Glass Prison

Chapter 9

Oh boy...

I pulled the plastic bag open.

Shocked, I stared at millions balled up foil dove chocolates. "You... ate... them all?" How was she alive and not sick. I stood up and stared at Bodhi, looking for evident sickness on her.

She grinned madly, appearing just fine. She frowned when I didn't smiled and still stared at her.

I raised my hands in defeat. I sighed. "You shouldn't eat so much chocolate, Bodhi, it's not good for you." I crossed my arms. "How long have you been on land?"

"Hmmmm." She tapped her chin as she glanced upward, thinking. "Five days."

I rubbed my temple. "You have so much to learn."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not useless. I studied and know some things about human cultures." I thought about all the things we talked about. She's right. She knew what cars and microwaves were. She knew about shoes – that's for sure.

Bodhi's lips twitched. "So, are you gonna tell me which mer lured you in the aquarium?" She sat next to me.

I stuttered. "Wha–"

She rolled her eyes and lowered in her voice. "What do you mean? I don't know what you're talking about. We're just friends." Her voice returned to normal. "Save it for someone whose heard it all."

"I don't sound like that." I frowned. "I've been told I have a melodic voice." I sniffed proudly.

"Stop changing the subject–" She leaned onto my shoulder. "And tell me!" She grabbed my arm.

I tried to shake her free from me. "I don't know what you're talking about." I felt my face heating up. "But if you must know, I'll tell you his name."

Bodhi lets go of me and gave me her full attention. "Finally." She smiled gleefully.

I rolled my eyes. "If you must know, his name is Tristen."

She stilled and begun to blink rapidly. "Tristen?"

I stopped. "Yeah.. Tristen."

Then she smiled. A very sly smile. "Tristen with dark hair and blue tail?"

"You know him?" I asked excitedly.

"Of course!" She stood up and walked to another room. She yelled over her shoulder. "My boyfriend Gale and Tristen are best friends."

Oh right. How could I forget that? I followed her to another room. "Did also know him when growing up?" I stopped when I reached what look like her bedroom. She still maintained the closest vomit aesthetic as well in this room. I toed her shoes out of the way as I went to sit on her bed that is covered in dresses.

"No, I didn't know them as a child. I didn't meet Gale till I was a teen."

I grinned. "So who made the first move?"

She laughed. "I did, of course." She shook her head as if recalling her memories. "Only 'cause I saw him first." She smiled. "I knew he was my shi'amare."

I sat up. "Your what?"

She slapped her forehead. "Right. That's not english." She tapped her chin. "How do you say it in english?"

I sputtered. "I don't know." An idea occurred. "Describe it."

"Uhm..." She paced. "Wow. Okay. Well, it's celebrated in our culture when we find our shi'amare." She shook her head as if in awe. "It's rare and can change your life. Shi means..." She snapped her fingers. "Like yourself but without the body, your consciousness..."