never really look forward to my birthday because I get books as presents. During the weekend I hung out with Wayne because the atmosphere at home was nothing short of a funeral. Why was that? I don't k..... Yeah you already know duh. I never know anything. I should just use that as my motto. Maxwell, the one who knows nothing.

"You seem, quiet man, what's wrong?" Wayne asked when he saw me staring out at the lake.

"I'm thinking," And Wayne burst out laughing. I had to stop him from rolling on his stomach on the sand.

"Why? what's funny?"

"It's just that you never think Max, no offense." Wayne continued.

"Wayne, what do you think lies at the bottom of the lake?" Max asked.

"I'm not sure but a lot of things live there."

"Yeah, we should probably head home. My parents will kill me if arrive late for my birthday meal." I said.

I was wrong about the birthday meal or anything for that matter. There were no usual sparkly birthday gifts let alone a cake. I found mom sitting in the living room staring at the blank tv screen. Dad was pacing up and down like a mad man so when Wayne and I greeted them, mom jumped up from her couch and dad stopped pacing up and down.

"Good evening mom, dad," I said taking a seat. Wayne greeted them and excused himself, saying something about how he had promised his mom to spend the evening with her. I knew this was a lie because his mom was out of town volunteering somewhere.

My dad sat down when Wayne left and motioned for me to do the same.
"Max we have something to tell you." Yeah, I mean I can't even tell that the two of you seem like you are planning a funeral. I wanted to say that but thanks to my slow brain I nodded.

"I don't even know how to start but before you were born your mom got very sick. We went to every doctor but we couldn't find a cure. Finally, we went to a witch doctor who helped us and also gave us a prophecy."

"A prophecy?" I asked.

"Yes, Umm umm you see son your mom had a rare sickness that could only be cured by rare people."

My head was spinning. Prophecy? Sickness? What was happening? I knew mermaids were real thanks to Arianna but that didn't mean I could just accept that other things existed too. This wasn't some Disney animated movie where my parents would tell me about witch doctors and prophecies and I would burst into a duet and sing it away.

"So the woman in the story is mom, right?"

"Yes, son it's your mom. Anyways the witch doctor was so powerful that he summoned help from the lake guardians. They healed your mother and in exchange, we had to make them a promise. You would marry their daughter when you turned sixteen." Dad said to which I laughed.

"What do you mean to marry? As in I would marry a mermaid? That's not even possible they can't walk on the ground." I answered finding the whole thing ridiculous.

"Are you sure about that?" Mom finally spoke.

"No mother I'm not since I'm supposedly married to a supernatural myth thanks to you and dad. So where is she?"

My parents exchanged glances and dad finally answered, "you have met her. She came for you a long time back and she has been controlling your anger."

No, it couldn't be her. No please don't let it be her please not who I think it is.

"Who is she?"

"Arianna," mom sobbed. "I'm so sorry Max but we had to do what was best for you at the time. We didn't think they would follow up and and take you away from us."

I laughed again. I was married. I was sixteen and married to the girl who hated my guts. I couldn't even be normal and go through the puberty stage like all other guys and date. I was oh God. I stood up and started pacing around like my dad.

"So Arianna, she she..."

"Yes, you guys are connected so she can feel whatever you are feeling especially your anger. That's why they took away your powers and intelligence all this while. You had to be able to control..."

"Mom, what do you mean powers? So all this while I was never dyslexic? That's why you kept buying me books because you knew."

I didn't even know what to feel. I wanted to be angry but I couldn't find the emotion. It kept slipping away from me which meant that Arianna was monitoring my emotions and sucking up my anger. All things started making sense. My Shakespeare outburst. This was Impossible. I wasn't dull after all. The merpeople had taken my powers and intelligence to control me. I asked the question that I already knew the answer to.

"The prophecy, what is it?"

"You already know it, Max. Miss Musa repeated it for you." Dad answered. So Miss Musa wasn't a fraud after all.

Suddenly everything made sense. Arianna had waited for a long time but I was just sixteen how old was she? I ran out of the house and headed back to the beach. I needed some air. I was oh Lord sixteen and I had already tied the note the minute I was born. I had a wife. I hope I had no kid because that would have been the final straw.

"No you have no kid you idiot," A voice answered my thoughts. Shit, she could read my mind.

"Only when you are angry or stressed."

"Will you stop doing that?" I shouted at her. She was wearing a simple summer dress and she was bare feet. Her hang hung loosely around her shoulders which made her look like an angel of death when the sunset illuminated her beautiful flawless skin. Damn, I was staring.

"Will you stop checking me out, husband?" She mocked.

"How old are you?" I know stupid questions since I had so many of them but I had to know.

"I'm not sure, a hundred maybe?" Arianna winked and my heart fluttered.

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I hope you like this chapter🥺
Goodnight guys😘