The girls and I were at the Juice Net seated in one of the booths when Byron approached us.,
"Hi, Byron" Emma turned to him.
"I was thinking about talking to you, but maybe not right now?" he expressed.
I got up from my seat, letting Byron have it, and moved to the next booth behind Cleo and Rikki.
"It's OK," Cleo nodded, "We won't listen."
Not wanting to be rude by eavesdropping, I pulled out my iPod and earbuds, plugged them in, listened to one of the songs on my playlist, and resumed reading my SpiderGwen comic book.
After about a minute, a hand tapped my shoulder, making me unplug my earbuds. I turned and saw that it was Rikki signifying me that Byron had left and my seat was available again.
"You did the right thing," Rikki told Emma as I grabbed my stuff and returned to my seat.
"We can't risk swimming pools," Cleo added.
Emma got up and left, making me wonder what it was about. Cleo and Rikki informed me Byron had asked Emma to coach for a swimming competition to beat Zane. Exposure to water was a recipe for disaster.
That second, Lewis arrived at our booth and seated himself in Emma's empty seat.
"I've been looking everywhere for you guys," he said, "Uh-- I need a hair sample."
"No way Jose!" I shook my head as I grabbed my things, and left with Rikki following me.
Lately, Lewis had been trying to get DNA samples from the girls and me to find out if our mermaid sides altered us in any way. As interesting as that was, it was starting to annoy Rikki and me. Cleo on the other hand, tried assuring us that he was trying to help us out. Plus, ever since Lewis nearly got us exposed on account of Cleo's toenail sample, I've been wary of giving him my samples.
"How dare Lewis expect pieces of us?" Rikki glared as the three of us walked on the dunes at the beach, "He and his little experiments are starting to bug me."
"He's just trying to help," Cleo reassured her.
"I doubt it! He likes annoying us."
"You're angry."
"He'd be angry too if he was a guinea pig."
"I dunno. I've known Lewis since I was five, and I've never seen him get angry."
Cleo had known him longer than any of the other girls and myself.
"Yeah? Well, we'll see about that," Rikki frowned sounding like she was determined to make Lewis forget about trying to get samples from any of us.
"I get the feeling you've got something up your sleeve," I turned to her.
🌊
Later that evening, I helped Grandma set up dinner before Dad and Grandpa got back home from work. I avoided any messages from Lewis thinking he was just asking for a piece of my hair or toenail. It felt like he forgot the girls and I were living beings and had feelings.
"What's on your mind, sweetheart?" Grandma asked as she placed a roast chicken in the oven.
"Have you ever had a friend that requested something from you one too many times, but it turned out you were annoyed with it?" I wondered as I added the salad ingredients into a large bowl.
"Sometimes. At times, you may have to be firm, say no, and mean it. Also, express how it makes you feel."
"Thanks, Grandma."
🌊
The next day, Rikki and I met up with Cleo at the Sertori house. Emma had other priorities which explained her absence. Lewis came over, determined to get our samples from us. He was about to cut off a piece of Rikki's hair when she pulled out what looked like a bit of hair.
"I cut it for you myself." she handed it to him and he placed it in a plastic bag.
"Zoey? Hairpiece?" Lewis asked.
"Ain't gonna happen," I shook my head.
"Lewis? Bye," Rikki waved him off wanting him gone.
I mouthed a thank you at her.
"Yeah. Yeah, no, I'll see you all tomorrow for the-- for the saliva swab," Lewis nodded and left.
"See? We're just specimens to him," Rikki pointed out.
"That's what I was afraid of," I agreed.
"That guy needs a wake-up call. And he's gonna get one."
🌊
I met up with the girls at the Gilbert house the next day when Emma didn't get back to us. Cleo, Rikki, and I entered the house to find Emma in the kitchen using a blender to mix some type of protein shake. She turned to us in shock not expecting either of us to arrive.
"What are you three doing here?" Emma wondered as she poured some of the blended drink into a glass.
"We rang. You didn't answer," Rikki replied crossing her arms.
Emma turned in the other direction as if she was expecting someone else.
"You seem kind of tense," Cleo pointed out.
"Me? No," Emma shook her head.
"OK, so, I wanted to run an idea past you about Lewis," Rikki began.
