Aquarina(mermaid graphic done by Jihan B. Jackson)

Chapter 14

Upon getting to my room, I took a seat on the bed as Adrian took his time to examine the room, "Nice room" he murmured as he walked out to the balcony for a minute before coming back in and taking a seat on my desk chair. "Alright, so where should I start?" "How about from the beginning?" He chuckled. "I'm kidding. If I remember correctly you asked me how old I was?" His answer turned into a question at the end. "Right. I need to make sure my inference is correct, so don't be alarmed if I start to ask you questions. Okay?" I told him, completely serious. His right eyebrow rose, which he managed to make look really attractive, but he answered calmly. "Okay. I will be turning 18 in two weeks." That makes more sense. "Have you been feeling different this past month?" I countered. "Um, yeah. Every once in a while, I'll get a chest burn. Kind of like a heart burn. It won't last long, but there is no mistaking it. I have also got this weird feeling when I touch water. Like this tingling feeling. I also felt that whenever I would see you" He looked away, his face burning red. Face flaming, yeah, I knew exactly what he means. It was his body reacting to me, his blood companion. "Yeah, that was, um, your body reacting to me." I informed him, my face sporting a bright pink. "I don't get it. That doesn't make any sense." His eyebrows furrowed yet again. "I know that. You have just recently started to change and meeting me sped up your body's process." I explained to him patiently. "But I still don't understand what I am" he said a little desperately. I took a deep breath. "You are turning into a mermaid." I paused. "Or should I say merman."

His face was a portrait of shock. Mouth gaping, eyes wide, he sat there frozen with the shocked expression on his face. Well, he is taking this well. Note the sarcasm. "Mer-mermaid?" he finally sputtered out after a minute. "Merman" I corrected. I may have looked calm, but inside, I was terrified he would take me as some crazy freak. But I was determined to make him believe me. His face turned smug from his shocked expression and he said, "There is no way I could be a mermaid" he emphasized the word mermaid. "Besides, They. Don't. Exist." I rose an eyebrow, "Oh yeah? Care to explain the tail you sprouted and the way you magically grew scales on your forearms? Or the way, your hair turned black and your eyes became blue? Huh?" I smirked when I saw him run his fingers through his hair and continued. "What about this? How was I able to evaporate the water on your skin and 'tail' with my hand not having to touch you?" I made air quotes when I said tail and folded my arms over my chest when I finished.

"Adrian" I came up to him and put a hand on his shoulder, ignoring the tingles shooting up my arm, "You are a half-mermaid. Someone in your family has to be a mermaid in order to pass the gene through heredity. Whether your mother, father, grandfather, or grandmother, they have to be a mermaid in order for you to be a mermaid. Half mermaids aren't able to change or get their power until the ages 15-18. They normally turn on their birthday..." Adrian interrupted me to ask, "How come I turned earlier? My birthday is in two weeks." I sighed. "Well, there are times when half-mermaids meet someone special before they turn and it speeds up the process, making them transform 2-3 weeks earlier. You met me so that explains why you changed now rather than on your birthday, which is in two weeks." I carefully avoided the blood companion subject, knowing it would be the more awkward conversation. But I know I'll have to explain it sooner or later. "I don't get how you are so special that it speeds up the process." His chocolate eyes met mine from his shoulder, brows slightly furrowed. "I'm not trying to say anything insulting or that you're not special" he added, his eyes shining in sincerity. Cue the blushing.

I dropped my arm from his shoulder, forgetting it has been there the whole time, and walked to sit on my bed. "Because you met your blood companion." I looked away, a blush taking over my cheeks and neck. "Blood companions are two people that are born with the same exact blood. Like replicas, they are identical. These two people normally meet around the late teen years, but it can happen sooner or later. There is no age limit really. When you meet, your eyes flicker to their true form, the mermaid form. Blood companions are meant to protect each other, help each other, and care for each other." I wanted to say they are meant to love each other, which is true, but I didn't want to scare him away. I turned back to see him with an unreadable expression on his face. "So you're my blood companion?" He gulped noticeably and looked me in the eye. I nodded slowly and returned his gaze, "Yes. I am your blood companion. I am your soul mate"