Below the Surface

Chapter Eleven: In the Dark

My jaw drops and as much as I want to act like I've been insulted I begin to laugh, Rita and her straightforward comments. "Excuse me?"

She grins at me, "You heard me, now this party is going great and you're here, standing in a corner drinking stale beer while everyone is having a good time. Come on, forget the blonde bimbo pawing at him." She tugs on my arm and I chuckle softly. "You can do way better." She winks at me and tugs me out of my place and drags me into the party where we stand in front of large oval table with shot glasses all around, all equipped with salt and lemons. A lot of guys and girls are waiting in line to take their turn, but when I see a girl stripping I turn to Rita with wide eyes.

"Rita, I told you. I don't do body shots."

"I know sweetie pie," she pinches the right side of my cheek, "this is just a little drinking, tasting sort of game to get you loosen up." She starts poking at me, "You're all uptight and uptight Gaby isn't fun. So...." She grabs the shirt of a guy and tugs him back forcefully and places herself in the place he was in and grabs four shot glasses and grabs a bottle of tequila and pours it in the glasses then gets the salt and lemons ready. She takes my arm and squeezes me in to join her, handing me the shot she raises it in the air. "Ready?" she raises her eyebrows and sprinkles salt onto her hand and then hands me the saltshaker. I take it hesitantly in my hand and then take a deep breath. I glance up at Rita who is looking at me expectantly; I sheepishly smile and salt my hand. I breathe out slowly as the nerves start to hit me. "Go!" I lick my hand and then down the shot, my throat burns as I grab the lemon and suck the slice. I squeeze my eyes shut and the tingling and burning runs through my mouth and throat. I put everything on the table as I try to take everything in and then as I open my eyes slowly I see Rita slam her glass down and then grin at me.

"Whoo!" I scream and in just a second, all my problems are gone and I take the saltshaker in my hand and shake it in front of Rita. "Ready for round two?"

Maybe it's because it's past one in morning and everyone's getting their other round to drink, but everything is beginning to get wild. Rita, Haley, and I are waiting in line to have our bodies painted. With each passing person we take a shot, and I have never felt so good. As I'm giggling to myself, I'm pushed forward and I'm face to face with the painter. A young guy with his hair pulled back in a ponytail, he eyes me over and a smirk grows on my lips.

"Where will it be?" he starts preparing the paint.

"All over." I hear Rita and Haley giggling behind me as they see his eyes widen and now he's the one wearing a smirk.

"Coming up." For a minute, the alcohol is out of my system and I lick my dry lips nervously as the paintbrush nears my bare skin. Paint can't cause me to transform, can it? Before I can stop him, it's too late; I suck in a deep breath as the cool paint glides over my stomach. I'm ready to bolt if I feel the transformation, but nothing. I open my closed eyes and smile when I don't feel any sort of mermaid feeling. I turn back to Haley and Rita who scream throwing their hands up.

After working on my stomach, chest, and arms, he moves onto my face flicking the brush in all sorts of directions and when he's done with me he gives me wink and motions Rita over.

"I want the same thing, babe." I hear Rita say and as I try to figure out my whole reflection in the dark I realize it's hopeless.

"I'll be right back," I tell the girls over the music, but before I leave, I down another shot and back away from the room. It takes me a few wrong turns to finally find the bathroom and when I see myself through the mirror I can't help but smile. The paint consists of orange and pink swirls with flicks here and there. I throw my messy hair into a bun and take another look at myself before leaving. As I'm stepping out, I turn back around to see if I forgot anything and as I turn around someone stumbles into me leading me back into the bathroom. His hands grip my sides carefully trying to steady us both, and to stop him from squishing me, I place my hands on his chest. My heart begins to race at the feel of his bare, smooth, strong chest and when I look up to see whom I'm going to flirt with, I freeze. It's Liam. The sight of him makes my heart stop and have me sober up by a whole lot. We're staring wide-eyed at each other; my eyes are glued to his colored face. He has orange and blue flicks around his face and then my eyes quickly travel down to see his chest is also painted in the same colors. That's when I realize how close we are.