SERENITY

CHAPTER 8

**Carlos.

-The danger has passed for now, but they will definitely come again, so we must hurry! Split into groups of two and start the research. Our reference point is here. Any couple who finds something, calls the rest and we gather to share our information. If nothing is found earlier, in half an hour be back. Go ahead, wag your tails as fast as you can! I hear her say and the blood rises  in my head, because it's a given that I'm going to stick with Simon again.

Of course, this is better than being with Ricky, who is constantly complaining and whining. Simon is the only one who can put a break on me, although sometimes I have the feeling that he is doing it just to go against me and not because he really gets angry with me. You know, like little girls in love do. If I hadn't known him for so many years, I would think he has become gay and he likes me, but on the other hand I exclude it. The reason for his parents' divorce was because his mother caught his father with another man, who were supposed to be partners, in their bed. From what I remember, he went to their house quite often and always brought Simon gifts like seaweed chips, chocolate, things like that. One night, his mom and Simon had gone to a classmate's birthday. They had come home much earlier, because Simon had eaten a lot of cake and was not feeling well. As soon as the door of the house opened, Simon ran to the bathroom, which is directly opposite his parents' room. Unfortunately, his mom didn't realize in time what was going on to remove him, so he saw them too. I remember him criticizing it very much and having a lot of anger in him. He kept saying that it was better to die than to do his father's shames. 

But things often change, the devil in my mind tells me. No, no, there is not a single chance. I don't dare to say anything to anyone, because they will laugh at me and because of my whole phase with the chicks.

-Come on now Carlo, are you so conceited? We know that all chicks like you, but leave the male sex to us, don't be insatiable!, a teammate of mine told me the other day when we were hanging out and I was telling him my concerns. And in the end, and if he likes you, what do you care? Or are you interested? It's a very nice sport if you ask me, but I don't think it suits you.

-It definitely doesn't suit me! You can have all the chicks of your own, including Simon if he's gay after all, I tell him and laugh.

-Hey! Earth calls Carlo!, Simon interrupts the thoughts inside my head.

I jump a little further because it took me by surprise.

-What do you want?

-Time for us to go too. Everyone else is gone and time is pressing. You seem lost in your thoughts for a long time, is everything okay?

-Yes, yes, let's go and find something, since I'm smarter than others.

I see him roll his eyes as he starts following me and I laugh quietly so he doesn't notice me. It's always fun when I do that. About 5 minutes later we reached the walls. We start looking for possible holes or weak spots, while trying to stay hidden from the eyes of the mermaid-guards. Obviously there are no weak spots, I think. Mermaid guards are an elite battalion and are trained by their brood, they were not so naive. Suddenly, I hear a loud noise and turn terrified towards Simon. I see him standing next to a rock and blaspheming through his teeth while catching his bloody tail. Some scales have come off and I see them heading towards the bottom of the sea. I swim as if there is no tomorrow, grab him and start pulling him to carry him into a cleft in the rocks next to him.

-Dumb! I growl at him as we enter the slit, what do you think you're doing?

He loses it for a while because of the way I spoke to him, but before he can answer me, the voices of the mermaid guards can be heard outside. We squeeze aside so that we can be sure that we are not seen. I cling to him because there's no more space and I turn around and look at him. I see that he is already looking at me, with a strange look that I cannot understand what it is hiding behind it. I feel his breath on my face and begin to behold him better.