"Awesome shower," Byron remarked as he entered the room before either of us could continue.
Cleo, Rikki, and I gave Emma an expression asking her what he was doing and what was going on.
"This must be mine," Byron picked up the glass of the protein shake and drank out of it, and turned to Emma, "See you at the pool." He smiled at us and left.
"There is an explanation," Emma turned to us.
All of us met at the Juice Net and sat at a table. Emma had told us she had been coaching Byron for the swimming competition.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she apologized to us, "But I felt more sorry for Byron. He's come second three years in a row. And he's been having dreams about Zane."
"And, he's just got those big, brown, sleepy eyes," Rikki mocked her.
"That's got nothing to do with it. It's only for a couple more days. And I'm being really careful around water--."
"I get it. One rule for you, a different rule for us."
"You're not even trying to understand."
I could tell Emma was trying to help Byron due to the fact she liked him. If a guy I liked asked for my help on something I was good at, I'd jump at the chance.
"Why don't you just admit it? You like him," Rikki remarked, "You want to spend time with him."
"That's not it at all Rikki," Emma denied it, "Right, Cleo? Zoey?" She turned to each of us.
Neither Cleo nor I replied wanting to stay neutral in the argument.
"Fine. I'm leaving," Emma got up from her seat and left the cafe.
That second, Lewis arrived. Probably for our salvia samples. Rikki tricked him into thinking she dropped her teaspoon and used a pair of tongs to grab an ice cube from her drink and dropped it down Lewis' back. He paused at that moment as if he remembered something else. He pulled out a pair of nail clippers telling us he forgot toenail samples.
I ended up leaving the cafe, not wanting Lewis to request any of my DNA samples.
🌊
At school, during free period, Emma caught up with us as if to ask us something important.
"Am I too tough, or too demanding?" she asked us, "Am I a heavy training dragon?"
"No way," Cleo shook her head, "Not possible. Although at times you can be a little bossy."
"But for the right reasons," I added.
"And sometimes you don't listen to people," Rikki jumped in.
Emma turned in the other direction. I could tell that she felt hurt. I felt torn about going to her or giving her some time to think things over. I chose to give Emma a moment and caught up with Cleo and Rikki just as Lewis was talking with them. It turned out the hair sample Rikki gave him was dog hair. He thought Rikki and I were scared to find out the truth and then left.
"I'm sorry," Emma called as she approached us.
"It's OK," Rikki smiled at her.
"I may seem tough, but I'm easily hurt. I'm gonna make sure I'm nice from now on. How do I do that?"
"You're asking the wrong person, here." Rikki walked away.
"Try showing some consideration for the other person's needs," I suggested, "And soon that person will come to respect you and show the same consideration toward you."
"Thanks, Zoey," Emma nodded smiling at me.
Later, I found out Byron kissed Emma. Though Emma wasn't too thrilled about her first kiss. And Rikki was still trying to get Lewis frustrated. Not wanting to get caught up in their dramas, I headed home early.
🌊
A couple of days later, it was the day of Byron and Zane's swim competition. Earlier, I told Lewis that I didn't feel comfortable about giving him my hairpiece or toenail clipping expressing that I wasn't ready yet. He was understanding of it and told me that I didn't have to give him my DNA samples right away.
I met up with Cleo and Rikki at the pool where they got the best seats for view, but away from the water. However, Emma was nowhere in sight. I was told Byron had fired her as a coach.
"Hey, Byron? Have you seen Emma?" Rikki called out to him.
"She's not coming," he replied.
Cleo ended up phoning Emma taking the conversation off to the side.
Just seconds after the race started, Emma arrived and sat with the girls and me. I had to guess Cleo said something to her that changed her mind.
Byron ended up winning the race. Both he and Emma went off to the side to talk. Just as Cleo, Rikki, and I arrived, it turned out that both Byron and Emma were better off as friends. I could tell she could use a distraction.
"You OK?" Rikki asked Emma.
"Everything's fine," she replied but sounded sad.
"Let's go down to the juice bar," Cleo suggested, "My shot."
"I feel like a swim," Emma expressed.
"Oh, we'll come with you," Rikki smiled.
"Alone."
Emma walked away. I could tell she was sad about giving up Byron and competitive swimming.