MAKO MERMAID ☆ H2O: JUST ADD WATER

SEVEN

   Her mouth was agape, trying to find the right words to say but was left standing like a fish out of water. Zane stared at her state for a few more seconds before speaking first.

   "I need your help." He seemed to sincerely ask.

   "Help? Help with what?" Sage asked as she stared at the paper he had in between his hands. Before she knew it he trust the piece of paper in her direction. On it was a a sketch of a tail, specifically, her tail. It was black and white but she knew it was hers. She had saved him when he almost drowned and must have seen her, that was the only explanation. "What is it? Some sort of shark?"

   "I didn't seem to get a good look when I was, you know, drowning," He mumbled the last part quietly, almost embarrassed. "But it was orange. It was a long orange, scale-y tail."

   "Zane, you must have been seeing things." Sage said quickly, as if trying to remember the script she was given from her friends. "You were down there for a long time. Not enough oxygen was going to your brain and it started to conjure up things that were not there. Sorry."

   He nodded looking back down at his sketch. She nodded as well and started to retreat back to the beach, but stopped when an idea popped into her head. He was stubborn, she knew that, and he wouldn't stop until he found it, more accurately, he wouldn't stop until he found his mermaid.

    "But what do you even call this mysterious creature?" Sage asked with her back towards him. She turned around to face him when he didn't answer. When she faced him she was met with his famous smirk.

   "It's some sort of Sea Monster." She motioned for the paper back and looked at it even harder than before. She didn't need her secret out so she needed another way to drive him away. "I have one of your friends helping me out as well, Lewis. With my money, his smarts, and your credibility, it's the dream team."

   Sage smiled at him and nodded. "Fine. I will join you."

   "Great. Let's meet up at the docks around noon tomorrow, yeah?" Zane looked down at the the brunette as she thought of all the possible ways this could go wrong. However, she ultimately nodded once more.

   "Can I keep this?" The Sea Monster that Zane was trying to find, questioned.

   "Sure. It's a photocopy, the real one will be worth something someday."

   "Okay. See you tomorrow, Zane." Sage then stared to back away, but a hand on her forearm stopped her.

   "Hey," The taller boy made her turn back around. "Thank you for believing in me." She nodded and left to go find Lewis.

   Unbeknownst to either of them, Jack had seen the last part of their interaction. He watched as the girl walked away with a page in hand and how Zane stared at her as well. He wondered what they were doing together. What an odd pair, he thought.

   Before he even knew it his feet led him towards the rich, obnoxious boy.

   "What are you doing with Sage?" Jack half asked and half yelled. Zane snapped his attention from the mermaid and back to the land boy.

   "And who are you?"

    "Look." Jack stooped right in front of Zane. "I know about guys like you. They use nice, innocent girls, like Sage, for their own benefit not caring about the consequences. I need you to back off."

   "Are you her boyfriend or something?" Zane was getting annoyed more and more with every word he spoke.

   Jack contemplated what to say, "Yes, I am her boyfriend. And as her boyfriend I need you to back off."