Scales

Chapter 2

"Ella, get up!" Harrison yells up the stairs.  I groan and turn over in bed; that swim yesterday really did me in.  I open one eye and peer at the clock:  2:01 p.m.  I swear, Harrison's going to get murdered one day.

"No!" I call back, burying my head under the pillow.  I hear Harrison pound up the stairs and brace myself for the worst.  My door gets thrown open and Harrison jumps on top of me.  "Oh, my God, Harrison, get off!" I wheeze.  Harrison laughs and drags me out of bed, throwing me over his shoulder. Seriously, how'd he get so strong?

"It's time for a little wake-up call," he says mischeviously.  I'm set down in our tub.

Oh, no.  He isn't!

Harrison sprays me with the shower head and I scream,  "Harrison!"  My legs begin to fuse, and I'm sitting in our bathtub in full mermaid form with my brother over me.

"Oh, my God," he says, eyes widening.  I bend my head down, embarrassed.  Harrison takes hold of my hand suddenly.  "Ella, I didn't mean it like that!  I was just surprised, that's all!"  I look at my older brother and smile; he is truly wonderful. 

"Well, this happened about a month and a half ago, I guess.  That's why I go to the beach every day. I swim to get myself all calm."  Harrison smiles at me, and then his eyes darken.

"What?" I panic.  

"Well, Ryan is sleeping over tonight," Harrison begins, and I feel my ears go red. "What happens if he finds out? Oh, God, what if he sees you in the water?!"

"Then I'm screwed."

~*~

"I'm here!" Ryan yells as the door slams shut behind him.  I peer at him from over the top of my book, and we lock eyes for a moment, then look away.  Harrison pounds down the stairs and does their whole weird guy-handshake thing.

"Blake!" he calls.  Blake pounds down the stairs and stops next to Harrison.  "We're picking up the pizza and movie.  Ella, Mom's working the night shift at the hospital so we'll be home alone tonight."  I nod dismissively as they leave in his car.  Ryan flicks the television on and I look back down at my book.  

"This is night, Diddykins. That's what we call it when it goes all dark like this."  I honestly love Harry Potter books, and Harry's sarcastic manner.  Right now, I'm rereading the fifth book.

"Harry Potter? No way," Ryan says, looking at me, "I thought I was the only one who still read those."

"Nope.  I read the Hunger Games trilogy over and over, too," I reply with a smile.

"Really? Me too!"  Holy shit, this is getting better and better.

"So, what else do you do?" I giggle slightly.  Ryan laughs and begins to name stuff off.

"Well, I'm a lifeguard--you probably know that--I play guitar, sing, read, run track, um..." Ryan trails off.

"Who has to think about themselves?" I snort.

"WE'RE HERE!" Harrison screams as the door shuts suddenly.  I jump in my seat and Ryan laughs again.

"Harrison, we have neighbors, and I have ears.  So, please shut up," I say through gritted teeth.

"We don't say shut up," Blake trills.  I smile at her and hug her.

"What kind of pizza did you get?" Ryan calls to Harrison in the kitchen.  

"Pepperoni...Cheese...Sausage..."  We all jump up and make a run for the kitchen.  I try to grab a plate, but Ryan gets the last one and holds it above my head teasingly.  

"Jump for it," he teases, laughing.  I start to jump.

"Ryan!  Give it to me!" I yell.  When Ryan finally gives it to me, I get some pizza and stalk off, throwing my hair over my shoulder.

~*~

"G'night," I yawn to Ryan and Harrison.  Blake went to bed about three hours ago, and we all stayed up to watch a R-Rated movie.  We're so bad.

"Goodnight," Harrison mumbles, turning over on the floor.  Ryan snores in reply.  I walk upstairs into my room, lock the door, and dump a bottle of water on myself.

"Don't mermaid, don't mermaid," I mumble.  My legs go scaly, but don't fuse.  After a few seconds, they return to normal.  "Yes!" I say, punching the air.  I don't have much of a risk anymore, it worked!  I flip onto my bed, giddy with success, and fall asleep.

~*~

"Uggghkk," I moan.  I keep waking up later and later each day, it's 2:39 p.m.  The phone starts to ring and I sleepily answer it. "Hullo?"

"Ella!  Mom and Blake--they were in a wreck, you have to get here now!" Harrison sobs on the other end.  I sit up fast.

"Harrison, at the hospital?" I ask wildly. "I can't drive!"

"Call Ryan, just hurry!" He gives me his number hangs up and I dial Ryan.

"Hey, bro," Ryan says on the other end.

"Ryan?" I say faintly.

"Ella? What's wrong?" Ryan asks.

"Ryan, there's been an accident...hurry..." I mumble before the line is disconnected.