The Ocean's Call: Part One | ✔

Part Twenty

Even if Austin came with me, I'm still a little fearful of what's out there. I really need to find out who this blonde mermaid is so I can go into the water without fearing her. I can't even imagine what she wants with me anyway, why does she want to hurt me so much? Kill me, even.

I can hear her taunting me that day on the boat, when she threatened to destroy the boat if that meant she could get to me. I need to think about something else before I won't be able to sleep later. I cannot let her get in my head like this, I'll end up not being able to function right.

"What was it like not having your parents be together?" I change the subject back to him.

"My parents would never work together, honestly. They do very well as friends raising a kid."

I nod, taking the information in. The idea is so foreign to me, but I can see it. some people are just not meant to be together, I guess. I've never known anything except my parents being ridiculously in love with each other, even my grandparents were the same.

"Do you get along with your sisters?"

He nods. "Yeah, I love my sisters. I mean they drive me nuts but what siblings don't?"

I feel awful on behalf of Austin's mum. I can not imagine what it must've been like for her to finally meet a decent guy and then something like that happened. Austin's father was up front with her and let her into the world of merfolk, explaining that meeting Jenny was his destiny, and he couldn't help that.

"Ugh don't even get me started, I love my brothers but god I want to kill them sometimes."

He laughs. "See, another thing we have in common."

Yeah, we have a lot in common. I've learned that tonight from talking to him, but we've barely scratched the top of this iceberg. I'm still not ready to admit we're destined to be together. I know he said the bracelet is dulling my senses but can there really be some force out there determining that for me?

"I'm sure we have a lot in common but I've yet to see what you're talking about." I hold my hand up, flicking the bracelet.

"All in good time. Tomorrow you should come meet Anya and show her the drawing of the mermaid, we can start figuring out who she is."

I nod, checking my watch for the time. It's nearly nine thirty, we've been out here for a while. I hadn't realised so much time had passed. "It is getting late; I should get home."

"What are you plans for tomorrow?" he asks, standing up. He dusts his hands off and offers me a hand to get up.

I ease my hand into his, a warm zing racing up my arm as he grips my hand tightly to pull me up. I didn't expect him to pull me up so abruptly, my face coming up near his. I let go of his hand, leaning back out of his bubble. My stomach knots tightly from the warmth around him.

I brush the sand off my legs, using that as a reason to move several steps away from him and the warmth. "Isla?"

"Hmm?" I keep my eyes trained on my legs as I focus intently on cleaning them of sand.

He chuckles "I asked what you're plans are for tomorrow?"

I stand up straight. "My plans? Ah...I don't think I have any but I'm sure Emily will be around to press me for information. Are you working?"

He nods. "Yeah, but it's the late shift. I'm free before four, so is Anya."

Right, I need to show Anya the drawing so we can figure out who the mermaid is. "Um maybe we should exchange numbers? Then we can just text what we want to do tomorrow." I suggest.